Update....... We have placed an order!

We're going through Poppyseed, and I can't tell you how patient and understanding she's been through all of our panics and indecision. Thank you Poppy!!

The Boy did a good job. He came to the conclusion that the key to knocking this out of the park is including ruby side stones, since her original ring has those. He also came to the conclusion that designing something from scratch is far too nerve wracking and makes him question the project as a whole. So he settled in the middle by choosing a traditional stock setting and customizing it with ruby sides.

The setting will be the DeBeers style three stone with the side stones in a three-prong setting to accentuate the overall curve of the three stones together.

The center will be a 6.5mm Amora, which is going to be a whopper for The Girl after 25 years with a 1/5 carat. The sides will be 4mm lab created rubies, which is just slightly more substantial than her current side rubies.

I tried to Photoshop color into the side stones and at the first one I said, "Hey, I think I kinda did it, hack job though it may be." Then I went to the right and tried to do it again and I couldn't figure out how I'd done the first one. Well, here's a photo of what we're getting, hack job and all. Whether or not The Boy will be able to budget for a band is undecided at this point.

VERY nice choice, Hadley! It will definitely light up her hand --- and heart!

I cant wait for her!! She is going to LOVE it!!

I'm happy that he made a decision

& I think he made the right one, because it is both substantial and dainty, and with her sentimental nature the rubies are a perfect touch!

Wow that's beautiful!

Great choice!

And if he can't afford the band right now, that's ok. The ring will look wonderful worn on it's own for the time being. He can give her the band for a Christmas gift.

Another update now for this saga of "As My Friend's Ring Turns."

We've altered our plan at the Nth hour. The Boy was ok with the DeBeers style three stone above. But he admitted disappointment at not being able to get trellis prongs because they all got too high, and he was overly stressed about not including a matching wedding band because it put him over budget.

Then I found IT. A setting that includes trellis prongs while still maintaining a relatively low-set profile, and that has a sculpted shank to look like multiple bands together so that it solves the extra wedding band issue.

It's a mere $11,000 over our budget from the original seller. I'm riddled with guilt over how much we've put poor Poppyseed through, but I sucked up my guilt and asked her if Alb could make it with the stones we already have in motion and a few tweaks to the shank to get it into our budget. Bless their patient and understanding hearts, they said yes!

A week and a half ago, The Boy was resistant to this whole thing, anything beyond a plain solitaire was "weird," and he didn't know a single jewelry term. Now he's saying things like, "I wish we could find a low-profile trellis setting. She'd really like those elegant prongs and how they combine with the shank." I feel like I've successfully raised a child! I am so proud!

The Girl is going to freak when she learns that The Boy designed this for her. As he saw and learned more, he started forming his own opinions instead of needing me to tell him what to think. When he liked something, I searched for images that incorporated it. In the end, the different aspects of this new plan were all his choice and not mine. I can't tell you what a relief that is for me. So happy!

She is a lucky girl to get such a pretty ring. However, she is even luckier to have a great husband and a super friend.

That's going to be so pretty...how romantic that he is fawning over every detail. I'm sure she will love it!

I REALLY like that last ring - what a beauty!