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Tips For Designing Your Own Gemstone Engagement Ring

The love you share with your future spouse is a bond that makes you smile, a special connection that fills your heart and makes you want to tell everyone around you. Your engagement ring is a special piece of traditional or simulated diamond jewelry that does exactly that, which is why yours should be completely, uniquely you. Designing your own gemstone engagement ring is an exciting step towards your eventual walk down the aisle, and is a perfect chance to make some amazing memories with your partner.

How To Create Your Own Engagement Ring: Custom Designs From Scratch

When you’re ready to design your own gemstone engagement ring, you’ll be able to add your own special touches from the ground up. Many brides-to-be think they’re limited to selecting the cut of the stone and maybe the color of the precious metal used, but a custom engagement ring is so much more than that! There is virtually an endless assortment of approaches to this creative journey, from creating a brand new piece or altering an existing design to swapping out cut stone colors, and so much more. Talking it over with your partner and making these decisions together also helps deepen your affection for one another, increasing the excitement for your fast-approaching nuptials.

A lab created emerald engagement ring.

Build Your Own Engagement Ring: Top 10 Features To Consider

So where does your new engagement ring begin? When it comes to gemstone engagement rings, the options are limitless when you design your own. Once you’ve chosen to embark upon this exciting odyssey, decide upon each facet of the ring design either individually or as a couple, depending on how you’re ring-shopping. It’s also helpful to work with a reputable jeweler such as Diamond Nexus to bring your dream engagement ring to life.

Here are the top ten ring features you’ll need to narrow down in order to build the proverbial blueprint for your custom engagement ring:

    1. Metal Type: While yellow gold is a classic, it’s certainly not the only option available. Both platinum and palladium offer silvery-white finishes that look beautiful with clear cut stones and cooler blue, green, and purple-hued gemstones. Alloys such as white gold and rose gold can add a distinctly modern twist to an overall design, particularly when used artistically to accent a base gold or platinum hue. Initial cost should be factored in, as precious metals such as platinum can set completed ring prices a little higher than traditional gold options. Additionally, durability should also be weighed in: gold is soft and more prone to rubs and scratches, while palladium offers superior durability for active lifestyles.
    1. Stone Type: Once you’ve selected a precious metal, the next step is figuring out what type of cut stone you’d like to take center stage in your engagement ring. Many modern couples are moving away from mined diamonds due to costs – both monetary and ethical – as a result of “blood diamond” brutality in areas where they’re mined. For additional insight, you can also reference our guide to the most affordable engagement rings for if cost is a factor in your purchase.
    1. Stone Size + Cut: Whether a classic cut turns your head or you’re more interested in something fresh and bold, picking a shape for your cut gemstone is an important step. Imagine your ideal ring – is the stone round, square, rectangular, or oval? From classic cuts to more unique stone cuts like marquise or asscher, it’s important to take your time deciding on the right fit for you. Your lifestyle should also be taken into consideration for the size and cut of the stone. The best engagement rings for active lifestyles will feature stones that are closer to the band to decrease the chances of bumping them against external surfaces. Size is about more than the price tag on your ring; it also influences the appearance of the stone and how comfortable it is for daily wear.
    1. Number of Stones: Solitaires have earned their best-selling status, but with so many available, some brides overlook beautiful multi-stone engagement ring designs. Some styles use flanking stones (such as marquise shaped ‘leaves’) to draw the eye to a larger center stones. Other styles line up several stones in a row, such as rectangular baguettes, to form a solid bar of shimmering stones. Still others use channel mounted edges to create infinity bands, with stones that wrap the entire exterior of the ring band in lieu of a center stone. If desired, you can also choose a style that leaves room to grow, and incorporate later stones for events such as the birth of your future child.
    1. Color of Stone(s): With flawless white (“D”) color and internally flawless (“IF”) clarity easily available as Nexus Diamond™ alternative stones, adding a pop of color is an alluring option. Whether you choose deep sapphire blue cut stones or opt for a bright ruby red or emerald green, your ring will be symbolic not only of your commitment to one another, but a reflection of your timeless elegance and refined taste. Stones can be chosen based on personal preference, or even used to symbolize something special, such as the birthstone of your future spouse.
    1. Stone Setting: The method used to hold your center stone(s) in place can set the tone for your entire ring design. A tension mount, for example, gives your ring a bold, futuristic look, whereas pavé or bezel settings will add subtlety to your design while reducing its height. Setting style is particularly important for wearers with active lifestyles or jobs that require frequent use of their hands, as a “tall” ring style or delicate prongs may catch on clothing or other materials and become damaged. Consider how high you’d like your ring to be, as measured from the surface of your finger: will it frequently bump into things or slide back as you use your hands? If so, a flush-mounted stone may be a more appropriate choice.
    1. Band Width + Style: All hands and fingers are different, and that includes ring fingers! For hands with shorter, wider fingers, a wide band may feel more comfortable and less restrictive while looking proportionally attractive. Likewise, for longer fingers that have a more slender width, slender bands won’t clash with the wearer’s natural hand shape. Band edges also matter – while tapered edges are the norm for comfort’s sake, some bands may use squared edges for emphasis or to support channel settings. This looks intriguing when viewed from the side, but may cause discomfort during daily wear. If at all possible, try wearing a ring that shares roughly the same band width and style for a few weeks to make sure you can wear and enjoy the “real deal” every day.
    1. Engraving and Customizations: From simple initials or dates to full messages from your loved one, engraving can take an already sensational engagement ring and make it even more meaningful. Depending on the sentiment you wish to share with your future spouse, you can have your engagement ring personalized with the date they asked you to marry them, your future wedding date, a special quote, or even a short religious passage. This engraving will also help make your ring truly yours – and help with identification, should it ever become accidentally misplaced. Once your happy wedding day is over, you may also wish to have your gemstone engagement ring either nested into or permanently soldered to a wedding band for everyday wearing.
    1. Shoulder Styles: The area to the left and right of your center stone, placed on the curve of the band, is called the shoulder. In solitaire rings, the shoulders are typically kept unadorned to emphasize the single stone, but other styles adorn the shoulders lavishly. From additional cut stones to intricate piercing and metalwork, engagement ring shoulder designs are as vast and varied as the rings themselves. Remember that comfort should always take precedence, even here: a heavily-worked shoulder on a poorly-sized band could cause discomfort on the edges of surrounding fingers.
  1. Ring Size: This last point may seem a little obvious, but many nervous spouses-to-be misjudge their fiancé’s ring size when selecting an engagement ring as a surprise. This leaves the recipient with a ring that’s either uncomfortably tight – likely to be slid off to stretch the hand, and misplaced – or too loose, and liable to fly off when the wearer gestures or moves the hand too quickly. The right fit should be snug but not uncomfortably so, even when the hand swells a bit from swimming, physical activity, or weather. If your future spouse didn’t quite hit the mark in terms of ring fit, have it resized as soon as possible, and wear an aftermarket “ring guard” – a split-sided piece of very small tubing that straddles the band’s underside – to ensure your ring doesn’t fall off.
A lab created diamond simulant engagement ring being measured on a mandrel.

