Copeland Jewelers | Blog | Custom Jewelry & Designer Jewelry | Jewelry Repair & Jewelry Appraisals Austin TX

June 21 2017

10 Signs a Wedding Proposal Is on the Way | Austin Custom Jewelry

Engagement Ring Guide, Weddings & Engagements

Austin custom jewelry design

You’ve been waiting for the big day, and you’re wondering whether it’s finally on the way. If you’ve felt ready to get engaged for a while, but your romantic partner has been less eager, you’ve probably been waiting (im)patiently for a grand, down-on-one-knee gesture. Well, trust Copeland Jewelers, your best source for Austin engagement and wedding jewelry, for the lowdown! Here are ten important signs you can be on the lookout for as you’re waiting for your sweetheart to pop the question.

You catch them looking online at engagement rings – Now, we’re not suggesting you spy on your honey, but if you happen to look over their shoulder and notice they’re scrolling through pictures of rings, or if you borrow their laptop or phone and see ads for fine jewelry all over the place, chances are good they’re in the midst of a big decision.
They’re suddenly protective of their electronic devices – If your significant other suddenly becomes super skittish and protective about their phone, computer, or tablet when they’re not usually that way, they may be trying to hide conversations with your friends about what sort of ring to get you.
They’re suddenly working overtime a lot or being super frugal – Maybe your sweetheart has always been good about living within their means, but suddenly they’re taking every opportunity to score some extra cash and being a lot more careful with money than usual. They could be saving up for a big, sparkly purchase.
You notice they’re always playing with your hands – If your partner is uncharacteristically interested in holding your hand or playing with your fingers, they may be trying to size up your ring finger so they can size a ring.
They seem to have a new interest in jewelry – Your honey has never paid much attention to fine jewelry before, but suddenly they’re asking questions about the pieces you wear, commenting on other people’s engagement rings, and dropping phrases like “princess cut” and “bezel set.” Or maybe your friends are suddenly asking prying questions about jewelry – someone is definitely trying to figure out your tastes!
They get nervous when other people ask about when you’re going to get married – Many couples who have been together for a while are used to family, friends, and even strangers asking when they’re going to tie the knot, and you’ve probably come up with a standard response. If your partner suddenly seems flustered when other people bring up marriage, they may be worried about accidentally blowing a big surprise.
You’re having a lot more conversations about weddings and engagements – Whether you’re discussing friends’ plans or hypothetical situations, if your sweetie is suddenly bringing up these topics all the time, they probably have weddings and engagements on their mind for good reason.
They’re openly planning for your future together – If you realize that you and your significant other are constantly talking about topics such as having kids, buying houses, or other future plans, marriage is probably on both your minds.
You’re taking a vacation soon – Whether it’s a weekend getaway or a big trip, an out-of-town change of pace often provides the perfect setting for a proposal. Be especially suspicious if your honey insists on making most of the plans on their own!
There’s a holiday or other special day coming up – If Christmas, Valentine’s Day, your anniversary, or your birthday are on the horizon, those are also perfect opportunities for your loved one to pop the question!

At your Austin fine jewelry store, we know how hard it is to wait until you hear the words “Will you marry me?” and we assure you that it will happen when the time is right. If you’re dropping hints to your honey, be sure to suggest Copeland Jewelers, a family-owned, Austin business that will take care of all your engagement and wedding jewelry needs!

June 12 2017

Ring Info Everyone Should Know | Fine Jewelry Austin

Rings

Austin Texas jewelry repair

Rings are among the most common pieces of jewelry we buy and wear today, and they’ve been popular for many thousands of years. Chances are good that you own a ring that has special meaning for you, or you at least know someone who wears a special ring. Your source for custom jewelry Austin is always glad to educate our customers on any type of jewelry!

