Bespoke engagement ring guide

Getting bespoke jewellery, something that’s utterly unique, for your partner is incredibly special.  It says you know what somebody really likes and being the one to make that happen is a great feeling.

With an engagement ring, there’s an opportunity to really put your stamp on something that will last a lifetime. You can choose the stones, the composition, the metal, add an engraving, and even learn where the materials have come from.

We guide you through every step using our tailored experience, our technical skills, and technology, in order to help bring your idea to life.

Gemstones

Most engagement rings include a gemstone, usually a diamond, but they don’t have to.  Often, the gemstone will be the most valuable part of the ring, so the first step of this process will be deciding whether your ring’s design will include a gemstone, several gemstones, or none at all.

The next consideration will be whether you will opt to use a diamond or another gemstone? Diamonds are the most popular choice, as their hardness makes them the ideal choice for a ring that will be worn every day. However, there are other options that we can happily discuss with you.

Diamonds

When we evaluate diamonds we use criteria that have become known as the 4Cs:  cut, colour, carat and clarity. 

The 4 Cs

Carat - This refers to the size of the diamond and is a measurement of weight.  1ct is ⅕ of a gram or is made up of 100 points. So, if you hear somebody talking about a stone that is 55points, they’re talking about a stone that is just over half a carat.

Colour - Diamonds are given a grade depending on how white they are.  This scale goes from D to Z and goes from white or colourless to yellow.  The more white a diamond is the more desirable and expensive it is.

Clarity - This is the measure of how many natural inclusions a diamond has.  The fewer inclusions a stone has the better it will handle light and sparkle.  The highest grade a diamond can recieve is F, flawless and the scale goes down to I3.

Cut - The cut is really 2 C’s in one as it not only describes the shape of the diamond but also how accurately the diamond is cut.  The quality of the cut is probably the most important factor in determining the sparkle of the stone.

Coloured gemstones

There are many coloured gemstones out there in some amazing hues and tones that serve as an excellent alternative to diamonds.  As previously mentioned, diamonds are favoured because they are so hard and won’t suffer from daily wear. They measure a 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness, with the next hardest mineral on the scale being corundum.  Sapphires and rubies are both forms of corundum. However, it is important to note that this scale is only a measure of relative hardness.  In reality, a diamond is 4 times as hard as corundum.

What this means in practice is that over time any gemstone other than diamond will show signs of wear.  This is most visible as the edges of the individual facets become worn down.  One of the photographs below shows a blue topaz, which measures an 8 on the scale, after it has been worn frequently in a ring for three years.

With all this being said, it is entirely possible to have a coloured gemstone as the central stone in your engagement ring.  All gemstones can be recut and polished when they wear down. You just need to be aware that these rings need extra care.

The GIA recommends keeping emeralds away from ultrasonic cleaners and maintaining them with extreme care.

Solitaire Engagement ring

If you’re going for a ring with a single stone, this is known as a solitaire.  Designing a bespoke solitaire ring has four parts to it: you need to select a stone, a setting style, the shank style, and what metal the ring is going to be made out of.

You may think, how many setting styles can there be? But you’d be surprised

The setting style depends a lot on the stone you choose and what shape or ‘cut’ that stone is. There are two main setting style for solitaire engagement rings: a claw setting or a rub-over setting. 

Halo engagement rings

A halo engagement ring has a central stone that is surrounded by smaller stones in what has come to be known as a ‘halo’.  Gemstones of all types, cuts, and sizes can be made into a halo ring, and there are a couple of different ways in which these stones can be set.

You can also choose how many rows of diamonds you have encircling the central stone. For instance, a double halo ring has two rows of diamonds around the central stone. For a full list of the different halo styles, click here

3 Stone engagement ring

As the name implies, a three stone engagement ring has three gemstones, and is also sometimes referred to as a trilogy ring.  This type of engagement ring can have a mixture of gemstones, for instance, a ruby with a diamond on either side or all gemstones might be the same.

The stone can be a mixture of cuts or they can be all the same shape.  Pear cut, round brilliant and baguette-cut diamonds are all popular choices for side stones.

Engagement ring settings

Claw settings   

Though there are just two main types of settings, the actual design of the setting can be unique.

