Shan, you bought a pretty unusual ring with a cushion cut Diamond. What is the reason?
2 years into our relationship, Tika conveniently started dropping hints by frequently surfing ring design websites right next to me on her laptop. One day she exclaimed, “I want one which is not square, and not round” and voila, Shan’s brilliantly astute mind decided on a cushion cut.
How did you go about choosing the perfect ring?
One day I opened my email inbox to see a message from Tika titled “ideas”. On further inspection, it was just one photo image of a ring, and that picture became my sherpa, guiding me through the Mount Everest of jewellery. Basically I went to our friends at More Than Diamonds, showed them my sherpa, and they got to work on creating the perfect ring.
What were your most important points to satisfy when looking for the engagement ring?
Tell us about the proposal!
What were your expectations when presenting the ring?
I think that all guys believe that every single aspect of the proposal must be 100% perfect, because this is ‘the moment she has been waiting for all her life’. As my proposal went smoothly, I was expecting the Hollywood moment where she tears a little and cries out YES YES YES! In reality, shock and surprise were the immediate reactions, rather than unbridled joy!
Shan custom made a Cushion Cut Diamond Ring. What do you think about his choice?
It’s perfect. I’m not a square because that’s just too rigid. But a rounded square? How awesome is that?! It’s like saying ‘Listen.. this marriage stuff is serious, so you have to have a serious shape, but let’s just ‘take the edge off’ and make it a rounded square’. I didn’t know what a Cushion Cut was, but when I saw that my Diamond was not just square and not just round, I was like.. “LEGIT”
Was the ring what you had expected?
YES. Well no. Kind of. I could never imagine a ring this pretty. I’ve seen the vintage/modern look with diamond in the middle and diamonds around it. I’ve always found it not so traditional, but yet soulful. But I have not seen one this pretty. I actually have to say that my favourite part is looking at it from the bottom. The prongs that supports it all makes it look so old school, they support the frame all the way around. It is not bulky, it’s so vintage. I’m sorry, but there is no way I am passing this ring down to my children!
Tell us about the proposal!
One morning I woke up irritated because Shan kept on calling me. And finally I picked up saying WHAT DO YOU WANT?
I went to the website as he suggested, a bit annoyed. I saw what he had done and thought ‘Awww that’s a nice surprise’… But when he said in the video “Now I ask you to go to the balcony” I went back to irritable mode thinking ‘Arrgh, now I have to get up’. So I got up to look for my present. I then looked over the balcony and saw big letters by the pool saying WILL YOU MARRY ME? I proceeded to ignore it and looked around some more for my present but found nothing.
Then Shan came bursting through the door and proposed to me. This is when I had an outer body experience. I knew it was happening, I could see it, but really, I didn’t believe it. So the whole time Shan was talking, I didn’t really hear him. All I was thinking was WHAT IS GOING ON???
Afterward, Shan said “Look at the ring!” I honestly couldn’t, for fear that I would wear some kind of Darth Vader inspired ring – or worse – some kind of Dolphin jumping mid air clinging on to a blue stone. Later, I went to the bathroom to look without Shan’s presence. Just in case it was horrid, I didn’t want him to see the expression on my face. But when I saw it, I went out the door and said IT’S PRETTY!!! YOU DID GOOD YOU DID GOOD!
What were you expecting from Shan in the way of a proposal?
I thought that he would honestly play some kind of prank on me.
Do you have any tips for nervous boyfriends out there who don’t have a clue what to buy?
Well… Shan told me that when he went to Chris and Sara at More than Diamonds, he was asked to describe my jewellery style and said “Egyptian”. So Thank God for Sara and Chris!
My advice would be, ask her friends what they think she would like, bring some of her jewellery to Chris and Sara, and they will help you out… A LOT!
But honestly, one major rule of thumb for me, which I think would be true with most girls: do not buy anything that resembles living things e.g. Dolphin.
