1. Brick & Mortar Stores
Similar with most typical consumers, I started my journey by browsing through various brick & mortar jewellery stores in town. Most of the salesperson would take the initiative to explain the basic 4Cs, namely Carat, Colour, Clarity & Cut. Little did i know then that this is just the tip of the iceberg in selecting my one true diamond piece. Some of the brands did caught my attention, namely TSL, Poh Kong's Hemera, Diamond & Platinum's Forevermark and Estrella series. The products they carry are very attractive, however at a highly unaffordable price, albeit with limited choices. Then there are other brands which carry very affordable yet highly unappealing products (which i shall not name here). Another alternative was Wah Chan, which carries ALOT of (loose) diamond selections at a relatively affordable price. However, the diamonds I filtered down to seemed less sparkly in general, although the stated specs were very high.

2. Online Research
Hence, in order to seek for more alternatives, I resorted to refer to Lowyat Forum which I usually frequent alot. Honestly, I found that this is the best place to learn more in depth about jewellery while being relevant to the local market, mainly thanks to kambingkoh whom is willing to share his knowledge unreservedly. I then proceed to study thoroughly several educative websites such as Beyond4Cs, Prosumer Diamonds and lots of YouTube videos (they are able to provide very comprehensive information regarding diamonds & precious metal, however found to be albeit leaning towards the priority of Cut, presumely due to affliations with online diamond sellers). I've even considered to purchase "ideal cut" diamonds via online, browsing through virtual inventories on Brian&Gavin, Whiteflash and HP Diamonds, with prices much more affordable than the branded brick & mortar stores' equivalent counterparts. However, the notion of spending so much of my hard earned money based solely on online sellers' own (possibly engineered towards their advantage) uploaded images and general certification specifications alone felt uneasy for me. We know that theory and practical doesn't always play out equally in real life. Important criterias such as cloudiness, milky-ness, fire, brilliance and scintillation can only be truly judged when viewed in person. Although with return policy & delivery insurance in place, there was still a lack of confidence and a worry of too much hassle if things decide to go wrong.

3. Local Companies
The other affordable alternative was to go for small local companies which do not have the burden of incurring high overhead cost, such as ZCOVA, Tailored Jewel, Memory Jewellery, iDo Jewellery. I've engaged all of them for a quote and they've replied accordingly. However, one company very much stood out against the rest, being TheGemTribe. While others would reply with a basic quote or engage with a typical sales pitch, TheGemTribe proceed to passionately educate in depth and correct us the misconceptions regarding the jewellery trade. Being a professionally accredited GIA gemologist with plenty of jewellery grading experience, it was a truly enlightening journey to learn so much about gemstones and precious metal from them. Whatever doubts and uncertainties questioned would be answered and explained patiently and clearly.

4. Customizing a Personalized Piece
Needless to say, I proceeded to engage TheGemTribe for the sourcing and crafting of my most expensive gift in life thus far. Being a professional jewellery concierge, they have access to the local industry's major gemstone suppliers, whereby they would assist us to handpick the gemstones which truly meet our budget, requirements and expectations. Also, TheGemTribe would guide us and provide insightful inspiration to design a customised jewellery piece (ring setting) which we can proudly call as our own. The sifus they engage are master craftsmen which have lots of experience to ensure top notch quality and design intricacies. To top it off, the end product is amazingly gorgeous while being very reasonably priced. This has been a long and enlightening journey, with so much effort and thought put into the masterpiece, it is definitely a culmination and symbol of love, being much more meaningful than a random purchase on whatever limited and ready made options available in stores, perfectly crafted for the one who truly deserves it.