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You’ll never make a purchase quite so loaded with sentiment as your engagement ring. It carries a significance that few other things can. That’s why more and more people are turning to bespoke jewellers to commission their own custom made engagement rings. But if you’ve never had a piece of bespoke jewellery made before, the prospect can seem a little daunting.

The truth is, designing your own custom engagement ring is easier than you might think. But there are still a few things that you need to know before you get started.

Designing a Custom Engagement Ring: Five Things You Need to Know

1. Custom engagement rings need more time

This one is probably fairly obvious. But if you’re going to make a piece of jewellery from scratch, it’s going to take longer than if you were to purchase a ready-made ring from a high street jeweller. At Durham Rose, customer engagement ring creation typically takes 25 working days from the point of design sign-off by the client. But you also need to factor in the time that it’s likely to take for you to come up with a design that you’re happy with (with plenty of support from us!). And that can take between two and five days, depending on your ideas. And on the availability of the stones that you wish to be included in your design.

2. Your budget

Despite what a lot of people think, custom engagement rings aren’t, by default, expensive. In fact, it’s entirely possible to create a really beautiful bespoke engagement ring that won’t break the bank. A simple band with select gems, could cost as little as £500. But it’s important to remember that when you’re designing your own ring, it’s really easy to get carried away. So, start with a budget, and let your designer know your limits before you begin. That way, we can help you to create the perfect design without putting you in penury!

3. Find the right jeweller

Every jeweller has their own way of working. There are those who offer a bespoke engagement ring design service, but expect to take your vague ideas and turn them into creations of their own imagining. And there are those, like Durham Rose, who directly involve you in the design process. With us, you can create your own sketches and we can refine them to ensure that they physically work once created. Or, we can talk you through your ideas, and working on a shared screen, we can shape your ring together. The idea is that we give you the control to make the ring that you want made. And with photo realistic 3D renders, you can see exactly what your ring will look like long before it goes into production.

4. Understand your intended’s tastes

Custom engagement rings come from a place of love. The fact that your thoughts have gone into the design is what makes it truly special. But when you’re designing, it’s really important to remember that you will not be wearing the ring. So, whether it’s big and blousy, or subtle and understated, you really need to consider your partner’s tastes and preferred jewellery style before starting work on the design. Knowing their ring size is helpful too. While we do offer a free resizing service on all custom rings, it’s not always possible to change a ring size without impacting upon the design.

5. Think about your preferred materials

From yellow gold to platinum, diamond to morganite, you have a wealth of choice when it comes to selecting the materials your custom engagement ring is made from. But it’s important to understand that your choice of materials will not only impact your budget, but can have a baring on your ring design. When you’re working with softer gemstones, for example, it’s not always sensible to have a very large centre stone because it can be prone to damage. And while a lot of people still opt for white diamonds as the classic engagement ring stone, it’s worth considering how coloured stones might look – and whether your choice of stone complements your metal choice.

Designing a custom engagement ring is a wonderful thing to do. It’s romantic. It’s the best way to find *the* ring for your bride or groom to be. And if done well, it should be an enjoyable process for you, letting you create the ultimate sign of your affection in a way that will last. But it needs to be entered into with realistic expectations, particularly regarding time.

If you would like to talk to one of our experts about designing your own custom engagement ring, get in touch today.