Below are some examples of claw settings, where individual metal claws, sometimes also known as prongs hold the stone(s) in place. Different cuts and sizes of stones will require a different number of claws. Round brilliant-cut diamonds can have as few as four, or as many as eight. Marquise cut stones can sometimes have just two and pear cut diamonds will almost always have three.

Rubover setting

A rubover setting is where there is metal all the way around the stone.  These types of setting are very secure and contrary to popular belief, they do not stop more light from entering the stone.

Diamonds reflect light that enters them from the top in a ‘hall of mirrors’ type of effect; they do not absorb it from underneath, so having a setting that encompasses the whole stone does not affect the sparkle of the stone.

Neither setting is objectively better and its a matter of personal preference as to which one you go for.

The stone

Diamonds are the most popular gemstone used in engagement rings and there are some solid, practical reasons for this.  Diamonds are hard, the hardest mineral on earth and this means you can wear them every day without fear of them scratching or wearing down.

You can read our full diamond buying guide here, but, in short, you need to set a budget and get the best combination of colour, clarity, size, and cut that you can.

There are many different shapes of diamond and this is known as the cut. Below are some examples.  Round diamonds are the most popular, we specialise in pear cut diamonds, but it all comes down to personal choice, there is no right or wrong choice.

If you are not going for a diamond, then bear in mind the fact that an engagement ring will likely be worn every day and, thus, a softer gemstone might not be suitable.  Emeralds are generally considered too fragile to be worn every day, however sapphires and rubies are fine.

Choosing a coloured gemstone for an engagement ring is a similar process to choosing a diamond.  The jeweller will help you to get a stone with the best colour, clarity, cut, and carat for your ring.

If you are interested in the coloured gemstones that are available, you can learn more about them in our gemstones section.

The metal

Engagement rings are generally made out of either gold, (white, yellow or rose) or platinum.  There are some practical differences between the metals as well as how they look and how much they cost.

Platinum and white gold engagement rings

Platinum has traditionally been more expensive than gold, though at current prices there is little to no difference.  Platinum is a denser metal than gold and it has a darker silver-coloured finish than white gold. White gold is often plated with rhodium and as with any plating this can wear off over time, a problem you don’t have with platinum.

Yellow gold engagement rings

Yellow gold has a rich gold colour and its on-trend in the jewellery world right now.  Traditionally diamonds have been set in white metals such as white gold or platinum because it makes them appear whiter however that convention is being abandoned more frequently in favour of all gold settings.

18ct yellow gold is the most popular choice for engagement rings, as it offers a rich gold colour and the durability needed for an item of jewellery that will be worn every day.

Rose gold engagement rings

Rose gold is gold that is mixed with a small amount of copper to give it a warmer red look and it has been a popular choice over the last ten years.

Fairtrade goldengagement rings

You can now get gold in all three colours that has been mined from small scale mines which are certified by the Fairtrade foundation. Mines that are certified as Fairtrade meet high standards for environmental standards, health and safety and workers rights.  Commissioning a bespoke engagement ring made from Fairtrade gold helps small mining communities in South America and Africa and is an environmentally-friendly choice. You can learn more about Fairtrade gold here.

The Shank

The shank is the part of the ring that goes around the finger and there are a number of different styles and combinations to consider.  How wide will the shank be? Does it taper? Does it include diamonds?

During the process of designing a bespoke ring, the jeweller should be able to give you an idea of how these different elements will look.

In our design process, we use a mixture of hand drawing and jewellery rendering techniques as well as CAD technology to bring to life your ideas before hand making the ring.

Diamond set shank engagement rings

Sometimes an engagement ring design will have a shank that is set with diamonds.  These are often referred to as ‘diamond set shoulders and the stones that go in them as ‘shoulder stones’.  These stones are almost always round brilliant cuts though baguettes and princess cut diamonds can also be used.  There are a few different ways that these stones can be set and this, as well as how they are arranged on the shank depends on the engagement ring design.

If a ring has diamond set shoulders the material and manufacturing costs will be higher than if the shank is plain meaning that less of your budget can be allocated to the central stone(s). 

How to get a ring size right

There is no sure-fire way to get somebody’s ring size right without outright asking them or someone who knows their ring size (like a sister or BFF) however you can narrow it down.

Most women will be somewhere between a size I and P.