shape
carat
color
clarity

James Allen - shipping delay

:appl::appl::appl::appl::appl:
 
So happy for you Norma! Yeh, for DH getting customs paid! I hope its everything you wanted. Pictures when you get time!!
 
Gah.....Take a sickie afternoon!!!!
 
Gah.....Take a sickie afternoon!!!!

I'll echo those thoughts. Priorities first -- bling, then pics for us to drool over your bling. Duh. The work will be there tomorrow. ;)2

Seriously, very happy for you. Can't wait to see the goods. :cool2:
 
Beautiful! :appl:Glad it worked out!
 
Very pretty Norma!!!
 
Wow, it's gorgeous!!
 
Blimey!:-o

So what do you do apart from jumping out of planes, ably assisting others with their diamond purchases and designing houses, you are an interesting gentleman my dear Sledge!:wavey: If you're happy to answer of course, no pressure!

Sorry @Lorelei, this one almost escaped me.

I never looked at my life as interesting, I just do what I do, lol. But here are a few highlights of some things I've done...

- Bought a Jeep, lifted it, armored it up, did rock crawling, mudding and trails. Helped others build their Jeeps up physically and online in Jeep forums. Participated in a local Jeep group and went on outings together. Miss my Jeep dearly by the way. Topless and doorless is truly a way of life. I will have another one day, but my other Jeep was lifted too much and had too many mods to be a good daily driver. Last time I drove on the highway I got like 8-9 mpg and had a top speed of about 65 (as I needed to regear).

- Had a few hot rods over the years...Corvette, Camaro, Challenger and Mustang. Done a plethora of modifications to all those cars. Like the Jeep, joined in groups and online forums and helped build stuff in real life and assisted on the forums. Drag raced for a little bit. Rubbed elbows with some of the serious racers.

- I love cars in general. I'd be like Jay Leno if I was loaded. I still want to build an early Ford Bronco (67-72) or International Scout -- that might be my "new Jeep" in the future, who knows. Also, I have yet to acquire a 67-68 Camaro but I'm always looking for just the right project.

- I've actually designed & built a couple of houses.

- I have a small arsenal for a weapon collection. A total gun nut. Love to shoot. Probably should have been a sniper at some point. I go on a couple big hunts each year. Still wanting to do an African safari and get me a lion.

- Love the outdoors and camping and all those adventures that go with it, including boating, jet skis, etc. Maybe I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie as I like to go fast and do stuff others are afraid to do.

- For work, currently leading estimating & management of bridge operations. Been involved in the state's largest roadway projects, including a multi-modal bridge (vehicular, transit & pedestrian). Prior to this done commercial projects exceeding $200 million including some cool stuff like the BOK Center and some hospitals with NICU units. Also dabbled in several DOE superfund environmental projects. Rubbed elbows with some elites such as presidents, governors, etc and everything in-between down to the guy sweeping the floors.

- Working on filling up my passport. Hope to have seen every state in the USA and stepped foot in all countries before I die. In that process some para sailing will come into play (if I don't use that as part of my proposal...shhh).

Oh my goodness I am in love!!!20180515_180513.jpg20180515_180319.jpg

A couple more:
20180515_180436.jpg 20180515_180132.jpg

CHA-CHING!!!! Looks awesome -- so glad to see this be finalized for you!

Cue the music....:lol::lol:

 
Congrats! It looks amazing! Well worth the wait!
 
Sparkle sparkle! It's beautiful!:love:
 
Thank you everyone I am so, so please and it was so worth the wait :D
 
Oooooo it’s just lovely :love:
 
Sorry @Lorelei, this one almost escaped me.

I never looked at my life as interesting, I just do what I do, lol. But here are a few highlights of some things I've done...

- Bought a Jeep, lifted it, armored it up, did rock crawling, mudding and trails. Helped others build their Jeeps up physically and online in Jeep forums. Participated in a local Jeep group and went on outings together. Miss my Jeep dearly by the way. Topless and doorless is truly a way of life. I will have another one day, but my other Jeep was lifted too much and had too many mods to be a good daily driver. Last time I drove on the highway I got like 8-9 mpg and had a top speed of about 65 (as I needed to regear).

