Manning Fine Jewellery

I’d like to think I’ve formed a bit of a relationship with Henry Ho, the proprietor of Manning Jewelry (Jewellery? Jewelery?). Over the course of five or six trips spanning approximately two months, we suffered through every minutiae of engagement rings conceivable: cut, clarity, colour, carats, metal, settings, prongs, etc. My god, it’s enough to drive the sanest of men mad.
Allow me to backtrack a bit. When I first started shopping for an engagement ring, it was a bit overwhelming. I thought to myself, «how on earth can I intelligently shop for this rock if I lack both the knowledge and tools to know and identify what I’m being sold?» To me, the biggest factor came down to trust; I was willing to pay a premium if I could trust that the seller wasn’t giving me a CZ.
Enter Henry Ho, recommended by my mother as a mainstay of Oakville Chinese moms (yes, seriously) looking to blow some cash. While his store at Trafalgar Village offers the usual array of gold, watches and knickknacks, Henry’s patience and craftsmanship humbled me.
With no opportunity for surprise left (or desired? haha), my fiancée (of many fleeting opinions) steered Henry as we: (1) picked out the diamond, (2) sketched up designs for the ring, (3) re-​sketched designs days later when my partner changed her mind, (4) formed the rubber mould, (5) re-​formed the rubber mould when she changed her mind, (6) repeat step five, and (7) finally arrived at the final product. Throughout the ordeal, Henry displayed his experience in the field, and offered helpful and useful advice to mitigate and manage my pre-wife’s sometimes impossible design goals.
In the end, the hit to my wallet wasn’t as horrendous as it could have been (and I found Henry to be competitive price wise), and my girl’s rock is enough to dazzle even the most ardent Holt Renfrew fashionista.
Here’s hoping she doesn’t lose it.