8:22AM Wednesday November 03, 2010 TVNZ NZI Business
The problem of finding the right kind of engagement ring before you propose has finally been solved, as All Blacks star Dan Carter recently found out.
He was one of the first people in the world to use the new temporary proposal ring from award-winning Wellington jewellers the Village Goldsmith.
Called the "Wilshi", the ring is aimed at grooms who don't feel up to guessing what their future bride might want on their finger.
The internet-based series of six silver rings are embossed with the words "will you marry me?" and are made to avoid the embarrassment of being presumptuous about the answer or your choice of engagement ring.
"Romance is certainly not dead, and a lot of men want to get engaged, want to conduct a romantic proposal, do it in a really special way. But they face this problem - they don't know what their partner would like, how much they should spend," Village Goldsmith's Ian Douglas told NZI Business today.
"Dan typified the problem... He was contemplating getting engaged but like so many men, he had all those issues. He saw the Wilshi, and he decided to go with one."
Carter proposed to his long-term girlfriend Honor Dillion two weeks ago.
The Village Goldsmith have had some strong growth over the last year after the development of their international Inspired Collection brand.
The company is currently in discussions with five international companies about stocking Inspired, including Selfridges in London, after presenting at the International Jewellery Show in Hong Kong earlier this year.
The Village Goldsmith also secured themselves a first place win in the best original men's design section of the International Gemological Institute of America's jewellery design competition.
That follows them taking out the National Jewellery Design Awards this year for the second time in a row and the completion of a commission from the Prime Minister's office to supply a state gift for the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.
"It certainly has been a fairly hectic year, but enormous fun," Douglas said.
The Wilshi Ring is available online from around US$100
Watch video on TVNZ website: http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/she-won-t-no-problem-dan-carter-3876387/video Award-winning jeweller the Village Goldsmith has launched a new temporary proposal ring called 'The Wilshi', aimed at grooms who don't feel up to guessing what their future bride might want.
To buy the Wilshi Rings online vist: http://www.wilshi.com/info/the-proposal-starting-wit.aspx
