At our Arlington, VA store we carry a large selection of beautiful designer engagement rings, but once in a while we get a customer with a very specific idea or design in mind. In these situations, sometimes the best option is to have a ring custom made. If you are looking for a custom ring, or are simply curious about the process and what it involves, we are going to explain how custom rings are made.
The process begins with an idea. The customer may have dreamed up a specific ring or seen a photo of something he or she likes. We start with a sketch or photo, making a note of specific millimeter widths and proportions.
Once the design is more or less finalized, we send the sketch or photo to our jeweler, who transforms it (with the help of Computer Aided Design programs, referred to as CAD) into a rendering of what the final product will look like. In some cases, a true-to-size model can be made using a 3D printer.
When the rendering is done, there is an opportunity for the jeweler and customer to meet and go over the details. Final adjustments can be made: if the customer wants the ring to be a bit bigger or a bit smaller, if they want to change the proportions a bit, now is the time to do it. Once these details have been settled, it’s time to make the ring!
A mold is made based on the CAD rendering, and from that, the jeweler casts the ring. Once it has been cast, there is still work to do: the jeweler adds the finishing touches by filing, polishing, and setting the stones into the ring.
Voila! The custom ring is done.
