The Unbreakable Vow

♫ ♬ ♪ ♩ ♪ And I said, "Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone

I'll be waiting, all that's left to do is run

You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess

It's a love story, baby just say yes..

If you are a millennial, it is almost impossible for you not to know this popular song by Taylor Swift. 

How would you feel meeting your 'Romeo', in Taylor's Concert?

Quite Bizarre, isn't it?

Well, this is the simple but romantic love story of my clients, Xiu Wen and Glenn.

Xiu Wen was a friend of Glenn's colleague.  They even went to HongKong at the same period of time but their paths did not cross at all.

It took Glenn 3 months to gather all his courage and go on a dinner with his colleagues and Xiu.

They were together from March of 2016. And since then they have shared a lot of important memories. One of which is the very first secret Birthday Party for Xiu that Glenn prepared with her family and friends.

Fast forward....😀 

It was only during the beginning of the year when Glenn, decided to finally ask her hand for marriage.

Based on friends' recommendation, he went to JannPaul.

When we met, his requirements for the design was quite simple!

He wants something Disney inspired with a bit of a bow that Xiu was obsessed with.

It should match her character - bubbly, outgoing yet is able to be matured and wise.

"The customization was fulfilling, fruitful and it was definitely meaningful to be part of this process of brainstorming for the right diamond to the right setting and design!", Glenn said.

After the whole process he decided to go with the classic looking top view of the ring but detailed side profile.

This way, it still look mature with a hint of rose gold bow that Xiu would surely love.

The proposal took place in front of the Castle at Shanghai Disneyland before the fireworks ignited.

Very nervous as he was, he made an unbreakable vow to be there for her....and with her!

Joy: Describe the whole proposal journey in 3 words.

Glenn: whoa. breathtaking. magical!

💕💕💕💕💕💕😍😍😍😍😍💖💖💖💖💖💖

Congratulations Xiu Wen and Glenn!

Written by: Joy Barcelona

The Greek Engagement

Whenever we talk about romantic places for proposal, Greece would probably be one of the most common picks people have. With its breath- taking landscapes and very relaxed atmosphere, it just gives you a perfect scenery where you can imagine yourself asking for your lady's hand. This is the very reason why Kim Leng chose this place to propose to her beloved, Elaine.

The young couple have been together for 2 years until mid of 2016 when Kim Leng decided to take their relationship to the next level.

As a preparation, he thought of a lot of ways on how he can personalize and how he will make the proposal ring warmer and closer to the heart. This led him to look for places that can help him achieve his ultimate goal - a minimalist yet enthralling ring.

Since he wanted to customize, he thought the service is of key importance. And through an ex-colleague who shared with him about his own experience on the excellent service and diamond quality that he received, that is when he got to know about JannPaul.

For him, he doesn't exactly have a specific theme or inspiration.

"It may sound abstract but I wanted something that will be a minimalistic yet enthralling. Thereafter I looked online for ideas that will fit what I envisioned. It's a bit like I know it when I see it.", Kim Leng said.

The Customization Journey

September 25, 2016

With the intention of customizing his ring, Kim Leng visited JannPaul.
And after the full education session that took almost 2 hours, he have shortlisted Super Ideal Cut or Octagon Shape diamonds.

As for the design, he became even more eager to do research upon hearing that customization would enable you to add more details and make it more personal such as adding your birthstone or maybe an initial to it.

I still remember sending him some designs that has sapphires on the band for his reference.

October 29, 2016 

The first thing that was taken care of was the diamond. Same as the rest, definitely the best way to know if you are getting the best value for money is to compare.

There are alot of diamonds which might appear a better choice but when you look through the details then you will see the reason why it is of lower value.

For example, if you are offered this piece, you might think it's nice, who wouldn't?

It is a 0.73 carat, F color, VVS2.

However, from the GIA certificate, this diamond appears to have very poor proportions which has a HCA score of 2.6

To add on, it is a very steep/deep cut diamond. 

It has very steep crown angle of 35.5 degrees with a long depth of 62.7%.
You can view a steep/deep diamond at, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UByUngPLp-M&list=PLUhkL4hNsGwJ0ezL-V3u2ywWm6gcpKjaq&index=9

A steep/deep diamond would also appear smaller than it is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBIpM6tAqlQ&list=PLUhkL4hNsGwJ0ezL-V3u2ywWm6gcpKjaq&index=3

If you need some help comparing the diamond you are interested with, do not hesitate to contact us.

