Check out this stunning halo diamond ring we helped come to fruition. These stories are meant to help folks at the beginning of the process gain insight into the creation of a unique engagement ring. Through personalized diamond and gem selection, metal choice, and lots of innovative custom design work, beauties like this one made their way onto some very happy hands. This client knew he wanted to maximize for the size of the center diamond, but he also felt strongly about selecting a color grade in the upper echelons of the scale. We were able to find him a larger-than-average diamond that featured an E color (very very high), and a once-in-a-lifetime, completely eye-clean twining wisp S12 inclusion grade. The result was a diamond over .10 carats larger, and 2 color grades better than every other option in his price range. W.I.N. We designed each element of this stunning engagement ring, start to finish, with the groom-to-be. His other half was never once briefed on the process - it was a complete surprise. This halo style engagement ring features a very unique blend of design elements. The bride-to-be was described as being a very physically active, finance professional with a simple, unique and modern personal design taste. Oh yeah, she also wanted her ring to maximize for diamond size. Round diamond halos are a great way to maximize for visual size, but we also knew that adding a bunch of little diamond accents may prove complicated if she was super active, and planned on wearing this ring on her exercise and traveling adventures. In response, we advised a platinum bezel set center diamond, so that a smooth frame of very durable precious metal held the gem in place instead of the classic prong-set design. Additionally, we made the halo diamond accents each smaller than the status quo, and increased the quantity of them. This specific design choice served to magnify the size of the center gem, while increasing the total number of diamonds on the ring itself. We also chose to channel-set each diamond in the halo instead of the usual prong-ladden pave setting you always see, which is typically more fragile than the clean channel setting. The result is a smoother, far more durable, and just plain cooler halo style ring. Bonus Points: We quizzed our boy on inside lover's jokes between him and his girl to uncover the special inscription on the inside of her band. Special touches like these impress for a lifetime. Literally. Now What? Your design story is bound to be different, but the rules of engagement remain: get some help. We will happily lend an ear and help you get on the right track. Schedule a COMPLIMENTARY BIRD CALL.. This is a free consultation and very smart investment in the search for your ideal engagement ring. Let’s hop on the phone, find out where you are in the process, and get you headed in the right direction.
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Just kidding. There's really only one reason to avoid "trendy" engagement rings: because you should have something you love that represents your unique style. The point of an engagement ring is that it's here to stay, and the point of trends is that they aren't. Trends are fleeting. So what do you do if you've fallen in love with a majorly re-pinned ring from Pinterest? The fact that your favorite ring is on Pinterest means two things: it's probably a lot of other people's favorite ring, too, AND it's probably not available from the original retailer any longer. Sad story getting sadder. Guys, we have an idea. What if you recreated that popular setting you love, but with a unique center gemstone? Enter the Eighty-Eight Diamond Cut. This diamond cut looks like something from a bygone era, but it's actually a newer and pretty rare cut. Note: this means you won't see it all over the place. Instead of recreating/straight-up-copying a ring you see on Pinterest, consider what it would be like to look at that ring design with a kaleidoscope and bring some more interest into the design. Make it yours. Creating a setting with an Eighty-Eight cut diamond center is a slick way to accomplish this. This diamond has 88 facets, which is about 30 more facets than your basic round brilliant (learn more here). ALSO, eight sides. We are into it. So we took the top 8 rings people bring us and we are reimagining them set with an Eight-Eight diamond in the center. Imagine with us... perfect for an Art Deco-inspired piecethe ultimate no-brainer for an 8-sided diamondthis, but with an 88. can you see it? we can see it.for a twist on the simple solitairea ring with eight prongs = a diamond with eight sides!would look super cool with compass point prongsoctagonal halos are made for 88 cutsoctagonal solitaire settings work, tooFrom our experience, you guys (all ya'll engagement ring shoppers) don't want to be trendy. In fact, one of the biggest trends these days is to avoid trends. For such a personal piece of jewelry, most people ask us how they can personalize a ring they've seen that they really liked. Check out the Eight-Eight and drop us a line if you need help reimagining your ideal setting! "When I first decided to buy my now fiancé an engagement ring, I searched far and wide for advice as I was definitely a novice. The ring I decided on was a solitaire setting with a few subtle details which were unique to me and my fiancé. Due to the solitaire setting, the majority of the process was dedicated to finding the perfect diamond, with ideal specifications, and at a great value." - Jordan
