The Rules of Engagement with Hannah Florman

When it comes to custom engagement rings, the options alone can inspire an unnecessary degree of overwhelm or anxiety. Compounded by the reality that, next to a home or a car, it’s one of the most expensive physical purchases a person may make in their lives. These are some questions that I’ve been asked when beginning the custom diamond engagement ring process - so, if you can relate to any of these anxieties please know you’re not alone! The good news? You’re in the hands of someone who cares and will go the extra mile to protect both your experience and investment. On the horizon is a beautiful life together, and a piece that will last a lifetime, or more. 

I’m afraid she won’t like what I choose - help! Are there styles that you think are classic, if I have no idea what my partner would like? 

If possible, it’s always best to come in with some very basic information about what your partner might like - even if it’s just a single photo of a friend’s ring that she liked, that can be helpful. If you don’t have any idea, gathering some information about her personal style and lifestyle can help us. For example, is she glam or understated? Does she work with her hands or wear gloves everyday? You can’t go wrong with a well appointed solitaire with a high-quality diamond - that’s a universally sophisticated look. 

What is a respectable number to spend on a custom diamond engagement ring? Is the ‘three month salary’ rule still relevant? 

I aim to make the most beautiful ring for whatever you are comfortable and able to spend. I show my clients a variety of handcrafted stones within a budget range from low to high. You’ll be able to see how stones compare to one another and ask questions about which may be the best investment for you, based on your taste and priorities. A healthy budget for our designs starts at $10k and can go up to the hundreds of thousands.

I know a “guy” in the jeweler’s district, why do I need you?

Even a reputable dealer may present stones to you that have good GIA gradings but may have other issues that you are not trained to recognize. Their goal is to offload their inventory (even their subpar inventory) and they don’t have your best interest at heart, whereas we do. Wholesale dealers in the jewelers district are very knowledgeable about diamonds, but often lack design insight. They do not create custom pieces, and if they do, often don’t have the attention to detail that creates a truly luxury looking piece. 

How can I be sure that my partner will love the final design?

This is all we do and we’re very good at incorporating personal style and any inspiration into the final piece. If she ends up wanting something tweaked, we are always here to help - for instance, if we want to elaborate a single stone design into something we can evolve into a three stone piece. The possibilities are endless. 

Do I need to know her size? 

Yes please! Resizes for our rings are complimentary but we want to make sure the ring generally fits when you propose. 

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What should I be prepared for before coming to our consultation? 

We work with clients in our Boston studio, but also virtually for clients not living or traveling here. In person, you’ll be fully immersed into the design experience in a really stress-free process. We will sit together and you’ll be given any advice and recommendations in terms of how to spend and choose a stone for its real, visible beauty. If we are working remotely, we will have a similarly relaxed yet engaging first conversation over Zoom and schedule a few subsequent stone viewing check-ins. I’ll be sending you short videos as I’m hand selecting those, so you can view them 360 degrees. A word to the wise: I strongly advise against buying a stone that you (or someone you trust, like a personal jeweler) can’t feel or touch - it’s an important decision and you don’t want to have buyer’s remorse.

Ready to get started? Schedule your complimentary consultation today.

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