Loose Diamond Engagement Article:
Ben and Angela

  A perfect progression—meet a new friend, cultivate the friendship for at least a year, start dating, always mindful of the other person’s dreams and goals while guarding your own heart and mind. One day, in the fullness of time, you know it is okay to abandon your heart to the other and are delighted to discover that they feel the same. The carefully chosen diamond, unique in all the world, was the perfect culmination to the planting, growing, and blooming of this relationship. Also note the importance of a diamond dealer who guarantees your satisfaction!

The Sock and the Box

  Ben and Angela met in the fall of 2000 at the beginning of their sophomore year at the University of Georgia. Both were brimming with dreams, ambition, independence, and having a lot of fun on their own. They began as friends and would stay up until dawn discussing family, religion, Georgia football, and their all time favorite subject, politics.

  Ben lived next door to Angela’s best friends, who along with Ben’s roommates were dumbfounded that two people could spend so much time together and still remain just friends. Truthfully each knew the other could potentially be their perfect match, which was what kept them from pursuing a romance. Neither was ready to meet "The One".

  The two finally began dating in January of 2001, after an entire semester of flirting and talking. The week following their first date Angela paid Ben a visit to let him know she did not want a boyfriend right now, that they could date and have fun together but she did not want anything serious to develop. Ben agreed. They had more ambition than was good for them, and they wanted to pursue their goals unfettered by the commitments of a relationship.

  God had a different plan for the two, and although they each fought it every step of the way, Ben and Angela fell deeply in love. They remained together through the rest of college and into the early years of their careers After all they had been through together, Ben decided it was time to buy the ring. Angela said when she looked at her hand all she wanted to see was sparkle. First, Ben selected the platinum band where three round diamonds were individually set on either side of the center diamond. Perfect. For the center stone he looked at several diamonds, selected what seemed to be a perfect stone, and made his purchase. Several days later Ben pulled the ring out to look at it in the sunlight. To his dismay he saw three inclusions he had not noticed at the jewelers. His heart sunk as he could not imagine giving the ring to his future bride. Ben went back to the jeweler and demanded an exchange. Several stones were laid out, but none would satisfy him. Finally, the jeweler pulled out a brilliant round stone. "This is the clearest and whitest diamond I have." He placed it in the setting. "I’ll take it!" Ben exclaimed. It was the sparkle that Angela requested. The ring was set, purchased, and nestled inside a velvet box. Ben slid the box inside an old brown sock and hid the precious package in the glove compartment of his truck.

  For the formalities Ben went to the homes of Angela’s dad and step-mother and her mother and step-father to ask for their blessing. Knowing his future bride’s love for her grandparents (Arthur and Nancy in another story) Ben decided their blessing on the marriage was needed as well. During each visit Ben pulled the ceremonial sock out of his pocket and reached inside to retrieve the velvet box. Opening the box for each set of parents and grandparents he proudly displayed the beautiful diamond engagement ring awaiting his beloved. Each time the marriage blessing was emphatically bestowed along with gasps and wows for the ring!

  Four years and two months after their agreement to only date and not be serious brought the two to Hilton Head Island in March 2005. All of Angela’s colleagues were convinced she would come back engaged. Angela wasn’t so sure, but it was in the back of her mind. They were getting ready to leave and take one last walk on the island. Angela turned to Ben with a smile and said, "So I guess you’re really not going to propose on this trip are you?" Ben replied with a smirk, "Nope, I guess not." They laughed and hugged and started off down the beach hand in hand. Little did Angela know Ben had the ring in tucked away in his pocket.

  They took off down the beach; Angela was chatting away and picking out which beach house they would get when they were rich some day. Ben was unusually quiet, and she noticed he seemed to be gently steering her to a secluded part of the beach. ‘Maybe…’ she began to think, but quickly dismissed the idea. Ben began speaking, "Baby, I’ve had a good time this week. What do you say we spend every week of the rest of our lives together?"

  "Okay, sure" Angela replied, not fully realizing what Ben was saying, her eyes on the beach homes.

  Ben turned to her and got down on one knee. Angela’s eyes widened with disbelief. Ben pulled the ring out of his pocket, the sunlight dancing off the diamonds. “Angela, will you..?” Ben paused and broke out into a mischievous grin, "you’ll marry me won’t you?" The ring stole Angela’s breath, but as soon as she got it back she began laughing and squealing, "Yes! Yes!"