Oh man y’all, we couldn’t be more excited about this post! This will be the first of a series of posts related to proposals, and we’re excited to kick it off by introducing you to Lynne and Andy Ramirez because they’re where it all starts – the ring! We discovered Lynne and Andy after they designed rings for one of our summer couples (Lisa and Jeff), and we haven’t stopped being blown away by them since! They are the owners of Larc Jewels and The True Gem here in Dallas! Larc Jewels is their custom line, and they recently launched The True Gem, which is their line of responsibly sourced diamonds. Not only are they incredibly talented, they’re also some of the nicest business owners we’ve ever met, and their passion for their craft is so evident. We spent the morning with them and literally had a blast seeing behind the scenes of what they do! We maaaay have hard-core geeked out looking at some diamonds up close and then didn’t want to leave! Ha! We’re so excited to share with y’all about Lynne and Andy and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a great experience and incredible jewelry!

How did you two get started? What is your backstory?

Andy and I both began our journey in the jewelry industry as teenagers. We met as colleagues, each of us having owned our own companies for several years.  In 2015, we got married and joined forces in business as well.  Together we have jewelry industry experience that encompasses retail, wholesale, manufacturing, marketing and design. We are the “Dream Team” each of us has wished for. LARC Jewels & The True Gem are a result of our combined efforts and has required every bit of our jewelry industry experience and intuition.  It is so thrilling and meaningful to discover all that we can accomplish together. Our dinner conversations regularly revolve around our mutual excitement for future for our little company.

What is your favorite cut/style of ring?

That is like asking me my favorite song or movie!  I would have to separate them into categories!  This love for jewelry is real, my friend!  I do have a unquenchable passion for antique cut diamonds and art deco ring styles!

How long does the process take? What is the client experience process?

The manufacturing itself takes about 2-3 weeks.  It is the design process that can take a little longer depending on the client.

This process is fun and exciting.  We start with a conversation to get to know our clients and understand what they are wanting to accomplish.  Next we create a CAD (Computer Aided Design) of the piece and discuss any needed alterations.  Once their design is approved we 3D print a wax model and allow our client to view/try-on the wax.  The next step is to cast their piece into metal, set each stone and hand finish their new sparkler!  Then comes my favorite part…delivery day!

We think its fun to give our clients a little look behind the scenes as their jewelry is being built.  So we take pictures and videos to share with them.  It’s our hope that this experience makes their finished piece all the more personal upon completion.

What is your favorite kind of client to work with?

This tends to be such a personal purchase and always has a lot of heart and emotion invested into it.  I think we enjoy our work most when our clients are able to trust us.  We truly take that trust to heart and it also frees us to focus what we do best!

How much should you budget for a ring?

There is no equation that can tell you the “appropriate” about of money to invest in an engagement ring.  I encourage my clients to be open with their partners about these expectations and decide on a price range that makes sense for them personally.  This is a purchase that more and more couples are deciding on together.  It is our job to make the most of that investment and this is something we take very seriously.

When should you start ring shopping?

I think that depends what kind of buyer you are.  We have clients that have spent months researching online before contacting us and others who come see us a week (or less) before the proposal with no prior knowledge of diamonds or jewelry.  We do our best to make their plans happen either way!

What is your favorite part of the process?

Delivery day!  When all our planning and analyzing finally come together in one sparkly future heirloom…it is a great day!  I still get giddy and anxious every time a piece is finished.  (Andy laughs at me every time) We have such a fun job!

What are your roles within the business?

Andy and I partner on almost everything.  Even if I am working with a client exclusively, I am consistently looking for his input and that goes both ways.  We do have different strengths and have learned to leverage our individual talents.  Truthfully we both have grown in many ways since working along side each other.  It is quite evident that we are better together.

Tell us about one of your favorite custom pieces and why it was so personal to the client.

Recently we were commissioned to design a piece using diamonds that our client inherited.  She had recently lost her mother and this ring was to be a tribute to her.  The ring came together beautifully and to top it off we incorporated a compass design with a ruby in the center underneath in the gallery of the ring.  This compass was symbolic of the role her mother had played in her life and the ruby was her mother’s birthstone.  We all cried when she put the ring on for the first time.

And of course this wouldn’t be complete without showing off some of their amazing work!

These are Lisa and Jeff’s amazing rings that we mentioned earlier!

These are the rings they brought to our elopement styled shoot in November! We were swooning hard core!

Follow them on Instagram to see even more of their designs!

Love Larc and The Trum Gem as much as we do? Get in contact with Lynne and Andy here:

www.larcjewels.com  |  www.truegem.com

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