ENGAGEMENT RINGS – SIFTING THROUGH THE CLUTTER

The term ‘different strokes for different folks’ can be applied to most things in life, among these is the option of going with custom made as opposed to mass produced ready-made luxury items such as jewellery and clothing.

Personally – there is no bigger appeal than knowing that the item in question is designed and created specifically for me, taking into account my own unique style and preference as well as my budget and of course being perfectly fitted rather than adjusted as best as possible after purchase.

When it comes to the really important purchases in life, I can think of few that have more significance to a woman than an engagement ring and a wedding dress.

Yes, it may be a lot less scary to just hop along to your nearest reputable jewellery store or bridal boutique and find the ‘perfect’ ring or dress, and if the proverbial ‘shoe fits’ – then you just buy it.

To me, however, the selection process of the ring is as much a part of the proposal as the proposal itself and the process of designing and making your dream dress as much a part of your wedding day as the day itself.

In the same way, I’d rather have my husband-to-be propose to me in a way that is beautiful, relevant and specific to us and our relationship, than have him search on Youtube for the best wedding proposal ideas and re-enact one of those. And I’d rather go through the selection process, choosing my perfect decor, my perfect bouquet and my perfect venue than summing up the gist of what I want and allowing someone else to choose it for me and plan my wedding – but that’s just me.

That being said the process of designing your very own and very personal ring is a beautiful one indeed, as is the process of choosing your very own unique dress made perfectly according to your style as well as your body. The rest of this article will focus a little more on the engagement ring designing process.

When selecting an engagement ring, you’ll always need to begin somewhere. You may have one particular style in mind that really appeals to you, or you may have a hundred - and that’s fine.

Choose a skilled and experienced jewellery designer who focuses on custom made pieces. They will help you to sift through all the chaos and figure out what it is about each particular ring that you really love, and work to combine these elements together into your very own masterpiece.

The diamond selection process is as important as, if not more important than, selecting the style of ring. Remember, you may or may not want to remodel your ring in years to come as trends do change, but you’ll more than likely keep your original engagement diamond/s. Your jeweller will help you to understand more about the four C’s (Cut, Colour, Clarity & Carat Weight).

Once you have decided on a style and selected your diamond/s, a life size sketch (or sketches where different options still apply) will be done, and when you’re happy with these you’ll give the go ahead for the goldsmith to begin crafting your most treasured piece of jewellery – made just for you!