How to design an engagement ring
Firstly, do not worry if you have little or no design experience. It is the job of the jeweller who designs & makes custom engagement rings to help you.
So how do you start the design process? Here are some ways that customers start their bespoke engagement ring journey…..
Starting points
“I know she/he likes”
Lots of customers have heard from a friend, family member or even a direct discussion with their partner about the type of Diamond engagement that they might like or even do not like (because this can be just as important!). This type of information rarely involves lots of details & can be something simple like “She likes oval Diamonds”. This is a great starting point for a bespoke jeweller to start the engagement ring design process.
“We are shopping around together”
Another great starting point is when the couple narrow down the options together. This obviously makes the ring far less of a suprise, but you have more chance of getting the design right. The compromise is creating a ‘short-list’ & letting the final design & the proposal itself be the surprise rather than the whole thing.
“I haven’t got a clue!”
Those customers who want everything about the proposal & accompanying engagement ring to be a total surprise often have a trickier time choosing. As this is often a secret from friends & family there are often no clues as to where to start designing the perfect ring. Do not worry about this! We find that engagement rings that are crafted as a total surprise with the customer just trusting their instincts are often the best received!
“It has to be like this”
Some couples decide on a fully formed engagement ring design leaving nothing to chance. The partner goes to the bespoke jeweller knowing every last detail. This is definitely the minority of customers in our experience, but it is another way to create the perfect Diamond ring.
Budget
There is a misconception that bespoke engagement rings can be expensive. Although this can be true at some stores (due to the ‘middlemen’ involved) it is often not the case. The wider choice of materials means that the same engagement ring can be made to suit several budgets. For example, a high-grade natural Diamond in 18ct white gold, a high/medium grade natural Diamond in Platinum & a high grade Lab Grown Diamond in 9ct white gold would result in three very different prices.
The best advice when it comes to budget is pick one & stick as closely to it as possible. Don’t be ‘upsold’ by a jeweller who wants you to buy the engagement ring they happen to have in front of them.
The design process
Some bespoke jewellers charge for the design process. The best advice would be to avoid this type of jewellery store. The design process sometimes needs a little refining & you don’t want to be in a position where your budget is getting taken up by the designs & not the ring. Also, if a jeweller is expensive for the ring itself & you have already paid for design work you may feel obliged to buy the ring from the same store.
Although there are lots on online ‘ring builders’ try to get in touch with a jeweller with an actual shop. The reason for this is the photoshopped, CAD or A.I. images are often very misleading. For example, lots of software uses one Diamond size regardless of the carat weight you are buying. A jeweller with rings in front of them will be able to show or email you actual photos or better envisage your bespoke engagement ring design.
The best way to design an engagement ring is to choose elements from different designs to create your own version. This is a great way of working & also means the customer doesn’t have to be an expert designer. This also creates a nice step-by-step way of creating a beautiful Diamond ring. The process is often something like… “I like that central Diamond, I like the little ones on the band of that ring, I like the colour of the Gold on that ring”. Nothing technical, just simple preferences. You may think this could give you a ‘Frankenstein’s monster’ of a ring but engagement rings have to be so simple & timeless there is far less chance of visual clashes in the detailing.
Turnaround time
At RING jewellers, we quote 8-10 weeks if a client has that long. We can often help with more urgent deadlines though. Other jewellers may quote a little longer. If a jeweller quotes you just a few days, it usually means that have mounts ready to just set stones into. This is not truly bespoke work so be careful the Diamonds are a good fit for the settings as rush jobs often result in badly fitted stones coming loose.
What if your partner does not love the ring?
At RING jewellers we have a unique policy where if a ring is not well received, we guarantee to alter it or even make you a new ring at no additional cost (up to the equivalent value). This means there is no chance your partner will end up with an engagement ring that they do not absolutely adore. Do check the returns policy with your jeweller of choice though because this is a very generous returns policy.
Questions?
If you have any questions or would like a quote to make your dream engagement ring a reality, get in touch for a no obligation free estimate.