Fantastic Engagement Ring Experience
Monday, August 06, 2007
Last fall, my fiance and I started shopping for an engagement ring; more to the point, he allowed me to design it. I have very specific tastes: 1. No diamonds (I wanted sapphires, but had a blacklist of countries I didn't want them to be from for political reasons); 2. Modest budget; 3. Antique setting. Of all the places to which I submitted this tall order (and there were many jewelers who either didn't reply, or couldn't guarantee conflict-free stones, or just wanted a ton of money), only the ClayPot responded in the positive. Because we were not in a hurry, they literally hunted for MONTHS for just the right sapphire center and side stones, even providing the provenance. They also introduced us to wonderful platinum smiths for the setting, and remained committed to giving me the ring I wanted within our budget. We were NEVER pressured in any way; in fact, we were given the option to purchase the stones through them and then have them put in a setting elsewhere if we weren't happy with the settings they offered. As it turned out, we found just the right platinum smith, and everything worked out wonderfully. In April, my fiance presented me with a unique engagement ring that has my personality written all over it: a champagne sapphire flanked by white sapphires, in an engraved platinum band -- and we get compliments on it ALL THE TIME. It is truly a success story. We are now finalizing selections for our wedding bands, and the ClayPot has definitely earned our business for them. I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone who is looking for a CREATIVE, knowledgeable, affordable, and stress-free jewelry experience. You can go outside the box without paying a fortune!
Pros: Will go the extra mile; works with your budget; wide variety of designers and styles
Cons: Can't think of any