You have finally decided you have met “the one” and you’re actually ready to pop the question.
But then you remember the ring! How do you go about choosing a style, the stones, even the type of metal and what happens if you get it wrong and your partner hates it?
Sydney jeweller Fairina Cheng has been holding nervous partners’ and couples’ hands through the process of designing engagement rings for 11 years and understands how fraught the process can feel.
Her rule breaking pieces for that special day are guaranteed to be unique, capturing each couple’s story of their love and commitment.
“It’s not unusual for people to come to me and have no idea what they are after,” Fairina said.
“It can seem like a scary process. They may have done a bit of research but there is a lot of information that can be contradictory and often it’s catered for those looking for something quite traditional.”
“Taking the time to understand a couple’s relationship and personalities is a key step in narrowing down the style that might suit. I will spend over an hour with someone discussing their options and by the end they’ll know exactly what their dream ring will look like.
“It really doesn’t take long to get on the right track and gain some confidence in what they will be designing.”
After exploring concepts it’s then time to discuss options.
“If you’re still stuck on narrowing down a design, start with your story,” she adds.
“When you have the story right it filters out options that aren’t relevant and gives every element of your design a clear reason for being there.”
Fairina said sometimes people will come to her after having a ring for a few years that has just never felt right and never truly captured their story.
Luckily there is a solution. The great thing about metals and gems is that they can be reused.
“Turning old jewellery into meaningful new pieces is the most sustainable way to create and it also means there is still hope if you don’t love the ring you were surprised with,” Fairina said.
When remodelling an engagement ring incorporating key elements of the original design will help to create a new exceptional piece that preserves its story.
Fairina said having a trusted designer there guiding that process is really helpful and gives people confidence.
“There can be so much noise out there when it comes to advice around engagement rings. Sometimes what you need is someone to gently guide the discussion, offer relevant suggestions and remove all the distractions that make the process frustrating and confusing,” she said.
“Often a customer will send their partner to me having contacted me first to give me an idea of what they want. It allows them to be part of the process without being directly involved and they can still receive a surprise ring at the end.”
Another option is to come in together as a couple and design the ring that resonates with them.
“The process is really fun. Couples really enjoy collaborating on it and for some it can be just as rewarding as a surprise proposal.”
But when the big day or night comes and your loved one is not wowed by what you slip on their finger all is not lost.
