Custom Design Series || Top Things to Consider with Engagement Ring Design
What an exciting and seemingly overwhelming task ahead of you- designing a bespoke engagement ring. Don’t worry- I got you. Before you book your design consult and during the initial design phase there are some things to consider. I have a questionnaire built into my booking process to help guide you in some of these, but here they are for your consideration...
- Timeline: Most custom projects take 6-12 weeks to complete, so it’s important to factor this in with any plans you’ve made to propose. If you don’t have a specific timeline or date in mind, it’s still helpful to provide some time-framework for the project. I prioritize projects both by the order I get them, but also by ‘need by dates’. Sometimes someone will take precedence that booked with me after you- just by nature of what their needs are.
- Budget: This can be a hard question to answer. It’s hard to gauge how much custom jewelry is, how much is reasonable to spend, and the desire to get the best value. Most engagement rings start at $5000. Significant factors that affect this price are:
- Carat/color/cut/clarity of the diamond
- Addition of accent stones and type of stones
- The width of the band and amount of gold utilized
- The complexity of the design
It’s important to give a budget, even if it is flexible, because it will ultimately inform how and what I design for you, and the options I show you in terms of stones and accents
- Desired materials: Say your partner favors white gold or they are against using diamonds in the design, and would prefer a sapphire; this is a good time to establish those details so I don’t show you anything you know they don’t want. If you aren’t sure what the options are, or you don’t have any details yet, that’s okay! I am here to show you the options and talk through the pros and cons of everything.
- Ring Size: This can be the most contentious bit of information in the whole process, depending on how you are approaching it. If you are unsure, but your partner is involved in the design process, even just a little bit, I can size them. If it’s a complete surprise, there are a couple ways to determine ring size:
- You can measure the inner diameter of a ring they wear frequently – bonus points if it’s on their left ring finger!
- You can ask a friend or family member to do some recon for you. It’s worked in the past!
- We can ballpark it and make sure the design is easily sizable after the proposal.
- Visual References: Sometimes it can be helpful for you to do some online searches for rings, to get the design juices flowing. If you find things that you really like, include them with your intake form. The more information I have from you- no matter how all over the place- the easier it is for me to show you what you want.
That’s A LOT of info, and don’t be overwhelmed if you don’t have answers to all of these. Ultimately it’s my job to guide you through the process and make sure that you have all the information at your disposal to feel comfortable and empowered to make a decision on a final design. These are all things we will suss out in the design process.