Crafting the ideal personalized engagement ring: A comprehensive 6-step manual
Proposing to your loved one is a special moment that both of you will remember forever. You make a lifelong commitment to each other. I’m sure you would agree that such an exceptional occasion is also worth providing a tailor-made experience. Make your loved one feel special by giving a custom engagement ring. Add your own touch to this precious piece of jewellery and let it reflect the uniqueness of your relationship and love.
These days we are delighted by personalized content no matter where we turn. We receive customized recommendations for new playlists, movies and TV series based on what we have listened to and watched earlier. We see suggestions online which are specific to our interests and purchase history.
Generic is not relevant anymore. We have an underlying desire for a unique and targeted experience.
This 6-step guide will take you through a smooth process of creating the perfect custom engagement ring that your partner will happily wear every day for the rest of their life.
Jewellery – A business of trust
When selecting your jeweller, you are beginning a relationship. A “Trust Relationship“. This person will help you celebrate one of life’s most precious moments.
You might not have spent much time buying jewellery before, and chances are, this is the first time that you have purchased a custom engagement ring. Of course, you want to make sure that you work with an educated and trustworthy jeweller. But how will you know that you have found a professional when jewellers are all over the place?
Being a Graduate Gemologist with the distinction of ”Earned in Residence” at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) means you can lean on my expertise to ensure a trustworthy and honest service. This distinction is important as it goes above and beyond the norm.
Most gemologists enrol in distance education study. Residence students are strongly immersed in the world of gemstones as they are exposed to much more testing in the field of gem identification and diamond grading. This key difference is imperative and leads back to trust. Purchasing a piece of jewellery is always special. Having been in the jewellery business for 40 years and having run my own retail store successfully for three decades means I have a solid and reliable background.
Step 1: Nail down the style of your custom engagement ring
There are so many custom engagement ring styles and designs available out there. You might find it hard to decide which one you should choose. But you can turn the selection from a bumpy ride to fun and a smooth experience.
Even if you can’t pinpoint the perfect shape and style immediately, make sure that you at least have an idea of what kind of ring you would like. The possibilities are limitless with custom design, so you might want to do some research beforehand. Use platforms such as Instagram or Pinterest to discover shapes and styles which you think would be right.
By looking at these pictures I can get an indication of what you imagine as the perfect engagement ring. Obviously, for inspiration, I can show you rings that I have designed. Should it be a solitaire ring? Or is a halo engagement ring better? Or do you want something outside of the box?
Venture off the beaten paths and we will figure out something completely different. The array of choices is wide and together we will create a one-of-a-kind ring based on your ideas.
If you want to be 100% confident about your choice, you can involve your significant other in the process. Designing a custom engagement ring can be fun together. Perhaps she can share ideas she added to her Pinterest account with you.
Step 2: Have a spending plan for your custom engagement ring
Having a price range in mind is essential to find the right custom engagement ring which will fit your budget. You will see that prices vary broadly as they are determined based on a lot of diverse factors, such as the size, the type of gemstone and the type of metal. Despite all the myths regarding how much you should be spending on an engagement ring, no rule is set in stone. Boil it down to a price that you are comfortable with. This will serve as a guide for the decisions going forward.
Would you like to discuss your ideas for a custom engagement ring? Contact me. I would be happy to offer suggestions and give you a quote.
Step 3: Choose the stone of the engagement ring
Once you have decided on the style and your budget, it’s time to think about the stone(s). What kind of stone would you like to see in the ring? Diamond or perhaps a coloured gemstone? How many do you want? Where? What size? What colour?
Of course, diamond is still the most popular option. But other gemstones are also gaining popularity.
If it’s a diamond, you have an important decision to make. Are you going for a conventional, mined diamond? Or will you put a twist on tradition and select the alternative, a lab-grown diamond?
Natural diamonds – clean origin, clean ethics with Canadamark Canadian diamonds.
Natural diamonds come from very deep underground. They are actually formed in the mantle of the Earth. Diamonds are a product of heat, time and pressure. Unquestionably it takes a long journey before a diamond finds its new owner – your loved one.
Hard-working miners extract it from the ground. You might think that most of the diamonds originate from Africa, but Canada also possesses territories rich in this precious stone. In just about 5 years Canada has doubled the amount of extracted carats of diamonds and reached 23 million carats in 2018. (source: British Geological Survey, World mineral Production 2014-18). Our mines are situated in the northwest of the country and are guaranteed to be conflict-free. Diamonds are tracked and protected with the trademark “Canadamark”. I believe it’s a very important aspect to mention, as discussion revolves very often around the environmental and humanitarian toll of the extraction. Since consumers are after ethical, transparent jewellery, I suggest my clients choose “Canadamark” which will eliminate any concern. Canadamark diamonds offer the best proof of Canadian origin.
Lab-grown diamonds
With a lab-grown diamond, you instantly buy a non-conflict diamond. You are buying a diamond which was made in a laboratory. It is chemically and structurally identical to the ones which are mined from the earth. With the naked eye, you hardly see any difference as it takes very specialized laboratory equipment to detect that. Many consumers are also drawn to this version of diamond due to its lower price.
Other gemstones
Besides diamond, you might consider other gemstones as well. Moissanite is a man-made material that looks like a diamond and even though it is not quite as hard, it is still very suitable for everyday wear. Sapphire is an extremely popular gem and is among the hardest natural non-diamond gems. Rubies are also very precious stones and popular for engagement rings. Just like sapphire they can be a perfect diamond substitute thanks to their hardness. Sapphires and rubies are the same minerals: corundum. Sapphires come in all colours but red. Red is called ”ruby”.
Step 4: Creating the computer-generated model of your custom engagement ring
After a gemstone is selected, we start creating a computer-generated model or a sketch that demonstrates what the design would look like. With the help of our state-of-the-art computer software, we produce a picture of the ring. The program will render it perfectly, from all angles. In some cases, we might consider sketching if within the confines of the software a picture cannot be produced.
Step 5: Preparing the 3D Model of your custom engagement ring
Once you approve the computer-generated model, the next step of the process is to create a 3D model of your ring. Before this step, it is advised to meet personally to check the ring size carefully.
This is essential as the 3D model is of the actual size of the ring. Within 1 or 2 weeks the model is ready and you will have the opportunity to try it on and get a sense of it. There are no stones in the model, they are not built-in yet.
At this point, it is possible to make tweaks to the design. This is where we differ from many online design services. Being able to speak directly with your ring designer is a huge asset.
Step 6: Making of your custom engagement ring
Two weeks after seeing the model, we arrive at the best part of the process. You hold the actual engagement ring in your hand which has been personalized and designed to your specifications.
The project of making a custom engagement ring takes about 4 weeks to complete and in the end, you have a piece of jewellery that is 100% unique.
Proposing means you embark on a new and exciting chapter of your lives together. Popping the question is a big undertaking, but you can give a memorable experience to your partner with a ring design that has more meaning in your journey together. A custom engagement ring can be a special part of your story.
Generic is not relevant anymore. We have an underlying desire for a unique and targeted experience.
Proposing to your loved one is a special moment that both of you will remember forever. You make a lifelong commitment to each other. I’m sure you would agree that such an exceptional occasion is also worth providing a tailor-made experience. Make your loved one feel special by giving a custom engagement ring. Add your own touch to this precious piece of jewellery and let it reflect the uniqueness of your relationship and love.
This 6-step guide should take you through the smooth process of creating the perfect custom engagement ring that your partner will gladly wear every day for the rest of their life.