Your engagement ring should not only sparkle but also reflect all the parts of your personality that make you, you! This is why many couples may like to design engagement rings that are as one-of-a-kind as their relationship. After all, a ring is something you will wear on a daily basis for the rest of your life. It should be something you absolutely adore and take pride in wearing.
The task may seem intimidating at first, especially if you’re designing a ring on someone else’s behalf. Rest assured that if you plan ahead and find a Jewler that you can trust, it will be smooth sailing. Here is everything you need to know to help you in your journey to source and design the perfect custom engagement ring.
Find a Visual of Your Style
One of the most helpful things you can do for yourself to find visuals for inspiration. It’s okay if you can’t find an image that has every element of your dream ring design. Instead, look for individual aspects you like. For example, you might like the band of one ring but the stone of another. Save both of those photos to your Pinterest board (or whatever you use to keep track of your inspiration photos) and note what you like about it so that you don’t forget later.
If you’re starting completely from scratch, consider taking some engagement ring style quizzes before searching for images online. If you’re looking for a way to browse rings other than Pinterest, try looking at blogs and social media like Instagram and YouTube. This will help you see some of the trending styles and what people are saying about them before you start looking at jewelry stores.
Researching ring style on behalf of your partner? No problem! If they have ever saved engagement ring favorites, it’s more than likely saved on Pinterest. Take a look at their boards and pins to see if any rings have been pinned. If you’re unsure whether they have a Pinterest account, try searching their other social media handles with the word ‘Pinterest’ as they may show up with the same name. If not, enlist the help of someone close to you who can help you and still keep it a surprise.
Choose Your Ring’s Materials
Engagement rings are traditionally fashioned of yellow gold, white gold, silver, or platinum. However, when designing your own engagement ring, you can select whatever metal you desire. Along with the more traditional metals mentioned, consider rose gold, palladium, titanium, and recycled (or blended) metals.
Along with selecting a metal for your ring, you’ll need to have a stone in mind. Diamonds are the most popular, but gemstones have experienced a boom in popularity recently. Perhaps you have a family heirloom with the perfect gem but you’re not crazy about the design – that would take one step out of the engagement ring customization process!
After selecting a stone, you’ll need to select a cut and setting. Round, cushion, princess, oval, emerald, pear, radiant, Asscher, marquise, and heart are all traditional ring cuts. You can also choose to leave your diamond uncut for a very unique look. As for settings, there are even more options to choose from than there are diamond cuts: Halo, suspension, cluster, three-stone settings, and more! This is another reason to get started on your engagement ring research sooner rather than later.
Another tip to keep in mind as you’re defining your custom engagement ring style is your wedding band. Even though you won’t need that one until later, you still want the rings to be some sort of set, or at least just complement one another. You’ll save a lot of time and money if you create your wedding band at the same time as your personalized engagement ring. Not only will this ensure that they complement one another perfectly, but jewelers frequently work out a deal when both are created simultaneously.
Finding The Right Jeweler
Once you’ve got a pretty good idea of what you want your ring to look like, it’s time to start sourcing jewelry stores for the job. Contrary to what you may have heard in the past, custom jewelry isn’t ridiculously more expensive than purchasing a pre-made setting. Be sure to do your due diligence and collect pricing information from a few different jewelry stores.
Talk with your family and friends and ask them if they have any recommendations for jewelers. You want to work with a respected jeweler who has experience creating personalized engagement rings. In addition to the trust factor, you’ll want to find a jeweler that has experience designing rings in the style you’re wanting to develop. Working with a jewelry designer whose style appeals to your own ensures that you will end up with a ring you enjoy.
After selecting a jeweler to work with, you’ll start working on bringing your vision to life. You will initially be shown a representation, or sketch, of the ring by their jeweler to check that it visually meets their specifications. After approving the sketch, the jeweler will usually create a wax or computerized model of the ring. Be sure to discuss what the process of creating prototypes will look like before you get started. That way, you know exactly what to expect and can set your expectations accordingly. This will also help you plan and create a tentative schedule.
Once you’ve approved the designs for your custom-made engagement ring, the jeweler will begin the casting process. It’s a good idea to double-check that you have the correct ring size before the ring is made. The ring will be cast and cleaned, followed by the setting of the stones. During this stage, the jeweler will create customizations such as micropavé by hand. After setting and polishing the ring, all that’s left is to make your engagement official!
To Sum it Up
Good things take time, and your custom engagement ring is no different. The customization process is a lot less complicated than you may have originally thought, but it does require a lot of careful thought and planning ahead. You’ll also need a jeweler who understands your vision and can bring it to life. Our high-end custom designs are made from the finest materials to ensure you get the high quality of high fashion without the ridiculously high price tag. Here at The Gold Mine Fine Jewelry & Gifts...we love the entire custom design process and welcome your questions and look forward to serving you as you create your "Dream Ring!"
Reach out to us soon,
"Diamond" Bill Warren, Owner/Gemologist
The Gold Mine
828-726-1009
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