The part of the ring that wraps around the finger (or the toe, but the finger is more common) is referred to as the hoop. In a ring that’s one uniform circle, the hoop constitutes the entire ring, but in a ring with a setting, the hoop is only the band, or the approximately three-quarters of of the piece that are usually at the sides and below the finger. The center portion of the top of the ring, where a stone or gem is positioned, is known as the bezel, and the small, generally slanted portions on either side of the bezel are referred to as the shoulders. The bezel is usually the thickest and widest part of the ring’s band, so that there’s enough support for any kind of setting and/or enough space for engraving or other decoration on the bezel. (It’s important to note that while there are many kinds of settings that can go on the bezel of a ring, “bezel” may also refer to a particular kind of setting, in which a thin band of the metal or other material that makes up the body of the ring encircles the gemstone to hold it in place.)

Rings have long been used to communicate certain cultural information about the wearer, and that still holds true today. Of course, it’s common in the United States and other countries for women to receive and wear rings when they become engaged and for both men and women to wear wedding rings after they’re married. Signet rings are also common today, and they’re a tradition that goes back a few millennia. “Signet” literally means “sign,” and signet rings are worn to give a sign of membership in a certain group or social organization. One of the most common signet rings denotes membership in the Masons. Class rings, which are similar to signet rings, have been popular in the United States for the past hundred years or so, and they denote alumni status from a particular high school or university. And an engineer’s ring is a simple ring of iron or steel worn on the pinkie finger of the dominant hand after one swears the Engineer’s Oath.

If you’re interested in fine rings of any style, whether classic or totally unique, come into Copeland Jewelers, your favorite fine jewelry store in Austin, Texas, today!

June 5 2017

Why Do Pearls Need to Be Re-Strung? | Austin Custom Jewelry Design

Birthstones, Pearls of Wisdom

Austin, Texas, jewelry repair

Strands of pearls, whether they’re necklaces, bracelets, or anklets, are among the most-loved classic jewelry looks. A strand of pearls instantly adds a touch of elegance and sophistication to any outfit in any situation. However, no strand of pearls will last forever, no matter what material was used to string it. Pearl strands need occasional maintenance to keep them strong and looking their best. If you have cherished strands of pearls, trust your Austin jewelry store for any care and maintenance they may need!

Pearls can be strung on wire, monofilament, very thin chain, or thread made of silk, nylon, or polyester. As the jewelry is worn, the natural movement of the piece, body oil, residue from perfume or makeup, and anything that bumps or snags the strand causes stress on the string. Even if a necklace, bracelet, or anklet is treated with the utmost care, it will stretch out over the years and will eventually break. Obviously, breakage could result in the loss of one or more pearls, and it could potentially be an embarrassment if it occurs in a public place. Therefore, it’s important to pay attention to the condition of your strand of pearls and have it re-strung before disaster strikes.

How do you know when it’s time to get your pearls re-strung? The time is right when you first notice any extra space between the individual pearls that wasn’t there when the piece was purchased or after it was last re-strung. Also, if you notice any discoloration, fraying, or other signs of wear of the stringing material, it’s time to get the strand to a jeweler to prevent potential problems. If you have a multi-strand necklace or bracelet and are only concerned about the integrity of one of the strands, it’s much better to go ahead and have the entire piece re-strung at once. If one strand looks iffy now, it’s likely that the other(s) will develop problems soon, possibly within just a few weeks. Also, when a strand of pearls is re-strung, it usually leaves the jeweler slightly shorter than when it came in (since stretching out is a sign that re-stringing is necessary), so it’s important to get all strands of a multi-strand piece redone at once so all the strands remain properly proportioned and looking natural.

Stringing pearls is a very particular art, one that not all bench jewelers are trained in. At Copeland Jewelers, your source for jewelry repair in Austin, Texas, we have a professionally certified pearl stringer, Katy Sebree, on staff. She has over twenty-five years of experience, and she will string your pearls on fresh silk thread, placing a knot between each bead. What’s the benefit of the knots? Well, if there are knots between each pearl and the strand should break at a particular point, only one pearl will fall off and need to be located (and you may even be able to catch that one single bead!). Without the knots, if the string breaks at any point, all the pearls will fall off at once, bouncing and rolling every which way – what a nightmare!

