The ring that binds them all....

10th June 2005, Friday

TGIF.. a pretty prompt day to go through with my impending purchase of that special "yubiwa" for my love of the lifetime (rock on Firehouse!)

Anyway last evening got a usual computer generated form from the Navy, tightly sealed in the usual "Government Service" envelope which I always tends to tear up into pieces, fearing what content the Navy had conjured up to waste my time...and yes after a 2 years hiatus, I have been recalled from "In Camp Training".. This time would be a "high key" spanning 3 weeks in the beginning of November.. Actually it only starts on the 4th (a day after Hari Raya Puasa and my hatch day) which is a Friday and ending on 15th which is a Tuesday, thus it encompasses 2 weekends, which i truly hope they don't get us involved as well.. I'm sure there would be some sailing..other than that I think more "wayang" session...

I was also very much preoccupied gathering all the materials I need to come out with a job application package, including my cover letter, C.V. and replicas of my certificates and results, somehow I could not find the Real McCoy and only got photostated versions of my results... need major "make-over" for both my CV and cover letter since now I have 3 viable and valuable years of job experience behind me...well just try my luck and see whether can get a new job with a better prospects (actually just SHOW ME THE DAMN MONEY!)

So we left work slightly early today as I followed BY back to Woodlands to grace the series of jewellery retailers available in Causeway Point.. As we venture our way amongst the crowd (Causeway is crowded all year round, 24/7!), Lee Hwa Jewellery already starting to distribute brouchures to promote their "Shimmering Summer Sale" (what a name).. in fact they are positioned nicely facing the main entrance... therefore we made into the relatively small gallery first and was immediately entertained by this ultra-friendly attendant by the name of Nashley (or was it Nancy?)

Very much like searching the needle through the hay stack, the 2 of us aren't exactly the most experience person to get the ring, so Nashley was patient enough to show me a few fancy ones & a couple of Solitares (simple white gold ones with the diamond studded in the cradle).. But still bewildered and hoping to look for better choices else where, we said we might be back later

Bypassing Poh Heng and Tian po, the mood seems pretty solemn and not thr right taste I would want to give my girl..and Tierra seems really out of my budget..Finally to Goldheart at the rear of the building, hoping to see my old Primary school classmate, Eric (whom I have spotted working there in a local variety show a couple of years back) but only managed to see a few staff flirting with each other.. Reluctant to enter inwards and unfancy by the selection they have on the display, I sort of decided to just go back into the embrace of Lee Hwa and Nashley...

So we begins our journey through the art of jewellery... and boy was I amazed...
Nash (I decided to just shorten the name) patiently showed me a few pieces withe nice, unique designs, all at very good prices... but it's true the way the diamonds are positioned just not enough to shows the glitters... Then the Solitares and I start to be captivated by shimmering of the lights hitting off the cuts on the diamonds and really can comprehend why girls all go ga-ga over that tiny stone...
So after a good 10 minutes of consideration, I have made up my mind..which one I shall not reveal now.. but if my girl does read my blog, all my effort to keep it secretive would be to no avail...

After the payment, we "hassle" Nash to give us a guide on choosing diamonds which is really an art on its own.. all the spectrum fo characteristics like cuts, clarify, carats, colors etc..
Then she unveil the star of Lee Hwa, the one they called "Destinee"...
On the outside the diamond looks very much like a normal one, but looking through that kaleidoscope tool to see the perfect cut...
One thing that really is a nice feature is the "tulip-like" cradle to hold the diamond, but the cost of 3K plus for a 0.26 carat one is not easy to swallow..
However we both have evil thoughts to tempt YM who is infatuated by this particular ring...
Nash also introduces some popular wedding bands which can be quite alluring (good to keep in mind when the time arrives to get a pair)
We also realise that jewellers have been dipping gold into various chemicals to give the gold some shades like rose and champange, way cool...

So after the purchase and the informative guide, I left well satisfied and I followed BY, our resident cat-lover, to go in search of a cat she has been feeding nearby the MRT station but gone missing in the morning, which really worries her...
This particular feline she named "Macy" is really something, a unaffected expression and a bent tail,but is pretty close to us while BY starts to feed her with some cat food...
She then guide me through some of the nearby cats, each and everyone she has a specific name given...
I'm also amazed with her "feline sense" (much like Spidey sense Spiderman possess) as she could sense the presence of any nearby cat from afar which I thought is just a lump blanding to the background...

Coming back home, I started getting paranoid when my family starting to doubt my taste, the size of the diamond and even the size I have picked..oh dear..

Japanese word of the day: ダイヤモンド ~da-iya-mon-do~ (diamond) No wonder it's girl's best friend