dicembre 06, 2017

Engagement Feature: Juliana & Michael

This month, we're putting the spotlight on a gorgeous Oval diamond engagement ring with a delicate rose gold band.

The lucky owner of this unique ring is bride-to-be Juliana.

Inspired by our Emerald Leaf ring from the Emerald Coast collection, the Oval cut diamond ring features round diamonds in a marquise pattern halo.

As a few of the lucky ones, Cassandra gave Juliana and her fiancé Michael a sneak peek of the upcoming collection before it was launched and showed them a few ring designs.

The Emerald Leaf ring stood out from the rest and Juliana loved the details of the ring and wanted the design to come through in her own ring.

Below, Juliana and Michael share the details of their engagement story and how they came to design the perfect ring for Juliana.

How did you both meet?

Michael and I have known each other for most of our adult lives. We met at our casual job whilst we were both studying our respective university degrees. We became very close friends and that friendship eventually evolved into a relationship.

After a few years apart making our own way in the world, time was kind to us, and we reconnected.

Michael and I always knew that if we were to find our way back to each other, an engagement would be the natural progression. I was studying in Italy last year and Michael came to meet me towards the end of my study.

This time together, enjoying the charm and beauty of Italy, really cemented our mutual feeling that we were each other’s person!

Share with us your engagement story.

As we had very openly discussed marriage, and I was involved in the ring process, the engagement did not come as a surprise. Michael was also very aware that I am not great with surprises! However, I did not know exactly when the ring would be ready.

The night Michael proposed, I had already had the most relaxing day, enjoying a long brunch with former colleagues, and later catching up with some girlfriends. I was driving to Michael’s house, where we were to have dinner, and I felt such an overwhelming sense of serenity and contentedness. I recall thinking “this would be the perfect night for Michael to propose”. I knew that Cassandra was off to Europe at the end of that week though so I didn’t think that my ring would be ready until she returned the following month.

Michael and I spent the evening cooking gnocchi from scratch (my favourite!) and sitting by the fire with a bottle of wine. Some of our favourite music was playing in the background. Michael then brought out a bag of Baci chocolates, which hold some significance to us. The Italian town I studied in, Perugia, is the home of the Baci chocolate. After months of not seeing each other, I greeted Michael at the train station in Perugia with a Baci! The Baci Michael chose on the night we became engaged, contained a suitably sweet message. As I looked up from reading the little love note, Michael was down on one knee with my exquisite Cassandra Mamone ring! “She made the ring in time!” was my first response! The evening was low key – it was nothing fancy nor was it public, but it was beautifully intimate and very us!

What drew you to Cassandra Mamone's pieces?

I knew that if I ever found myself looking for an engagement ring, it would require a bit of research. I don’t wear much jewellery so I hoped to find something that reflected me. I came across Cassandra Mamone’s Instagram feed and was instantly captured by the quality and delicacy of her pieces. It was when I met Cassandra, that I genuinely felt it was possible for such a ring to be created for me.

Tell us all the details about your ring, what was the process like for you, what are your favourite aspects of the piece?

Cassandra made a process that could have been rather overwhelming, extremely easy and comfortable to go through. It was also a lot of fun! She was the first and only jeweller we met with. We instantly connected over our Italian heritage and would often share stories involving classic “Italianisms”.

In my mind, I had a vision of what my ring would look like, however, I found it difficult to verbalise this. As Michael knew, and Cassandra learnt quickly, I can also be incredibly indecisive! I knew I wanted an oval diamond, with a delicate rose gold band and classic detailing. Cassandra sourced the most stunning diamond for us and the ring design developed from there. I spent most of the time feeling really unsure that the design would capture what I was looking for but I had complete trust in her talent and creativity. As soon as she showed me the final design, I fell in love with it! I could sense the relief that emanated from Michael instantly!

I love that no two Cassandra Mamone pieces are alike. The uniqueness of my ring is something people comment on all the time. The incredible halo, which was influenced by pieces from her now released Emerald Coast collection, enhances the centre diamond perfectly, and the light bounces off of the delicate marquise diamonds onto the oval diamond, to give off the most exquisite sparkle. I cannot thank Cassandra enough for capturing my hazy ideas and turning them into a beautiful and symbolic piece of jewellery.

Do you have any wedding plans yet?

Our wedding is in the Spring of 2018. We are having a church ceremony followed by a sit-down dinner at the most stunning private property in the Adelaide Hills. European inspired gardens, against a backdrop of the Australian bush, makes it the perfect location for us. We are hoping to tie together crisp white hues with fresh greenery, timeless accents, delicious food, a nod to our Italian background and an excellent playlist to create a relaxed and fun evening for our favourite people. I have just recently confirmed a dressmaker and, of course, Cassandra is a definite for our wedding bands! We are having a lot of fun planning our wedding day!