Some people want their strings of pearls to be double-knotted, but this actually isn’t a good idea. It doesn’t make the strand any stronger, it requires more material and more work (meaning more expense for the customer), and it will keep the piece from laying naturally when it is worn. One knot between each pearl is the best idea – no more, no less.

If you have any questions about the integrity of your strands of pearls or want to learn more about the intricacies of pearl stringing, come in to Copeland Jewlers in Austin today!

May 30 2017

Gold and Its Karats | Fine Jewelry in Austin, Texas

Metals Guide

Austin, Texas, jewelry store

You may remember from one of our previous blog posts that the weights of diamonds and other gemstones are measured in carats. Well, confusingly, the word “karat” is also applied to gold, but in that case, it’s a measure of purity rather than weight. (Sometimes the word is spelled with a C when applied to gold, but using the K makes it at least slightly easier to denote units of weight vs. units of purity.) Is your head spinning yet? Never fear, your expert Austin jewelers at Copeland Jewelers are here to explain!

Gold is a very soft metal, which means that pure gold can be problematic when it comes to making jewelry (or any other item that will be used a lot in different environments). Pure gold is easy to bend or scratch (remember the stereotypical image of the pirate biting into a gold coin to see how soft it is?), which means that if your jewelry is made from pure gold, you’re likely to end up with pitted pendants, folded rings, and marked-up bracelets – and heaven forbid you accidentally drop an earring back and then step on it!

To combat this issue, most gold jewelry and coins are made from alloys, or mixtures of different metals, today. Commonly, gold is alloyed with copper and/or silver, which are, of course, still high-quality materials. One karat is equal to 1/24 pure gold, so if something is made of 10-karat gold, it’s 41.7% pure gold, and the other 58.3% is made of other metals. 18-karat gold is 75% pure and 25% other metals. Gold that is 100% pure is referred to as 24-karat. The most common karatages for fine jewelry are 10-karat, 14-karat, and 18-karat. Sometimes jewelry is, in fact, made from 24-karat gold, but it should only be worn on rare occasions and must be cared for extremely carefully to avoid damage.

Sometimes the non-gold metals that make up a gold alloy are specifically formulated to change the color of the finished product. For example, pink or rose gold is achieved with higher concentrations of copper; white gold is made with nickel; and green gold comes from silver and zinc combined with pure gold. If you’re interested in learning more about these different hues of gold, be sure to ask your Austin jewelers.

The word “karat” comes from the same source as the word “carat” that denotes the weight of gems: the carob seeds that were used in ancient times to measure weight. Around a thousand years ago one German mark coin weight 24 carats and was made of pure gold. As it became easier and more popular to combine gold with other metals, people became concerned with measuring gold’s purity and co-opted the word “carat,” eventually changing the first letter for clarity’s sake. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulates karat value and the purity of jewelry. The FTC requires that all jewelry with a karatage of ten or high be stamped with either “K,” “Kt,” or a number denoting its percentage of pure gold.

May 22 2017

The 411 on Enamel | Austin Jewelry Store

Uncategorized

Custom jewelry repair Austin

You probably know that enamel is the shiny, white material that covers your teeth, but did you know that enamel is also used in jewelry? They’re not the same kind of enamel, of course, as the stuff on your teeth occurs naturally inside the human body, while enameled jewelry is created with powdered glass and lots of heat. Your fine jewelry store in Austin, Copeland Jewelers, offers many varities of enameled jewelry, so read on to see how they are made!

The material we’re discussing here is know as “vitreous enamel” or “porcelain enamel” (in order to differentiate it from the stuff on your teeth!). Enameling began around 4 B.C. and was a popular decorative art among the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese, Celts, and other groups. Many different materials can have enamel applied to them, including stone, glass, pottery, and of course, metal, which is the base of most enameled jewelry. Many different techniques have been used over the centuries, but the basic method is to apply very finely powdered glass to the object that is going to be decorated and apply very strong heat in a controlled manner.

