How to plan a proposal?

I had sold many engagement rings to others before I needed one for myself. That’s quite a unique situation, isn’t it? We had been living together for several years and had become an inseparable couple. I don’t have to explain it to you: it was time to propose to Annelou. But when is the right time? And perhaps more importantly… the right ring?
Here is my story.

The first step is, of course, the intention to marry your girlfriend.

That had been there for a while, but taking action can sometimes take a while.

Timing: When should you order a ring to be ready in time for the proposal? That depends. We have a wide collection of engagement rings in our store. However, you may prefer a custom-made ring. That’s our specialty, and we love it. Keep in mind that our rings are all handmade in our own workshop here in Belgium. So remember: from start to finish, it takes 4 to 6 weeks to complete a ring.

Budget: It’s a sensitive subject where you should do what you feel comfortable with. Don’t be swayed by rules of thumb you find on the internet (General Rule: You should spend at least 2 months’ salary on the engagement ring.) And don’t be fooled by online auctions or other scammers. When something seems too good to be true, it usually is.

Inspiration: Many young women get their inspiration from Pinterest. That can be very useful, but often, photos are heavily edited. We explain in the store what is real and what isn’t. A piece of cut glass may look like a diamond in a photo, but the difference is huge in reality!

My journey: In the middle of 2020, I started the search for the perfect diamond. I wanted a top-quality diamond of a beautiful size for Annelou, but not too big. In that regard, you have to know your future spouse, and in my case, I knew that it’s not about bigger is better. Quality over quantity. It became a beautiful 1.25ct brilliant diamond in the very best color (D) with minimal inclusions in the stone (Vs1). I was 100% sure that the stone was perfect. Tip: Don’t be swayed and choose with your heart. We’ll help you interpret the 4 Cs of diamonds with common sense.

But then came the question… what kind of ring model is suitable for the jeweler’s wife?

The color of the gold: Annelou wears a lot of yellow gold jewelry, but I knew that the engagement ring had to be white gold. It’s also beautiful to combine those different colors.

Classic solitaire or something special? The philosophy behind our collection of engagement rings is “Timeless and Elegant,” where even in new designs, we don’t try to reinvent the wheel.

After all, you don’t want your engagement ring to go out of fashion in a few years. That’s why my father and I design contemporary interpretations of timeless classics. It sounds like a jingle from the radio, but it’s true. That’s what I wanted to achieve for Annelou too. That’s why I designed a new version of the classic trilogy ring. That’s how the Annelou ring came to be.

Doubt! What if she doesn’t like it? You inevitably doubt a little, but that’s the beauty of it. In the end, it’s about you knowing her best. So, you make a choice of what suits her. And that’s always a success!

The Magic Moment
We went on vacation to Italy, can you find a more beautiful moment? I wanted to ask that important question at Lake Como. I was nervous and couldn’t wait any longer. So it was in the hotel room itself that I got down on one knee and asked, “Will you marry me?”. The rest is history! The Annelou ring was a big hit.

Variations: the Leonie ring
Our good friend, Alexander, came to us with a request to design a beautiful engagement ring for his Leonie. “I really like the Annelou ring, but I would like to have something with a blue stone because Leonie has such beautiful blue eyes.” This is how the Leonie ring was born, by using two pear-shaped blue sapphires. A super successful variation. Do you have an idea yourself? Bring it with you and we’ll work on it together.

Willem-Alexander

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