How to Design your Vintage Diamond Ring

The idea behind our vintage diamond collection is that you can design a ring that is truly unique.

You start by choosing the vintage diamond for you. There is only one like it in the world, full of individuality and personality. We will then take that age-old stone and make it into the perfect contemporary engagement ring for you. Thus, creating a fusion of old and new.

The prices on the website are based on that very diamond set on a sandcast 18ct yellow gold 2mm band. So it would look something like this, but with your chosen stone:

That might be just the ticket for you. And if so, wonderful! It's a simple and timeless design. As with all our sandcast rings, you can personalise it by choosing your own beach sand from our list. Or by sending us your own. The beach sand creates the texture you see in the gold, which pairs beautifully with the organic nature of the vintage diamonds.
But maybe you would like something a little different. The options are fairly endless. In a nutshell, we can set the diamond you choose into anything you would like. So, if you have a design in mind, do get in touch.

How to design a vintage diamond engagement ring?

Because everything we make is made to order, we can make little changes to our existing designs or work with you to create something completely new. We aren't in the buisness of pushing your budget, what's important to us is that the finished piece is just right for you.

When it comes to dreaming up the perfect ring, breaking down the elements of the design can help. Think about:

Style - A sense of the feeling you would like from the ring. By being here, we presume you're looking for a ring with an organic nature and sense of craftsmanship. Do you lean more towards understated elegance, or washed up from the seabed? We always recommend having a look through our Commissions Gallery for inspiration. 

Metal colour - Gold typically falls into three colours: yellow, rose or white. But each carat is a different tone as well, you can compare the colours of gold here.

Width of the band - Do you envision a dainty ring or a chunkier piece with more substance?

Stone Setting - Do you favour the traditional claw, or prefer an alternative setting, such a bezel or flush setting?

Number of stones - From classic solitaire to sparkly cluster rings, the world is your oyster. Accent stones can provide pops of colour and additional sparkle. They can be set in the band or included in the setting design. 

Level of sandcast texture - Do you prefer a subtle sandy texture or the more rugged extra texture?

Once you have some answers to these pointers, we can get to work on quoting and making the perfect engagement ring for you. Fear not, we don't expect you to come up with it all on your own. You're most welcome to book a video call, or visit the workshop where you can see the stones in person, our jewellery collection. 

For your inspiration...

Please note that the rings below show a mix of vintage and modern diamonds. They are featured as sources of inspiration for you.

A stunning old cut diamond with Montana sapphire accent stones flush set either side	Mix different size stones and settings for a more organic take on a cluster ring	Diamonds can be set into the texture to look as if they have grown from the gold ring
A tapering band further emphasises this cushion shaped vintage diamond	This vintage diamond was set deep into a chunky band	A dainty yet extra textured sandcast band
Oval stones can be set at interesting angles and combined with smaller stones	Vintage diamonds set in a cluster that drew inspiration from a posie of flowers	Deep blue sapphires and diamonds bead set either side of a bezel set vintage diamond
Smaller tiny diamonds can be set into the band for added sparkle	A larger central stone can be flanked with two smaller stones	Bezel/Tube settings are a great alternative to claws
Some settings can be used to enhance an irregular shaped vintage diamond	The subtle wave on this ring gives it a lovely natural feel	Consider a different orientation for the claws and creative ways of sitting with the wedding band

 

We do hope this has been helpful to you. While it may all seem a little overwhelming, trust your instinct! See our current collection of vintage diamonds here. We can source both Mine Cut and Old European Cut diamonds in a variety of sizes. So, please don't hesitate to get in touch if you are looking for something particular. We're always happy to help.