We are more than happy to help you out! :)

November 18, 2016

After a lot of consideration, discussion and comparison of different diamond specifications, finally, the diamond has been finalized. It is now the next level of the proposal ring search journey.

The design started off with a few words:

*Bezel 

*Twirling
*Double band

And here's how the 1st round of render goes.

December 10, 2016

During the third meet up, we discussed on how to make the design a bit more of two ropes twirling through the diamond and merges into one.

A few things to note is for the edges to be more bowl shape, rounded and lesser sharp to be more suitable for daily wear and also to make the band go from thick to thin to give it a softer, curvier feel to it.

Aside from that, there are also some request like making the band from thick squarish to slim rope kind of metal, however, there are some hindrance in the crafting where some parts were not advisable to be done due to diamond security. All this, we can definitely guide you throughout the whole process. 

After a few more brain storming and renderings, Voila! We've got the perfect rendering that suits his preference.

"JP was great in taking the time to explain the aspects of a diamond without being pushy in sales but recommending according to needs and budget. During customisation of the setting , Joy was great in advising me what is feasible and the design.", Kim Leng.

"It was a beautiful holiday made even more memorable when he proposed in Santorini. The proposal was definitely a very sweet surprise and the customized ring is beautiful, reflecting the organic shapes that he likes and encapsulates the undulating curves encasing the diamond in a way that suits me perfectly. The past years together has been beautiful and as we mark this new chapter, I'm looking forward to many more memorable moments by each others side!", Elaine.

Customization may be a bit more tedious and complicated but at the end, you will find that it is definitely fulfilling ... full of discovery and sweetness.

Congratulations Elaine and Kim Leng!!

Written by: Joy Barcelona

Customization Part IV Band Setting Style for Side Diamonds

"...but babe, I want more bling!", a phrase I often hear in my 3 years in JannPaul. 😁

Why are girls so inlove with bling stuffs? Simple, it is super pretty and you can play with more designs when you have them! 

Let's start of with how they can be set on the band.

Here is the video for illustration!

Please watch out for our next blogs. We will talk more about ring customization. 

-Joy Barcelona

Customization Part III: Crown Height and Tray

Very often, a rings' crown is neglected! 

"It's just a small part, won't be noticed!"

That's where you're mistaken!

In this post, I will be showing you the importance of the crown, its height and the tray designs.

Have you ever come across a friend, colleague or just a random individual with an engagement ring taller than what you're used to seeing? It typically comes with intricate curvatures on the sides, some nicer than others.

Have you ever wondered why this is the case? "Is this for added beauty or maybe it's just to hold the diamond higher?"

Here are a few reasons why some ladies prefer a higher ring setting

1) In many cases, higher settings are more easily matched with wedding bands. The height of a setting allows another band to sit-in nicely, thus, making it a popular option for ladies planning to stack their engagement ring and wedding band together.

2) Just like a celebrity wanting the limelight to themselves, they usually try to stand-out. More relevant to women than men, women tend to wear heels for this very reason! The same goes for a diamond on a higher setting, it elevates and this makes it appear slightly bigger and more pronounced!

3) Some ladies prefer to add more details and in order to so, would require more space. One way  to achieve this is to set the diamond higher, leaving enough gap for more artsy designs. I will leave the artistic part for later, so as to discuss it in further detail.

So the question is, would you be wearing it on a daily basis? 

If so, are you comfortable with a protruding diamond? Although all diamonds protrude slightly, a higher than average setting would be more prone to knocks when you go about your daily stuff. This may be one point to note, when considering a higher setting.

Photo credits to, instagram user liina_lu

Once you've decided between the higher or lower setting, you may then opt for additional designs to the prongs. Bear in mind that higher settings tend to give more room to accommodate more intricate designs.

Artistic Trays

One of the ways you can make your high or even low setting look nicer is by adding artistic trays. A tray is basically a bar that holds two prongs together, aside for added aesthetics, it also provides more security, to ensure the diamond doesn't fall off, should the prongs loosen over time. 

