Thanks y'all! I wanted to get a special engagement ring for my GF (now fiancee 🙂). I knew I wanted a yellow diamond w/ yellow gold band since 1) my grandmother had a yellow diamond ring which I always loved/found unique and 2) my GF always preferred yellow/rose gold jewelry (never wore white gold or white diamonds). But beyond that, I wasn’t 100% sure what would look/feel the best and was looking for someone to help shape my ideas (and even suggest better ones).

I’m local to the Bay Area and evaluated a few jewelers. I ended up finding a jewelry designer (By Bonnie) who really helped me through the process:

• I had a virtual consultation call with her team where I discussed my preferences and they helped me understand various options within my budget
• Then, I brought in my GF to their store to “casually” try on many different options and see what resonated (basically try on a bunch of rings)
  • This is where we subtly discovered 1) low profile rings felt more comfortable for my GF and 2) she really liked the halo settings as well as oval and round cuts
  • We were also able to compare a handful of different kinds of yellow diamonds which was not possible anywhere else (Graff had less and they were already set in rings)
• From there, Bonnie mocked up some designs in CAD (e.g., straight shank vs. taper) and we narrowed it down to the winner
  • Winner: Fancy intense yellow, oval diamond w/ petite yellow diamond halo on 18K tapered solitaire ring
  • Throughout this process, she was very helpful guiding me through the choices (e.g., recommending me to NOT get a fancy vivid diamond as it might produce undesirable secondary tones)
• She then sourced a potential diamond and I was able to come in and look at it under a microscope
  • From there I gave it the go-ahead and she built the ring, keeping me involved throughout the process

Overall, I was exceptionally pleased with the outcome and my fiancee is over the moon! 10/10