It's no secret; the way people shop for engagement rings is evolving. Custom-made design caters directly to this new wave of wildly creative individuals who are bent on inventing themselves. Thanks to softwares like 3D CAD designs and 3D printing, it is now possible for anyone to create unique jewellery pieces that reflect their style and personality while solidifying their creative freedom.
These days, everyone wants a customised engagement or wedding ring because anything less feels impersonal. You've got a boundless imagination. It's time you found the custom-design to match it.
Let's talk possibilities.
The Metal
While platinum is the preferred choice for admirers of white metals, an alternative to platinum is 18ct white gold. For those wanting a bit of colour, 18ct gold comes in rich yellow and blushy rose hues.
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Mixing and matching metals is fast becoming a trend, allowing a further creativity and customisation. For example, if you are featuring pink sapphires or diamonds in your design, set these stones in rose gold--its blushy tones enhance the pink shades of the stone.
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Metal finishes can add a personal touch to your design with each finish achieving an entirely unique look. From reflective and shiny to textured and unpolished, here's a glimpse of how all the finishes look:
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Diamond and Gemstone Shapes
There's everything from one big centre stone, to using a variety of shapes to create a beautifully chaotic cluster or pristinely arranged halo.
Antique Cut Diamonds
Before diamond cutting machinery emerged in the early 20th century, diamonds were often cut by hand, using techniques that are not used so frequently today. While diamonds cut in these ways often emit less brilliance than modern cuts, they do exude a more subtle and romantic glow.
Rose cut diamonds are considered to be one of the original diamond cuts. This diamond cut features anywhere from 3 to 24 triangular facets, and it peaks into a dome shape--resembling the soft curve of a rose petal.
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Old European cut diamonds have a high crown, small table and a large, flat culet with a circular girdle. With 58 facets, it is the predecessor of today's modern round brilliant cut.
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Old mine cut diamonds are similar to the Old European cuts. They have a square shaped girdle with gently rounded corners, a high crown and a small table with a flat, large culet. They are similar to a modern day cushion cut.
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Now that you have found your perfect centre gemstone, why not add side stones to complement it? Rectangular, triangular or curved, accent gemstones vary in shapes and colours and are a perfect way to add another unique dimension to your ring design.
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The Setting Style
Claw setting
A classic style, the claw setting features small pieces of metal that holds gemstones in place from underneath by gripping around them in three, four, five, or six places. The more claws, the more secure; however, more claws also mean less light around the gemstone, making it slightly less visible.
Cathedral setting
The centre stone of the ring is elevated to dramatic heights, allowing maximum light to flow around and through it, resulting in breathtaking brilliance.
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Bezel setting
A contemporary favourite for those who are active on a daily basis, bezel settings offer a more secure grip on centre gemstones and protect against accidental damage, by encasing the stone seamlessly within a piece of metal.
Tension setting
This setting holds the centre stone in place simply with pressure. Small grooves in the metal allow the girdle of the stone to sit in the ring with the right amount of pressure applied to secure it.
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Tulip
A tulip setting is similar to a cathedral setting, however the claws are shaped to resemble flower petals.
Crown
A crown setting is a claw setting for a gemstone that in profile looks like a crown. This setting is very secure as it typically uses six or more claws.
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No Rails
A ring with no rails is essentially a cathedral setting where the side profile looks as if the stone is nestled closely into the claws, giving the illusion of a floating centre stone.
Design Finishes
Filigree
Inspired by delicate lace, filigree features beautifully intricate hand-carved shapes and designs in the collet and along the band. Its ever-present popularity makes it timeless.
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Hand and inscription engraving
A hand engraved engagement ring merges your own personal style with vintage trends. Hand engraving can achieve a variety of results from organic or floral designs to geometric patterns or text. You can even have your own heartbeat engraved.
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Gemstone set on the inside
If an inscription alone isn't enough, set a small gemstone or diamond on the inside of your band--perhaps in your soulmate's favourite colour or use their birthstone.
Milgrain
Typically featured along the edges of a ring design, milgrain acts as a textured frame, highlighting the beauty of the gemstone or diamond at its centre.
Organic-inspired
Еverything from floral inspired halos, textured vines and leaves to dragons, lobsters and whales; if it exists in the natural world, it can be immortalised on your finger.
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When it comes to capturing your unparalleled love story, the possibilities really are endless. Break out of industry stereotypes. You've not only outgrown them, you never quite fit into them in the first place. You're one of a kind. Your ring should be, too.