Due to its unique and personal way of doing business, Safari Diamond has had the privilege to hear about and even play a direct role in many engagement stories over the years. Here are a few of our favorite stories about our clients’ special proposal moments. Ah, romance.
The Butterfly Effect
I Made The Ring Myself
The Butterfly Effect
My girlfriend Jessica loves butterflies, and has been collecting butterfly-related items since her childhood. She also grew up in Monarch Beach, CA, named for the legendary magical and wish granting qualities of the monarch butterfly that still migrate there. So, when I decided I was going to propose to Jessica I knew somehow I had to work butterflies into it. It took me a month or two to figure it out, but the look on her face was worth the extra time and planning.
Here’s what I did. I contacted a local butterfly breeder (yes, they do have those) and ordered a dozen ‘baby’ monarch butterflies. I took her to our favorite restaurant one summer evening that has patio seating overlooking the ocean. After dinner, right around sunset, I excused myself and motioned for our waiter to get ready. I had come to the restaurant earlier that day with all but one of the butterflies in a glass jar, and arranged for him to discreetly release the butterflies near our table at my signal.
In my suit jacket pocket, in a small folded cardboard envelope was one small beautiful butterfly. I carefully put the 1.5 ct solitaire engagement ring and the tiny butterfly into my closed hand. I came back to the table and immediately dropped to my knee in front of Jessica.
I took her hand with my free one and said, “Jessica, I love you so much. My greatest wish is to make you happy, and I hope I can spend the rest of my life doing my best to make all of your dreams come true. Will you be my wife?”
With that, I opened my hand and there sat the butterfly, its wings slowly opening and closing. After a moment or two sitting still on my palm, it slowly flew off. There in its place was the sparkling diamond ring. Jessica’s eyes filled with tears and her hands flew to her mouth. At that same moment, the waiter released the butterflies and they flew up into the sky all around us, drifting slowly off into the sunset.
The rest of the diners gasped, and burst into applause as Jessica leaped into my arms. It is a moment I don’t think either one of us will ever forget.
P.S. Thank you, Drew and Safari Diamond, for your help and guidance in picking out the perfect ring (She loved it!).
- Ken Montag
Mission Viejo, CA
September 25, 2007
I Made the Ring Myself
I know for women, having the perfect ring with the big sparkling diamond their girlfriends can ooh and aah over is all-important. My girlfriend was no exception. I visited a few jewelry stores and I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted and what her tastes were, but the whole thing just felt… impersonal to me. Nothing stood out. I may not be the most romantic guy on the planet, but I wanted my girl to know that this ring symbolizing our love and our future really came from me, came from my heart.
I met Drew Lovett while visiting yet another jewelry store, but right away, he was different from the others. He didn’t try to push any rings on me, but instead listened to me and my ideas of what I wanted, and my desire to somehow be a part. I didn’t have a huge budget, but Drew explained that since he had his own mining and manufacturing operations that I could design a ring myself that would be one-of-a-kind, and it wouldn’t cost me additional custom fees. This alone floored me. Over the next hour or so, he sat patiently with me explaining the 4 “C”s, and helped me select the exact, cut, size, setting, etc for Stacy’s ring. We drew a sketch and I signed my name to it, as my original design.
I was more than happy with this experience alone, but Drew took it a step further. He asked if I wanted to help actually make the ring. I asked him what he meant and he just smiled and told me to meet him next week at a certain address. I took his card and promised to be there.
The following week I met Drew at his manufacturing facility near Daytona Beach. He led me into a room with a small pile of rough (uncut) diamonds, and allowed me to select which one I thought was the most beautiful and felt “right”. He then introduced me to his master cutter, Jim, who took our design and while I watched, began the intricate process of cutting all the facets into the stone and creating the round, 1 carat “brilliant cut” that I had selected. Jim actually had me come over, and with his guidance, I cut some of the facets into the stone myself! After the cutting was done, I polished the diamond until it sparkled like crazy, and then set it into the 6 prong setting myself.
Not only had I designed and selected every aspect of the diamond ring I had envisioned all along, I got to actually select and help cut, polish, and finish the gem! What an experience! And I still paid less than what I was quoted by the other jewelers I had visited for already made rings of similar stone size and quality. Amazing!
After the ring was finished, I had the inside of the band engraved to say “Designed with love, from Steve”. When I proposed to Stacy I gave her the signed design drawing and explained my experience. She couldn’t believe I went to that length to create something truly from my heart. You should hear her girlfriends ooh and aah now when she tells the story!
Thank you Drew, for not only creating a one-of-a-kind story for my fiancée to tell but an experience for me to cherish as well. I can’t recommend Drew and Safari Diamond enough.
- Tommy Williams
August 16, 2007
Palm Beach, FL