Today, artists who work with enamel are able to create more than two hundred different colors. Each shade begins with an incredibly fine powder that basically just looks white, like baby powder, whether or not white is the color that will be produced by that particular blend of powder. The surface of the metal is cleaned, and then the powder is either kept dry and sifted onto the piece of jewelry, or it will be wet-packed into small spaces in the metal. Depending on the final look that the artist wants to achieve, these two basic techniques can be slightly modified.

Heat will be applied either with a hand torch, with a kiln, or with a combination of the two tools. Enamel is generally heated between 1,380 and 1,560 degrees Fahrenheit – this is enough to melt the glass powder without melting the metal base of the jewelry. There are four different finishes for enamel, depending upon the desired look for the final piece: “Sugar,” which is lightly bumpy, like fine sugar, and not shiny; “orange peel,” which is glossy and bumpy, like the peel of a citrus fruit; “full fuse,” with a smooth and shiny surface; and “over fired,” which is shiny but pitted, possibly flecked with black spots, and the edges may change color. All four of these finishes can be beautiful in different settings.

Austin jewelry enthusiasts love enamel because it offers so many wonderful options for creating unique pieces. Enameled work can be done in one single color, or it can swirl two or more colors together like marble, or it can feature multiple colors pieced together to create an image or pattern, much like squares of a quilt. However enameled work is designed and completed, it creates a lovely, unique work that will stand the test of time.

Come into Copeland Jewelers today to discover our wide selection of enamel jewelry!

May 15 2017

Spring Colors Are Springing Up Everywhere | Austin Custom Jewelry Design

Uncategorized

Local Austin jeweler

We’re so excited that winter is over! After several weeks of nice, warm weather, it’s safe to say that spring is here, which means your jewelry store Austin is all about the spring colors. Let’s take a look at this season’s best options before the summer heat rolls in:

Gold: Now that the cold days of winter are over, warm up your look with gold rather than silver. A simple gold necklace, bracelet, or set of earrings look lovely – understated and sophisticated at the same time. Because gold is such a soft material, it generally must be mixed with other metals in order to be shaped into fine jewelry, and the percentage of real gold in a piece is measured in karats. Many times, jewelry with a lower karat value (or lesser amount of real gold) will look just as nice as jewelry with a higher karat value, but the price will be much lower. This makes gold more easily accessible to jewelry enthusiasts who want to be conservative in their spending. Gold also makes a beautiful setting for many gemstones, warming their colors as well.

Pink: Pink is a color strongly associated with spring – many flowers and tree blossoms are pink, as are the soft inner ears and sweet little noses of the many baby animals born this time of year. If you’re in the market for a pink gemstone of any shade, you’re going to have plenty of options to choose from. Consider an opal if you’re looking for a pink that’s light and milky, or a pink sapphire for a light pink that’s more translucent. Garnets and sapphires can also be found in magenta and dark pink, almost purple hues, while rubies (sapphires’ sister gems) are available in bold reddish-pink shades. Spinel has often been found in pastel pink, but a rare deposit of the stone in an almost neon pink was discovered ten years ago in Tanzania. Tourmaline offers pinks in a wide variety of shades, and rarely, pink diamonds have been discovered as well.

Green: Green is another color strongly associated with springtime, naturally because the leaves come back to the trees and the grass begins to grow again. The most common green gemstones are emerald and peridot. Shades of emerald tend more toward pure green, ranging from light to very dark, although the most prized emeralds also have a bit of a bluish cast. Peridots, on the other hand, are more on the yellow side of the spectrum, and they can, in fact, be pure yellow. The most popular peridots, however, come in shades of lime green and olive green.

