An engagement ring is one of the most important purchases for a young couple, and for good reason: the future spouse will be wearing and cherishing this special ring for the rest of her life. The engagement ring is meant to be a beautiful piece of jewelry in itself, but it also carries a lot of powerful emotions along with it, and should convey both the woman’s personality and style, and also the man’s passionate dedication. 

As such, the ideal engagement ring is beautiful and unique, and made especially for that individual woman.

Unfortunately, when purchasing the ring, most men go to the jewelry store without a good idea of what they’re looking for. Since it’s easy and convenient, it’s tempting to simply buy a generic diamond ring that fits within their budget, and be done with the whole search as soon as possible.

There are a few issues with this approach:

1. Although the ring might look OK, it won’t look special or stand out in any way.

2. It likely doesn’t match her unique personality or style.

3. You’re probably paying 20-30% more than the ring actually costs.

So what’s the solution?

Create a custom engagement ring with a custom jeweler.

Contrary to what most people think, unique custom engagement rings tend to actually be less expensive than buying a generic ring at the jewelry store. Of course, this depends on the company and whether or not they’re marking up their prices, but the general trend is that going directly to the jewelry studio or artisan will yield a lower price.

So how is this possible? Simply put, retail jewelry stores mark up their prices exponentially; when you work directly with a jewelry design studio, you’re eliminating that markup cost entirely.

Most importantly, making your engagement ring with a custom jewelry studio allows you unlimited freedom to create a ring she’ll fall in love with. While most online “build your own ring” platforms allow you to change shape, shank, and diamond size, discussing with an actual jeweler allows you to craft intricate and complex shapes onto the ring, and choose from a variety of colored diamonds and other gemstones.  

For instance, if your fiancée is a nature lover, you can incorporate leaves or branches into the ring; if she’s more into a vintage look, you can choose to add complex art deco elements to the design. When it comes to custom engagement rings, gothic, futuristic or movie-themed rings are all well within the realm of possibility. With the latest 3d modeling software, your designer can literally craft any realistic animal, object or design into your final ring.

As long as you have the time to invest into the ring’s design and creation (around 2-4 weeks), a custom engagement ring is the best option for most people. Even if you and your fiancée are choosing the ring together, it’s a great and romantic opportunity to explore different options for the ring and create something beautiful together.