Design Your Own Gemstone Engagement Ring: Create Unique + Personalized Jewelry

When you design gemstone engagement ring styles to suit your individual specifications, bear in mind they will almost always require little tweaks and adjustments along the way in order to become the engagement ring you’ve dreamed of. These ten points are a great stepping stone to a gorgeous, bespoke engagement ring, but don’t be afraid to stretch your creative wings while shopping online and designing your very own custom engagement band. Sparkling cut stones in just the right size and shape, a setting fashioned for your needs and personal aesthetic, and touches such as color, metal type, and engraving added along the way: now that’s a commitment symbol that you – and your spouse – are destined to fall in love with. Create a ring as unique as the bond you share with our dazzling array of options—get an affordable engagement ring exclusively at Diamond Nexus.


1 Weppner, Jacqueline; Mitchell, Elizabeth. “10 Engagement Ring Shopping Tips to Help You Find the Perfect Ring.” Brides.com, December 6, 2019,https://www.brides.com/story/ring-shopping-before-the-proposal. Accessed December 20, 2019.

2 Ma, Jennie. “Wedding Ring Engraving Ideas and Tips.” The Knot.com, (no publish date),https://www.theknot.com/content/wedding-rings-engraving-ideas-tips. Accessed December 20, 2019.

3 “12 Tips for Buying an Engagement Ring.” GIA.edu, (no publish date), https://4cs.gia.edu/en-us/blog/tips-for-buying-an-engagement-ring/. Accessed December 20, 2019.

4 “About the Nexus Diamond™ Alternative.” Diamondnexus.com, (no publish date),https://www.diamondnexus.com/learn/about-nexus-diamond. Accessed December 20, 2019.

*Here at Diamond Nexus, we strive to provide valuable information while being clear and honest about our products. The Nexus Diamond™ alternative is a patented lab created diamond simulate that, among all simulants, most closely imitates the look, weight and wear of a diamond, with two exceptions – it is absolutely perfect in every way, and it costs significantly less. Price points and environmental facts expressed in this blog were taken from popular online retailers and may vary. Learn more about the environmental impact of mining by visiting our blog.

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