Vol. I · May 2026
put a ring on it
An editorial on the small, circular things we keep
Archive · Page 33
No. 322

What is an average engagement ring markup?

20 years ago, when I first set foot on 47th Street, the standard jewelry store markup was around 300%. That was the rule of thumb for a mined diamond...

No. 323

What are the best engagement rings for nurses or healthcare workers?

Most engagement ring advice for healthcare workers is useless because it's written by people who've never worn nitrile gloves for twelve hours. I've made...

No. 324

How do I keep my engagement ring shiny between professional cleanings?

Daniel brought in his wife's ring last Tuesday. The center diamond-a nice 1.08 carat modern round brilliant-was barely visible under a film of hand lotion...

No. 325

How do I get a ring resized if it was bought online?

About half the resizing jobs that walk into my shop are rings bought online. Most of them arrive in a padded envelope, still in the seller’s generic box,...

No. 326

Can I have an engagement ring engraved with a personal message?

Yes. Almost always. The real question isn't can you -it's what the ring will let you say, and whether the message will still be legible in forty years. I...

No. 327

How do I arrange a surprise proposal while ring shopping together?

About one in five couples who book a design consultation are shopping together. Ostensibly, the ring is a collaborative decision-and it is, they really do...

No. 328

How do I store the engagement ring safely?

Lock it. That's the short answer. Not the sock drawer, not the jewelry box on your dresser in plain view, not the back of the bathroom cabinet where every...

No. 329

How do I take a good photo of the engagement ring?

The photo most clients send me is a blurry shot of a ring on a knuckle, taken under a warm bathroom light. It makes a D-color diamond look like a...

No. 330

How much does it cost to resize an engagement ring?

Anywhere from $35 to $350, and occasionally more than the ring itself. The spread is wide because the question “how much to resize” is like asking what a...

No. 331

Can I propose with a placeholder ring?

Yes. And I wish more people did. Last April a guy named Chris walked into the studio with his hands in his pockets and a deer-in-headlights look. He'd...

A letter, every other Sunday.

One essay, one object, one quiet recommendation — delivered slowly, the way these things ought to be.