Editors

The Wedding Diaries

EditorsAug 17, 2009

The Wedding Diaries

With Michelle Graff’s recent wedding blogging (see her 7/13 and 7/16 posts), I decided it was time for me to chip in. Last week, I joyfully tied the knot. And as I went through the planning process over the better...



With Michelle Graff’s recent wedding blogging (see her 7/13 and
7/16 posts), I decided it was time for me to chip in. Last week, I joyfully tied
the knot. And as I went through the planning process over the better half of
the past 12 months, I often thought that the
way I came about my wedding jewelry might seem a bit add for someone who writes
about the industry, including this
confession: My engagement ring hails from cyberspace.


My husband, a programmer who writes code for an Internet
start-up, purchases anything and everything online. So while the proposal did
come as a surprise, his means of securing the ring was no shock. As a young
couple, price was of the utmost concern. And being that he is someone who lives
and breathes online, I know the hubby felt confident in his decision.


I adore my ring, and while I love to support local
retailers, I also can’t help but love that he chose a path that is so typically
him.


I’ve sat in on seminars where sales experts have explained
there is always going to be a set of consumers who will buy online, and for
the jeweler, it isn’t worth chasing them. The hubby definitely falls into that
category. What he missed by going online was a personal connection, but after
years of living with a jewelry editor, he’s become very familiar with my own
thoughts on heirlooms and the way I feel about memories being intertwined with
jewelry.


When it came time to look for a wedding band, guess where
the hubby turned? For my own, however, I went a different route. Friends asked
me why, with access to a bounty of designers, I didn’t ask someone to make
something for me (I did for the earrings and cocktail ring I wore on the big
day), yet I wanted to have that experience of going to a jewelry store and
working with a retailer. 


Typical of me and my powers of procrastination, just
two weeks before the wedding, I picked up a New York Weddings magazine, thumbed
through the jewelry listings and highlighted smaller independents that I
thought would specialize in what I was looking for—something priced at an
entry-level range and clearly handcrafted. I found exactly what I was looking
for at the store of a West Village jeweler. Not only did I

find the ring, but I
found a store I would return to in a heartbeat—for future purchases, repairs,
etc.

Thankfully for the retailer’s quick work and a fabulous friend who
hand-carried the ring from New York to our West Coast wedding, the band was in
my hands the day before the ceremony.


Unconventional? Sure, but aren’t the stories what jewelry is
all about?

Michelle Graffis the editor-in-chief at National Jeweler, directing the publication’s coverage both online and in print.

The Latest

Image of Winona Ryder and Iman from Pandora’s Be Love marketing campaign
FinancialsAug 15, 2025
In Q2 Results, Pandora Talks Tariffs, Q4 Plans

The company had a solid second quarter, with sales of non-charm jewelry outpacing sales of pieces in its core collections.

Audemars Piguet Starwheel Watch
WatchesAug 15, 2025
Audemars Piguet Acquires Majority Stake in Manufacturer

Its investment in micromechanics expert Inhotec will preserve skills essential to the watchmaking industry as a whole, said the company.

Nicolette Bianchi
MajorsAug 15, 2025
Rio Grande Names New Marketing Director

Nicolette Bianchi joins the wholesale provider with more than 15 years of cross-industry experience in marketing and product development.

rio-article photo-diamond.jpg
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine Jewelry

As a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.

Pippa Small Myanmar Fish Cluster
CollectionsAug 14, 2025
In Midst of ‘Sardine Girl Summer,’ Pippa Small Looks to ‘Flounder Fall’

Her new “Ocean” collection was inspired by Myanmar’s traditional articulated fish jewelry, with depictions of flounder, catfish, and more.

Weekly QuizAug 15, 2025
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Casio America CEO Yusuke Suzuki
MajorsAug 14, 2025
Casio America Names New CEO

Longtime Casio executive Yusuke Suzuki is the new president and CEO of Casio’s U.S. subsidiary.

LA Trading Day
SourcingAug 14, 2025
West Coast Orgs to Host Trading Event, Mixer in LA

The full-day sourcing and networking event, slated for Aug. 18, will be followed by the fifth annual Mega Mixer Summer Soirée.

an instructor and a student in a bench jewelry classroom
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench Jewelers

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Stephanie Gottlieb Ring
TrendsAug 13, 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo Proposes With Gigantic Oval-Cut Diamond

Model Georgina Rodríguez received a rock of an engagement ring, with her diamond estimated to be 35 carats, experts say.

