And we've started hunting for a new ring for me. Yes, with an actual diamond. But not a gumball diamond. We're searching for the perfect antique/vintage/estate/previously-owned piece of history. It's trickier this way because the settings that I like fit only exactly the size of diamond that was origanally set in it.
And diamonds from back then look smaller than their modern counterparts because they were all European or Old Miners' cut. But at least that means that they'll have that soft sort of sparkle glow instead of looking like something that should be at a rave or in an instrument for mind control...
I've actually found a few that I really like a lot. Usually the problem is the diamond being too "nice" for my taste (and our budget). I like old Edwardian, Art Deco, and Art Nouveau rings, so pretty much circa 1900-1930's. They are suprisingly easy to find around here, but I haven't found one yet that the diamond works for us. There is one Wixon Jewelers that's around $600-$700 that's really nice, but the diamond is a bit too sparkly and a bit smaller than we can find for the same price. So Sharon at Wixon is amazing and helping us on our hunt for a bigger diamond with a lot of colour and some inclusions that give it character. She's my new favourite person. She gets it. Nobody else gets it. But anyway, she's their estate buyer, so she said that since we WANT that she won't pass it up when she finds it (because I guess she does find it a lot, so that's good).
I'm rambling, sorry, but I'm really really sad about one teeny tiny little thing...
Break my tiny frigid little heart. I've never felt such an affinity for a piece of jewelry in my life. This is half a size too small, but the diamond is worth a few more thousand dollars than I have or want to spend. I want that setting. I need that setting. And, naturally, the jeweler REFUSES to separate the diamond from the setting. Possibly because they're not skilled, and it risks damaging the setting. Possibly because they are pure evil, I haven't decided yet.