Below are some samples of trays you may refer to.

Do note that, you may also customize the color, be it white, rose gold or yellow gold.

And you do not have to worry about the color being reflected to your diamond because all our Signature cut diamonds always reflect light back, causing light leakage to be very minimal! 

Classic Tray (Bar)

V or Inverted V Tray

Heart Tray (Solid, Hollow or Filled)

Shaped trays like this may be solid, hollow or filled with diamond or other gemstones. However, certain gems have limitations to the size they can be cut to. As such, bigger trays may be required for certain gemstones.

 Round Tray

                                  

Initial Tray

Filigree-like Tray

Filigree is gold formed into delicate tracery or branching patterns. It may form into different shapes like this.

Petal Crown Head

Aside from these samples, there are many more to consider from!. Go ahead and think out of the box and we'll definitely help you bring it to life! With the advancements in 3D modeling and crafting,  the sky is the limit when it comes to designs!

If you require professional advice, do drop by and we will be happy to help you out!

- Joy Barcelona

Customization Part II: Prong Tips

As promised in my previous blog, I will try my best to discuss in full detail all the possible customization ideas that can be done, from the very minor detail up to the dramatic ones. In this article, I will focus on the shape of the prong tips.

Prong is the little metal claw that grips the diamond tightly to hold it securely in its place. It is the long metal part of the crown. However, in most cases its tips are never noticed and dealt with.

As it is a very minute part of the diamond ring, you'll be amazed to know that you can still customize
it! Here's a few samples of Different Styles of the Prong Tip.

1) Sharp Prong tips

It is one of the most widely used prong shape that looks very sleek and elegant. It blends into the diamond that compliments its shape nicely.

2) Round Prong Tips

One of the advantages of going for round prong tip is it covers so little of the surface of the diamond that it's barely noticeable. Despite its minimal hold on the diamond itself, this prong shape still provides a very strong clasp to the diamond making it one of the most popular choice of guys choosing their diamond prong setting.

3) Heart Shape Prong Tips

If you want your setting to have a bit of more thought, you may settle to go with heart shape prongs. Aside from its lovely meaning, it will add in to the over-all aesthetic of the diamond ring. However, I would be only recommending this shape for settings which consist of 4 prongs, cause one drawback of going for this shape is it will be quite bulkier as compared to the others.  Using heart shape tips for 6 prong settings, might make it look a bit too crowded.

4) Double Claw

This type of claw gives the illusion that the prongs are slimmer but in fact it's just similar thickness as the sharp prong, just that every prong is composed of 2 slender claws that extends to the diamond in a similar way that sharp prong does. Another variation of this is to do it in double but rounded prong tips.

5) L Shape Prong Tips

For diamonds with different shape such as princess cuts, a more secured prong tip is advised. L shape prong will provide a better grip on the diamonds tips making it both secured from dropping and safe from chipping.

6) Customized Prong Tips

Supposing that you are very creative and you got your own idea of how you want the prong to look like, you may also customize it as you wish. We do provide customization services that will enable you to mix-and-match the diamond, design and prong tips as how you envisioned it to be. It may be a cushion shape prongs, rectangular prongs and so on.

Ultimately, we always go back to the key function of it. Irregardless of its shape, we make sure that it serves its purpose of keeping your diamond safe while you wear it daily.


Written by: Joy Barcelona

Customization Part I: How many prongs on a ring?

A diamond ring is a little sparkly thing that adorns a lady’s hand, mostly to signify that soon she’ll be one with her better half. Despite its modest size, it contains many little details that are carefully designed to symbolize your love and marriage.

In my next few blogs, I will discuss in detail all the possible customization ideas that can be done, from the very minor detail up to the dramatic ones. If you have more suggestions to add, please feel free to leave your comments below. Who knows, it might help some readers to complete their own dream proposal ring :)

Let’s start from the top – The Crown!

If you ever wonder what difference does the number of prongs make, this would be a perfect read up for you!

• Half bezel (that looks like 2 Prongs)
  
  With its thick metal on either side of the diamond, it will help protect and secure the stone while still being able to see some parts of it.
  
  The side profile allows you to see more of the diamond, giving it a clean and ''prongless''' look. It keeps the top view simple, without any prongs or tips covering the diamond.