There are many ways to personalize a simple ring. Reach out to the engagement ring whisperers here at Little Bird, and we will be happy to help you bring out something special in a clean, classic and streamlined design. A Champagne Toast to Jordan & Mariya!"Once I found Little Bird and spoke to Danielle, I immediately became more confident and calm. She guided me through every step of the engagement ring process and worked closely with jewelers from across the country to find my perfect fit. Danielle personally advised me and called jewelry stores before I visited them to explain the exact diamonds we were interested in and at what price range. I cannot give higher marks to Danielle and Little Bird and feel they are worth every penny for their service. Highly recommend the service!!!" Good job, Jordan. And congratulations on landing such a major fox. Here's looking at you, Mariya! We loved working with you. Lots of love from the Little Birds! xoxo
"Sometimes it's a good idea to get expert advice, like when you're buying a house, or a car (and I so wished I had listened before buying that Pinto...), OR AN ENGAGEMENT RING that will be handed down to your grandkids. Enter: LittleBirdToldYou.com." Thanks for the rad partnership, MIB! Oh, and enjoy this great cast with Alexis Ohanian of Reddit. This podcast has really taken off over the last 12 episodes, but this single episode remains a fave. Michael Ian Black interviews Alexis Ohanian on the revolution happening on the internet over the past few years, and how we can keep the internet the open playing field that allows everyday people to become entrepreneurs. It's about being able support ourselves doing the things we are passionate about. SOLD to these Little Birds. Favorite lines:"you really have to make something people want" "know that it is a numbers game" "failure is not an option" "...spend more of your best years working on what you really love..." there are solitaires and then there are rings with simple accents. We'll explain... Solitairy Refinement
In total, there are 7 areas where you’ll have to make careful and informed choices when building your solitaire ring: 1. Metal type, 2. Band style, 3. Setting type, 4. Gem shape, 5. Gem type, 6. Wearability & 7. Personalization, such as engravings or inscriptions. If you're going simple, then every part of this ring should be flawlessly selected to match your tastes. If you are feeling stuck at any of these seven areas, then feel free to reach out. We can usually iron these things out pretty quickly! Solitaires with Diamond Accents Now that you’ve got the solitaire down you can up level your knowledge.
Anything still confusing? Feel to drop us a line. You can also head on over to the Little Bird TOOL BOX where you can peruse libraries of images curated by Little Bird engagement ring consultants in order to help bolster your visual vocabulary. Best wishes! - LITTLE BIRDS In an extended podcast, Sean from Menprovement and Little Bird discuss engagements, diamonds, strategies, and culture. When should a man propose? Is two month's salary still an appropriate starting point for the ring budget? Should you always get a GIA report with your diamond? Listen to the podcast here. The podcast also comes with a fantastic article on other commonly asked questions, as well as a guide to getting optimal value on a diamond. There's an excerpt from the article below.... You can read the entire article here, Question 8) Are diamonds really that common? Ring sizing has its own chapter in the book of advice on buying an engagement ring. So as part of your ring education, check out this definitive guide on how engagement ring sizing works. 1. Understanding Ring Sizing By NumbersHere in the US the ring sizes are based on a numerical scale. These numbers are based on the circumference of the inside of a band, expressed in millimeters. Sizes start at about a 3 (teensy) and go up to about a 15 (giant). The difference from one whole ring size to the next a matter of 2-3mm in the circumference of the inner part of the band, where it touches your finger. The difference between a comfortable ring size and one that either falls off or causes you to panic it’s so tight could be the matter of a 1mm difference in the inner ring circumference. You’ll see half sizes (size 5.5), quarter sizes (7.25) and even “loose” and “tight” sizes, which are basically like an ⅛ size increment. For example a “tight 6” is basically a 5 ⅞. The vast majority of people have a ring size somewhere between 4 and 12. For those of you abroad, we cover European ring sizing later in this post.
