Skip to Content Skip to Navigation

How to Design Your Own Engagement Ring

Thinking about going the custom design route for your engagement ring? From choosing the right diamond and accent stones to the overall style and band metal, here’s what to consider as you begin your custom engagement ring design journey.

How to Design Your Own Engagement Ring


Why custom?

An engagement ring is one of the most personal pieces of jewellery you will ever buy. It symbolizes your unique bond as a couple and the beginning of the rest of your lives together.

Since you’re probably planning to wear it for years to come, it makes sense that you don’t want to settle for a ring that doesn’t quite fit. With a custom-designed ring, you can choose every detail from the fit to the band metal to the cut and shape of the diamond.

What you need to know to design your own engagement ring

Before you start designing an engagement ring, take some time to understand what goes into the process. From the 4Cs (cut, clarity, color, carat) to diamond shape, setting and band metal, knowing what you’re getting into will help you navigate your options with ease. Our engagement ring buying guide can help you get started.

The main features you’ll want to think about as you design your engagement ring are: 

Style:
From a classic solitaire to a three-stone style, the first thing you should consider is the type of ring you naturally gravitate towards. As you browse your options, your personal aesthetic and preferences will help guide you in the right direction. Our engagement ring style quiz can also help you narrow down your options.

Band metal:
While platinum and white gold continue to persevere as top choices for engagement rings, rose gold and other alternative metals are gaining in popularity. When choosing the metal, consider your personal preferences, budget and how the metal looks with the stone(s) you choose.  

Main stone cut and shape:
Whether you’re going with a diamond or another precious gemstone, deciding on the shape and cut is crucial. Round and princess cuts are both popular choices, with oval and emerald cut emerging as trendy options.

Setting:
There are several different settings to choose from all of which have their advantages. The setting’s main job is to hold and protect the stone or stones, but it can also change the overall look of the ring so balancing style with function is important.

Budget:
All the style choices you make while you design your engagement ring will have an impact on the cost. Make sure you know how much you want to spend before you get started.

How to use birthstones in your engagement ring

How to use birthstones in your engagement ring
One way to make an engagement ring special is to incorporate the couple’s birthstones either as accent stones or even as the main stone. Some birthstones like sapphire (September) or emerald (May) are already gaining in popularity as an alternative to diamond engagement rings.

Keep in mind that not every birthstone is recommended for an engagement ring. For example, a pearl, the birthstone for anyone born in June, is a softer gemstone that is more prone to damage than a diamond. Learn more about what all the birthstones represent and whether they make sense to incorporate into your engagement ring.
Birthstone Guide

How long will it take to design a custom engagement ring?

Wondering how long it takes to design your own engagement ring? That depends on you and how decisive you can be as you explore your options. Many couples opt to design the engagement ring together to ensure they agree from the beginning. If you’re planning a surprise proposal, make sure to start designing the ring well ahead of time to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Once you finalize a design, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple months to make the ring. It all depends on the style of the ring—more intricate styles may take longer—whether you chose a lab-created diamond or a natural diamond and other factors. Peoples Custom Design Services are available in stores. Consult with your Peoples Jewellery Expert who can assist you in creating the engagement ring—or other jewellery design—they have always dreamed of.

How to find ring size

Find Your Ring Size
Certain styles and band metals aren’t as easy to re-size as others. For example, an eternity band lined with diamonds or gemstones will be more complicated—and be more costly—to resize compared to a simple metal band. A ring with a tension setting is also almost impossible to resize because any changes will end up affecting the ring as a whole.

To avoid resizing, make a point to get as close to the proper ring size from the beginning. Apart from using a ring sizer in a store, there are a few DIY ring sizing techniques that can help you get as close to the right size as possible.
Need some inspiration? Explore all our engagement rings to find a style you love.