How a custom engagement ring is made

A lot of people think custom means arriving with a finished design. Most don't, and that's normal. Some clients bring a sketch or a photo; just as many bring only a rough sense of what they like. Either way, it starts with a conversation in person about what you're after and what suits your budget.

At the consultation we talk through the stone, the metal and how the stone will be held. A claw setting holds it with small prongs and lets in the most light. A bezel wraps it in a rim of metal, which suits an active hand. A channel sets a row of stones between two walls of metal, often along a band.

You get a quote at that first visit. Once you're happy to go ahead, we begin your order. Within 7 business days you see the design rendered in CAD, and you approve it before anything is cast. Making takes 3 to 6 weeks from the approved design, at our bench in Matraville.

If you already have a stone or gold you'd like used, such as a family piece or an old ring, it can usually be worked into the new design.