• 3 ProngsThis is generally offered for fancy shape diamonds such as pear or heart. It's rarely used for round or square shaped diamonds due to safety reasons. 

• 4 Prongs
  
  It can be set either 4 corners or NSEW orientation. While both would show more of the diamond while viewed from the side, they differ in the look when they are face-up. 4 cornered orientations give a more square-ish feel to the diamond while NSEW can help to make the diamond look rounder.
  
  The over-all impression you want to achieve will boil down to your preference on whether you want a more squareish or roundish feel.

4 Prongs setting is also the recommended number of prong to showcase a Cushion Brellia and the Octagon D’Amor.

• 5 Prongs
  
  It is not as popular as the others due to it being unsymmetrical with the band, where 3 of the prongs will be on one side and 2 would be on the other. But some ladies prefer it due to its distinctiveness and rarity. Also, some find that it represents a hand (5 fingers) holding onto the diamond or it gives a star shape.

•  6 Prongs
  
  This is one of the top picks of guys who want to keep their proposal ring simple and classic. Although 6 prongs will hide more of the diamond from the side profile, it will give the diamond a more rounded effect when viewed from top.

Although some would prefer to go over 6 prongs, I would recommend otherwise maintaining the limelight on the diamond and not the prongs.

If you're not a fan of the protruding prongs, don't worry, you can still go without the prongs. 😱
Relax! Your diamond will still be secured.

You may also check out this video below, where my colleague Casey did a video of 4 prongs Versus 6 prongs.

• Full bezel
  
  This setting would completely surround the diamond to hold it in place; it gives very good protection to the girdle of the diamond. However, it may conceal significant parts of the diamond from the side profile view.

Aside from the beauty that the Crown offers, its also meant to keep the diamond secured. No matter how many prongs or what type of bezel you go for, rest assured, we've got you covered!

Watch out for my next blog post, where I will discuss about the different type or prong tips you can customise!

Cheers!

-Joy Barcelona

Top 5 proposal ring designs for November 2016

One of the most common questions we often receive is, “What’s the most popular one?” or “What do people normally go for?”. If it’s for food, it'll be a stress-free question. Staffs will  probably recommend you their best-sellers or maybe dish of the day they want to promote. But when it comes to a proposal ring, it’s a very tough question to answer. With thousands of design choices out there, how would you even know where to begin?

To help you with your dilemma, I’ve gathered all the information of orders that we have for the past month and here are the top 5 picks for designs for November 2016.

But before that…. 😀 as mentioned, there are thousands of ring designs out there, but then again, I will be very honest. For the month of November, about 30% of our clients have opted for ring customisation services and created something personal and meaningful to them. 

This is when guys want to put more thought on the proposal ring that their future wife is going to wear in her lifetime. So ladies, give your man a little credit, flaunt your diamond rings! 

Moving on, here are the top 5 picks for the month of November.

• 6 claw twisted band in rose and white gold

This is an elegant solitaire ring design that gives the ring an overall delicate look. One of the bands is made in rose gold to give it a more feminine charm and at the same time to create a beautiful contrast. This white and rose gold twist band gives a very whimsical charm to your proposal ring.

If your girlfriend is a fan of bling, you can even take it a step further by adding some side diamonds.

• 6 claw tapered band 

Tied on the second rank are two 6 claw designs. They’re very similar; both of them are classic and sophisticated. If I didn't mention this, you probably haven't noticed, there is a slight difference in the side profile design of these two rings. One of them has a heart shape cut out at the bottom of the prong head, while the other is a triangle hole.

They look alike from top view. They’re tapered towards the main diamond with 6 claws that make the centre piece look more rounded. It’s either you go for a girlish heart or a classic triangle design.

• 4 claw tapered band 

The next design is another classic 4 claw (4 corner orientation) ring design. This engagement ring design is tapered towards the main diamond as well. On the side profile, the curvature of the prongs stretches to the tip of the diamond, giving it a very organic elegrant feel. This is further complimented by the triangle cathedrals on the side. 

