{"id":7209,"date":"2016-02-05T11:54:51","date_gmt":"2016-02-05T19:54:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/?p=7209"},"modified":"2016-02-05T11:54:51","modified_gmt":"2016-02-05T19:54:51","slug":"megans-wedding-ring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/2016\/02\/05\/megans-wedding-ring\/","title":{"rendered":"Megan’s Wedding Ring"},"content":{"rendered":"

short form: My wife and I are very happy with the custom made ring made by Edward’s Jewelry and Imports in San Francisco. I spoke with Jean Paul Tchamourlian there. I showed them some photos and talked about what I wanted and they made it for me! We got exactly the ring we wanted for about the same price as a ring made on spec! I got the sapphire from Andrew at Gemfix.com, a cutter in San Diego. The stone is magically beautiful. Seriously.<\/p>\n

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\nLong form (it’s pretty long, all my wedding ring research!)<\/p>\n

Jean Paul Tchamourlian
\nEdward’s Jewelry and Imports
\nGift Center and Jewelry Mart
\n888 Brannan St
\nShowroom 160
\nSan Francisco, CA 94103
\njean-paul@edwardsjewelry888.com
\n415-626-9333<\/p>\n

Jean Paul was really super great. If you go, definitely say “hello” from me, I’m sure he’ll remember me. He gave me exactly what I wanted at the best price I found. At other stores, I found many not-custom rings that were similarly priced to my custom ring.<\/p>\n

The San Francisco Gift Center and Jewelry Mart<\/a> \u00a0is definitely worth browsing. There are about 5 big jewelers and 10 small jewelers in this underground mall. You need to be on the guest list to get into the place (security is tighter since it’s all jewelry stores). Just call Edwards Jewelry (or any of the others) and they’ll have a pass waiting for you at the security desk. The Gift Mart website doesn’t look like much but it’s definitely worth visiting.<\/p>\n

I also got a \u00a0Sara and Jane Wishbone Necklace<\/a> in Sterling Silver for Megan so she could take her ring off and safely keep it on her neck. It totally works but it turns out that Megan doesn’t use it. There are similar ring holders online, this is is a very good one. You can search online for “wedding ring holder pendant” “charm holder pendant”<\/p>\n

\"sara\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I got the sapphire wedding stone for her wedding ring from Gemfix.com<\/a>. I ordered 3 stones and returned 2. As the website says, all of the gems look different from the photos. That’s the thing about gems, you can’t capture their glistening in a photo or in all the types of light. I thought I wanted one stone from the photos but when they arrived, I ended up completely falling in love with another stone. So when you look at your stones, try them in sunlight, incandescent, overcast daylight… etc… Again, see it with your own eyes before committing to it. I spent about $100 mailing gems around with insurance and it was worth it.<\/p>\n

Inspiration for our \u00a0Ring
\n* Show me some Van Craeynest<\/a>
\n* Van Craeynest Facebook<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/www.minerals.net\/gemstone\/sapphire_gemstone.aspx<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/www.gia.edu\/<\/a>
\n* discussion of putting a sapphire in a VC 1020 http:\/\/www.pricescope.com\/forum\/colored-stones\/blue-sapphire-for-engagement-ring-sos-t190755.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Lots of articles http:\/\/www.jewelrynotes.com\/<\/a>, http:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

The first CAD design for our ring:
\n\"cad\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There are no official names for sapphire colors. Here is one website’s attempt at naming the colors. When asking around with these names, I got a lot of blank stares. Gemfix tries to put Pantone color names on their stones and that works better than saying “it’s more of a Camelot Blue than a Prince of Wales Blue…” heh. \u00a0\"sapphire_color_chart\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Here’s some good sapphire guides. But screw all the guides! Hold the stone in your hand and see if you love it.
\n* http:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Buy-Sapphire<\/a>
\n* stones by location http:\/\/www.collectorfinejewelry.com\/buyers_guide_sapphire.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

Places to buy sapphires
\n* http:\/\/www.realgems.org\/links.html<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com\/sapphires\/c-5-blue-sapphires\/ (many stones have videos which is nice)
\n* http:\/\/www.riogrande.com\/Home<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/www.gemfix.com\/sapphire_blue.html<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/www.ebay.com\/sch\/Sapphire-\/10259\/i.html<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/www.africagems.com\/bluesapphire.html<\/a>
\n* https:\/\/www.hooverandstrong.com<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/www.mastercutgems.com\/<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/www.palagems.com\/home.htm<\/a> (only open to the trade)
\n* http:\/\/www.gemrite.com\/collections\/gems\/sapphire<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/www.mlowejewelry.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Gem sizing comparing millimeters to carats in round stones. (Via. This site has comparisons of lots of different shaped stones<\/a>)
\n5mm = .46 carat
\n6mm = .84 carat
\n7mm = 1.28 carat
\n8mm = 2.04 carat<\/p>\n

Styles of rings often have names, and often they don’t. I found abunch of buzzwords that helped in my search somewhat.
\nAntique \/ Vintage, filigree, Edwardian which is a subset of Victorian. Maybe Art Nouveau, Art Deco
\nNot: Georgian (kinda bubbly), Victorian (crowns and royalty, Edwardian, Art Nouveau and the Art Deco
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Estate_jewellery#Periods_of_estate_jewellery<\/p>\n

If you’re getting a diamond, I hear that you want to buy:
\nColor: I or better (D, E, F, G, H, I)
\nClarity: SI2 or better<\/p>\n

Dumb tip I learned:
\nWhite gold is usually electroplated with rhodium to make it more white. This coating wears off, which is stupid. Jewelers recommend replating it every 1-2 years. Some people get it replated on special anniversaries…<\/p>\n

White gold can be made from nickel alloys. Caution, they might cause allergic reactions.<\/p>\n

More Sites to shop for rings:
\n* http:\/\/antiqueengagementrings.com<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/www.etsy.com<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/www.ebay.com<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/www.rubylane.com<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/diamondbistro.com\/<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/loupetroop.com\/<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/www.vancraeynest.com\/<\/a>
\n* http:\/\/www.pricescope.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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Suggestions for Bay Area local dealers and ring makers<\/p>\n