Singlestone is the new Tiffany''s. And Ari is my new best friend.

[sanfranciscoellen]

So while I wait anxiously to post pictures of the new ring I wrote about here, Ari at Singlestone tried to keep me happy by sending me a pic of my bands. I had my homeless plain matte platinum band and eternity bands on when I went to see Ari last month, and I told him I didn''t know what to do with them since their mate was trotting around with the crackhead who stole it, they weren''t great alone, and they weren''t going to get used much. Since I couldn''t afford to buy the eternity rings I had drooled all over, he kindly looked over my rings and offered to "vintage them up," so I cheerfully left them there for some Ari magic.

Here''s the email he wrote...

"Are you getting anxious on me??? Your bands are done and I am waiting for your ring to come back from the setter. This should hopefully be by tomorrow. Then it goes to polishing which should be a day more. Once I get it back from the polishing I will do the patina myself.

Here is something to hold you over while you are chewing on your fingers in waiting..."

 

[sanfranciscoellen]

And here is the pic he sent...

 

[sanfranciscoellen]

And here is the title of the email he sent 30 seconds later...

"JUSSSSST KIDDDIING.................."

 

[musey]

what a tease!! Ari seems like a doll. Good fun!

 

[sanfranciscoellen]

And the next email said,

"I would have loved seeing your face!"

Here they are! The plain band was hand engraved, and the eternity band had a really super light double milgraining added to the edges...

Enjoy!

 

[sanfranciscoellen]

Ari made the experience fun. How often can you say that?

 

[swingirl]

Whoa! Those are just beautiful!! Was the engraved band originally plain?? Ari sounds like a very talented fella.

How much longer for the ering?

 

[arjunajane]

He he,
Ari seems like alot of fun. I love what he did with that band, and can''t wait to see your new ering.
Your journey has certainly been entertaining to follow!

 

[Maisie]

What fun! Great rings too!

 

[Smo]

I love it! I love that he was tauting you (in a funny way)! too funny!

 

[dani13]

Oh, I love them!!! Cant wait to see your finished ring too, wallermama!!!!! Ari is funny, huh????!!!!!

 

[DiamondFlame]

Hahaha! I can''t help but chuckle. I too would have loved to see the look on your face! It''s not difficult to find humor in your line of work when you love what you''re doing. Ari certainly seems to love his work! And it shows. Look at those details!

Eat your heart out T&C!

 

[MMT]

What a tease, gorgeous rings

 

[Catmom]

He sounds like a great guy and the rings turned out great as well!

 

[geckodani]

LMAO - That''s awesome! I would have loved to see your face as well.

And the bands look great too - I can''t wait to see more pics!!!

 

[mrssalvo]

I''ve talked to Ari a few times and he is just a charming gentlemen. I love his sense of humor too! your bands look amazing, what a cool vintage make-over! I cannot wait to see your new e-ring too.......

 

[lovelylulu]

Gorgeous rings!

I love singlestone! I had a great experience working with them.

 

[jet2ks]

That is too funny! You have to love someone that not only cares about his work, but also enjoys the relationships with his customers.

The detail work on those rings awesome! Can''t wait to see the whole set.

 

[motownmama]

OOOHhh - those are pretty rings!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[akmiss]

Those are gorgeous!

 

[kcoursolle]

How awesome is that?!!! I adore the bands, they are so beautiful! He did such a great such "vintaging them up". Ari is the new vintage jewelry rockstar in my book.

 

[littlemissbliss]

BEAUTIFUL! You are a lucky girl!

I hope to have something from Ari someday, too.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Those look gorgeous!!

 

[decodelighted]

FUNNY story! What a crack up! Your refreshed bands look amazing .. can''t wait for final handshots of the whole scrumptiously vintagey dealie.

 

[icekid]

haha, who knew Ari was such fun! I loooooove the rings

 

[FrekeChild]

Wow waller!!! Those are just amazing bands!!!! He is naughty though isn''t he? Oh my I would have wanted to kick him...

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Wow--gorgeous!

cheers--Sharon

 

[Skippy123]

That is so gorgeous!!! sigh, I am in love!!

 

[sanfranciscoellen]

OK! I''ve been inspired to post pics! I lost our digital camera in the burglary, so I was hesitant to let you know it''s here until I could actually provide pics! I was loathe to receive those "this post is useless without pictures" picket signs!

The ring is absolutely perfect. A part of me hesitates to post pictures at all, because in truth this setting is not photogenic. In real life, it is soft, flowing, flowery, and delicate. The shank sweeps up like flames of fire or flower petals to form each of the eight prongs... and the flow of those doesn''t translate into even the best of these pics. In fact, the first thing I thought when I saw the ring was, "Firebird!" if any of you can imagine the headpiece that ballet dancers wear in the "Firebird" ballet. (Hence the avatar change

)

I love it. I love my diamond, and it''s trickiness... with a warm warm color that one appraiser called a J, Ari called a J/K, and one appraiser called an L. But it is unusually white reflective, so what it loses a bit in color fire typical of OEC''s is gains a lightening white lightening flash boost.

Someone heard I got a new ring and said, "Oh! I thought that must have been your grandmother''s ring! It looks like such an old, vintage ring." Bingo. Success.

Here we go...(forgive the gnarly scabby unmanicured hands... what can I say.)

 

[sanfranciscoellen]

Another....