- Had a few hot rods over the years...Corvette, Camaro, Challenger and Mustang. Done a plethora of modifications to all those cars. Like the Jeep, joined in groups and online forums and helped build stuff in real life and assisted on the forums. Drag raced for a little bit. Rubbed elbows with some of the serious racers.

- I love cars in general. I'd be like Jay Leno if I was loaded. I still want to build an early Ford Bronco (67-72) or International Scout -- that might be my "new Jeep" in the future, who knows. Also, I have yet to acquire a 67-68 Camaro but I'm always looking for just the right project.

- I've actually designed & built a couple of houses.

- I have a small arsenal for a weapon collection. A total gun nut. Love to shoot. Probably should have been a sniper at some point. I go on a couple big hunts each year. Still wanting to do an African safari and get me a lion.

- Love the outdoors and camping and all those adventures that go with it, including boating, jet skis, etc. Maybe I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie as I like to go fast and do stuff others are afraid to do.

- For work, currently leading estimating & management of bridge operations. Been involved in the state's largest roadway projects, including a multi-modal bridge (vehicular, transit & pedestrian). Prior to this done commercial projects exceeding $200 million including some cool stuff like the BOK Center and some hospitals with NICU units. Also dabbled in several DOE superfund environmental projects. Rubbed elbows with some elites such as presidents, governors, etc and everything in-between down to the guy sweeping the floors.

- Working on filling up my passport. Hope to have seen every state in the USA and stepped foot in all countries before I die. In that process some para sailing will come into play (if I don't use that as part of my proposal...shhh).


CHA-CHING!!!! Looks awesome -- so glad to see this be finalized for you!

Cue the music....:lol::lol:


It's all fantastic except what you want to do on an African Safari, you don't need to go killing such beautiful animals Sledge.:blackeye: I really hope you don't.
 
Beautiful ring!!! Congratulations!
 
It's all fantastic except what you want to do on an African Safari, you don't need to go killing such beautiful animals Sledge.:blackeye: I really hope you don't.

I have to agree with Lorelei.....why would you want to kill a lion? :cry:

Awww, sorry ladies. Didn't mean to upset anyone. I like lions too. It's more of a man vs the wild thing and wasn't meant to be mean or disturbing. Re-considering, I guess it would just be for game and not purpose as I don't plan on having lion burgers or lion steaks. Maybe I will reconsider this. :think:
 
Awww, sorry ladies. Didn't mean to upset anyone. I like lions too. It's more of a man vs the wild thing and wasn't meant to be mean or disturbing. Re-considering, I guess it would just be for game and not purpose as I don't plan on having lion burgers or lion steaks. Maybe I will reconsider this. :think:

I mean this in the least combative way possible - but not really a man vs the wild thing when they don't have guns to shoot back with and the numbers of beautiful animals are rapidly declining and/or becoming endangered or extinct bc of this mentality. Man vs wild is just an excuse until there aren't any lions left and you will be able to sit there and say you killed one while all new generation will say 'what's a lion' because they will have never seen one!
 
I mean this in the least combative way possible - but not really a man vs the wild thing when they don't have guns to shoot back with and the numbers of beautiful animals are rapidly declining and/or becoming endangered or extinct bc of this mentality. Man vs wild is just an excuse until there aren't any lions left and you will be able to sit there and say you killed one while all new generation will say 'what's a lion' because they will have never seen one!

I have thicker skin that that. :lol:

But I appreciate the kindness of your post while defending your point of view. Thank you for being diplomatic. Just for you gals, I promise not to shoot any lions -- well, unless one is chasing me and it's a life & death thing. ;)2

Seriously I didn't mean to offend anyone and wish I could retract that. Thanks for sharing a different viewpoint. :cool2:
 
Not to pile on (because who wants to hear that safaris are rigged??), but I second all the non-killing advices...but I have a thought if you like to shoot things.

