Last week, I had a special opportunity to make an engagement ring for a friend. Unlike most clients that know exactly want they want, I was presented with the diamond and told to make something custom that I thought would look best. Part of me loved having the authority to do whatever I wanted, but I was also burdened with the anxiety of making the perfect ring for my friend. My only instructions were to make the ring as sparkly as I could while also making sure it still looked professional.
The diamond was a round brilliant heirloom that was passed down from her grandmother. The stone was 0.93ct and measured 6.4mm in diameter. A well cut 1ct modern round diamond should measure 6.5mm in diameter. This diamond, although under weight, measured very competitively. The diamond had a 57% depth percentage, which means it was very slim on the bottom and not hiding much weight. Having proportions like this can make the diamond look larger than it weighs!
In designing this ring, I knew my friend would want a vintage look. Vintage looking jewelry typically has milgrain (textured ridges) and hand engraving, which I thought was very in sync with using an heirloom diamond. It also allowed me to make a tapered style shank, which is something that I really like. The beauty of a tapered style ring is that you still get a “thin” appearance while allowing for larger accenting diamonds for more sparkle. Notice the added diamonds on the basket for a little extra something! All of this makes for a larger feeling ring overall, without adding a halo or making it a 3 stone ring.
The final piece is so elegant and definitely achieved the goal that I wanted. The hand engraving adds more sparkle without diamonds and leaves no part of the ring untouched. Transferring the diamond into this mounting completely transformed the diamond. I always encourage people to make use of family heirloom diamonds because these stones are precious and should be enjoyed. Making a custom engagement ring design around the nature of the heirloom diamond was awesome and I can’t wait to do it again.