During the time when my boyfriend and I were preparing to get engaged, I was always dropping hints to my boyfriend to see what style of ring he had in store for me, and I was curious about what kind of ring I would be wearing in the future. I wanted it to be different. Because I’m a perfectionist, I get angry if one aspect of it doesn’t fit. So I looked at many jewellery shops to find a heart shaped ring, but I didn’t find anything satisfactory. Because some hearts are square, some blend in with the ring and don’t stand out at all, and some styles look like tears, I had a great idea for a ring I wanted to design myself.
I told my boyfriend what I had in mind, but what to design depended on what our budget was. So we finally decided that I was free to make the design and then we would talk together about how to make it happen and in the end, I got the ring of my dreams. If you have the same needs as me, I think I can give you some guidance.
I. Selection of gemstones
This is the first step as the shape of the ring is determined by the gemstone. Firstly, you need to know some basics. Gemstones are graded on the Mohs hardness scale, this is to tell you how strong the stone is in terms of resistance to scratches, cracks, etc. I would recommend that you just keep the hardness on a scale of 8 to 10. For example, a topaz would be a grade 8 gemstone and a diamond would be a grade 10 gemstone. I think diamond is too expensive due to over-marketing, but I still tend to use it because it has a higher hardness rating and is somehow “timeless”.
However, it is up to you to decide whether you want a diamond, a beautiful gemstone of another variety, or a gemstone with a higher density, just make sure that it has a hardness rating of 8 to 10.
II. Ways to get gems
After deciding on the colour or type of gemstone, we need to find it. You can get gemstones through jewellers or gemstone exhibitions or online browsing. However, you need to be aware that once a gemstone is set on a ring, its size will become bigger, so you need to keep an eye on whether the gemstone is the size you want and whether it matches your ring.
After you’ve found the stone of your choice, you’ll also need a gemstone artisan who can cut the stone into any shape and size you want. The craftsman I originally found was so skilled that he shaped my triangular shaped gemstone into a perfect heart shape by making a notch cut in only one of the flat surfaces of the stone. My jeweller said the cut made the stone look much more beautiful than before.
III. Selection of metal
After selecting and cutting the gemstone, we have to choose the metal. The metals available are white gold, platinum, yellow gold, rose gold, etc. You can go online and search for pictures of the style of your chosen gemstone with different metals. I would recommend choosing 14 to 18 carat gold as my ring is 18 carat gold and I feel very happy with it.
IV. Selection of jeweller
It helps to make notes as you go through the process of choosing a jeweller, such as the name and address of each jewellery shop, your ideas and budget. I initially wanted to find a jeweller who could do custom designs and fit my budget. For this, I went to more than ten shops and finally, I chose Oscar because he is a kind person and his shop has many pneumatic engraver specially for ring engraving, during my conversation with him, I learnt that the engraving tools in the shop are from katway. my choice proved to be not wrong and I got a beautiful one-of-a-kind ring in return. So when you are making your choice, make sure you are working with someone who is patient, can listen to you and can show you their work, that is the best person to work with.
V. Setting
Setting is a crucial step in the whole process. It can be as simple as setting stones, or you can set scrolls and hearts. I personally prefer fancy inlay, but it is more expensive. This is because some parts of it have to be hand carved. You can choose to have your stones set in an already completed setting piece, which is less risky to make. If you want a lot of diamonds on the band, hand engraving is recommended, which will give the band more dimension, and since this type of band reflects more light than a solid gold ring, it may be more cost-effective than a straight diamond setting.