I’ve been fascinated by celebrity-by-association Amber Rose since she and her blonde Sinead O’Connor hairdo popped up on various red carpets with ex-boyfriend Kanye West.
You can’t miss her. Amber Rose and Kanye West in 2009. Courtesy MTV.com. Click for source.
I took notice late last year when she did a sex-ay commercial for Smirnoff‘s Whipped Cream and Fluffed Marshmallow vodkas.
Amber Rose PLUS whipped-cream-flavor alcohol? Sign me up. I did opine, on Twitter, that whipped cream with alcohol in it would be even better. I can’t remember who enlightened me (let me know in the comments if you’re the one), but Whipahol exists in a variety of flavors! I haven’t bought any yet because I’m pretty sure I’d be standing in front of an open refrigerator, squirting the Whipahol directly into my mouth until I wound up hospitalized for a combination of alcohol poisoning and high blood sugar. But maybe one of my friends with more self-control will invite me over for a Whipahol treat one of these days (hint, hint to Stacy and Tina.)
Anyway, last week I was happy to see that Amber Rose is engaged to her new man, rapper Wiz Khalifa. Both Wiz and Amber Rose tweeted a photo of her engagement ring.
Amber Rose’s ring. Click for source.
I’m impressed by this ring! An oval diamond is a refreshing change from the more traditional round cut, and it looks fabulous in a nice, clean setting. I can’t remember when I’ve last been impressed by a celebrity engagement ring. I’m always let down because the celebrity press will say a ring is “five carats.” Then I look at the photo and see a two-carat center stone surrounded by three carats of smaller diamonds. It is entirely correct to identify a piece of jewelry by its TOTAL carat weight (TCW). But when the very famous are involved, I’m always hoping to see a mind-blowing center stone, instead of a good-sized one in a fussy setting. I don’t know how many carats Amber Rose’s ring is, but it looks great on her hand and, like I said, the cut and setting are right up my alley.
If I were doing my engagement ring now, I would go with an oval stone. Back in 2001, when I designed my own engagement ring and wedding band — the first pieces of jewelry I ever designed — I never considered anything but a round cut. I wanted to liven it up by doing a really interesting setting, but the diamond wholesaler I was working with said that would distract from the gem. Plus, I would get sick of it, she said. I was persuaded and did a sleek but fairly unexceptional setting. In 2005, I went into the jewelry business with that same wholesaler. The following year, I fell (while not wearing any jewelry, fortunately) and sprained two fingers on my left hand so badly that their size and shape were changed even after they seemed healed. My ring didn’t fit. The hand doctor said to give it a year. I waited a year and the ring still didn’t fit. By then, I was working with new people who were used to my increasingly non-traditional jewelry style. So, instead of resizing the ring, I redesigned the whole thing, adding a number of stones.
Click for more information.
Yes, the setting does distract from the center stone. No, I’m not tired of it. And the total carat weight is none of your business.
I do a lot of custom engagement rings now, and for me, the customer is (nearly) always right. I’ll make suggestions, but if you’re determined to have a particular look, I’ll give it to you even if it’s not my style. I’ve learned from my experience. So you can have a copy of my own ring …
Judy’s engagement ring. Click for more information.
… a ring that looks like several stacking rings …
Susan’s engagement ring. Click for more information.
… or a ring made out of your grandmother’s stones.
Tracey’s engagement ring. Click for more information.
If you want an Asscher-cut stone in a simple four-prong setting, I’ll do that. If you want a round stone in a simple bezel setting, I’ll do that. If you want a celebrity-style two-carat stone surrounded by three-carats of smaller stones in the world’s fussiest setting, I’ll do that. I’ve done rings with white-sapphire center stones instead of diamonds. One thing I won’t do is a ring with a very fragile center stone. That leads to grief. People are hard on their engagement rings and pearls, for instance, are extremely fragile. There’s a reason you don’t see a lot of pearl engagement rings.
I’m excited to be working on a couple of custom engagement rings right now. If you want to discuss your ring ideas with me, holla at me wbjewelry at hotmail dot com. If you’re in New York, we can even meet in person and toast your nuptials with Whipahol!
Note: I buy all loose diamonds for original designs from wholesalers who guarantee in writing that the gems are purchased from legitimate, non-conflict sources.
UPDATED TO ADD: Gorgeous blogger Rebecca of Minn Chic reminded me that actress Amber Tamblyn recently pranked musician/actor Tyrese. He thought she was Amber Rose; she played along. Enjoy!
My brother introduced me to the marshmallow vodka this past Christmas. I am usually the type to refuse 99.9% of alcoholic drinks, but if I were a person of less self control – I would have been so sick.
All of your rings are gorgeous! I love how industrial the second to last ring is.
I’m scared what will happen if I taste that. I’ve totally overindulged on Bailey’s. I have a sweet tooth!
