Also important, what is your position in life?  There is nothing more aggravating to me than having a young attorney contact me to tell me he wants to get an engagement ring of a carat or more and naturally because it's such a big field, we have to narrow it down to money, what did he want to budget towards it?  When he tells me he's willing to pay $2,200 - $2,500, it just doesn't fit.  Guys, the ring you give the gal also reflects a bit about you and your station in life.  As a professional, nobody knows how good an attorney you are. I personally do not deal with any schlepper attorneys who is not resourceful enough to procure a decent engagement ring. It's a bit impossible to do this right without spending five, six, or seven thousand dollars, not a great deal of money for something that lasts forever and will continue to reflect to the world what you think about your wife.  And again, if you don't know this gal well enough to know what type of engagement ring is going to make her happy, you really have no business thinking about getting married.  As a matter of fact, this might be a good time for you to take our Relationship test to see how prepared you are for marriage.

IMPORTANT: In this purchase it is absolutely essential that you're not locked in without a refund.  That pear shaped or marquise shaped diamond might have been the best deal in town, but if she doesn't like it (she wanted a round or princess-cut) you're in trouble.  The counsel and advice you get from a wise old jeweler in this case is invaluable.  It's just not available at service merchandise or at a third world discounter.  I appreciate the man that comes to me and asks questions other than how much money it is.  This shows me this is a man that has some depth and sensitivity, and is interested in really doing the right thing, not just getting a troublesome project over with (like going to the dentist).

Giving the ring as a surprise is, of course, the right way to do it. My son was on a cruise and he published his intentions in the cruise daily news letter. Of course, this was my idea, not his, but ain't nobody ever going to forget what happened. In lieu of a surprise offering, you can give your gal a budget and send her to me. Not quite as romantic, but whatever suits your purposes.

Lastly, it is important for you to know that diamonds have become a commodity. If you're only going to buy something with an unbiased independent laboratory certificate, it's going to be pretty hard for somebody to give you the shaft. There are many other intrinsic ways to value a diamond. It is best that you find a jeweler that enjoys his business, has a passion for it, and is more interested in making you happy than in making the sale. This is an impossible guy to find so while I'm still in control of this company, I suggest that you grab me. For something as important and lasting as an engagement ring, my interest lies in making you happy and advising you of all the alternatives and choices that your budget will allow. I'm not just interested in how much money I'm going to make. This attitude has made me wealthy and I'm not about to be changing it now.

I remain at your disposal, anytime.

Carl Marcus
Chairman