This proposal ring design is one of my all time favourite :)

• 6  claw knife edge band

Another 6 claw design that has made it to the top 5, is a uniform knife edge band design. Knife edge bands essentially makes the band appear thinner than it actually is. So you can retain the thickness of the gold while keeping the ring pleasing to the eye. My only concern is that some ladies may not find this ring design very comfortable to wear as the edge of the band might protrude more between the fingers. However, I know of some ladies who doesn't mind at all.

• 4 claw spiral twist ring

The next design is very unique and gorgeous but slightly risky to choose when you’re not buying with your girlfriend. As compared to the rest, this is a wavier design which is really exquisite and stunning. However, it’s very dependent on a girls liking. Some ladies love it, while some may not be a fan of it. If your girl likes the wavy and flowy feel, this is definitely a good option for you. Overall this design gives soft and luminous appearance.

However, these type of wavy designs tends to be harder to match with your wedding band if you plan to stack your proposal ring and wedding band together on the same finger. Wavy designs may cause a gap between both rings, which makes them harder to match than the classic band designs.


So here it is guys! The top 5 designs of November 2016.
If you notice, all 5 of these designs are solitaire rings without side diamonds. Not that we don’t offer side diamonds, it just really so happened that these are the top 5 :)

Let me know if this has been helpful and if you want me to continue with these top monthly designs.
I’ll be more than happy to help you with your diamonds ring search.

Here’s the link to our facebook page for more ring designs.
For classic solitaire ring design:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/JannPaulDiamonds/photos/?tab=album&album_id=206482112717611

For side diamonds setting:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/JannPaulDiamonds/photos/?tab=album&album_id=142693949096428


written by: Joy Barcelona

Add me on facebook: www.facebook.com/jp.joybarcelona

Ivy and Aaron's Engagement Ring Story

“Hi Joy! Just wanted to share this with you. It's been a while but I still love the ring so so much. If only this is something that I can purchase once every few months. Haha! We really appreciate your help in the whole ring-searching journey and hopefully I get to go back to JP and pick yet another ring soon 😊” - Ivy 

These are the lines that made me smile after a hectic day at work.

It’s been a year since I met Ivy and Aaron while they’re on their diamond search. 

The problem, same as most of the ladies, is when we see diamonds and designs: we just love them all, don’t we? This made the whole process a tad bit harder to finalize as we want the best of everything for the ring that we’ll be wearing lifetime. 

Ivy and Aaron’s journey was no different, they were torn between which JannPaul Signature Cut to go for and what design suited Ivy best. 

One year down the road, Ivy decided to write her experience in the Dayre app. In her own words.. 
“Here’s a post dedicated to my engagement ring + wedding bands before I forget about our journey to choosing the one!”

Let’s start with the diamond, after visiting different shops, Ivy have shortlisted 2 cuts - both of which are from JannPaul, one was a Super Ideal Cut, the other an Octagon Hearts & Arrows. If it’s only Ivy, I know for sure, Octagon is the one she really likes. But aside from the cut, she was also considering their budget versus the carat that she can get. After much discussion, they decided on the Super Ideal Cut diamond.

Diamond Settled! 😉

If you think that’s all, you got it wrong! The next part is even trickier! What design to go for? Should they get 4 or 6 prongs? Classic or side diamonds? Would a twisted band, crisscross or normal band suite her hand better? Should they go for white, rose, yellow gold or platinum? 

After 4 appointments, Ivy and Aaron shortlisted a few designs. By a few, I meant 3-5 designs. What? We’re ladies! And this is our diamond ring! It’s just so tough to choose one.  

What convinced Ivy was actually my revelation. On all those 4 appointments, I have always kept track of what designs Ivy liked, from the very elaborate split shank halo setting to the very classy tapered band.

On all 4 occasion, there’s this one ring design which always caught Ivy’s attention every single time without a miss. 

  I guess, if you really like something, you may not know it, but somewhere along the way,   you’ll still find yourself going back to the same thing.

A year after the successful proposal, it’s good to reminisce the experience and hear that they are still pleased with their final selection..

Congratulations again Mr. & Mrs. Loke! 

For the full blog of Ivy and Aaron’s journey, you can visit Ivy’s post in the link below..

https://dayre.me/ivyyt/mDGRGfyFwp

Written by: Joy Barcelona

5 Ways to Start Customizing your Ring

Every lady is exceptionally diverse. We have different preferences and taste when it comes to style or design. A guy proposing ones in his lifetime, would definitely go out of his way to find the most unique yet suitable ring design for his queen.

