Hello PS!
Since PS has been invaluable in helping me find the perfect engagement ring, I thought I'd share with you my story, the pictures of the ring and my high praise for the jeweler who made my fiance's dream ring become a reality - Mark Turnowski at Engagement Rings Direct!
Once I decided it was time to start shopping for a diamond, a quick google search lead me to PS. I am so very thankful it did. I cannot explain enough how much help this site and its members have provided while hunting for the perfect engagement ring for the girl of my dreams and love of my life. Thank you so much PS members.
As an engineer, I am incredibly particular with every detail and every possible option when shopping for anything, almost to a fault. So with such a big investment, I ensured to exhaust every possible option before committing, which definitely took a toll on my patience. There are only a couple B&M stores locally that could provide the quality and custom job I wanted. Not wanting to be limited to a local store just because it was close by, I was also looking online as well. At first I was skeptical about buying an e-ring online, but after coming across PS, I gained lots of confidence in going that route. Now I almost see it as the only way to go if you want to get best bang for your buck. I am glad I was looking online at the same time I went to the couple B&M stores here, as I knew what prices to have in mind for the diamonds I was looking at, and of course they were much higher at the B&M stores. After months of searching for a diamond and going in what felt like huge circles, I finally determined exactly what type of diamond I wanted to get her (she had shown me both rounds and cushions and was happy with either) - an antique cushion with fantastic light performance. PS and some quick google searches for the jeweler with the best (antique) cushions led me to Engagement Rings Direct and another jeweler.
I was in contact with the other jeweler who had great service and some nice diamonds, but their price point, for me at least, was too high for what I was getting in a diamond i.e. I wasn't willing to pay such a steep price for their "branded" diamonds.
At the same time I turned to ERD. I called on a Sunday, not expecting anyone to be there, but I was sitting on the couch on a lazy afternoon and figured I might as well and surprisingly enough, Mark Turnowski answered. Before even talking with a jeweler, that set a wonderful impression, knowing he's in on his off-time when he could be at home with his family. (But if you call on a Sunday and he doesn't answer, you can't get turned off by that!). Mark was incredibly friendly, made me feel super comfortable and had me feeling inspired and excited as I was so exhausted from months of searching with no end in sight. After explaining what I was looking for, he said he'd get back to me with some options the following day, which he sure did. We also discussed the ring I was interested in.
One thing i greatly appreciated was Mark's personal insight when discussing diamond sizes/weights and my budget. I had a rough budget in mind, and when I mentioned I'd be willing to go slightly higher for a bigger diamond, he told me to stick with my original budget. Most jewelers would see nothing but a bigger sale and jump on that, but Mark was very reassuring with my original budget and I appreciated his personal insight.
I was also quite happy with his diamond prices, I thought they were very fair. Because they were so fair, I was able to pay a slight premium for his "A Cut Beyond" Antique Cushions, which I was more than willing to do as I wanted a great performer. I am so happy I did! I also found the price point on the ring incredibly fair. The price for his ring was far better than a similar one from many other jewelers I spoke with.
We decided on a diamond and talked about a time frame. I would need the completed ring in about a month, which he assured me was no problem (it certainly wasn't - lots of time to spare!)
With the diamond chosen, I gave him some specifics for the customized ring (their Heather ring) and he got working on the CADs of it. We made one modification/markup to the CADs when he came back with them and after that we were happy and he moved forward with fabrication.
I then mentioned I would need it earlier than originally planned (by about 5 days) and he didn't bat an eye, not a problem at all. Being a paranoid/anxious person, I called to ensure everything was still on track during the couple weeks it was being made and each time he assured me we were still on schedule. In the end, he delivered as promised, right on time with FedEX overnight, insured.
When I finally did get it, I was absolutely blown away, as were my parents. We couldn't believe the quality of the craftsmanship and the sparkle and shine of the center stone along with the smaller diamonds in the halo and on the band. Even my mother, who has a number of diamond rings and can be very particular, was in awe. We were actually laughing from how impressed we were. I was simply ecstatic.
Anyways, when I finally proposed and opened the ring case, my now-fiance's jaw dropped, she couldn't get over its size and beauty (it's not a massive ring but compared to what her friends and people in our age group and circle have, it is considerably bigger). It comes up at least once a day how much we love it and how great it looks. the day after we got engaged, we went on a vacation, and all we could talk about the first few days was the ring. She couldn't be any more pleased with it. All her girlfriends told me i did a great job and some of them have said "that's my dream ring!". i think she's made a few of them jealous!
Well you get the picture so I'll stop rambling. I just wanted to show my thanks to PS and its members, give you some background and to show my praise for Mark Turnowski at Engagement Rings Direct (ERD). I can't thank him enough for the amazing job he did. His service was exceptional, his prices are fantastic and bottom line - he delivered exactly what he promised he would and he did it on time. It is an absolute no-brainer to use him for your engagement ring needs, especially if you want a beautiful cushion like something from his "A Cut Beyond" line. I wouldn't hesitate one second to use him again. We will certainly be back to have him make our wedding rings!!
I've uploaded some pics of the ring. Pretty standard shots, we're not photographers and it's a simple point and shoot camera. However, pictures (and the CADs from before it was made) don't do it justice. They don't even come close to capturing the beauty of the ring (I'm sure those of you who have gone through this process agree).
Center Stone Details
1.32 cwt
G
VS2
Symm VG
Pol EX
Size 6.25 ring
Thanks for taking the time to read this. Thank you PS members. And most certainly a huge THANK YOU! to MARK TURNOWSKI at ENGAGEMENT RINGS DIRECT!!! You've made her dream ring come true!!!!!
