When Mart came to see us ahead of his proposal, he knew exactly what engagement ring he was after.
Fortunately, Mart’s future fiance, Jessica had made things easy for him by stopping and having a good look when the couple passed a jewellery store – Jessica’s platinum engagement ring features a cushion cut diamond in a shoulder setting, with a hidden halo.
The couple’s special moment took place on the on the main jetty of St Paul’s Bay in Rhodes and it certainly sounded romantic.
After the proposal, we had a quick chat with Mart to find out how he found the experience of designing a bespoke engagement ring – and most importantly, if she said “yes”.
Can you tell me a bit about your ring?
The initial idea was always to have a diamond shoulder and stand-alone diamond as the centre piece. I knew that from the off as passing by every jewellery shop we had to stop and have a good look! So the idea was there, it was just then about picking the right ring.
How did you propose?
The proposal turned out quite well. I did the deed whilst on holiday in Rhodes, 2018. It was a little bit of a risk as we were staying 40 minutes from Lindos, the town that I planned to propose in, and the first time I would visit was the night of the proposal. I was in good hands though as one of my best friends had married in Lindos the year previous and put me in touch with his Lindos based wedding planner, who made up the most beautiful setting on the main jetty of St Paul’s Bay.
There aren’t many roads for cars in Lindos so our driver had to drop myself, Jess and our 2 year old boy, Louie at the top of the hill looking over the bay. The setting was there for all to see so as you can imagine, the nerves started to kick in as we made our way towards the jetty down the hill. When we made it to the jetty, Jess had her suspicions and asked why I was acting “strange”! I led her on to the jetty and managed to mumble a few words out before getting down on one knee. Jess of course said yes, and the ring did help, she absolutely loved it, “it’s perfect” were her words. For me, it was time to breathe a sigh of relief! We enjoyed watching the sunset with a glass of prosecco before heading across to a beautiful beach side restaurant facing the jetty. It couldn’t have gone better (in my eyes)
Why bespoke?
The idea came from many places! Over the last couple of years, Jess had hinted at certain styles of rings and what kind of ring she would want. We looked in all of the high street jewellers windows, on Instagram and there were other internet searches. Instagram was probably the best outlet for looking at bespoke designs and getting an idea of what I wanted to get for Jess, before physically going into an independent jewellers.
Where did you get the idea for the design of your piece?
I always had a pretty good idea in my head of what I wanted the ring to look like, but there were a couple of tweaks along the way, once I’d seen the initial CAD drawing. Max (Creative Director, Steven Stone) was always on hand to help when I was unsure of something and was able think up new tiny details from what we discussed.
How did you find the whole bespoke process?
Ultimately, it all came together once I visited Steven Stone. The service I received was second to none – I was given advice on how certain aspects of the design I wanted would work and how other parts of the design may need rethinking. I would certainly recommend that anyone looking for a personable, detailed approach, and in my eyes offering very good value for money when you compare what’s to offer on the high Street, to visit Steven Stone, at the very least just to see what they can offer. Not only the service during the process but the aftercare also, it’s been brilliant.
Is your piece as you imagined?
The piece is amazing, exactly what I asked for, probably better than I envisaged it to be. And knowing how picky my ‘fiancée’ can be, her reaction to it was perfect.
What is a shoulder setting?
Featuring diamond shoulders that add extra sparkle, shoulder set engagement rings are the perfect twist on a classic.
Daisy Lowe has a particularly exceptional shoulder set engagement ring from her fiancé Jordan Saul, who popped the question in September 2022. Daisy’s breathtaking ring features an Asscher cut diamond, which is an octagonal diamond with a square shape and layered facets.
If you’re looking for a cushion cut engagement ring of your own, we have a stunning selection to choose from. Perhaps you already have a ring on your finger and are searching for the perfect wedding ring? If so, be sure to get in touch – we have expert jewellers in Manchester and engagement rings in London.
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