Custom engagement rings are an ideal option if you’re looking for something that’s uniquely yours. When you create a custom engagement ring, you can tailor every last detail of your ring to perfectly suit you, from its design to its materials. This allows you to create the ring of your dreams, a ring that truly tells your unique love story as a couple. 

If you’re considering going custom for your engagement ring, read on to learn everything you need to know about creating a custom engagement ring. Below, we’ll share insider tips that will help you understand things like the custom creation timeline, your design options, how collaborating with a jeweler works, and more. 

1. Custom Pieces Take More Time 

If you want to create a custom engagement ring, one of the most important things to consider is your timeline. Creating a custom ring design takes longer than buying a pre-made engagement ring, since you’ll need time to design your ring, approve each step of the design process, and wait for your ring to be made. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months to create a custom engagement ring. So if you want a custom ring, be sure to start the design process early, well before your planned proposal date. 

2. Always Set Your Budget 

Always set your budget before you start the custom design process. Then, be sure to share your maximum budget with your jeweler before you begin collaborating on your ring. There are many things that can change the cost of a custom engagement ring, like your choice of precious metal, your gemstones, and the complexity of your design. If your jewelry designer knows your maximum spend amount before you start the ring design process, they can keep that in mind as they help you design your custom ring. 

3. Share Your Inspiration With Your Jeweler 

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Many people go custom because they already have a specific design in mind. If that’s the case for you, consider bringing your jeweler pictures of the things you want or a sketch of your ideas. 

Then, if you aren’t completely sure what you want for your custom design, take some time to do some research and get inspired. Look at pre-made engagement rings and save images of ones you like, making sure to note what you like about them (Pinterest is a great tool for this). Then, bring your inspiration board to your jeweler and start talking about what you love in your inspiration images. Your jeweler can help you discover what you prefer in an engagement ring (for example, solitaire prong settings over bezel ring settings, antique styles over modern styles, etc.) and use your preferences as a jumping off point for your custom design. 

4. Choose Your Precious Metal 

One of the best things about creating a custom engagement ring is being able to choose the exact materials you want. For example, for your precious metal, you can go with a traditional metal, like yellow gold, white gold, or platinum. Or, you can pick something a bit more unique, like rose gold, titanium, palladium, or mixed metal design. Before you head into your custom design appointment, consider all your precious metal options and see if there are any you’re particularly drawn to. 

5. Choose Your Center Stone and Side Stones

While white diamonds are the most traditional gemstone for an engagement ring, you have so many gemstone options you can choose from when you go custom. You could opt for a colored diamond, like a blue, pink, or yellow diamond. You could select a precious gemstone, like a blue sapphire, a ruby, or an emerald. Or, you can choose a semi-precious gemstone, like an aquamarine, an amethyst, or a citrine. Then, you can also choose to select many different types of gemstones or diamonds to create a highly detailed and unique look. When you create a custom-made engagement ring, the sky’s the limit! 

With so many center diamond and gemstone options, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with their different types, styles, colors, and shapes while you search for inspiration for your ring. If you know you want a white diamond ring, focus your time on looking at the different diamond shapes and understanding the 4Cs (diamond color, cut, clarity, and carat). If you think you want something a bit less traditional than a white diamond, spend some time learning about all your colored diamond and gemstone options. 

6. Enjoy the Process

Our last tip is simple but very important: remember to relax and enjoy the custom creation process. Creating your own engagement ring can sometimes be overwhelming, since there are so many options to choose from. But if you ever get stressed during the custom design process, just remember why you’re doing it. And if you still feel a bit overwhelmed by the process, ask your jeweler for guidance. Your jeweler is there to help guide you, answer any questions you may have, and make sure your custom creation experience is enjoyable and memorable. 

The Best Custom Engagement Rings in Freeport, IL 

If you’re considering creating a custom engagement ring, reach out to Frank Jewelers, the premier provider of custom engagement rings and wedding bands in Illinois. Creating bespoke engagement rings and other custom jewelry is a specialty of ours, and we love helping our customers bring their dream jewelry to life. 

Our Custom Engagement Ring Design Process 

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At Frank Jewelers, our custom design process begins with matching you with an artist who will help you design your one-of-a-kind piece. You’ll discuss your custom design ideas with your artist, who will then create a sketch of your perfect ring. Once your sketch is completed and approved by you, we’ll send it to our computer-aided design (CAD) department. Using our top-of-the-line CAD technology, our team will create a highly detailed 3D rendering of your custom engagement ring. You can make any necessary adjustments to this rendering and then, once it’s perfect, we’ll create a wax mold of your ring, which you can inspect and try on at our jewelry store. Once this wax mold is approved, we’ll move on to the final step: creating your dream ring out of your chosen precious metals and gemstones. 

Contact us to learn more about creating a custom engagement ring!