International Colored Gemstone Association logo
SourcingAug 13, 2025
ICA Names 2025 Board of Directors

The board elected 9 new directors at its recent ICA Congress in Brazil.

Whiskey Barrel Ring
TrendsAug 13, 2025
Colorado Jeweler, Whiskey Maker Collab on Ring Giveaway

Three winners will receive a custom ring from Honest Hands Ring Co. inlaid with a piece of history from Denver-based distillery Stranahan’s.

People shopping in a mall
SurveysAug 13, 2025
These Are The 25 Hottest Retailers, Says NRF

JD Sports and Wawa were among the fastest-growing retail companies in the U.S. last year.

Columbia Gem House Winza sapphires and rubies
SourcingAug 13, 2025
Columbia Gem House Launches Winza Sapphires, Rubies

The new inventory, all untreated, features vibrant hues and unique bicolor combinations.

Gemfields Faberge
SourcingAug 12, 2025
Gemfields Sells Fabergé for $50M

Acquired by a tech investor, the historic brand will continue to focus on jewelry, accessories, and timepieces.

Shipping containers on a ship
Policies & IssuesAug 12, 2025
Higher Tariff on Chinese Imports Paused for 90 Days, Trump Says

President Donald Trump issued an executive order extending the pause on higher tariffs to November as negotiations with China continue.

Jacquie Aiche Thunderbird Slab Collection Campaign
CollectionsAug 12, 2025
Jacquie Aiche’s New Collection Harnesses the Energy of the Thunderbird

The “Thunderbird Slab” collection features a thunderbird motif as a symbol of power, protection, and boundless possibility.

Duvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams
ColumnistsAug 12, 2025
Creative Connecting: How to Take a Better Headshot

Columnists Jen Cullen Williams and Duvall O’Steen share tips on how to elevate your professional image.

Vigil for slain Wheat Ridge, Colorado jeweler Peter Damian Arguello
CrimeAug 11, 2025
Man Convicted of First-Degree Murder in Death of Colorado Jeweler

Peter Damian Arguello, a jeweler in the Denver suburb of Wheat Ridge, was found dead inside his store in November 2023.

Lisa Bridge
IndependentsAug 11, 2025
Lisa Bridge to Depart Ben Bridge Jeweler

The retailer, owned by Berkshire Hathaway, is becoming part of the Berkshire Hathaway Jewelry Group with Helzberg.

Bethenny Frankel
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2025
Bethenny Frankel to Give Keynote at CBG’s Experience Show

The Continental Buying Group’s 2025 Tampa Experience Show is slated for Sept. 8-10.

Brilliant Earth Jolie Mosaics engagement ring
FinancialsAug 08, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s Q2 Sales Up 3% as Engagement Ring Sales Rise

The company raised its full-year sales guidance while noting it has not yet assessed the potential impact of the latest tariff news.

Jewellers for Hope charity event
Events & AwardsAug 08, 2025
GJEPC’s Jewellers for Hope Celebrates 10 Years of Fundraising

The organization has raised more than $1.3 million for charity since its inception.

Rahaminov Diamonds Emerald-Cut Diamond Bezel Bangle
TrendsAug 08, 2025
Piece of the Week: Rahaminov Diamonds’ Bezel Bangle

The brand’s latest iteration of a bezel-set diamond bangle features clean lines and a timeless design for a new modern silhouette.

Black and white photo of Tony Bennett near a microphone
WatchesAug 07, 2025
Bulova’s New Collection Honors Tony Bennett

The first watch in the series commemorates his participation in the Civil Rights movement, marching from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.

Sapphire page in Chatham’s “Ultimate Lab-Grown Catalog”
Lab-GrownAug 07, 2025
Chatham Releases Catalog for Loose Lab-Grown Gemstones

The catalog contains a complete listing of all the loose gemstones in stock, as well as information about the properties of each stone.

Rembrandt Blue Jay, Hummingbird, Cardinal Bird Charms
TechnologyAug 07, 2025
Rembrandt Charms Debuts New Website, Bird Charms

The company added a retailer dashboard to its site and three new birds to its charm collection, the cardinal, blue jay, and hummingbird.

Shipping containers on a ship
Policies & IssuesAug 06, 2025
Tariff on India to Rise to 50%, Trump Says

An additional 25 percent tariff has been added to the previously announced 25 percent.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy