It is hard to plan an extravagant romantic gesture when you are quarantined together in the middle of a global pandemic, but that's exactly what Luke has done. Stephanie is finishing medical school. Luke is finishing graduate school. They have been attending school while sequestered together for many months in their New York City apartment while New York has experienced the worst of the Pandemic.
While this period of time has been catastrophic and disorienting, for Stephanie and Luke it also brought many positive developments, such as the adoption of a new puppy. It has strengthened their bond as a couple and made it crystal clear to Luke that Stephanie is the woman he wants to have by his side for the rest of his life.
Sneaking out of the apartment to have a FaceTime chat with me from the sidewalk, Luke told me about their relationship, his vision for their future, and his vision for the ring he wanted to create to ask Stephanie to be his wife.
As the youngest of five with four older sisters, Luke is lucky to have watched his sisters go through the process of getting engaged before him. Trusting their opinions and wanting something that was as unique as their rings and stories, Luke developed a vision for a timeless and classic engagement ring, splashed with a bit of fun--essentially what Stephanie would be if she were a ring.
For Stephanie's ring, we wanted the center diamond to pop in the setting by using four tapered prongs to hold the diamond on top of a delicate 18k gold band. With Stephanie's slight size (a size 4.5 ring finger!) in mind, we kept the gold framing and settings for the stones light, adding to the femininity and delicacy of this lacy engagement ring. This light touch of gold allows the stunning round brilliant cut diamond to take center stage and seem to float on the hand.
As a nod to her Colombian heritage, we included Colombian emeralds with a light green hue selected to echo the emerald jewelry she has been gifted by family. The emeralds we used are various sizes and are sprinkled down the band and around the basket--a discreet drizzle of color to guide the eye around the ring and add a playful and joyful pop to the traditional setting.
Over the course of time, emeralds have been considered a symbol of truth and love. In ancient Greece and Rome, emerald was said to be the gemstone of the goddess Venus, the purveyor of love and hope. It is also known as a stone of intuition. I cannot think of a more perfect stone to include in an engagement ring created in the middle of a Pandemic that brought clarity of love and truth to this wonderful couple.
Luke schemed to surprise Stephanie during a last minute trip to visit her family in Miami. He added to the joy of finally being able to see loved ones after many months apart by asking Stephanie for her hand and presenting her with this completely one-of-a-kind engagement ring.
Congratulations on your engagement, Luke and Stephanie! May your future together be filled with the truth, the love, and the hope of your emerald engagement.
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