Tag Archives: Media relations

Neal Tuley, 24, of Lynchburg, Va., stood 28 ¾ hours without moving his hand off the diamond ring pedestal to win a $14,000 diamond engagement ring featuring a 1 ct. Mark Loren Designs’ exclusive Firelight diamond setting last weekend. A wedding videographer, who learned about the recent Mark Loren Designs Ring Within Reach Contest on the internet, Mr. Tuley proved to have stamina, determination and probably most importantly, a strong bladder, to win the contest held at Mark Loren’s store and gallery in Fort Myers. It started June 30 at 10:00 a.m. and ended the afternoon of July 1 at 2:45 p.m. Supported by a cousin and his grandparents from Sarasota, he beat out the runner-up contestant Bradley Williams, of Cape Coral, who went home with a pair of earrings for his wife as a consolation. Other contestants included Kelly Motley, of Fort Myers, and Brandon Lawrence, Deanna DeCesare, Brandi Sullivan, all of Cape Coral.

Each with their own unique love story, the 6 contestants were chosen from a field of 25 applicants based on their compelling stories by clients of Loren’s jewelry business. Some of the contestants plan to become engaged, others are currently married or celebrating an anniversary. Their stories are of lost love, hardship, destiny, respect and all things that make the wedding season romantic. The 3 male and 3 female contestants made it through the night and 2 dropped out by midnight leaving 4 standing, one more dropped after 12:00 p.m. on July 1, another dropped after 2:00 p.m. leaving Tuley and Williams to wait each other out.

“After we each consumed a cup of water, I could see Brad sweating and getting goose bumps all at the same time,” said Mr. Tuley. “I knew then that I had to keep still and focused. Then all of a sudden Brad slammed his hand down on the pedestal and said ‘I’m out,’ and walked toward the restroom. I couldn’t believe I had won!”

Mr. Tuley plans to ask his girlfriend to marry him next month and then tell her his story about how he got the ring as part of the surprise.

“Neal is a fine young man and we’re glad to help him get his wedded life off to such a special start,” said Mark Loren, award-winning jewelry designer and principal of Mark Loren Designs. “All of our contestants had great stories and they were just such good people, it was a pleasure to be awake with them all through the wee hours and to learn a little more about each of them. It was rewarding to see the human qualities as they were all bonding and were most supportive of one another – a great study in human dynamics for sure.”

The “Ring Within Reach” contest will be an annual event by Mark Loren Designs, a promotion in honor of June, the most popular month for brides and wedding planning. And with the mounting costs for weddings, it is a welcome opportunity for prospective contenders. According to a recent Money Magazine report, the average total price tag for a wedding last year topped $27,000 (source: TheKnot.com) marking the first uptick since 2008. This contest will help the lucky winner who cannot afford an engagement ring.

About Mark Loren Designs
Mark Loren Designs has offered custom designed jewelry, repairs and recreations of sentimental heirlooms for more than 25 years in Southwest Florida. His efforts have earned high praise by leaders in the jewelry industry and trade publications. Loren was named one of 39 of the world’s top jewelry artists in, Gemstones Masters: Major Works by Leading Artists. The artists in this juried collection were selected by jewelry curator, designer and president of the American Jewelry Design Council, Alan Revere.

His other recognitions include the International Spectrum Design awards, bestowed by the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA), are considered the “Oscars” of the jewelry-design industry—and Loren and his design team have won several over the years for “outstanding jewelry design incorporated colored gemstones.” They’ve earned two AGTA Manufacturing Honors, awarded for combining elegant use of natural colored gemstones with techniques that can be used by mainstream manufacturers. They’ve also taken home two Platinum Honors prizes and won the International Pearl Design contest. Examples of his work can be found online at www.marklorendesigns.com, (239) 482-4664.
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