Design an Engagement Ring

How Jewelers Design an Engagement Ring

Before you make decisions and order a customized ring, spend time window shopping to get ideas. While most women have a general idea of what type of engagement ring they would like, you may find a new stone shape, setting, or other details that you didn’t know existed. Try on different ring styles to discover what sort of ring best suits your hand, and take note of the characteristics of rings you prefer. What diamond shapes do you find most appealing? What metals can you picture yourself wearing every day? Do you like the classic simplicity of diamond solitaire engagement rings or do you find elaborate rings more attractive? By previewing different styles before you design an engagement ring, you know you are choosing what works best for you.

Before You Design an Engagement Ring Educate Yourself

Whether you design an engagement ring yourself or simply purchase one from a jeweler, you must not neglect educating yourself about jewelry standards of quality. You should be familiar with:

• Diamond Carats – how the stone’s weight is measured and affects price
• Diamond Color – the range of quality shades and whether you want a fancy colored stone
• Diamond Cuts – how to recognized superior quality for the most sparkle
• Diamond Clarity – how flaws and inclusions affect the stone’s quality, strength, and price

Even if you are not planning on a diamond engagement ring, knowing these four Cs will help you avoid inferior gems. If you know that your engagement ring will feature a specific type of gemstone, such as tanzanite or emerald, investigate the standards for that gem.

You should also be familiar with engagement ring settings and how different metals such as platinum, gold, white gold, silver, and titanium compare in price, quality, strength, availability, and necessary care.

Choosing a Center Stone

The vast majority of engagement rings highlight one central gem. To design an engagement ring, you should know what type of center stone you would like – often, couples will choose a center stone before beginning to create a ring. The stone’s shape, size, and quality will affect how you design the rest of the ring. For example, the shape and size affect the type of setting that best suits the stone, and knowing the particulars of your center stone will help you create a setting that shows off its brilliance. Loose diamonds and other gems can be purchased from wholesalers or jewelers who specialize in customized work.

In some cases, you may have no choice about a center stone. It may be from an antique or heirloom piece of jewelry, or it may be from the initial ring while you design a different setting and style. If this is the case, be sure you have the stone’s certificate or other documentation that details its characteristics, including the precise dimensions and any flaws or treatments. These details are vitally important to the jeweler who sets that stone – any missing information can lead to workmanship errors that create an inferior ring or even damage the jewel.

Designing Around the Stone

Once you have the center stone, it is time to begin your ring design. Each characteristic must be carefully considered to achieve the beauty and expert craftsmanship that will be representing your love.

Metal

First, choose the metal for the ring, bearing in mind the different characteristics and how they compare to your lifestyle. Are you active in sports or other energetic activities that could endanger your ring? If so, platinum or titanium may be the best choices for you. Do you prefer a classic style of ring? Yellow gold is the most traditional metal. Are you on a tight budget? Silver engagement rings can be gorgeous, and lower karat golds are also more affordable.

Setting

The setting is how the stone is attached to the band. There are many unusual settings to choose from, or you may prefer a more classic approach. In addition to choosing the setting style, you should also consider the width of the setting’s metal – the prongs or metal rims that will secure the stone. Thick settings can obscure or overshadow the stone, while thin settings are more prone to damage.

Accents

Many engagement rings include different side or accent stones, typically in a complementary shape to the center stone. While three stone engagement rings highlight accent stones nearly as much as the center stone, it is more typical for the accents to be smaller and less intense. When you design an engagement ring, always bear in mind how the finished ring will look and adjust your selections accordingly. Accents may be set just along the ring’s band, encircling the center stone, or even offset for unique flair.

Add a wedding band for a matching set.

Wedding Band

To design an engagement ring is not only to create one ring, but also to keep in mind the wedding band that will eventually accompany it. A curvy or elaborate engagement ring may not match well with many wedding bands, so it is wise to design a wedding band at the same time to insure the rings fit together smoothly. If you are designing a simple engagement ring, however, you can easily find suitable wedding bands without customizing one.

Choosing a Jeweler to Design Your Ring

There are many jewelers who are willing to help you design an engagement ring. When you speak with them, however, they should guide your choices, not try to influence them. A reputable jeweler may point out design flaws that you haven’t noticed, but they should not steer you toward designs outside your price range or styles you dislike.

Online Jewelers

There are many online jewelers who allow you to design rings. In fact, websites often have elaborate programs that allow you to make basic choices about diamond size and shape, ring configuration, and metals and view your ring right on the screen. While this can give you a decent overview of the process, many websites have only limited options and because you are not dealing with a real person, they cannot make suggestions to help broaden your selections.

Local Jewelers

If you decide to choose a local jeweler as you design an engagement ring, first investigate their credibility with the Better Business Bureau and various gemological associations. Examine their collection of ready-made engagement rings to get a sense of their range and expertise, and question them about their ability to customize rings. The best jeweler will be one who already has designs similar to what you have in mind, because they can demonstrate their skills with the type of ring you want to design.

Designing an engagement ring is a complicated yet rewarding process. While you must do more preliminary research, you will know your ring intimately and are assured of its uniqueness, just as your relationship is as unique and timeless as a precious jewel.