How to create the perfect engagement ring

Can’t find an engagement ring with unique sentimental value on the high street? If you are searching for the perfect ring or even if you have a stone to be set, using a bespoke service allows you to grab creative control of your engagement ring design.

Here’s our tips on how to do it right…

Do your homework

• Nobody knows her better than you so keep on your toes when it comes to gauging what she likes.
• Be observant by taking note of what colours she wears most, what her existing jewellery is like or what her favourite brands are.
• If she has a Pinterest board, take a look at what she is pinning and take inspiration for your design from there.
• Or if she takes a particular fancy to something she has seen in a shop window or magazine, take a picture or sketch to keep in mind when designing.

Set yourself a clear budget and work within it

• Bear in mind that custom rings tend to cost more than collection pieces for the obvious reason that they require more labour hours and must be individually hand-crafted from your design.
• However, sticking to a budget won’t necessarily compromise the quality of your ring. Instead, it will force you to be realistic and prioritise which elements of the ring are most important to you such as the diamond size, diamond quality, intricacy of the design, the band and the metal.
• You don’t have to break the bank to be the owner of a beautifully designed and hand-crafted ring. You can create a custom engagement ring from £1,500.

Consider what will suit her

• Take into account what will suit her visually, but also what will suit her lifestyle.
• Consider her daily lifestyle. For example, whether she works out or swims regularly or if she works with her hands, will influence what metal and setting you should choose to avoid unnecessary damage to the ring.
• Certain metal choices can compliment certain skin tones while styles and diamond cuts can flatter smaller or larger size hands.
• Avoid going with a theme, it is far wiser to choose something tasteful and classic that will stand the test of time.

Get the paperwork

• Diamonds in Taylor & Hart rings are all accompanied by a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) diamond grading reports that state the cut, colour and clarity quality of the diamond.
• At Taylor & Hart, all of our diamonds are ethically sourced.

Get her ring size

• This is often the main concern when designing an engagement ring. It is ideal to have a rough idea of her ring size in the early stages of design.
• You can do this by taking one of her existing rings to a jewellers to have it sized free of charge, trace the inside of one of her rings or even use a photo of her hand.
• If you don’t have access to one of her rings or are creating the ring together with your partner, you can find out ring sizes here.

Take your time

• As the saying goes, you really can’t rush perfection.
• Give yourself a realistic timeframe to ensure you have plenty of time to do your research, ask questions, finalise your design, make adjustments and for the ring to be crafted and engraved, ready to be delivered or collected.
• On average, designing and crafting a custom engagement ring will take around 4 weeks.

Creating a custom engagement ring from start to finish is undoubtedly a daunting prospect, but with the expert advice and guidance, you will feel at ease and reassured that you are making well informed decisions.