A Proposal Beneath the Palms: George & Gail's Seychelles Engagement Story
Written by Pruden & Smith
A short window, an ocean away
George and Gail live about as far from a Sussex jewellery bench as you can imagine — on a remote island in the Seychelles, where they work as conservation biologists. So when George decided to propose, the clock was against him: he had only a short window during a trip back to the UK to make some rather important decisions. Drawn by our craftsmanship, he came to Pruden & Smith to design both an engagement ring and a necklace for Gail.
Birthstones and a tropical flower
Any worry about the tight timeline eased once George sat down with our designer Rebecca Smith. He felt looked after by the whole team, describing the shop as a “treasure chest of stunning jewellery.” With Rebecca's guidance, they turned his ideas into a design that was unmistakably theirs: an engagement ring set with amethyst and diamonds — both George and Gail's birthstones — in platinum.
From sketches to a CAD render, then to the bench, our goldsmiths in Ditchling brought the design to life. And the surprise didn't end with the ring: George also commissioned a bespoke necklace, made in the style of Wright's Gardenia — a rare tropical flower found in the Seychelles that holds real sentimental meaning for Gail.
The finished ring: amethyst and diamonds — George and Gail's birthstones — set in platinum.
Beneath the palm trees
George proposed where it mattered most: their favourite spot on the beach, beneath the palm trees. It was a complete surprise, and Gail very happily said yes. She finds the ring “more beautiful than I could have ever imagined,” she shared, “and it makes me smile whenever it catches my eye.”
A ring of their birthstones, a necklace shaped like the flower of their island — two pieces, made an ocean away, that carry their whole world in them.
Wherever your story begins, ours starts the same way George's did — with a relaxed, no-obligation conversation. Book a design appointment, or explore our engagement rings for a little inspiration first.
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