Creating My Wedding Band, Stage 1

YAY! The rough draft sketches of my wedding band have arrived! If you recall, my parents gave me a gift certificate to a jeweler in my hometown as a graduation present when I got my master's degree in May, intending to offset the costs of a custom-designed wedding ring.

After seeing my inspiration photos, here are the mock-ups the jeweler provided:



After scrutinizing the drafts, I knew I loved the rings that were the more open, flowing style the best. With rings 2 and 4, the pattern is kind of contained within the ring, which I don't like as much. Rings 2 and 4: OUT!

I also know that I like the tulip-style flower that you see in rings 2 and 5 better than the daisy-style flower in rings 1, 3, and 4. So whichever style I choose, I'm going to ask that the tulip-style flower be included in the pattern.

After that, I'm torn between rings 1, 3, and 5. Every time I look at the pictures, my eyes are drawn to a different one. I also asked Mr. Octo which rings he preferred (without telling him what I liked), and he said he couldn't decide between 1 and 5. Sometimes I think I want the more delicate, intricate style of ring 1, and then sometimes I think I like the smoother, flowier styles of 3 and 5.

Here's another factor included in my decision: the little circles you see in the drawings represent diamonds. Ring 1 has the most diamonds, making it the most expensive. Ring 5 has the least. My gift certificate is a generous amount, but won't cover the whole cost of any of them, so budget is still a factor. I think I could request that ring 1 not include AS many diamonds, though (like, with some of the swirls plain, rather than the current design, where every swoop has diamonds set in it). I wouldn't exactly say no to a healthy dose of diamonds, but I do need to consider price.

Maybe I just need another day to stare at these a little more? I'm kind of surprised by my own indecisiveness--I'm not normally a waffler! What do you all think? Which ring do you like?