Blue: Instead of the deep, striking blue that brings to mind images of snow and ice, focus on light, springy, pastel blues this time of year. Although sapphires are generally thought of as being deep and dark in color, they also come in many lovely, less intense hues of blue. And of course, the light, sky blue of an aquamarine is perfect for your Austin jewelry collection this time of year. If you’re looking for a cabochon rather than a faceted stone, opals can be found in beautiful blue shades as well.

Purple: You probably think of an amethyst right away when you’re thinking about light, springy purples, and you’d be right on the money. However, you should also consider purplish garnets, morganites, sapphires, and tourmalines. From lavender to lilac, you can’t go wrong with light purple this time of year.

Visit Copeland Jewelers for all your jewelry needs this spring! We’re sure to help you find something light, fresh, and absolutely perfect.

May 8 2017

May Birthstone: Emerald | Custom Austin Jewelry

Birthstones, Gemstone Guide, Gemstones

Custom jewelry Austin, Texas

May’s birthstone is the emerald, a gem revered throughout history, from the famous jewels of Cleopatra to the fictional Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz to your local Austin jewelry store. Emeralds are the rarest of precious gems, and in fact, they are among the rarest of all gemstones.

Emeralds range in color from light to very dark, deep green. They are made of the mineral beryl, like March’s birthstone aquamarine, and their green color occurs when more chromium and less aluminum than normal are present in the beryl’s crystal structure. Unsurprisingly, then, the most valuable emeralds display a bluish hue along with the green. The quality of emeralds, like that of diamonds, is measured with the “four Cs”: carat, cut, color, and clarity. However, when it comes to emeralds, most gemologists and jewelers place much greater emphasis on color than the other three factors, and the cut of an emerald can greatly enhance its color. Emeralds are so often cut into a particular elongated octagonal shape that that sort of cut has become known as an “emerald cut,” even when it’s used on other gems.

Emeralds’ green color has long made them a symbol of springtime, fertility, and rebirth, and for Christians, they represent the resurrection of Jesus Christ, while the ancient Romans tied them to the goddess Venus. Emeralds have been thought to cure bleeding, dysentery, and fever; to prevent epilepsy; to soothe the eyes; and to calm panic. During the Middle Ages, these gems were said to hold the power to predict the future.

Emeralds are known to have been mined as long ago as 1300 B.C. in Egypt. When Spanish conquistadors arrived in the Andes region of modern-day South America, they saw the local indigenous rulers wearing emeralds and commandeered many of the stones as they invaded, but it took nearly twenty years for the Europeans to discover the locations of emerald mines in the area. More recently, actor Elizabeth Taylor was known for wearing emeralds; a famous emerald pendant that once belonged to her sold for $6.5 million in 2011.

A popular choice for Austin custom jewelry, emeralds can vary widely in price, depending on the size and quality of each stone. Many of these green gemstones contain small inclusions (imperfections) that can be seen with the naked eye, but this is something of a given with beryl stones and will not detract much from the overall value. Emeralds that are smaller and/or lighter will probably be lower in price, as will gems that have been created in a lab rather than mined from the earth. Whatever your preference, your knowledgeable team at Copeland Jewelers can help you choose the perfect piece of ready-made emerald jewelry or design the custom emerald piece of your dreams!

May 1 2017

Mother’s Day Gift Guide | Custom Jewelry Designer Austin

Gift Guide, Gifts

sethidiamondflowerstudearrings

It’s that time of year again – the time when we honor and thank our mothers, grandmothers, wives, daughters, and godmothers for all the amazing things they do to keep us healthy, happy, and safe. A role like that deserves an incredible gift, a piece of jewelry that says everything you can’t quite put into words. You can always count on your Austin jewelry store, Copeland Jewelers, to help you find that perfect gift!

For the traditional mom, it’s hard to go wrong with gemstone stud earrings. Diamonds are the classic, of course, but she might also appreciate a pop of color from bright red rubies or deep green emeralds. And of course, as Jackie Kennedy Onassis once said, “Pearls are always appropriate.” At Copeland Jewelers, we’re just dripping with pearls. We have pendants, chokers, long necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and even rings set with pearls. Consider expanding mom’s jewelry collection with colored pearls, such as gray, gold, lavender, or chocolate.

