Vol. I · May 2026
put a ring on it
An editorial on the small, circular things we keep
Archive · Page 34
No. 332

What are the pros and cons of a tension setting?

I'm nervous about tension settings. I'll build them, I've built a handful, but I quote the resizing limitations before we get to aesthetics. About seven out...

No. 333

What should I look for when buying a ring from an estate sale?

Elaine walked in on a Thursday morning, carrying a small paper bag. She’d spent $40 at an estate sale in southeast Portland. Inside was a ring: yellow...

No. 334

What cleaning products are safe for engagement rings?

Most commercial jewelry cleaning solutions are a bad idea for an engagement ring, and I’ll tell you why: they’re mostly ammonia and water, occasionally with...

No. 335

Do any jewelers offer fair-trade diamonds?

A woman named Sophie emailed me last winter with a single, very specific request: she wanted a fair-trade diamond for her engagement ring, and she wanted it...

No. 336

When is the best time to insure an engagement ring?

Before you leave the jeweler’s parking lot. That’s the answer. If the ring is already on your finger, the best time was the day you bought it. The...

No. 337

Why is a GIA certificate important when buying a diamond?

A diamond grading report is not a guarantee of a beautiful stone. I say that up front because most of the messaging around GIA certificates implies the...

No. 338

How do I choose a ring for a vintage-loving partner?

Daniel walked into my studio last fall with a screenshot of a 1920s engagement ring on his phone. The ring belonged to a museum collection, long since sold....

No. 339

Are three-stone engagement rings still popular?

They're not the thing everyone’s pinning on Pinterest right now, and that’s exactly why I still build a lot of them. The halo mania of the last fifteen...

No. 340

Can I get an engagement ring with a colored diamond?

You can. But whether you should, and what you'll pay, depends on a distinction most clients don't know to make when they walk in. Natural fancy color...

No. 341

How do I avoid paying too much for an engagement ring?

Paying too much for an engagement ring is rarely about the total on the receipt. It's about paying for the wrong things - a brand name etched inside a...

A letter, every other Sunday.

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