Do you get many requests for non-diamond engagement rings? My grandmother’s, now sadly lost, was an emerald (bought in Cairo by my grandfather during the war) and I’ve always thought that non-diamond engagement rings were a quirkier, nicer way to go.
I haven’t gotten a lot of requests for colored stones, though I wouldn’t mind them. I’ve done more than one white sapphire. I definitely prefer non-diamond gems to be something durable like ruby and sapphire. Emerald is beautiful, more inclined to breakage, so if the person knows that, fine. I can’t remember which gem it was but I did steer someone away from a stone that I thought was MUCH too soft. I don’t need someone turning up in a month crying about the big scratch/chip on her stone. She didn’t want a diamond so I got her into a white sapphire. A lot of people don’t know about white sapphires, so you can pass it off as a diamond if you want (it’s obvious it’s not one if you put it next to a diamond but by itself it can definitely pass) OR make it a conversation piece by telling everyone that you have an interesting stone.
An alternate green stone would be a tsavorite garnet, which is a gorgeous green color with a great durability. Another option would be chrome diopside. A white sapphire isn’t distinct or unique from white diamonds, it’s just cheaper. And if you’re trying to avoid a diamond or look-a-like that’s not at all the point, now is it?
However, sapphires do come in brilliant greens from blue green to deep emerald to yellow green. Keep your dream of a beautiful non-diamond ring, there are so many durable and gorgeous gemstone options out there!
I work with tsavorites all the time. A favorite stone of mine for pave. The white sapphire is obviously for people who want the look of diamond without the price or any associations they have with the word “diamond.” So far have not had requests for a blue sapphire — too Princes Diana. Personally I prefer the fancy colors.
My mama has a beautiful oval ring…I’ve always loved that shape!
I don’t know why I never considered it! I was so cautious then. But I AM very, very happy with what I have, now that it’s in the setting I always wanted.
I’m dying slowly as i type in your Antispam word. LOLOL please tell me how you did this! Teach me your ways! Also #3 is my favorite by far! Ambers is REALLY nice though!
Given how OTT Amber Rose can be, I was surprised by how understated this ring is. It’s superb.
As for what ring I would choose if you were designing it? One of each! Why choose just one?!
Love the oval cut.
Have you tried Licor 43? DELICIOUS!
Just looked it up…yeah, I think I would like that!
I agree–the oval cut is beautiful! I love the variety of work you do with engagement rings….I love the ring that looks like stacking rings, in particular. Not necessarily for an engagement ring of my own, but just in general 🙂 Beautiful!
Thanks!
Ohhhhh the engagement ring conundrum.
I have to be honest, my husband really did know me well when he worked with a designer on my ring…..
I ended up with an Aascher cut in vintage inspired setting that he helped design. It is so me. So far, I haven’t gotten anywhere near sick of it!
ALTHOUGH, I did tell him I am also a fan of cushion cut….. you know, for future reference 😉
I hadn’t heard of her until this week, when I read about the Amber Tamblyn joke.
I adore her ring, gorgeous! I have flavored alcoholic whipped cream, I got it at Taboo Sex Show. It is so yummy (in small doses).
I didn’t want a round diamond when I got engaged but that is what I ended up with, with fussy little stones on the side as well. My husband is a great guy but didn’t know my taste well then and he got frustrated that I didn’t know what I wanted and just accepted something in the end. A few years back, (before we knew about you) he saw a picture of a wide band with an off-center bezel-set stone and showed it to me. By then he had a pretty good sense my taste and we reset the stone. I couldn’t be happier.
I wish I had appreciated different cuts back then, but it all worked out well.
That’s so great that he was alert to something you might like! Email me a pic!
it’s so classic and so chic Wendy!
How is life in NYC?
all my kisses from Brazil,
kira
Wendy, you are too awesome! I love that you redesigned your ring and made it into something totally YOU.
I was so excited reading this post!!! I just got engaged 2 weeks ago and my fiancé thrilled me with a ring exactly like Amber Rose’s – except not celebrity-sized of course, & it has six prongs instead of 4. I had never seen an oval diamond before and I fell in love with it posthaste. Most everyone I know has what you aptly described as a “fussy setting” – I adore the clean, quiet, elegant simplicity of the oval in the plain setting. Thank you for the post! I’m a regular reader of your blog, just had to finally comment in my glee at recognizing her ring!
Congratulations! And I’d love to see a picture of your ring!
such a boring-ass ring. wendy, you need to rescue it.
and amber looks likes she’s got fangs in that clip (to match her vampy fingernails!). she’s scary 🙂 help her wendy.
The “stacked ring” ring is my fave. Why is it that more and more people seem to be getting away from “the customer is always right”
I have a bottle of birthday cake flavored vodka it’s delicious.
Marti
Ooh, that sounds good! Put some Whipahol on top of that.