Katie Warren/Business Insider
Nicole Wegman in her office near Manhattan's Diamond District.
- Ring Concierge is an NYC-based luxury jewelry company founded by Nicole Wegman that sells customized engagement rings and other jewelry.
- Engagement rings start at $10,000 and go well into the six figures.
- I visited Ring Concierge's office to get a consultation and see inside one of their Manhattan bench jewelers that assembles the rings.
- Afterward, I have to say that I understand why people pay six figures for the personalized, curated experience of buying one of Wegman's engagement rings.
On a recent afternoon leading up to Valentine's Day, I took a trip uptown to Ring Concierge, a jewelry company in New York City that sells customized engagement rings ranging from $10,000 to well into the six figures.
Millennials have somewhat different jewelry-buying habits than past generations, as Business Insider's Aine Cain previously reported. Kay, Zales, and Jared all reported weak holiday sales. But with its popular Instagram account and jewels designed by young women, Ring Concierge seemed to me like a fresh alternative that would appeal to my demographic, so I decided to check it out.
I spent about two hours with Ring Concierge, trying on diamond rings, learning the ins and outs of the "four C's," and getting a peek into the workshop of one of their jewelers.
It was an eye-opening experience that gave me a newfound appreciation for diamonds, which didn't particularly interest me before. I totally get why people will pay well into the six figures for a Ring Concierge engagement ring, even though the average American spends $6,324.
Here's what it was like.