For the fancy mom, sparkle and glitz are definite musts! From designer Beverly K, we offer a beautiful pair of Art Deco sapphire and diamond earrings, featuring white gold and metal bead work – and there’s a fabulous matching pendant as well! We also offer a matching set from Bellarri’s Anastasia collection, a ring and a pendant each set with a large amethyst, surrounded by a striking combination of white onyx, rose gold, and small diamonds.

claysdruzyquartzblackdiamond

For the quirky mom, choose something off the beaten path, such as a druzy quartz pendant designed by our very own Clay Copeland. A textured piece of quartz, flecked with black, white, and purple amethyst, is set in 14-karat white gold and topped with a black diamond. Or how about a pendant designed by Masriera in Barcelona, Spain? Fairies, nymphs, and other winged creatures decorated with colorful enamel and crusted with delicate gemstones – it doesn’t get better than that!

For the sentimental mom, there’s nothing better than a piece of Austin custom jewelry that represents your entire family. How about a ring set with the birthstones of you and all your siblings? Or a collection of small pendants in all the grandkids’ birthstones, hanging from a silver chain? At Copeland Jewelers, we can help you design the ultimate piece of jewelry that’s sure to become a treasured family heirloom.

Martin Flyer Brushed Platinum diamond band

For the sporty mom, you definitely need something that won’t get in her way and slow her down. We suggest a beautiful watch, an accessory that’s both decorative and functional. If a watch isn’t your mom’s style, how about a sleek ring instead? We recommend a modern, brushed platinum ring set flush with round diamonds. It’s feminine, trendy, and just the right gift.

We at Copeland Jewelers wish all mothers, biological and otherwise, a happy Mother’s Day!

April 24 2017

The Origin of Birthstones | Austin Custom Jewelry

Birthstones

Jewelry repair Austin

You’re probably at least peripherally aware of birthstones, or the tradition of associating each month of the year with one or more particular gemstones. This tradition wasn’t started by your Austin jewelry store, Copeland Jewelers – in fact, it dates back centuries and spans several different cultures.

The origins of our modern list of birthstones are somewhat murky, but they definitely have religious roots. A Jewish historian named Josephus, who lived in the first century A.D., claimed to have seen the breastplate of Aaron (the brother of Moses), which is described in the book of Exodus as being incrusted with twelve stones. (There is dispute among historians as to whether the breastplate of Aaron still existed at that time and whether Josephus actually saw another famous breastplate instead.) In any case, Josephus believed there was a connection between the twelve months of the year, the twelve signs of the zodiac, and the twelve stones in the breastplate.

A few hundred years later, the Christian Saint Jerome referenced Josephus when he wrote about the Foundation Stones which are described in the book of Revelation as stones in the New Jerusalem that are each inscribed with the name of one of Jesus’s twelve apostles. Saint Jerome encouraged Christians to associate the stones from the breastplate of Aaron with the apostles, and eventually it became the custom for people to have one of each stone and to wear a different one each month. It was hundreds more years before people began wearing only the stone that corresponded with their birth month, a practice which began in either Germany or Poland (again, historians don’t agree).

Cultures aside from the Judeo-Christian have contributed to our modern idea of birthstones as well; a Hindu text from 1879 lists twelve stones to correspond with rashis, or Hindu zodiac signs. The tropical zodiac (the one most Americans are familiar with) also has a stone associated with each of its signs, and this may be due in part to supposed relationships between certain gems and the planets of the solar system.

