Bita and Austin first came into Malka Diamonds together. They were a true treat to work with. Both were all smiles and enjoyed looking around our downtown shop together. Bita had some ideas for her engagement ring. She had seen an oval rose-cut diamond and loved it. Rose-cut is one of the oldest style cuts and one of our favorites. The cutting style dates back to the late 1800s when diamond cutters would remove the girdle (bottom of the diamond), which would create a dome, rose like look to the diamonds. One of the details Bita mentioned was how much she loved seeing through it. She could see her skin, which she loved. Bita also wanted a halo diamond ring to house the oval rose-cut diamond. We chatted for a little while and the two left.
Little did Bita know that Austin, got right to work. He reached out and we scheduled a time to look at different oval rose-cut stones. Austin brought Adam, his college friend, to help him choose the right diamond. The two of them were hilarious! Austin, chose the ideal stone for his soon to be fiance, Bita. The Malka team went straight into the custom process. We created CAD images for Austin to approve, printed a 3D wax, casted and then spent weeks setting the stones and polishing the ring. After three weeks, the ring was ready to be picked up. Austin was thrilled and so excited to propose to his love. Below is their story told by Bita. It's one for the books.
How we met – "I had been working as a Manager at Nordstrom for a little over 3 years after college, and I was ready for a change. I had a friend who got a job through CampusPoint, a recruiting agency, so I decided to give them a try. When I went in to the office, I was greeted by Austin, who was an Account Manager at the time. A few days later, I received a call from CampusPoint asking if I would be interested in an internal Recruiter opening. As hesitant as I was (I told Austin I was looking for marketing jobs), I decided to go through the interview process. As fate would have it, I was offered the position and decided to take a leap of faith. Austin and I worked together for over a year and became fast work-husband/wife. We shared a cubicle wall, spent all of our lunches together, and soon enough, we were spending our evenings going to shows, OMSI After Dark and countless happy hours. Our friends were convinced we were already dating, but it wasn’t until Austin decided to leave CP and take another job that we both decided this was a no brainer… and here we are!"
The Proposal – "For my 30th birthday, Austin was planning a surprise trip. I knew we were going somewhere, but the world was my oyster and the possibilities were endless. Packing was difficult, but what lay before me was well worth the challenge. We arrived at PDX airport where I learned the first leg of the trip – Paris! As we were approaching Capers Café to grab a bite before our flight, I looked up and saw a few familiar faces. Two of my cousins with their spouses – bags packed and cameras ready. Cue the waterworks and fast forward to Paris. We’re getting ready for our first day (and only night) in Paris, and there was a knock on the door – another cousin and his spouse. Cue waterworks part 2 and fast forward to the next surprise – Santorini.
Picture perfect Santorini has been on my bucket list for as long as I could remember, and now I was checking that off the list with all my favorite people – dream come true. On our first day, we rented ATV’s and had the best day zipping around the island, exploring the town of Oia, and soaking up the best rooftop lunch views. When we got back to our “cava house,” to get ready for dinner, I was called up to the rooftop deck to help my cousin fly his drone. When I got upstairs, Austin was casually seated and waiting for my arrival. We sat down, I complained about my sunburn, and before I knew it Austin was down on one knee. He popped the easiest question I’ve ever had to answer. Immediately after we were surrounded by my family, champagne popping and glasses clinking. Cue waterworks part 3.
I got engaged to the man of my dreams, with the ring of my dreams, in the dreamiest place in the world surrounded by family – life could not get any better. Except it did, and I found out there was one last leg of the trip – 12 days in Italy. If I didn’t die and go to heaven before, I was sure it was going to happen now. Now, it’s time to write the next chapter of this adventurous story together!"