Engagement Ring Design Advice

[SeaSonic]

Hello all!

Long-time lurker, first-time poster, and very (very) green when it comes to jewelry - let alone custom engagement ring designs.

I'm looking for some feedback from you knowledgeable folks on a design I'm working on with DK that involves single shared prongs.

The soon-to-be fiancé and I have discussed ring designs pretty extensively, and while we started down the pavé track, she ended up falling in love with a more "bubbly" style that can be had with larger shank diamonds (comparatively) using single shared prongs. I felt alternating rounds with marquise down the shank would also look really beautiful based on photos I've seen of a popular ER available online. She also really loves the idea of hidden features, so a hidden halo was a must as well. Finally, she really wanted pears anchoring the center stone.

Based on all of that, here is what DK proposed to me after a few tweaks back and forth:



In my opinion (and I'm sure hers), this is spot on for what we're looking for - I am so happy with this design.

My main concerns revolves around the additional marquise and round stones below 9 and 3 o'clock.

• I understand the ring will be rather delicate due to the single shared prong design, but am I adding even more risk by having those features continue on lower down the shank? Would removing those two stones on both sides increase the strength of the ring dramatically? (This will be a platinum ring, for what it's worth)
• Would those additional stones be visible when she's wearing it? Or would they really only be visible with the ring off?

The price differential between having those additional 4 stones and not having them is practically negligible, and I love how they look, but I don't want to dramatically sacrifice the integrity of the ring if I don't have to - especially if they really won't be seen.

Any thoughts on my concerns?

Any other feedback on the rest of the design is also more than welcome!

Thanks in advance!

 

[ringo865]

The diamonds further on down the side may make the ring more difficult to size at a later date because expanding (or contracting) the diameter of the circle will put more strain (or possibly open) the single prongs holding in the stones. I’ve seen these dot-marquise type shanks done with a very delicate bezel - not the exact same look, but possibly more sizeable. DK would know.

 

[Mreader]

That’s a really good point about the sizing. I would personally forgo the extra stones for that reason but also they are more likely to get knocked around, damaged and potentially fall out esp with the shared prongs where (I think?) the girdles are exposed. And when it’s on the finger you won’t be able to tell.

 

[adlgel]

You didn't ask about this explicitly but in the top down view you can't really tell the side stones are pears because the rounded end of the pear is obscured by the center stone. You said your fiancé wanted pears anchoring the center stone so I thought you were going for more of a 3 stone look but in this rendition the pears are just another stone being used in the shank of the ring. And this is all fine if that is how you like it but just thought I'd point that out.

 

[headlight]

The lower the stones go in the way they are set the more uncomfortable it may be due to it creating thickness between the adjacent fingers. Also, with the way you will have the the stones set, the lowest ones could be at more risk to break due to daily wear… one doesn’t realize how much one bangs their hand against things until they start wearing a ring with stones! With that said, your jeweler should know best the answers to your concerns including the point made above regarding future sizing ability which is really important as one ages.
As an aside, and I don’t mean any disrespect with regard to your design, but I wonder if the halo is a bit too much with everything else going on. Your side stone design down the sides is really beautiful, and the halo is beautiful, but they don’t seem like they belong together on the same ring IMO. I feel like those are two strong design elements individually and they are competing with one another. Apologies in advance if I have overstepped.

 

[SeaSonic]

Thank you all so much for your input! This is exactly what I was looking for.

It would appear that there is consensus on the lower stones being removed for a multitude of very valid concerns. I will voice this to DK in my next email to him.

In regards to the other design inputs some of you had, those are all also very appreciated! I've got some more thinking to do on where to go from here on this design, but all of this insight is amazing. This site is a wonderful tool for folks like me who are so new to this process.

Thanks again!

 

[tyty333]

Has your girlfriend seen the design or are you doing this on your own?

 

[SeaSonic]

Has your girlfriend seen the design or are you doing this on your own?

Hi Tyty333

She has not seen this design - it's intended to be a surprise.

 

[lovedogs]

Hi Tyty333

She has not seen this design - it's intended to be a surprise.

I would make 100% sure that this is the design she wants.

 

[SeaSonic]

I would make 100% sure that this is the design she wants.

Hi lovedogs - thank you for the input.

This is extremely close to the inspiration rings we've looked at together in the past, including the very popular BE Versailles which this design is primarily based on. The main differences are the addition of the halo (which was essentially a must) and substituting the top marquises for pears. I've spoken with DK about removing the lower stones and moving the pears out about a millimeter, so I'm currently awaiting those updated CADs.

I would very much prefer to surprise her than have her know exactly what she'll be getting. She has no idea I intend to propose later this summer on our vacation, so that conversation would really spoil the whole thing.

Can you explain why I should be hesitant with this?

Thank you!

 

[Cerulean]

Hi lovedogs - thank you for the input.

This is extremely close to the inspiration rings we've looked at together in the past, including the very popular BE Versailles which this design is primarily based on. The main differences are the addition of the halo (which was essentially a must) and substituting the top marquises for pears. I've spoken with DK about removing the lower stones and moving the pears out about a millimeter, so I'm currently awaiting those updated CADs.

I would very much prefer to surprise her than have her know exactly what she'll be getting. She has no idea I intend to propose later this summer on our vacation, so that conversation would really spoil the whole thing.

Can you explain why I should be hesitant with this?

Thank you!