Why don't you take an amazingly excellent camera with you and shoot EVERYTHING you want with that?? Then when you come home you can edit and perfect all the images and have beautiful trophies to enjoy for life and to gift your friends, without any precious lives being lost or having that weigh on you in the afterlife. I'd buy one from you. I like giraffes, gazelles, zebras and apes. :kiss2:
 
Awww, sorry ladies. Didn't mean to upset anyone. I like lions too. It's more of a man vs the wild thing and wasn't meant to be mean or disturbing. Re-considering, I guess it would just be for game and not purpose as I don't plan on having lion burgers or lion steaks. Maybe I will reconsider this. :think:

Thanks Sledge, that takes a real man to hear the POV of others and rethink, plus African lions are now on the endangered list. You didn't offend anyone but gave a good opportunity for different opinions to be expressed and I'm very glad you're thinking of removing that one from your bucket list! And as Sandy said, with your many talents, go shoot with cameras, I bet you'd do an amazing job and help educate there too!:wavey:
 
That ring has gotten more beautiful since I looked at it the first time. :)

___________________

It's poaching that's doing the most damage to the lion population in Africa, not trophy hunting. The residents don't take kindly to lions killing their livestock (and neighbors) and animal parts can bring very good money in certain parts of the world. Some studies have shown that regulated hunting reduces poaching because the hunters' fees more than make up for the lost income from poaching and the locals actively work to conserve the wildlife population because they get a reliable income from it - not just a few bucks under the table from time to time.

"For a lion, trophy fees range from $9,900 for a lioness, to $35,000 for a black male lion, according to Africa Hunt Lodge. The trophy fees, however, mainly go to anti-poaching efforts, according to the company.Aug 1, 2015" - lodging, guides, tips, etc. are extra.

The numbers are available from a variety of sources. Here's one example from a Swiss group.

"The International Union for the Conservation of Nature estimates that trophy-hunting tourists legally kill some 600 lions each year.Jul 29, 2015"
 
@Norma2910 Congratulations on such a beautiful ring! So glad it was worth the wait in the end! This also makes me super excited, because that is the exact setting, and exact diamond shape I’m waiting to receive :mrgreen2:

It actually came in the mail on the 8th, but my boyfriend is deciding to torture me because he “has a plan” and I should “know by now how ocd he is” :lol:

Which of course I do, but I was hoping he had left that ocd stuff at work this time! (He’s a field engineer so it comes in handy with that)

Absolutely stunning ring though, and I love the cushion diamond with the cushion setting - so many of my friends thought I should get a round diamond but maybe my boyfriend gave his OCD to me, :shock: because in my mind it just made sense to keep the same shapes.
 
I think we need to take this to another thread guys as I really don't think we should hijack Norma's anymore, happy to discuss this issue in another appropriate thread if you are.
 
I think we need to take this to another thread guys as I really don't think we should hijack Norma's anymore, happy to discuss this issue in another appropriate thread if you are.

I agree. Sorry for the interruption @Norma2910. Your ring is gorgeous, and the reason for this post.

Briefly...I've been in positions to shoot and use weapons on a daily basis earlier in my life in situations that were....less than ideal. It's second nature to me. Because of my past, I probably view things a little differently than some of you. If it helps, I never planned on just setting up camp and taking down a lion. That would not interest me in the least. I figured it would be a moving shot, possibly from an Apache helicopter or similar if I could get it arranged. I'm a pretty decent shot and wanted to challenge my skills and take out what I considered to be an aggressive threat to a community. So not just random "sit here, and we'll shoo the lion to you" type of hunting. More of a protector type shot, as I miss some of the adventures of years past.

If you guys would like to further discuss, please PM or start a new thread and hot link me so I will know and I will respond as appropriate. And @Norma2910, I am so happy for you and the way everything turned out for you. You are now a bling queen!
 
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