Congratulations! You are entering into one of the most joyful and memorable times of your life; you’ve found the one. Now that you’ve found them, you can begin searching for the perfect engagement ring that will not only maintain its beauty for a lifetime but reflect who you are as a couple.
If you’ve decided to forego traditional engagement ring shopping and would like to have something custom-created instead, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. This is a big decision, and unless you are a jeweler by trade you may feel incredibly ill-equipped to spearhead the process of designing one from scratch.
Buying a custom engagement ring can still be a fulfilling, exciting experience, filled with discovery and satisfaction when you familiarize yourself with the process and understand some of the fundamentals.
Choosing The Perfect Custom Engagement Ring
Here are the 6 things that can help you with selecting the perfect custom ring for your partner!
1. Custom engagement rings require extra time.
Planning a wedding is a time-intensive process on its own, as you will become acutely aware! When you are shopping for a custom engagement ring as opposed to purchasing an existing design, keep in mind that this process will require extra time. Consultation, selecting the design and materials, and then creating it from scratch (plus any revisions) can take 6 weeks or more, so adjust your expectations accordingly for the best results.
2. Your love may be limitless, but your budget may not be.
The cost of a custom engagement ring can vary depending on the design, stones, setting, band material, and jeweler. Since the cost can have such a big impact on the outcome of the piece you are dreaming about, it’s good to have a budget in mind (and communicate this to your jeweler). Also, keep in mind that having a ring custom-made may be a more expensive, but still meaningful engagement ring shopping route.
3. Know your jeweler.
Anyone can sell you an engagement ring, but when you are having one custom-created, experience, skill, and reputation matter. Avoid the heartache of a sub-par outcome by properly vetting and researching custom jewelers before sitting down to design your engagement ring, or writing that check. Even if you are working with a jeweler who is across the country, a phone or zoom to go over your thoughts and ideas can help you find the right designer. Custom jewelry design requires an incredible amount of skill and expertise, so do your research first.
4. Don’t guess the ring size.
Custom engagement rings can be more difficult to resize than more mass-produced or off-the-shelf designs, and some designs may not tolerate any resizing at all! Guessing your partner’s ring size is a risk that you should not take when you are having one custom-designed, so take advantage of these tricks to get the right band size, the first time.
- Borrow one of the rings they currently wear and have the size identified.
- Press one of their rings into a bar of soap for an impression.
- Mark on your own finger where their rings rests when tried on.
- Involve your partner in the process for accurate sizing.
5. Familiarize yourself with ring styles, settings, stones, cuts, and band materials.
You don’t have to become an engagement ring expert to familiarize yourself with some of the fundamentals, and there are a plethora of resources available to help you educate yourself (see our jewelry education resources here). Not only will familiarizing yourself save time, but it can also save you money, and equip you with the information you need to help your jeweler create something that’s not only unique but durable and endearing as well.
6. Consider their life, and your life together.
Your custom engagement ring should last a lifetime, and one of the best ways that you can help ensure that it does is to consider who will be wearing it for life. If they work often with their hands, high profile or delicate designs may not fair as well. If they regularly get their hands dirty (paint, soil, etc), an easy-to-clean design may work more beautifully. If they will not be able to regularly wear any kind of jewelry (medical, machinery, etc) then a very fancy, high-profile design may be a perfect choice!
We hope that your custom engagement ring buying experience is a beautiful one and that these tips can help make it even more pleasant. We’d love to see what you have in mind for the perfect custom engagement ring. If you're ready, start your custom project today!