I think the point is that this is not exactly a classic, super simple design (which is often a safe bet)

Being disappointed in a ring you’re supposed to wear happily everyday is usually not worth the surprise for most women (I’m being blunt)

For some, it is. Some aren’t picky, but most care about the way their ring looks to a degree

However if this is the engagement style your intended fell in love with, that’s a different story. But if you are guessing, that’s different.

 

[SeaSonic]

I think the point is that this is not exactly a classic, super simple design (which is often a safe bet)

Being disappointed in a ring you’re supposed to wear happily everyday is usually not worth the surprise for most women (I’m being blunt)

For some, it is. Some aren’t picky, but most care about the way their ring looks to a degree

However if this is the engagement style your intended fell in love with, that’s a different story. But if you are guessing, that’s different.

Hi Cerulean - thank you for the clarification!

To be completely honest, if I was just surprising her with what I thought looked good, I would have gone with a relatively simple and elegant pavé design and maybe a hidden halo and called it a day.

But as we talked more and more and she did more research, she fell in love with this "bubble"-esque design (and believe me when I say that I wasn't totally on-board, and I expressed that; but ultimately she has to wear the ring, not me ). The Versailles was the most beautiful of the designs she sent me (and she is a huge fan of it) so that's why I decided to use it as the basis of my criteria for DK, with the halo added and the top marquises subbed out for pears.

The girlfriend has a very eclectic taste that tends to clash with my engineer-mind's need for symmetry and parallel lines - but I believe it creates a balance in our relationship and allows us to view things in ways we normally wouldn't individually.

All that said, I certainly understand where these comments are coming from, because this ring is not going to be a "fit" for the majority of folks out there. But I'm certain it's what my future wife will like

Thank you again!

 

[distracts]

Hi lovedogs - thank you for the input.

This is extremely close to the inspiration rings we've looked at together in the past, including the very popular BE Versailles which this design is primarily based on. The main differences are the addition of the halo (which was essentially a must) and substituting the top marquises for pears. I've spoken with DK about removing the lower stones and moving the pears out about a millimeter, so I'm currently awaiting those updated CADs.

I would very much prefer to surprise her than have her know exactly what she'll be getting. She has no idea I intend to propose later this summer on our vacation, so that conversation would really spoil the whole thing.

Can you explain why I should be hesitant with this?

Thank you!

This ring has a Lot going on. If this is what she wants and has already seen all of these elements on another ring (and I mean a single other ring, not the elements on different rings), that is good. If not, this may be... not the good kind of surprise. Just because design elements work on different rings doesn't mean they work all in the same ring. I would ensure she sees the cad before you proceed. The combination of the "bubble" look with the pave halo looks to my eyes very discordant. But a lot of people like things I don't and there's nothing wrong with that. This isn't a look I see together basically ever, so I would make sure to clear it with her. A LOT of people think they can just smash two different design elements they like on different rings together and find out once they have the ring in hand that they don't like it, so it's always best to doublecheck, unless you don't care and can happily spend that amount of money to buy a new setting six months from now.

 

[Rfisher]

Have you both thought about what you wish the wedding band to be?

 

[tyty333]

Ditto @distracts ...this setting does have a lot going on. Sometimes when you throw too many "ideas" on one setting it gets to be, well,
just too much. Right now you have 4 different stone shapes on one ring. That's a lot. Is it an oval diamond or an oval colored stone?
I cant really tell from the CADs.

Sounds like your GF may be more "artsy" and will enjoy all the different aspects?

 

[WDWDiamond]

Is the goal of the setting to “showcase” the center stone? Or create more of a jewelry piece? Only asking because I feel that the setting draws your eye away from the center stone.

 

[Cerulean]

I'm artsy too - but sometimes throwing everything and the kitchen sink at something isn't the best idea!

I had to talk my sister through the same thing - she wanted too many design elements initially because she loved so many design elements. Her IG favorites had hundreds of rings, and dozens of styles.

Just food for thought. For example, I really prefer the marquise stones in the original style, as opposed to mixing in both marquise and pears.

I don't think anyone here means offense. Generally this crowd favors timeless and classic, and many of us appreciate atypical designs, but it being a well-thought design is important and it's especially hard to nail if you aren't used to doing it.

 

[dmack]

Two options to consider:
1. I like the marquise alternating with rounds too. But, since pears are a requirement (which I totally understand!), why not swap out all the marquise for pears? Attached is an example with alternating pears and rounds that looks cool. It’s a wedding band, but you could organize the shank of the engagement ring this way.
2. Simplify the engagement ring band by just having two pear sidestones, but choose a shared prong wedding band. That way you get best of both worlds.

 

[foxinsox]

To be completely honest, if I was just surprising her with what I thought looked good, I would have gone with a relatively simple and elegant pavé design and maybe a hidden halo and called it a day.

But as we talked more and more and she did more research, she fell in love with this "bubble"-esque design (and believe me when I say that I wasn't totally on-board, and I expressed that; but ultimately she has to wear the ring, not me ).

I have to applaud this sentiment and how carefully you’re delivering what she wants even if it’s not to your taste. We’ll done! So many guys think it has to be about them and I love that you’ve focused on what makes her happy. I wish you every happiness which I am sure will come your way given your thoughtfulness.

I think the CADs you’ve posted show a ring that’s quite similar to your inspiration and even with the hidden halo, there’s really not that much going on, just a different sort of pave shank than we’re used to seeing. It’s not my taste but I think it will look good.

 

[Mreader]

@SeaSonic any update?