Since PS has been invaluable in helping me find the perfect engagement ring, I thought I'd share with you my story, the pictures of the ring and my high praise for the jeweler who made my fiance's dream ring become a reality - Mark Turnowski at Engagement Rings Direct!
Once I decided it was time to start shopping for a diamond, a quick google search lead me to PS. I am so very thankful it did. I cannot explain enough how much help this site and its members have provided while hunting for the perfect engagement ring for the girl of my dreams and love of my life. Thank you so much PS members.
As an engineer, I am incredibly particular with every detail and every possible option when shopping for anything, almost to a fault. So with such a big investment, I ensured to exhaust every possible option before committing, which definitely took a toll on my patience. There are only a couple B&M stores locally that could provide the quality and custom job I wanted. Not wanting to be limited to a local store just because it was close by, I was also looking online as well. At first I was skeptical about buying an e-ring online, but after coming across PS, I gained lots of confidence in going that route. Now I almost see it as the only way to go if you want to get best bang for your buck. I am glad I was looking online at the same time I went to the couple B&M stores here, as I knew what prices to have in mind for the diamonds I was looking at, and of course they were much higher at the B&M stores. After months of searching for a diamond and going in what felt like huge circles, I finally determined exactly what type of diamond I wanted to get her (she had shown me both rounds and cushions and was happy with either) - an antique cushion with fantastic light performance. PS and some quick google searches for the jeweler with the best (antique) cushions led me to Engagement Rings Direct and another jeweler.
I was in contact with the other jeweler who had great service and some nice diamonds, but their price point, for me at least, was too high for what I was getting in a diamond i.e. I wasn't willing to pay such a steep price for their "branded" diamonds.
At the same time I turned to ERD. I called on a Sunday, not expecting anyone to be there, but I was sitting on the couch on a lazy afternoon and figured I might as well and surprisingly enough, Mark Turnowski answered. Before even talking with a jeweler, that set a wonderful impression, knowing he's in on his off-time when he could be at home with his family. (But if you call on a Sunday and he doesn't answer, you can't get turned off by that!). Mark was incredibly friendly, made me feel super comfortable and had me feeling inspired and excited as I was so exhausted from months of searching with no end in sight. After explaining what I was looking for, he said he'd get back to me with some options the following day, which he sure did. We also discussed the ring I was interested in.
One thing i greatly appreciated was Mark's personal insight when discussing diamond sizes/weights and my budget. I had a rough budget in mind, and when I mentioned I'd be willing to go slightly higher for a bigger diamond, he told me to stick with my original budget. Most jewelers would see nothing but a bigger sale and jump on that, but Mark was very reassuring with my original budget and I appreciated his personal insight.
I was also quite happy with his diamond prices, I thought they were very fair. Because they were so fair, I was able to pay a slight premium for his "A Cut Beyond" Antique Cushions, which I was more than willing to do as I wanted a great performer. I am so happy I did! I also found the price point on the ring incredibly fair. The price for his ring was far better than a similar one from many other jewelers I spoke with.
We decided on a diamond and talked about a time frame. I would need the completed ring in about a month, which he assured me was no problem (it certainly wasn't - lots of time to spare!)
With the diamond chosen, I gave him some specifics for the customized ring (their Heather ring) and he got working on the CADs of it. We made one modification/markup to the CADs when he came back with them and after that we were happy and he moved forward with fabrication.
I then mentioned I would need it earlier than originally planned (by about 5 days) and he didn't bat an eye, not a problem at all. Being a paranoid/anxious person, I called to ensure everything was still on track during the couple weeks it was being made and each time he assured me we were still on schedule. In the end, he delivered as promised, right on time with FedEX overnight, insured.
When I finally did get it, I was absolutely blown away, as were my parents. We couldn't believe the quality of the craftsmanship and the sparkle and shine of the center stone along with the smaller diamonds in the halo and on the band. Even my mother, who has a number of diamond rings and can be very particular, was in awe. We were actually laughing from how impressed we were. I was simply ecstatic.
Anyways, when I finally proposed and opened the ring case, my now-fiance's jaw dropped, she couldn't get over its size and beauty (it's not a massive ring but compared to what her friends and people in our age group and circle have, it is considerably bigger). It comes up at least once a day how much we love it and how great it looks. the day after we got engaged, we went on a vacation, and all we could talk about the first few days was the ring. She couldn't be any more pleased with it. All her girlfriends told me i did a great job and some of them have said "that's my dream ring!". i think she's made a few of them jealous!
Well you get the picture so I'll stop rambling. I just wanted to show my thanks to PS and its members, give you some background and to show my praise for Mark Turnowski at Engagement Rings Direct (ERD). I can't thank him enough for the amazing job he did. His service was exceptional, his prices are fantastic and bottom line - he delivered exactly what he promised he would and he did it on time. It is an absolute no-brainer to use him for your engagement ring needs, especially if you want a beautiful cushion like something from his "A Cut Beyond" line. I wouldn't hesitate one second to use him again. We will certainly be back to have him make our wedding rings!!
I've uploaded some pics of the ring. Pretty standard shots, we're not photographers and it's a simple point and shoot camera. However, pictures (and the CADs from before it was made) don't do it justice. They don't even come close to capturing the beauty of the ring (I'm sure those of you who have gone through this process agree).
Center Stone Details
1.32 cwt
G
VS2
Symm VG
Pol EX
Size 6.25 ring
Thanks for taking the time to read this. Thank you PS members. And most certainly a huge THANK YOU! to MARK TURNOWSKI at ENGAGEMENT RINGS DIRECT!!! You've made her dream ring come true!!!!!
(jk, jk) 
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