Here's What to Expect at a Bario Neal Engagement Ring Appointment

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Explore Custom Designs.

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Explore Custom Designs.

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Here’s What to Expect at a Bario Neal Engagement Ring Appointment


Collage of Bario Neal rings - What to Expect

Bario Neal™'s engagement ring and wedding band appointments happen in many ways: in our Philadelphia or New York City showrooms, on the phone, and over email or Skype. Yes, you might have to make big decisions. But we can promise it will be fun, whichever way you work with our team. Here's what to expect at an appointment with us.


We make everyone who shops with us feel at home.


We don't have any rules about what an engagement ring "should" look like. We don't subscribe to gendered jewelry. Visit our showrooms solo because you're planning a surprise, or bring a friend or someone from your family. Many couples shop for engagement rings together, and the stop at Bario Neal is just one hour of a magical day.


Making an appointment is really easy.


We ask that clients who want to talk about engagement rings make an appointment. That way, you get our fullest attention (not in a high-pressure sales way). We can take our time and focus on helping you search for your perfect ring. We don't like waiting on hold either, so we've made scheduling an appointment online simple. View what openings we have, choose the best time on our calendar for you, and get an email in seconds confirming your appointment with details about the when, where, and how.


We want to get to know a bit about you.


We want to hear about your wedding plans and dream honeymoon destination, but we also want to know the day-to-day you. Do you use your hands a lot in your work? Do you have a job where some jewelry might not be a fit? Are you an avid rock climber? Based on your answers, we can give you details about gemstones, metals, and settings to help in your decision about which engagement ring is right for your lifestyle.

If you're up for a little pre-appointment homework and you want to keep things focused, start by completing our Custom Design Questionnaire before you visit. Whether you're up for that or not, expect an inspiring and fun 60 minutes with us.

Getting engaged isn't a business deal, and we don't think selling engagement rings and wedding bands has to be cold or transactional. The more we find out about what you like (or don't) about jewelry design, the better prepared we are to help guide you to the perfect wedding ring. (Or rings because like us, you might love to mix and match and want to stack two, three, or four rings.) If you want to use gemstones from your heirloom jewelry, let us know at the start. You can bring family pieces that you hope to incorporate to your first appointment. We'd love to take a look and hear the stories behind them.


We'll tell you about us.


Like the perfect first date, this getting-to-know-you stage isn't one-way. We'll tell you all about Bario Neal too. About how our founders Anna Bario and Page Neal started the company with the firm belief that jewelry should be handcrafted with care to last and done so in a way that doesn't harm people (like communities where gemstone mining happens) or the planet.

If you visit our Philly location, you'll get to see the workshop where our talented jewelers (this is the part of the appointment where you're most likely to hear the phrase "kickass") create engagement rings, wedding bands, and more.

We'll happily answer all your questions about ethical sourcing of gemstones and the steps we take to make sure we're a sustainable jeweler.

"People are often impressed with the quality of our recycled metals," says Claire Lemétais, who manages Bario Neal's New York City showroom on the Lower East Side. "I want clients to know they found the right jeweler, and that they can be confident in not only the design but also the quality and sourcing of gemstones and metals."


We don't have to talk about money (but we can).


If you and your partner are ready to talk budget, great. We'll show you pieces from our collection that fit your price range. (You can get an idea about cost in advance on our website. Click on "Build Ring" to get a personalized engagement ring estimate.) If you're making an appointment to visit with your partner and want to keep your spouse-to-be out of the purchase details, make a note in your online booking. If customers don't mention anything to us in advance, we bring up budget in a low-key way and take cues from there.


We'll figure out your ring size.


You might have a ring size or have been sized before, but every jeweler uses different sizing tools. We like to size your engagement ring finger (you choose!) so we have a number to refer to across our production, from order to delivery. (If you're visiting alone and want to surprise your partner, check out our tips for engagement ring shopping for advice on sizing.)


Photograph of stack of rings from Bario Neal - What to Expect

You'll get to see a lot of engagement rings (aka: the Most Fun).


"I always start by asking clients about their ideas and inspiration," says Ariel Yaroslawitz, Bario Neal Sales Director in Philadelphia. "I also like to find out if someone is set on a white diamond or if they're thinking about a colored stone. Then I can start pulling rings from our case that are more specific to their style and vibe."

Our collection is on display at both showrooms so you can see all that we're able to do, from a more traditional diamond engagement ring to whimsical or bursting with color. While many of our rings fit into a classic engagement ring style, the whole case is yours to roam. You might prefer a textured band, like our Dais Narrow Band, or a few stackable rings instead of one ring with a single gemstone at the center.

"I don't 'label' any of our rings," Claire says. "Certain bands with diamonds, like our Bend Diamond Ring for example, can be an engagement ring or a wedding band."

Claire says she loves to show clients looking for a classic solitaire diamond engagement ring the delicate Avens Ring, which can be made with diamonds of different shapes. See how diamond shape can change a design by comparing the Avens Round Diamond Ring to the Avens Raw Diamond Ring. For customers who prefer a bezel setting to prongs, Claire suggests the Allium Round Diamond Ring.

If a solitaire white diamond (or an accessibly priced twin like a white sapphire or lab-grown moissanite) doesn't make your heart beat faster, you might pass on the 4Cs of diamonds and ask our sales team about the very modern 2Cs: colors and clusters. Two cluster rings that have tons of fans, especially when it comes to cluster engagement rings, are the Radial Cluster Blue Hex Sapphire Ring and Burst Cluster Diamond Ring.

