A Guide to Designing Custom Engagement Rings

When you plan to propose, designing a custom engagement ring is a surefire way to ensure your partner is a step closer to saying 'yes.' 

This straightforward guide will teach you fundamental information about custom engagement rings, including how to choose a diamond for a custom ring. 

Create Your Own Engagement Ring

Why Choose a Custom Engagement Ring

Creating a custom engagement ring is an excellent choice for several reasons. It first guarantees that the ring is genuinely one-of-a-kind and customized to your partner's preferences, adding to its specialness and significance. 

You can include components, such as an engraving, a custom setting, or a specific setting like a halo setting, a particular gemstone – even a custom cut diamond, that holds special meaning for you and your partner. Additionally, you will have total control over the materials and quality for your price range, so you can choose the right metal and gemstones that complement your partner's aesthetic and beliefs. 

What to Consider When Customizing an Engagement Ring? 

Working with our custom jewelry design team is the best way to ensure the custom ring you order is the one you want.

Here’s a quick overview of what that process looks like.

Step 1: Share Your Vision

You don’t have to be an artist or even submit a sketch to us showing what you want. You can simply provide us with pictures of different engagement rings you like. We’ll ask you what you like and what you don’t like about each design to better understand your vision.

From there, our custom jewelry design department will help you determine which design features complement each other and which will work well together in a ring. 

Step 2: Prototyping

Then, we create a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) of the ring so you can see the prototype from several different vantage points. 

For instance, let’s say that you like the concept of a three-stone ring. But, once you see this in a prototype, you decide three stones might be a bit too large on your finger. 

Then, you might also decide you want to add smaller accent diamonds to set down the ring's band. 

These are just a few examples of what you can customize during this phase.

Step 3: We Start Creating the Perfect Ring for You

Based on your feedback on these prototypes, we can customize your design until it’s exactly what you want. 

We use CAD model renderings so you can see what your final creation will look like. Based on this rendering and your feedback, we make modifications and adjustments to the design.

Once you sign off on the design, production begins.

Based on the approved CAD model rendering, we create a wax model of your ring. The wax model is milled using state-of-the-art computer-aided milling equipment. Next, we clean it by hand. 

Then, our skilled design team cast and finish your custom engagement ring to Brian’s exact standards.

Step 4: You Receive Your Ring

Now for the best part: we deliver your ring to you – just in time for the proposal you have planned!

Watch this video next to see more about the custom jewelry design process.

What Is the Best Way to Select a Diamond for a Custom Ring?

We will gladly help you select the best diamonds for your custom ring. Alternatively, you can search Brian Gavin Diamonds' inventory for a center stone that meets your selection criteria. You can even use our matched diamonds search feature to see matching accent diamonds.

Here are some of the other factors to consider when you’re choosing a diamond.

Style

Is your love a modern beauty, an antique lover, or more of the classic type? If you know your partner’s style – and you probably do – you will be able to design a stunning ring to put on their finger. 

Those who love everything modern may prefer a solitaire princess cut, while those attracted to vintage esthetics may swoon over a square stone with pave side stones instead.

Size

Have you ever considered the shape and size of your spouse-to-be's hand when creating a custom engagement ring? The wonderful thing about designing your ring is ensuring it fits perfectly, including the band and the stone. 

For example, if they have wide or short fingers, opt for a medium-sized ring with a large stone. A marquise or emerald shape will look best on a longer, slender finger.

Color

Many people opt for the white gold band, but others prefer something that stands out from the crowd. 

In this case, consider a rose gold band perfect for a vintage-style engagement ring. A rose gold engagement ring is elegant and unique, while white gold is absolutely stunning and can please just about anyone. 

Yellow gold is another option, and it looks beautiful with a solitaire diamond.

You might also consider a fancy colored diamond or another colored stone if your spouse-to-be likes to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Emerald and ruby are great options for a one-of-a-kind ring.

Understanding the 4Cs (+ the 5th C) When Customizing an Engagement Ring

At Brian Gavin Diamonds, we use a fifth C in addition to the 4Cs (a worldwide standard for assessing a diamond's quality). With this fifth C of diamonds, we take into account cut shape, color, clarity, carat weight, and cut performance.

The way a diamond is cut will affect its sparkle and radiance. That’s why we say the fifth C is cut/performance instead of only cut/shape. 

When a diamond is cut properly, it leads to maximum light performance. This is its brightness, sparkle, and scintillation. 

Brian Gavin Diamonds uses proprietary cuts on diamonds to maximize their light performance, giving you the most visually perfect result for your custom engagement ring. 

When Should You Start Designing Your Custom Engagement Ring?

Most custom engagement rings are ready within 15 days of getting your final approval. From start to finish, the entire process can take about four weeks.

Your best bet is to give yourself as much time as possible so you won’t have to worry about when your custom ring will arrive. 

How Much Does a Custom Engagement Ring Cost?

Your budget plays a role in the ring you design, but it’s important to know not all custom engagement rings cost more than pre-designed rings. They come in various price points, settings, shapes, and styles. 

Custom Lab Options

Don’t overlook lab-grown options when you start designing your custom ring! Lab diamonds are real and can be more affordable than a natural diamond of the same size. 

Rather than being mined from the earth like a natural diamond, they are created in a laboratory-controlled environment. The result is a brilliant laboratory grown diamond with the same chemical composition as the natural variety. 

We have a comprehensive guide on how to choose a lab-grown diamond engagement ring available for you to read next!

Design Your Custom Engagement Ring With Brian Gavin Diamonds

When you design your custom ring with Brian Gavin Diamonds, we’ll work with you and your engagement ring budget to create something incredible.

Custom designing an engagement ring is a meaningful gesture. For our part of the process, we go above and beyond to create a result that exceeds your expectations. 

Shop Brian Gavin Diamonds’ collection of engagement rings to get an idea of the custom design you might make. Then, contact us to bring your vision to life.

Create Your Own Engagement Ring