Searching online for the most unique engagement ring design would most likely lead you to photos with over the top elobrate designs that is often ''extremely unique'', or rather ''too much''.

To give you some idea what I mean by ‘customization’, let me share with you my own top 5 most interesting ideas for customization.

1. Engravings with Milgrain

Cameo is a technique of carving object including gems, jewelries or even vessels that are made way back during 3^rd Century BC in Greece. But in ancient times it is mainly used for signet rings.

It orignated from the word ‘Kame’o” a word used in kabbalistic slang to signify a magic square – it’s like a kind of talisman where magical spells were carved.

After sometime, Romans began personalizing rings, shifting from the “fede” which depics 2 hands clasping in agreement to marriage or love into carvings of the couples themselves with the faces or full bodies of each couple.

At present, this term is used loosely to objects even without symbolism.

Since diamond became the centre piece of rings, modern day carving designs are a lot simpler, and work towards the bands instead of signet rings.

Carvings are often accentuated with tiny beads that adorn its borders. These are called milgrain, which literally translates to a thousand of grains. This gives the ring a more vintage feel. 

2. Vines, Twigs and Twirls

It’s been now a trend to hear customers looking for design apart from what is norm. Of course, people want their ring to be totally different from the rest. This is when we suggest an out of the box intertwined bands. From the simple braids like this design.....

to the twig like settings that adds texture to your ring.

If your girlfriend prefers something more diverse, you might consider adding up some smaller diamonds on the sides, making it look like vines elegantly surrounding your main diamond.

3. Disney Inspired Designs

This design looks normal from the top view, with some small detail on the band. But when you observe from the side, you’ll see that this is actually a Little Mermaid inspired ring created with 5 closed seashell shapes!

From the depths of the sea, let’s travel the land with Alladin’s Monkey inspired design. Holding a 30 pointer diamond is “Abu”, one of the popular characters in the Disney Film Alladin. Just be extra careful as he might steal your diamond ;)

Next in line would be the design based on Winnie the Pooh’s wise old Owl. Guarding the Super Ideal Cut diamond, are 2 owls with huge eyes studded with diamonds as well. For the final touch, the main diamond was surrounded by melee diamonds.

Last among our Disney inspired creations would come from the most popular Disney Princess. Yep, you guessed it right, none other than Cinderella’s pumpkin Carriage! But don’t you worry, this ring won’t turn back to scratch after midnight. Your fairy godmother will make sure everything’s perfect before your collection date.

4. Celtic Designs

The Celtic designs originated in 2000 BC to 550 AD. Even though time has advanced and the procedure of making Celtic rings has been developed, what remains prominent is the significance and meanings of the ancient Celtic symbols; the knot is formed from the intersecting lines of three arcs that connect at a pointed end. This knot represents the notion of Trinity (three parts united as one). The symmetrical lines symbolize the balance flow between the three parts. These are the harmonious connections between three related aspects of life, such as body, mind and spirit. In ancient Celtic goddess lore, this knot symbolized the maiden, mother, and wise old woman.

The symbolic representation of Celtic design makes it very interesting. Doesn't it?

5. Slot-In Rings

As a lady, we always wanted everything neat and matched up, and this is similar with our engagement ring and wedding bands. One of the considerations is whether it would be easy to stack or match your engagement ring with your wedding band.

Hence, on top of our unique customized design ideas is the slot ring – solving 2 of your concerns at 1 shot :) There are different design you can play with for the slot ring.

At the bottom shank of your slot rings, you can customize your own symbol, such as an infinity sign or even your own initials!

There you go guys! These are some ideas you can start customizeing your proposal ring.

Where it is a simple or intricate design, there are many ways you can customize your ring to suit your personality. What matters most is the thought and effort you put in to find the perfect proposal ring for your wife-to-be.
Don't worry if you don't know where to start. We will guide you on your ring customization journey!
You can also watch our ring unboxing videos here.

Schedule an appointment with us at,
sales@jannpaul.com
67332925

-Written by Joy Barcelona