Custom design engagement rings are becoming a more popular choice as they allow buyers to more easily pick out a specific style of ring.
Such rings can carry more personal meaning and can be more unique.
Of course, designing a ring from scratch does often mean doing more research into the different elements that make up a ring.
This can ensure that you design a ring that’s practical and cost-effective as well as aesthetically beautiful.
I am writing about this topic of how to design an engagement ring because I’m a bestselling author and award winning designer . I love to help people to design and create everything from products, to books, to courses, to social media posts – to jewelry!
Tips for How To Design An Engagement Ring
Below are some tips that can help you to better understand all the elements that go into designing a ring.
The stone
It’s a good idea to start by considering the diamond itself. The diamond is the most distinctive part of an engagement ring and is what affects the price the most (although you don’t have to choose a diamond). Just what do you need to consider when choosing a stone?
Shape
The first thing to consider could be the diamond shape. Diamonds can be cut into several shapes, the most popular being:
- Round
- Oval
- Marquise
- Pear
- Heart
- Princess
- Radiant
- Emerald
- Cushion
- Asscher
Round diamonds and heart diamonds are some of the most expensive shapes to cut. Others are generally more affordable.
Quality
The quality of a diamond refers to how impressive it looks and can greatly affect the price. It is often broken down into 4 other categories known as the 4 Cs:
- Carat: This refers to the weight/size of the diamond. The bigger the carat, the higher the price. The biggest price jump occurs when you reach a full carat (the difference between a 0.9 carat and 1 carat diamond is often a lot more than a 0.8 and 0.9 carat diamond).
- Cut: This refers to how sharply a diamond is cut to reflect the light (basically, how sparkly a diamond is). A higher cut rating also affects the price, but not as much as the carat. Opting for a high cut, lower carat diamond can sometimes be a great way to buy an impressive diamond more affordably.
- Color: Most diamonds sold are clear or ‘white’. However, some have a yellower hue that can reduce the price. Specialist diamonds known as ‘fancy diamonds’ can also be bought in a variety of colors ranging from blue to pink.
- Clarity: Some stones are completely clear, while others can be more cloudy. A clearer diamond is often more valuable.
It’s worth choosing a company like Aura Diamonds that has access to a huge range of stones in order to find the perfect carat, cut, color and clarity.
The band
Next, you should consider the ring itself. This includes the setting, size and material.
Setting
How the diamond is positioned on the ring is important to consider. There are few different settings you can choose from including:
- Solitaire
- Halo
- Vintage
- Three Stone
- Side Stone
- Pave
- Prong
- Channel
The type of setting you can choose may be partly influenced by the shape and carat of the diamond. There are many unusual settings that could give your ring a more modern and unique look. Multi-stone settings also open up all kinds of options.
Size
The ring needs to match the wearer’s finger size. Some couples shop for a ring together, which makes it easier to choose an accurate size. Problems can occur if you try to guess the ring size and get it wildly wrong.
Most jewelers will be able to resize a ring if you buy it in the wrong size. But it could be harder and more expensive to resize a ring that’s too small as opposed to a ring that’s too large. That’s why it’s better to guess on the larger side if you’re unsure of their exact ring size.
This guide at Brides explains how to secretly measure a partner’s ring size. Of course, if it doesn’t need to be secret, your best option is to simply walk into a jeweler – they will be able to use a ring sizer to work out an accurate size.
Material
The material of the band is the final important element to consider. The most popular metals ranked from most expensive to least expensive include:
- Platinum
- Gold
- Palladium
- Silver
- Tantalum
- Cobalt
- Titanium
- Tungsten carbide
When buying a ring for a partner, you should make sure that they do not have any metal allergies. Some metals are perceived as hypoallergenic and are a good option in these cases.
It is possible to buy non-metal rings. This includes ceramic and wood engagement rings. Just be wary that only specialist jewelers may offer these alternative materials. Wishing you many years of happiness as married couple!
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