How To Design Your Own Engagement Ring with the Help of a Custom Jeweler

This is going to be one of the most special days of your life: the day that you become engaged to the love of your life! You want to make sure that you get her a ring that she can be proud to show off, something that is as one-of-a-kind and beautiful as she is. So, you’ve decided to get her a custom engagement ring. How thoughtful of you! But, now the problem is that you don’t know where to begin. Take a deep breath, sit back, and enjoy the whirlwind of joy that will be your engagement, starting with this step-by-step guide to how to create your own customized engagement ring

Choose the Right Jeweler

You don’t want just anyone to be responsible for the most symbolically important part of the wedding process. Your jeweler should have a good reputation in the industry that works with you, not just for you.

You want a top-notch jeweler who will listen to your every wish for this ring that also respects your price-range. Be sure to read online reviews from other people in the same position as you to see if the jeweler that you are interested in is involved with the design process and communicates with you throughout the journey. Choose a jeweler that is established so that you can go back to this jeweler whenever you need them, like in a few years from now when you need anniversary jewelry.

Get Inspiration & Start Building It

You can get inspiration from her Pinterest board, magazine articles, or from rings she said she likes. Take those ideas and and pull individual elements that you like from them and start a list. You might have to go through several drafts of the list until you settle on the perfect ring for the perfect person.

Consider the metal that you’re making the ring out of. You can get a ring made out of gold, sterling silver, platinum, or rose gold. Whatever metal you choose, you should make sure that it is right for her style. See which metal she wears the most of now because that is the metal she would probably most appreciate if her engagement ring was made from the same material.

She will still wear this ring all the time, but it is nice to get her a piece that goes with who she is right now rather than to go with a material just because.

What Type of Metal Should I Choose?

In choosing a metal and looking at jewelry in jewelry stores, you have probably seen the small notes on metal chains that say some number like 10, 14, or 18 followed by a k. These denote the strength and durability of the metal that the jewelry piece is made of. A higher value, naturally, means that the metal is stronger and more durable than one with a lesser k value.

Since this is a ring that she is likely going to be wearing for quite a long time, be sure that you have a strong and durable enough metal to support years of daily wear so that you don’t have to spend as much on ring repair.

Be sure to make her ring with a metal that will match not just the clothing that she wears, but that will look good with her skin. Different types of metals look better on different types of skin, so start a conversation with the woman you love and talk to her about her skin and her own metal preferences. That way, you know you won’t make a mistake by taking a shot in the dark.

What Type of Stone Should I Choose?

The stone you choose also sets the tone of the ring. Diamond rings are the most common and classic. An emerald is a good option if you want something bold. Sapphires or rubies are gaining popularity, especially after Prince William gave Kate Middleton a sapphire ring. There is also a recent trend in jewelry that involves having multiple types of stones on one ring. This is a good option if you are considering multiple types of stones, but don’t want to give up on either one of them in favor of the other. This way also allows for the different jewels to bring out the best in each other, like you each bring out the best in each other in your relationship.

Even if you just want one special stone on your engagement ring, you can always suggest adding jewelry pieces with multiple types of stones elsewhere in her bridal jewelry ensemble. A beautiful pearl and diamond combination necklace, for example, would be perfect for a beach wedding, or for any bride who wants to have that classy feeling of pearls, but also wants to sparkle on her big day.

If you’ve decided on using diamond ring, what color of diamond? Canary yellow would be a bold statement, but she might appreciate the subtlety of the champagne diamond as well. Diamonds also exist in every conceivable shade of the colors in the rainbow, so you can’t forget to think about all of those, too. In fact, it may be best to come up with a list of candidates and then narrow it down based on opinions, because there is a lot to consider when selecting just the mere stone for this ring, let alone any other part of the ring.

The 4 C’s of Diamond Shopping

However, there is so much more to diamonds than just color. There are some aspects of diamond buying that she will be so impressed that you know! As a matter of fact, color is just one of the four C’s that jewelers talk about when they talk about diamonds. The other three C’s are clarity, cut, and carat. Your jeweler will be the ultimate expert in the four C’s, so you shouldn’t have to worry about low quality product, but it’s always good to know for reference and for trivia.

Clarity is important to keep in mind when shopping for all diamonds, but it plays an even bigger factor when shopping for colored diamonds. Clarity is exactly what it sounds like: how clear the diamond is. In order for any stone to be able to be its most dazzling, it really needs to be super clear. One way to check the clarity of a diamond is by holding it under a strong light and magnifying glass to examine it for any imperfections. She deserves nothing less than perfect for such a special ring, after all.

Carat is the third of the 4 C’s, and it is also the one with the largest impact on your wallet. A diamond’s carat value is based on the weight of the gemstone, so the heavier the diamond, the higher the carat value, and the more the diamond costs. This does not mean that you should stick to a lower carat of diamond just to save money, although there is no shame in a small, dainty engagement ring if that is what will best suit her for this day. Be sure to select a diamond that has the carat value you want, but also the right balance of everything else that a good diamond should have. No aspect of diamonds outweighs the other, so be sure that you have found a diamond that has everything you are looking for before presenting it to your jeweler.

Finally, think about the last C of the 4 C’s and consider the cut of the stone. She’s your princess, so why not get her a princess-cut ring? Or maybe she would prefer a classy, round stone. Even though you may not be getting an emerald ring, perhaps she will find appeal in the unique emerald cut. The cut is the part of the diamond that will most define the ring and make the biggest statement.

It is worth noting that the four C’s hold true for all stones, not just diamonds. Pearls are a class of their own, invoking terms like luster and smoothness. But keep the 4 C’s in mind especially when using multiple stones on one ring.

Share Your Ideas with ItsHot

After you have decided on a price range and a look, now comes the time to talk with the jeweler to start the process.

Take your ideas, likes, and dislikes to the jeweler or share them online. They will be able to piece those ideas together to design the perfect ring. They will be able to educate you on the metal that works best for her and your budget. If you like silver metal, they may guide you towards white gold or platinum instead of sterling silver. Your jeweler will help you decide on the quality of diamonds as far as the four C’s: cut, color, clarity, and carat.

It’s really as simple as that! You made the right decision in choosing to get her a customized ring instead of some engagement ring that anyone else could buy. With the perfect ring that you made just for her, you are bound to have a happiest day of your life before the happiest day of your life. Now stop sitting here reading these last few words, and go plan the proposal of her dreams!

Denis Stepansky
Founder of ItsHot.com

Denis Stepansky is a founder of ItsHot, a diamond jewelry and watches store based in NYC. He has been in the jewelry business for about 20 years and owns such high-end jewelry brands as Luccello and Luxurman. As a jewelry expert, he has citations on well-known magazines and newspapers like Insider and Daily Mail.
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