How to design or choose a ring from home

Looking to design the perfect ring? Here’s our starter guide on how to design or choose a ring from home.

Whilst visiting our workshop is great, choosing and designing a bespoke ring from home is absolutely possible. In fact, most of our customers do so, and we like to think we make the process just as fun and informative.

So, to get you started, we have put together this little guide that covers the elements we go through during a workshop visit. From the basics of choosing the right width of ring, to the details of including your own beach sand, wood or heirloom materials in the making process. We hope you find it helpful, and remember, we are only a call or e-mail away.

Where to start

It may seem a little overwhelming, but lots of these steps do come quite naturally. Especially in the 'basics' section. You may find you don't need to even contact us before simply placing an order online to your specifications. As all our rings are made to order, even if we haven't spoken to you, your ring will be being made especially for you. Begin by getting an idea of what you would like. We know this can be easier said than done; normally we would say visit a local jewellers or gallery where you can see and try a wide range of designs. But for most of us during the Pandemic, that isn't an option. So, do your best with mood boards, browse the web, Pinterest, our commissions page, independent gallery websites... Collect pictures of rings you like. Make notes of things you don't. Pick out common themes between your favourites. Once you have a rough idea of the style of ring you would like, things to think about are:

 

• Metal
• Profile
• Width
• Shape
• Stone/s
• Budget

The Basics

Metal

What's your favourite colour?

Different metals are different colours, weight and strength. We won't go into great detail in this post, but here are some guides: Almost all our rings can be made in any precious metal.

Silver is the most budget friendly precious metal. However, it is also the softest making it less durable. Gold comes in different carats and colours. The higher the carat, the heavier and also more expensive it is. Consider alternative metals, such as titanium. Titanium is super strong and super light weight. Because it's not considered a precious metal it's not as expensive. However, you may find yourself a little limited with design as it's such a difficult metal to work with due to its strength. Titanium is a great choice for our wood rings, as it offers the wood inlay maximum protection. Compare precious metals side by side here.

Profile

Comfort Profile

Flat Profile

Comfort Profile

 

Our rings fall mostly into two categories: Flat or Comfort. You may have seen variations and combinations of these profiles which we can certainly do if that is preferable to you.

Choosing the shape of your ring is based on look and feel.

A comfort profile can also be referred to as a court profile, it is curved inside and out. The rounded edges make the ring more comfortable to wear.

A flat profile ring is as the name suggests, flat inside and outside. It doesn't necessarily mean it's not comfortable, plenty of people choose this profile and there aren't any sharp corners.

If you like the look of a flat ring, but the feel of a comfort profile - just ask us for a flat-comfort ring.

Shape

Your ring can be any shape you like. From classic shapes such as straight or wishbone, to the more organic curves and varying widths of our sandcast rings. If you are fitting your ring around an engagement ring or another ring that you wear often, that may inspire the shape of the final design. There's really no rule book you have to stick to. And because all our rings are handmade from scratch, we can make all sorts!

 

Width

You may already have a preference for chunky or dainty jewellery. That is a good place to start. If trying a selection of rings on isn't an option, a good exercise can be done with paper. Cut a few strips of paper in different widths and see how they look on your hand. While it is very rudimentary it's actually quite effective!

 

 

Budget

When choosing a ring, it's good practice to have guide prices for the pieces that are catching your eye. If you have a set budget, mention it to the jeweller you are speaking to. We always strive to work within our customers budget and can often offer suggestions on variations to reduce cost. We'll never take a hard sell angle, it's not in our ethos. Ultimately we want you to end up with a ring that suits you, your lifestyle and your wallet. As a rule of thumb, the higher the carat of gold and the more intricate the design is, the more expensive your piece will be. There is no additional cost for using your own wood or beach sand. Using your own heirloom materials can reduce the cost, it completely depends on the design though.

 

Ring Size

Ring sizing is tricky. Most fingers change shape and fluctuate in size throughout the day and different temperatures. If you have a ring that fits - that is perfect! We can take the size from it. If you have never worn a ring and have no clue on your size, we'd recommend ordering a set of ring sizers online (sadly we don't have enough sets to send to everyone!). Choose a set that is made from a hard material, anything flexible won't give you an accurate size. Also try to choose sizers that are a similar width to the ring you would like. You can find more info on sizing here, and we are always happy to help over the phone.

The Details

This is where you can add extra personal details to make your ring that bit more special.

Unusual Personalisation - Beach Sand and Own Wood

 

Because our ring designs are cast in beach sand or inlaid with wood you can actually send us your own! It's a lovely way of adding a unique and personal touch.

Have you been holding on to a chunk of the cherry tree from your childhood home? Here's your chance to use it! Or perhaps your partner proposed to you on a beach? Your ring could be cast in that very sand (from that very day if you're super organised!).

The lovely thing about sandcasting is that at a glance your ring may look like a simple band; however, when you look closely, you can make out the subtle texture and the odd specks of sand captured on the surface of the gold.

We do have an extensive collections of both wood and sand at the workshop that you can choose from. Simply add a note to your order at checkout, or get in touch. We're always happy to help and there is no additional charge.

 

Stones

Stones are a great way of adding a bit of sparkle or a pop of colour to your ring.

They can also be very symbolic, such as adding birthstones to represent loved ones. This is a lovely touch if you have kids, as a way of including them in your design.

Stones can be added to your ring design is a variety of styles, from a simple flush setting to a full eternity ring. Other options include a starry scatter of stones around the ring or little bead set diamonds in the crevices of a textured band.

 

Engravings

An engraving is a great way of personalising a ring. From classic dates and names to more intricate laser engraving. We have laser engraved fingerprints, doodles, contact details, parts of the coastline, elvish, ... you name it! We can probably have it engraved in your ring. All we need is a clear monochrome picture. Alternatively, get in touch with your idea and we can help you with the design, going so far as to create bespoke hand drawn imagery.

 

 

Using Own Heirloom Metal

Nothing adds sentimental value like using your own materials. If you have heirloom gold, we would be happy to cast your ring from it. Additionally, this extends to including heirloom diamonds or gemstones in your piece. We also have a whole journal entry dedicated to using your own gold here.

 

 

Inspiration

We are always adding new projects to our commissions gallery; And it's a great place to browse for ideas and inspiration for your design! We're always happy to chat through any ideas you have and answer any questions (there really aren't any silly ones!). Just get in touch, and we can guide you through how to choose or design a bespoke ring from home.