Are you hoping to have a custom engagement ring made and you’re curious about how it all works? Are you deciding whether or not you should customize your diamond ring? This step-by-step guide will help you make your decision, and (hopefully) inspire the future design of your engagement ring.
Let’s look at exactly why you should be considering having a custom engagement ring rather than buying a ready-made one.
Why Should You Choose a Custom Engagement Ring?
The choice between shopping for a readily available diamond ring, or customizing your engagement ring is a tough decision to make. Here is a list of reasons why taking the customization route is the better choice.
You can work around your own budget
The best reason to customize your engagement ring is the simple fact that you can work around your own budget. For example, you might be looking for an Oval Cut Diamond Engagement Ring, but you can’t find one that’s within your affordability range. A diamond ring can be customized to the budget you have.
You Have the Chance to Replicate Another Ring that’s of Significance
Your partner might want a specific ring, but you are unable to buy it. You can replicate this instead to fit within your budget. It could be a ring that resembles an engagement ring from a movie. It can be a ring design you saw and concluded to be the perfect one for her. It can also be a replicate with alternative hypoallergenic metal, such as Platinum, perfect for sensitive skin. Get your ring custom-made exactly the way you want it.
You Can Choose Your Diamond
A diamond is what contributes the most to the high value of a diamond ring. In most cases, you are paying for the diamond more so than the actual ring. The great advantage of deciding to customize your diamond ring is the opportunity to choose your own diamond. You have the choice of committing to an expensive, rare diamond, or a beautiful yet affordable one.
A jeweler will look for the right diamond size, and recommend a design that will fit within your preferred budget. This will allow you to buy the ring your partner wants, without compromising on the price you are willing to pay.
The Process to Customize Your Diamond Ring is Simpler than You Think
One misconception most people have when it comes to the process of customizing a diamond ring is that it is a complicated and difficult process. The truth of the matter is that it is straightforward and a lot faster to do than one might initially think.
Jewelers have years of experience designing jewelry by hand. Making a custom design will not be any different than making one that they are used to making. The techniques and skills needed for both are the same. You don’t have to worry that it might take too long or that it requires a complicated process to complete. Read on to learn more about the short set of steps you’ll take to create a custom design.
How to Customize Your Diamond Ring
Here’s a quick step-by-step guide on how to customize your diamond ring, what to expect from every part of the process, and what you’ll need to discuss with your designer.
Step 1: Do Your Research
First thing’s first. You’ll need to know the basic designs of a diamond ring. It’s important that you know the different design features to know what your options are to customize your diamond ring. Here’s a breakdown of all the types of ring styles and designs you should be familiar with when choosing a custom design for your engagement ring.
Ring Styles:
- Solitaire
- Solitaire with Accent Diamonds
- Halo
- Three Stone
These are popular ring styles, but your design doesn’t have to be limited to this. For example, look at this unique ring style shaped like a flower. The important factor when choosing ring styles is that it has to be comfortable to wear, and securely hold a diamond or a collection of diamonds.
Diamond Cut:
- Round
- Cushion
- Princess
- Oval
- Pear
Your choice of a diamond cut is important for several reasons. It significantly affects the way a ring looks. Compare these Round Cut and Princess Cut engagement rings. The Round Cut diamond is popular because of its fascinating ability to reflect light more, with its larger surface. This makes the diamond shine with more brilliance. On the other hand, a Princess Cut is favored by many brides-to-be for its classic and timeless look.
Ring Settings:
- Pave
- Micro Pave
- Channel
- Cathedral
- Twisted Band
- Split Shank
- Hidden Halo
- Tension
The ring’s setting will be the foundation of a diamond ring. You need to consider what type of ring setting your partner will want if you are shopping for an engagement ring. For example, a channel setting is a thick ring band and will be perfect for someone who wears chunky jewelry. On the other hand, a micro pave setting features a thin wedding band. This is great for someone who wants something that looks minimal and simple.
Ring Metals:
- White Gold
- Yellow Gold
- Rose Gold
- Platinum
In most cases, for engagement rings, the most popular ring metal is White Gold. Closely followed by Yellow and Rose Gold. This, again, all depends on preference. What you do need to consider is if the person the ring is for has sensitive skin. It’s best to choose Platinum as your metal to avoid possible skin reactions.
Learn more about these ring design features in this helpful guide on engagement ring styles and designs.
Learning the different types of designs to choose from will not only make it easier for you to design your own ring, but it will make the next step of the process easier to do.
Step 2: Discuss the Design
The next step is that you’ll need to discuss the design of the ring you want with a jewelry designer. You will need to explain or demonstrate the type of ring design you are hoping to accomplish. The way you discuss this with your jewelry designer will make getting the design right, easier to do.
How to discuss your desired ring design:
- Bring examples/photos of other rings as inspiration,
- Use a diagram of the specific design you want to be made
- Discuss the purpose, message, or meaning behind your design
- Bring a ring that you want to be replicated
The more you elaborate on the type of design you want, the more examples you provide, the easier it will be for the jewelry designer to customize your diamond ring exactly the way you want it done. This is why the research you do before meeting a designer is very important.
Step 3: Choose Your Diamonds
This part of the process is where you can work around the budget that you have. You can choose specific diamonds that will work within the value you are hoping to pay. This is a great reason to have a custom engagement ring rather than buying a ready-made one. You can choose a diamond that fits within your desired value to pay.
For example, if you have a budget between $15,000 to $20,000, you can shop for a 1 Carat flawless and colorless diamond. But if you are hoping to spend only $5,000, you can shop for a 1 Carat diamond with an SI2 clarity grading, and a color grade between I to M, and still have a beautiful diamond. Here’s a good read on How to Shop for Diamonds on a Budget.
It’s also best to work with your designer when shopping for a diamond. They will have the best advice on what to will most likely give you valuable tips to help you save money or find the best diamond for your engagement ring.
Step Four: Follow the Design Process as it Happens
As soon as you have completed your diamond shopping and discussed what you want for your custom engagement ring, the next big step is to follow the design process. In most cases, it takes somewhere between 2 weeks to 6 weeks for your ring to be complete. But of course, different factors such as the complexity of a design, and the skill of a jewelry designer, and the availability of materials, will have an effect on the duration of the design process.
If you work with a seasoned jewelry designer, it will not take too long to complete your customized diamond ring design.
You can ask to see the different stages of the design process to confirm that everything is as going as planned. Before the process is complete (ending with a polish and clean), you can ask to see the ring before it is sent to you.
Conclusion: Don’t Be Afraid to Ask
The great advantage of having a custom engagement ring is that you can work side-by-side with a ring designer. This is someone who knows their way around the materials and skills that are required to build beautiful diamond engagement rings. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or discuss different factors that need to be considered.
A good example of this is if the person the ring is for does heavy-duty work with their hands. You’ll need a diamond ring that can withstand a little rough work. The setting must be one that’s secure for a diamond. In this case, a 6 Prong design like this Venetian in White Gold is a perfect choice. It is a solitaire style, therefore you do not have to worry about fragile smaller accent diamonds. And the 6 prongs will be able to secure the center diamond better than a 4 prong ring.
Don’t hesitate to ask and discuss your custom engagement ring design. Take advantage of your ability to make this engagement ring, the perfect one, in every aspect. It should be made for the person who will wear it. This is the best part of why you should customize your diamond ring.