"Not long at all, probably a week or two. It was patchy and slightly embarrassing and so I started shaving it into a goatee instead, got to this point by about week 3."

It's too bad that you don't care for the Van Dyke/circle beard.  My opinion is from the pic that you enclosed it could be a good style for you.  At least in my opinion I think that style would look good on you.