Wedding rings are seemingly immune to trends; over the years, the majority of people have chosen a simple gold band for their wedding ring, but if you’re looking for unique weddings rings that are as individual as your relationship, you’ve come to the right place as we’re telling you everything you need to know about bespoke wedding rings.
“The number one benefit with bespoke wedding rings is that you don’t have to compromise,” says jeweller Michelle Oh.
“When you’re browsing in regular high street shops or even online, you are limited to what is available, so in some cases you may find something that is ‘almost’ perfect but isn’t exactly what you want. You might find yourself wishing the colour was different, or the shape of the stone was slightly different, etc. If you have been looking for a long time and don’t feel like your dream ring is out there it might be worth going bespoke; with bespoke you can have it made exactly to your taste and preference.”
“What could be nicer than having totally unique wedding rings, that have been designed by you to your exact specifications, that nobody else has?” adds London-based bespoke jeweller Emma Clarkson Webb.
“I think that there is a real misconception that having something bespoke-made is prohibitively expensive but the reality is that it can be markedly cheaper to commission a bespoke wedding ring than buying something direct from a high-street jeweller.”
Designing a Bespoke Wedding Ring
There’s a lot to consider when you’re designing a bespoke engagement ring, as Emma points out.
“Have a think about how your wedding ring will look next to your engagement ring. Do you want it to sit flush to your engagement ring or would you prefer a natural gap? Will it look as good on its own as it does with your engagement ring?”
“Do you want it to be the same colour gold as your engagement ring or would you rather mix your metals? On a very practical level – can you wear it every day? I would advise trying on as many styles as possible to make sure that you know what works aesthetically and practically alongside your engagement ring.”
There’s plenty for grooms to consider about their wedding ring too. “Do you want a thick or thin band? Are you a yellow or white gold person?” quizzes Emma.
“Have a think about what you would feel most comfortable wearing. Your wedding ring needs to look good but equally stand the test of time.”
How Long Does it Take to Create a Bespoke Wedding Ring?
Emma suggests allowing four to six weeks to create a bespoke wedding ring, covering you from your initial design appointment to the finished piece – it’s not something to leave to the last minute!
Wedding Ring Engraving
An easy way to have unique weddings rings is to have them engraved.
Engraving your wedding ring is the most popular way to personalise your jewellery, and can be done to any ring – ideal for couples who want to buy a standard wedding ring rather than design their own.
Many couples opt to get their initials or wedding date engraved on the inside of their wedding band, but other ideas include symbols (the infinity symbol is a popular choice), a short lyric or phrase, or even a bespoke pattern.
One of our favourite ideas is having the coordinates of where you first met, or where you got engaged engraved on the inside of your wedding ring.
If you’re hoping to have lyrics or something longer engraved onto your wedding ring, the writing will inevitably be very small. Jewellery designer Arabel Lebrusan, of Lebrusan Studios provides her clients with a magnifying glass so they can get a good look at their sentimental inscription.
One of our favourite ideas for unique wedding rings comes courtesy of jewellery designed Jessie V E, who embeds braille on the inner band of rings for a special secret message.
The rings boast three lines of diamonds, with some placed upside down to spell out the message, which can be three characters long.
Bespoke Wedding Rings
Unlike with classic wedding rings, choosing unique wedding rings can be quite a long process with lots to consider, as Michelle Oh points out.
“When it comes to choosing a unique wedding ring, research is a good place to start, and places like Pinterest or Instagram are perfect for style inspiration because you can save what you like in one place.”
“Look out for jewellery designers who specialise in certain things, because that usually means they are experts in the specific look / style that you are going for. You may want to check their past commissions to see what other bespoke pieces they’ve made, to get a good sense of their style, and to see how experienced they are in working to different styles.”
“Once you have a better idea of the style of unique wedding ring you want, you can start to think about what materials you may want in your ring. First you should decide what metal you would prefer” advises Michelle.
“For most people this may be an obvious thing, ie. if you find yourself consistently only wearing silver jewellery in your day to day, then you are likely most comfortable with white metals, so a white gold or platinum wedding ring would probably suit you best. Alternatively, if you find yourself not as picky with the metal colours, for example perhaps you own a wild mix of jewellery in all colours, then you can be more adventurous in your choices with regards to the metal colour. There is yellow gold for a warmer tone or rose gold, which has a lovely romantic feel to it.”
“Next, you should consider what kind of stones you would want in your ring. Do you want a traditional diamond? Or have you always wanted something a little bit different, and more colourful? What shape stones are you drawn to? Do you find yourself Pinning lots of rings that have round or oval shapes on your Pinterest board? Or perhaps you’re seeing more geometric shapes with straight edges in the images you are collecting? If you’re seeing a pattern in what you like visually, then this perhaps indicates that you prefer a certain style and it will really help you to hone in on what you want in a bespoke ring.”
“If you are a little overwhelmed and can’t see a clear theme in all the rings you’ve been liking, not to worry, that is what a skilled designer can help you to identify. It’s okay too if you are finding it easier to list things that you don’t want / like in a ring, as that will help your jeweller to know the styles to avoid when designing something bespoke for you.”
Designing a Bespoke Wedding Ring
“The first step is to contact the brand you want to make your bespoke wedding ring, and tell them the kind of jewellery you like, what style of wedding ring you’re after and the budget you’re working with,” Arabel Lebrusan advises.
“Once we know the style you like and your budget, we’re able to understand what you want. We normally come up with three ideas of different ring for you to choose from, and can make tweaks along the way. At this stage we’ll present you with different materials, gem stones and engraving options.”
“If you’re designing the wedding ring as a surprise for your partner, and don’t know their ring size, we’d advise against putting stones in the band, as this can make it difficult to resize the band.”
Emma Clarkson Webb also talked us through her process of creating a bespoke wedding ring.
“At the initial appointment I will work with clients to decide on a specific style: I have a multitude of different bands available to ensure that you can choose the style that works best for you.”
“Once we have agreed on a design I will share a hand-drawn technical sketch, which – following approval – will be given to my workshop based in Hatton Garden to be brought to life,” Emma continues.
“I am fortunate enough to work with some of the most talented craftsmen in the country – all of whom have years of experience in the jewellery trade and are masters of their specific skill, be it mounting, setting or polishing. I make sure that my clients are kept up to date with each part of the bespoke process by sharing photographs of the design in progress: I want my clients to feel as involved as possible at every step.”
Now you’re armed with all the knowledge to design the perfect unique wedding rings, check out our edit of the most unusual wedding ring boxes to keep them safe in.
