Creating a One-of-a-Kind Engagement Ring for the Bride-to-Be

After five years together Daniel Maffett had to find the perfect way to propose to his girlfriend, Brianne Pennington. He knew he would do it around Christmas and that no ordinary ring would do. So he set off to build the perfect ring. “It had to represent us and be something no one else would ever have,” Maffett says. After meeting with Tom Sayres of Sayers Jewelers and Gemologists in Smyrna, Maffett went to work sketching his ideal ring. The challenge was to construct an elegant and traditional piece, but with an unusual theme—Batman. Maffett’s next challenge was how to pop the question. Maffett enlisted the help of the couple’s cherished English mastiff, Zagon. He placed the ring inside a bag of coal and hung the bag around the dog’s neck. Zagon dutifully carried the bag into the room and Brianne discovered the ring. “It was the best night of my life,” Maffett says. Oh, and she said, “Yes.”