Now how to make this happen for yourself? Jean-Noel Soni works with many designers and we would be happy to help put you in touch.

Jean-Noel Soni is based in San Francisco, where he lives with his family. He travels a lot. You can get to drooling here.

One of our favorite clients opted for this combination recently and the results were spectacular. More people should do this. We wanted to discuss the pros and cons for the rest of y'all out there. 

Old Mine cuts and old European cuts are harder to find. They are not included in the inventories of major diamond retailers, so you have to have an insider hookup. That being said, they are not as expensive as you'd think - considering their rarity - and if you know the right people you can get your hands on some truly gorgeous diamonds. Luckily, we do. ;) 

Old Mine cuts and European cuts were crafted long before the Modern Round Brilliant was invented. The cut is blockier, more fiery, and is not graded by the same standards that the industry uses to analyze modern brilliant cuts. Often these stones do not come with a certificate from GIA or another grading lab. This makes antique cuts a bit tricky to shop for, but on the plus side they are valuable because of their appeal, so you can feel free to trust your gut, follow your instincts, and choose a stone that you fall in love with. (If this sounds really scary to you, never fear, we are here to talk you through it.)

If you are looking for the classic Tiffany or Cartier engagement ring, this may not be the best route for you. These diamonds generally have a slightly warmer color and a faceting pattern that needs a jeweler who specializes in setting antique cuts to compliment their uniquely beautiful qualities. This is the best way to get the warm look of an antique without the years of wear and tear on the setting. You can work with your jeweler (such as the lovely and talented Linsday Chapman of Giador Fine Jewelry in Nashville, TN) to decide what antique elements you want to include, and what elements you want to update for your modern, glamorous lifestyle.  Or your rustic, bohemian lifestyle. Or your drunk, yoga, camping lifestyle. Your call. 

Hey, that’s our favorite. To celebrate the transition into freshness and spring we have selected a stunning palette of colored diamonds for you to browse. Colors range from the rainy grays of April showers to the soft greens of new shoots and dewy buds. The word diamond comes from the Greek word adámas meaning "unbreakable.”  FYI the colors in diamonds appear because of trace minerals that become trapped in between the layers of carbon as the diamond crystals are forming deep within the earth. Some diamonds are 3.3 billion years old, making them the OLDEST THINGS ON THE PLANET. Older than the continents. 

In case you didn’t know, people love garnet. In fact, it's a very popular as a Valentine’s Day gift (ehm ehm, see details at the bottom). But wait, there is so much more to garnet than meets the eye. Garnet’s chemical structure is X3Y2(SiO4)3 , which makes them about a 7 on the hardness scale. This means garnet is a fairly sturdy gem. Pro tip: Just like your heart, your garnet will never break if you are gentle with it and you never give it to someone who will run it over with a truck. 

The word  garnet is from the Latin word ‘granatus’, meaning grain or seed (most likely referring to pomegranate seeds) Garnet  appears naturally in every color in the spectrum, but it is usually a deep rich red. Unsurprisingly, it is associated with love, passion, and the God of war. Pretty dramatic, right?

In addition to being diamond experts, we are admittedly huge gem nerds. November is Topaz month so we wanted to share some of our favorite topaz facts. Because we have such a thing as "favorite topaz facts". 
(Hint: treasure lies at the bottom of this post.)

"Topaz" is related to the Sanskrit word "tapas" meaning "fire", and also to the Hebrew word for "orange fruit". Yes, she's one sexy mineral, that topaz. In case you care, the chemical formula is Al2SiO4(F,OH)2 - Little Birds get excited about such things. Topaz is a popular alternative center gem choice for an engagement ring. It is an 8 on the mineral hardness scale, meaning it is more durable than other popular engagement ring gems like amethyst, aquamarine and peridot, but less durable than sapphire. Topaz is also very cost efficient. It's plentifully found in many non-conflict areas. To boot, topaz comes in so many unique colors - all of them glimmering through a very translucent crystal structure. While some precious gems appear opaque or cloudy, topaz is known for being intensely clear. 

Anyone who lives in the Bay Area can tell you there is a wealth of talented and oh-so-cool local designers and amazing style curators who make their home base this gorgeous part of the world. We decided to pick a neighborhood and visit every fine jewelry store. On our list was Pave, Melissa Joy Manning, Fisher’s Jewelry, Oaks Jewelers, M Lowe & Company, and McManus & Sons. Then we stopped at H Julien Designs even though there is no jewelry, because it is just plain amazing.  (Ladies, this guy KNOWS floral design. Also, gifts for your mom.)

Melissa Joy Manning has an incredibly recognizable style. This is not your typical princess cut solitaire sort of store. Once you've seen her delicate bezels, lovingly presented diamond slices and  amazing variety of gemological designs, you too will be able to spot an MJM ring from down the street.  While we were there we got the skinny on MJM’s process for how to design an engagement ring using uniquely shaped stones. Every piece is one-of-a-kind. As a result, they are happy to work with customers who want to choose their center stone and work with a craftsperson to design a special and amazing ring. 

Next stop: Pavé has a reputation for being a high-end, digestible art jeweler. Their range of rings includes the most streamlined designs to the most delicate and detailed. They happily do custom work, and are known for their customer service. 

At M. Lowe & Company we chatted with the owner Margo about Fall trends, sapphire engagement rings and the process of working with a jeweler to choose your diamonds and settings separately. As usual, Margo was an absolute delight to talk to. We could have spent hours in there looking at the uh-mazing collection of antique and eclectic jewelry as well as all the modern gemmy stuff. She showed us a gorgeous 1.2 carat F VS2 round brilliant diamond that she was planning on putting in an 18k white gold halo setting. (see below) It is a popular and pretty diamond ring design, and with that beautiful center stone it is sure to be the perfect engagement ring for some lucky lady out there. We hope she says yes!