Three Tips for Designing Your Custom Engagement Ring

More than 30 years of experience go into the custom jewelry design process here at Northeastern Fine Jewelers, and in that time, we’ve picked up a few tidbits of information that customers may not know about the process. While our lead designer, Mr. Hike Bagramian, is an expert at his trade, custom design isn’t magic—and it’s important to keep a few things in mind before coming in with a design that won’t be as amazing in a decade’s time.

For those who’ve ever been curious about having a custom engagement ring designed, these are three tips from NEFJ to you!

Stones Aren’t Made the Same

There’s a big reason why diamonds are traditionally the center stone for engagement rings. It’s not just because they’re beautiful—it’s because diamonds are the hardest substance in nature. A woman will have her engagement ring for decades, and the probability raises to 100 percent over the years that the ring will hit a hard surface. Diamonds, corundum gems (rubies and sapphires), and topaz are the only gems hard enough to survive long-term wear, with emerald and spinel sitting on the line between softness and hardness.

You may not want softer gems like opals, pearls, tanzanite, or peridot as a center stone for your custom ring. If your heart is set on using one of those gems, you may prefer them in a side-stone engagement ring or in a setting like a bezel or burnish that will protect them from excess harm.

Have Inspiration in Mind

This may not be an issue if your heart has been set on a custom engagement ring for a long time, but it’s important to be clear about each element that’s going to go into the piece. For example, if you’ve been inspired by the vintage style of the Art Deco period, you’ll want to do research into what made that period distinctive, such as use of platinum, milgrain beading, and geometric inspiration. If you aren’t clear about why you’re choosing three tiers for your halo engagement ring, you may end up thinking it’s too gaudy a decade from now.

It also doesn’t hurt to see what celebrities and fashionistas are wearing. It may help to clarify your thoughts on pear-cut diamonds, for example, when you see Anna Kournikova’s pink pear-cut engagement ring in pictures.

Consider the Bridal Set

So, you’ve got your ideas all put together for that ultra-unique tension-set Asscher-cut solitaire engagement ring. That’s exciting! But here’s an important question: If your dramatic engagement ring doesn’t fit with the demure, classical wedding band you’ve chosen, how are they going to look together? How is your rose gold engagement ring going to fit next to a yellow gold wedding band? If you aren’t planning to have an entire bridal set custom made with the same themes, you’ll want to shop in reverse. That is to say, make sure you know what your wedding band is going to look like, if it’s a designer piece, and how it’ll fit against your custom ring.

If you have more questions about the custom engagement ring process at your local jewelry store, don’t hesitate to contact Northeastern Fine Jewelers today at 1.518.372.3604! Alternatively, visit our showrooms in Schenectady, New York; Albany, New York; and Glens Falls, New York!