RECOMMENDATION

A New Start in Diamonds

I first got engaged after college graduation. We were young and in love and had many hopes and dreams for our futures. Sadly, we grew apart rather than together. We divorced before I turned 30 when I decided not to bring children into the marriage. I invested a lot and it took ample time to grieve and rebuild. As I gained ground, my dad passed away before we could restore a better relationship.

The jeweler who sold us my first wedding band attended my father’s funeral to pay her respects and offer our family assistance. With her help, I sold that band and a few other small pieces. I kept the center stone and used the proceeds to purchase a second diamond to create a set of earrings. This helped me to both move forward and to reclaim myself. I wore my diamond earrings every day.

I met Rob four years later and we soon fell in love. By that time, my earrings weren’t a symbol of my last marriage. They reminded me of sacrifice and survival and some of the hardest years of my life. They were about living alone and making it work. They were about the courage to start again. They were about my father and making the most of the time you have. They were about feeling deserving of nice things. They were about family and forgiveness. They meant a lot and I was attached to them.

When Rob and I decided to marry, I first found an antique ring that felt right. Rob suggested having the band recreated using a mold and newer diamonds because, despite them being small, the cuts were not as well done during the time-period of the original ring. The process of then finding a center stone, led us to lab-grown diamonds. We were astounded. The grown diamonds were gorgeous; not to mention unique, certified and more affordable. Rob appreciated their clarity, precision and science. While I appreciated their quality, sparkle and purity.

Later, I wondered if it bothered Rob that I still wore a diamond from my first marriage. He admitted that it did a little. I felt it was important swap out the earrings for another pair; downgrading to a smaller size so as not to invest much. We decided to visit Lyle Husar Designs to obtain a quote. Rob had found his wedding ring there. The staff had been approachable. And the store had a good selection and a warm feeling.

Then… we met Craig Husar. He provided a great trade in quote and personal, kind, attentive service. Lab-grown diamond earrings were due to arrive soon and we were invited us back to view loose diamond stock, as well. Craig was so engaging and disarming that he and Rob spent additional time discussing lab conditions and cut ratios and their love for exquisite craftsmanship. The three of us discussed everything from the antique pocket watches to new technologies embedded within jewelry.

When we returned, Craig walked out of his office excited to share some news. The day before, he received lab-grown diamonds from Swarovski. He had been working with them at their headquarters in Austria for over a year to launch the new line. He explained that he could obtain a pair of equal cut, clarity, and color to the size he had to show us and custom set them into earrings in the store. I’d be the first person to own a pair of Swarovski grown diamond earrings! He showed us the precision cuts and the signature stamp placed on their product. I can’t believe that I managed not to cry in the store. One of four jewelers globally that has these diamonds… will request two more… just for me. I never expected anything this nice!

So, this is a story about an engagement ring diamond for post-college newly-wed, that became an earring for an independent, single woman. It’s also a story about a re-married woman who exchanged two diamonds and an important piece of her past for love and another new start.

Thank you, Craig, for making this possible.

Jennifer Saffell