Designing your own engagement ring?

[ShirleyPhallus]

I got engaged last weekend :) And DP got me a holding ring so we could design one together. However, I’m not absolutely sure where to start

We have visited some designers and I’ve got a selection of pics of rings I like, but how do you actually pick the designer? How can you know what the finished ring is actually going to look like?

Any success / horror stories?

We did this because I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for I sound like a right princess but it was easy because we lived in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham.

I knew what I wanted, went to this place here which is owned by a jewellery maker. He drew it up on the computer in front of me with us making comments as he did it. Then when it looked right, he made up a mock in wax. Then he sourced the jewels according to our budget and specifications. Put it all together into my perfect ring. I highly highly recommend it.

I did this, but it was easy enough because I wanted a style that was popular at the time but with a coloured stone which weren't particularly common in engagement rings at the time. So I was pretty confident what it would look like. I think I knew it would be the band from ring A, setting from ring B, stones like ring C etc. Didn't actually see a mock up but as I say I wasn't looking for anything too unusual.

Oh and I went to a local independent wholesaler who has been around forever, well known in this city. Turned out MIL has a couple of things from them that have lasted forever, but we didn't know that at the time.

Thanks both, that’s really helpful. I love the idea of it being mocked up in wax!

Hello! We also created our wedding rings with a jeweler who looked great on us in combination with a wedding dress and a tuxedo in wedding films weddingvideocalifornia.com/ for me with selected diamonds, for my husband it is smooth. It is better to choose things that can be reduced or increased; your fingers change slightly with age

@MonsteraCheeseplant can’t ask was it an expensive process designing your own? I’m wanting to do that for my wedding ring and wondering if I should book a trip to Birmingham!

I made our wedding rings with a jeweller in her studio - used the 'lost wax' technique where you carve the ring in wax and it's then used to make a mould and cast in gold. It was a really nice way to spend an afternoon and our rings are completely unique. Wasn't at all an expensive way to do it either.

The jeweller we worked with could have done a commission with stones set etc too.

@Hugoshome It's as expensive as the stones you choose I think. There was no extra fee for designing and making the ring so I guess they took their commission on the cost of materials.

I did mine at Brilliant Earth (online) and found the experience seamless. The eventual ring looked exactly like the online pictures and shipping was pretty fast from the US. They have laboratory diamonds which are cheaper and also for me more ethical, but also mined diamonds and many other gemstones. You can design pretty much any ring you would like, choosing a stone of any shape, quality, size, colour etc and they then have a wide selection of bands in different metals. Pricing is transparent with each stone labelled with the price and each band too. I couldn't fault it, the only thing I would say is that it would be worth doing a bit of research into things like stone clarity and quality classifications as it would make choosing the stone easier.

Had mine designed and made by Tom at Harriet Kelshall - beautiful hand drawings I could see exactly what it would be like, we pick the stone from a selection.
I could try on different shaped bands, different widths and different metals.