In 1912, members of the National Association of Jewelers (now called the Jewelers of America) got together in Kansas and adopted an official list of birthstones, which has been slightly amended over the past 105 years. As of 2016, the official American list looks like this:

January – garnet

February – amethyst

March – aquamarine or bloodstone

April – diamond

May – emerald

June – pearl, moonstone, or alexandrite

July – ruby

August – peridot or spinel

September – sapphire

October – opal or tourmaline

November – topaz or citrine

December – turquoise, zircon, or tanzanite

Many people like to wear jewelry that bears their birthstones, and many high school students choose to wear their birthstone in their class ring. It’s also become common for mothers to wear necklaces or rings featuring the birthstones of all their children – if you’re interested in such a thing, Copeland Jewelers is your source for Austin custom jewelry design. Of course, there are absolutely no rules that say you can only wear your birthstone or that you have to wear it at all! Birthstones are simply a fun tradition and don’t need to be taken terribly seriously. All gemstones are there for anyone to enjoy!

April 17 2017

A Guide to Getting Engaged | Austin Texas Jeweler

Engagement Ring Guide, Pearls of Wisdom, Weddings & Engagements

Copeland Jewelers, your jewelry store in Austin

Asking someone to marry you is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your entire life, and their answer to your question is one of the biggest decisions they’ll ever make. Whether you’re the asker or the askee, you’re basically stating to the world that you’re willing to share nearly everything in your life with this person forever. That can be a really intimidating thought, and that’s okay. If you get a little nervous when you think about that “forever,” it means you understand the gravity of the situation you’re entering into. However, if you’re completely terrified when you think about that “forever,” you’re probably not ready for an engagement. How do you know when you’re ready, and how do you figure out the answers to all the decisions that need to be made before popping the question? Here’s a handy guide to getting engaged from your Austin jewelry store.

Unsurprisingly, the strongest relationships are built on a foundation of communication. If you’re going to marry someone, you should be able to talk about pretty much everything with them, including hypothetical future events such as marriage. If you’re feeling like you might be ready to marry your partner, pluck up your courage and start a conversation. Try an opening line like “I’m just curious: have you ever thought about the two of us getting married?” Be prepared to speak honestly about your own feelings and to listen without judgment to your partner’s feelings. If the two of you aren’t in exactly the same place, it’s probably okay. You may decide together to shelve this topic for a certain period of time or until some milestone occurs. Remember that your relationship is yours and your partner’s alone, and it’s okay if your timeline doesn’t match up with what other people expect you to do.

If you and your partner are both interested in getting engaged in the relatively near future, it’s time to start thinking about when and where you want to propose. As you and your partner discuss the idea of marriage, either in your initial conversation or in subsequent ones, try to suss out important details: would your partner appreciate you asking for their parents’ blessing before you propse, or would they find that too old-fashioned? Would they prefer you pick out an engagement ring for them, or would they rather help you pick it out after the proposal? If you’re unsure about how to handle any of these decisions, seek help from a couple of their close friends, people who know them well and with whom they may have discussed weddings or engagements at some point (and who can keep a secret!).

As you make plans for the engagement, you’ll need to decide whether to pop the question in public or in private. One benefit of doing it in public is that people can take pictures of the proposal for you, especially if they know what you’re planning ahead of time. However, sharing the moment between just the two of you can be extremely romantic. Many people choose to propose marriage on holidays, especially Valentine’s Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve, or on their partner’s birthday. Proposing while on vacation is also popular, whether you’re camping in the woods or on a romantic beach or at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Some people love a grand gesture that involves skywriting or the JumboTron at a major sporting event, while others love a no-frills proposal at a nice restaurant or during movie night at home. (Whatever you do, don’t hide a ring inside food or drink in case it accidentally gets ingested, and don’t steal the thunder from someone else’s event, such as another couple’s wedding or your mom’s retirement party!)

If you plan to pick out the engagement ring yourself, take a good look at your partner’s Austin jewelry collection to get a sense of their likes and dislikes, and consult with their close friends and a professional at Copeland Jewelers. If you can’t find a ready-made ring that seems perfect, or if you really want something totally unique, ask about collaborating with a Copeland’s jeweler on a custom-designed piece that will take your partner’s breath away! When the time is right for you to get engaged, Copeland Jewelers in Austin is the place to go!

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