One-of-a-Kind Wedding Rings

If you think that celebrities like Beyoncé, Katherine Heigl, Jennifer Lopez and Ashlee Simpson are the only ones who can score engagement and wedding rings made just for them, think again. “There are couples out there that don’t have a fortune but do want something special,” says New York jewelry designer Sarah Perlis, who often creates custom rings for clients. She estimates that her one-of-a-kind engagement rings can cost anywhere from $500 to $5,000. Here, we’ve outlined four ways to have a hand in designing your own unique baubles.

The Match Game

Let’s start with the most basic way to customize: find the loose diamond you want, match it to a ring setting you love and voilà!—you’ve created a piece that’s perfect for you. Most jewelers should be able to give you this option. If you choose to do this, first familiarize yourselves with the four Cs of diamond buying: carat, cut, clarity and color. (See bridalguide.com/diamonds.) Know which of the four Cs are most important to you, and consider as many stones in your price range as you can. Remember that you often can select from a variety of metal options, too, such as white gold, yellow gold or platinum. You may be surprised by how easy the process is!

Playing Favorites

Love the pavé diamond detail of one ring but don’t love the setting? Then have that detail placed in a setting you do love. Paul Tacorian of Tacori, who has customized rings for celebrities like Ellen Pompeo and the cast of The Bachelor, estimates that it may cost about $500 to alter a setting a jeweler has in stock (plus the cost of any additional diamonds). “This is something you are going to wear for the rest of your life, so don’t be afraid to do some modifications,” says Tacorian.

Start From Scratch

Another option: Commission a designer to create your ideal ring from the bottom up, whether you have a picture of it in your mind or you just want something that’s a hundred percent made for you. The key to doing it properly is what Tacorian calls the “fifth C”: communication. “At a reputable jeweler, have a sales associate guide you through the process,” he advises. You’ll want to give the jeweler as much information as you can about what you’ve envisioned, as well as a sense of your personal style. (Something made for you should reflect you, naturally!) Then the designer will either create a sketch of your soon-to-be ring or verbally convey exactly what it will look like. Perlis estimates a two to three week turnaround for a custom-designed ring like this.

Your Unique Wedding Ring

If you’re a real hands-on type, this option’s perfect for you. Sam Abbay of New York Wedding Ring instructs couples on how to build your wedding ring as they measure and cut metal for their wedding bands, then file, clean and polish it, all of which takes one eight-hour day. Since it’s more complicated to create a diamond setting, engagement rings take a little longer. “Many couples enjoy spending the time together on this project,” says Abbay. “Plus, building it yourself makes the ring feel more personal and meaningful.” One way some couples make the process even more memorable is by melting jewelry passed down by family members and combining it to fashion a truly one-of-a-kind ring.

Photography: David Kressler.