Laurie & Estella
Laurie and Estella's idyllic proposal took place nearby the infamous Lake Como. I caught up with them a few months later to hear how it went and to find out more about their experience commissioning their showstopping pink diamond engagement ring.
1. Let’s hear the engagement story! What were some of the highlights from that special day?
E: Our rather ambitious plan was to walk down to the shoreline in a small village next to our hotel in Lake Como where a boat would pick us up from the pier and take us across the lake to a villa for the proposal. We had booked a photographer to capture all but they got stuck in traffic and almost didn’t make it in time! In the end, everything came together at the last moment and we had an absolutely magical day.
2. We used a fabulous pink diamond as the centre stone in combination with an array of pink sapphires - what made you pick this colourway?
L: Pink has always been Estella’s favourite colour and part of her personality, so we were set on a very pink colourway from the beginning! The idea of a gentle colour gradient came from seeing Genevieve’s bicolour tourmaline rings and the beautiful colour fades she often incorporates into their bands. Lab grown pink diamonds can often be too peachy in tone for what we wanted so we expected sourcing the right central stone to be tricky, but thankfully Genevieve was able to find the perfect one for us in a beautiful radiant cut.
3. How did you find the design process? Any favorite parts you want to share?
L: It was really laid back and at our own pace, and Genevieve put a big focus on the idea generation part of the process. She gave us a lot of opportunity to pore over her initial sketches - we could point out our favourite motifs and then she would iterate on them and dive into more detail to explore each design further. It was fascinating to see her almost unlimited range of ideas and ability to visualise them so quickly.
E: Genevieve was receptive to all our suggestions, but also input her own knowledge and creativity to come up with new ideas which we hadn’t even considered were possible. It was initially her suggestion to have a celestial pattern set in the shank of the ring with pink sapphires and carved grooves, and over the course of the design process we took this idea and refined it together into something incredibly special and unique.
L: We really enjoyed starting the design process as a couple, which then led to Genevieve and myself continuing the process together once there were some initial ideas, allowing the ring to still be somewhat of a surprise for Estella. Being able to see some of the centre stone options in person was a really special experience. We were stuck between choosing a radiant cut or an emerald cut diamond, but when Estella saw how sparkly the radiant cut was and how well it fit into the celestial theme, there was no going back!
4. What made you choose the bespoke design route over a ready-made piece?
E: We had spent a morning exploring the jewellers’ shops in Hatton Garden together in search of inspiration, and quickly realised how traditional almost all of the ready-to-wear ring designs were. We were also quite struck by the lack of colour range and how infrequently pink diamonds were used, so we quickly decided that bespoke would be the only option for us!
5. We had enough budget left over that we could create a companion pendant necklace! How have other people responded to the pair?
L: The pendant is such an amazing complement to the ring, and works especially well when Estella is dressed up. It’s so sparkly, with a double halo of pink diamonds and metal rays around the central diamond, which makes it really eye-catching. People very often notice the pendant first before realising it matches the ring!
6. Do you have any tips for couples struggling to decide on their engagement ring?
L: We would really recommend starting by trying some rings on in person - that is, if you aren’t trying to keep the proposal a total secret. It’s sort of like with clothes where you have to try on an outfit to see if it really suits you, and quite often you end up surprised by what works and what doesn’t. If you’re in London, the jewellers in Hatton Garden are always happy to let you try out a ring, or see if a stone is the right size. Don't commit to buying something before you are ready! Of course, if you can’t find anything quite right or you’re after something more colourful than traditional engagement rings can offer, then you need to get in touch with Genevieve!!
7. If you were to design another bespoke piece in the future, what would you like to make?
E: We absolutely adore the Watermelon Sugar rings Genevieve creates, so definitely one of those. Or a couple of custom wedding bands when the time comes!
Interested in commissioning a bespoke piece? Book your free consultation with me here. Or read more about the bespoke process here.