"The Hex Sapphire is one of our most popular cluster rings," Claire says. "Clients might personalize their engagement ring and change some of the stones for different color gemstones, but most of our cluster personalizations start with that. There's also a beautiful matching band that goes with it, the Radial Cluster Blue Sapphire Ombré Band."

Pro tip from Claire: Take your own photos with different engagement rings on your hand during your appointment. The pics will help you remember what you thought was the best fit and why.


You'll get a quick lesson on diamonds and other gemstones.


We'll walk you through the ins and outs of diamond facts that might be useful as you think about your budget. You can even look at loose stones (a novel experience for most customers, who typically only see gems already set in rings, earrings, and necklaces). We'll show you diamonds at four sizes so you can see the difference between a half carat and 1.5 carats. "I encourage customers to hold them up to their hand because you get a sense of proportion and how a certain size carat looks on your finger," Claire says.


You're allowed to change the picture of your perfect engagement ring.


You might think your mind's made up and that you and your partner are set on a princess cut diamond with a simple prong setting. Then you see Bario Neal's Soma Rose Cut Diamond with Champagne Halo Ring. Or the Lash Solitaire Blue Sapphire Ring. That happens.

Loving many rings in our showroom shouldn't stress you out at all. If you start to feel overwhelmed by the decision, our sales team will likely pick up on that and help refocus the appointment by zeroing in on what exactly you like about certain rings in our collection. Do the interesting shapes of the Lash Cluster Dyad Ring catch your eye? Do you prefer yellow gold or white gold? Are you a fan of symmetry or asymmetry?

You might just need time. That's OK too. We're not in a hurry, and we know this isn't a decision that can be rushed.

"I've been working with a customer over the last year who was originally set on an all sapphire ring, with white and blue sapphires," Ariel says. "Now we're talking about an all-white sapphire cluster."

You definitely don't need to make up your mind by the end of the hour. There's no pressure to buy. (If you are ready to order, put 50% down and we'll get started!) You can make a follow-up appointment (you'll be an old pro!) or continue with us over email or phone.


We'll talk timeline on ring delivery


Talk to us about when you're thinking of proposing or getting engaged. We're good with deadlines, and the delivery estimate we give you will be accurate. We handcraft all engagement rings to order, and rings from our collection take four to six weeks to make. A custom piece takes eight weeks minimum, and turnaround really depends on the design. Finding the right gemstones and making changes based on customer feedback can add days, weeks, or more to a project. That's why we approach all custom work with an open timeline and don't give a firm deadline while we design the just-right ring.

Good news for last-minute proposals: If you want to pop the question (surprise holiday engagement anyone?) and the personalized engagement ring you ordered from us won't be ready in time, we have pretty, simple rings in stock that you can get in a week or less to use as a placeholder for the proposal. Our Ready Ring can be picked up from our Philadelphia location same day, or ordered online with shipping in two days. You can even return the Ready Ring with zero restocking fees when your personalized ring is complete.


You'll receive a detailed post-appointment email.


Soon after your appointment, we'll send you helpful follow-up notes about everything we discussed and discovered during your visit. This email has the basics like your ring size and details like links to our website of the rings you liked the most. We keep this on file so you can email or call us any time after your initial appointment and we can pull that up to keep the process going smoothly. You might not always deal with the same salesperson, but everyone on our team will be able to help you with your order.

"There's so much information in an appointment. You don't have to remember it all," Ariel says. "The follow-up email is also helpful if you can't decide between two or three rings, or you're thinking more about what you want."


Don't see exactly what you want? We can work with you to get there.


All of our collection rings can be personalized with different gemstones and metals. We love working with clients to custom design rings from scratch (starts at $2,850).

All of our collection rings can be personalized with different gemstones and metals. We love working with clients to custom design rings from scratch (starts at $2,850).

Image of h and wearing multiple rings - What to Expect

You order and engagement ring. What's next?


When you purchase a collection ring you see on our website or in our showroom cases, that's the ring you'll get - made to order in the size and color of your choice. Place your order and, unless you have specific questions, we'll email you when your engagement ring is ready.

Our custom designed engagement ring process requires more back and forth, though much of it can happen by phone or email. We'll show you full-color computer drawings (CAD renderings) from several angles. You can make small changes and ask questions.

We're also happy to see you in person again. "We can get two to three different options of a diamond or colored gemstone that fit what you're looking for in terms of budget," Ariel says. "If you're local, it's nice to come back and see the stone you are getting and have a hand in choosing it. Everyone's eye is different." We can send video and photos to remote clients.


You can do a long-distance appointment.


You don't have to visit our Philadelphia or New York City showrooms. As much as we relish face-to-face time with our clients, we're super easy to work with by Skype, email, and phone. Get started by filling out our online Custom Design Questionnaire.

Whether you're doing some early browsing, or you have a million questions about engagement rings, a visit to Bario Neal is the best way to get started. Make an engagement ring shopping appointment with us in Philadelphia or New York City today.

"I want customers to know that this ring, which is going to be on their hand forever, is the right one for them," Ariel says. "Even if you just want to come in to get your ring size and find out about different metal options, start with an appointment."