Stories - The Ring
Steve writes:
It was my year to plan the anniversary festivities. This year was going to be the year I was going to finally propose to Becky. Being my typical procrastinator self, I had waited until the week before to actually start planning anything. While I've always had a bunch of ideas floating around of how I was going to do it, there was still a lot to be done.
First mission was actually picking out a ring. Becky and I had discussed ring styles in the past, but no definitive decision was ever reached. So she was no help. Heck, I didn't even know a ring size! So who does a geek turn to? Google.
I watch a lot of late night jewelry television while trying to fall asleep. I find it educational and entertaining. But mostly the shows sell loose gem stones, so that knowledge doesn't directly apply. I used google to figure out what determines a good ring, and where to find a good price. I considered going to local jewelry stores to browse their selections and perhaps get some help. But before I did that, I decided it would be a good idea to have at least some idea of what I wanted.
Through Google I found Bluenile.com. Blue Nile has a great education section on their site. It teaches you all about diamonds and ring settings. They also have the ability to "build your own ring". How awesome is that? You choose the diamond from their extensive searchable database and then the setting to place it in. What's cooler is that you can browse recently configured rings to get some good ideas. After looking at some online reviews to make sure they were legit, I decided to save myself the trip downtown, and some shekels, and buy online. Before this turns into a full out commercial, I'll just say Blue nile is awesome, and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for engagement rings or any jewelry.
So I configured a few rings. I was going for a unique look but I also wanted something classic at the same time. I figured a round stone would wear well with everything and remain classic. Picking out the ring was way harder. Should it have side stones? What shape? What stone setting style? When choosing a setting I started second guessing myself and couldn't make a decision. Ladies, you have no idea the pressures. This is a big ticket purchase. It also is something you have to wear for the rest of your life. If we don't get it right, we'll either have to suffer the shame of you telling us we need to pick out another or live with the guilt that you wear something you don't like.
At this point I still haven't told anyone my plan. Everything was pretty much top secret because I was counting on the element of surprise. But in order to make a decision, I told my brother and sent him some links of options I was considering. While I appreciated his help, he basically told me they were all good options. Thanks Jon :)
Second problem – ring size. I have no idea. Becky doesn't wear rings, or even own one to measure. She has a high school ring but that is 10 years old, and I'm not about to trust that. All I know is that it is probably greater than 5 and less than 12. So how does one go about obtaining a ring size without that person finding out why you are attempting to obtain their ring size? While they are sleeping of course!
Blue Nile has a ring sizer you can download, print and cut out. The night before I ordered the ring to ensure it arrived on the 30th, I put the ring sizer in my nightstand along with a marker and pretended to go to sleep and waited to make my move. This was my only chance, and I had to get it right. At about midnight, Becky was sound asleep and her hand was above her head. The conditions were too perfect, it was go time!
I carefully moved her hand and slip the sizer over her ring finger. I went to mark the spot, when I realize I had overlooked an important detail about night. It is dark. I couldn't see anything. So I had to use the light on my cell phone, while trying to hold the loop of paper around her finger tight and mark it at the same time. I managed to get a marking. I looked at it in the light, and thought to myself "that can't be right, seems too big." My heart was beating out of my chest, I was so nervous. I wondered if maybe I wasn't pulling the loop tight enough so I decide I need measure again to be sure. Becky is not normally a heavy sleeper, so either she is really out of it or she is faking and the jig is up. Still not happy with the second reading, OCD kicks in and I end up sizing her finger 4 times. Each measurement yielded a different result. I decided to go for the last and smallest measurement.
The next morning, when Becky woke up and got ready for work, I watched her every move in order to
determine if she was on to me or not. Because I had measured her finger 4 times, and because it was dark, there
were a lot of sharpie marks all over finger. All of the sudden she noticed it. She looked at her finger with a
"WTF is this" face. I remember letting out a big sigh of relief, certainly if she doesn't know what it is, she must have been lights out that night, and my secret was safe.
So now I was armed with a ring size, I went with my gut and chose my first design. It has some side stones in a bar channel setting giving it a somewhat funky art deco look, but I think still looks classy. Classic Becky. Goal achieved. I bit my lip, closed my eyes and clicked "buy". It is done and in a few days, the ring would arrive.
On the day of its expected arrival and the day of our anniversary, I had to make sure to be there and sign for
the delivery. I couldn't miss the delivery because I needed the ring that night. There was no plan B. But I also had to drive Becky to the train station so she
could get to work that morning. So I wrote a plea of passion to the FedEx man in a note and posted it on our door begging the him to leave
the package with a neighbor if I wasn't home. As we drove to the train station, we happened to pass a FedEx truck
going back in the direction of our house. After a minor freakout, I sped back home to find out I made it in time to receive the package.
Becky's ring was finally here.
It was time to plan the night and proposal.
Continue to read about "The Proposal" »