3. What is Her Ring Size?The average woman’s ring finger is a size 6, for a ring that is about 2-3mm wide. When you go to a jewelry store, most women’s rings in the case are either 6 or 6.5, and the bands are all about 2-3mm wide with a few exceptions. The vast majority of engagement rings will be in the range of 5.5 - 6.5. Of course it’s not uncommon to be smaller than a 5.5 or larger than a 6.5, but almost all engagement ring orders in the US fall in this tight range. These size differences vary by very small amounts. For example, the difference between a 5.75 and 6 ring size is so so so so slight. Just eating too much salted popcorn can cause your fingers to swell more than a 1/4 size the next day. So don't get stuck in the weeds on sizing. If you know she's somewhere between a 4 and a 4.5, stay with the larger end and you'll be ok. Making adjustments after the fact is totally normal. That said, if a ring were a basic t-shirt: Small hands: 4.5-5.5 Medium hands: 5.75-6.5 Large hands: 6.75-7.5
We are so excited about Diamond Foundry, a Bay Area-based lab-created diamond company that uses solar power to produce carbon negative diamonds. In their recent launch, Diamond Foundry wordsmithed a great piece about Little Bird and the value of our engagement ring consultation service. We are honored to be held in such high regard by a groundbreaking company that shares our commitment to smashing the mold. Suffice it to say, the feeling is mutual. Diamond Foundry truly nailed the synthetic diamond market when they combined ethics and art, using a fabulous lineup of engagement ring designers and American made solar diamonds. Lab diamond engagement rings just got way cooler. Leonardo DiCaprio certainly thinks so -he’s a major investor in the startup. We are gleefully anticipating the positive impact that solar diamond engagement rings will have on the jewelry industry. Prior to Diamond Foundry’s launch, the only time you would put “solar” with “diamond ring” was in the rare celestial event of a total eclipse of the sun; they call it the “solar diamond ring effect”. Diamond Alternative Cheat SheetSince we are on the topic of lab-created diamonds...
We are so excited to be able to congratulate these two on their engagement! Travis was one of the funniest, nicest guys we have ever had the pleasure to assist in the ring search. At the beginning of the search we were envisioning an antique solitaire. It's wild to look back on how that vision slowly morphed as we explored and compared all the possibilities out there. Travis remained open-minded throughout the process but he also stayed true to his and Amanda's personal style and let his internal compass be his guide. The result was a totally gorgeous, cushion-cut diamond in a Victorian inspired 18k white gold setting. Swoon! Warmest wishes to the beautiful couple! We can't wait to see your wedding pics! XOXO - the Birds November 11th, 2015 marked the first day that Little Bird - Diamond & Engagement Ring Expertise hit the radio air waves. We chose to partner with Radiotopia's How to be Amazing with Michael Ian Black after becoming completely obsessed with his debut series. Check out this awesome interview with Ingrid Michaelson (aka Ingrid Michaelson Unplugged - there are some amazing acoustic performances on this cast.) The hour is chock full of sassy quips, advice on staying independent and achieving success on your own terms. Don't miss some of our favorite HTBA episodes. This is definitely a podcast to put on your Stitcher favorites list. With a range of fabulous guests from Megan Mullally, Amy Schumer & Elizabeth Gilbert to Kevin Smith, Tom Colicchio & Chris Hardwick - the interviews are hilarious. honest and actually inspiring in some cases. The voice is earnest and real - that resonates with us. Little Bird is unaffiliated and truly taking the earnest road toward thought leadership in the jewelry industry. We aren’t puppets. We are working our butts off to make this industry and the whole experience for engagement ring shoppers much much better. - we picked Michael Ian Black for a reason. Because we really like his style and his dedication to earnest, heartfelt work. Thanks Michael Ian Black! We love your show and we look forward to partnering with you again in the future! "The job of Little Bird Engagement Ring Consultants is to: |
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