7 Creative Ideas for Custom Engagement Rings

When you are ready to take the next step and get engaged, the first thing you might start thinking about is the ring. What does she even want in a ring? How will you make it special enough? This is a ring that she will be wearing for the rest of her life, and you'll want to put a lot of thought into finding the perfect ring for her.

Now more than ever, people are really looking for something unique for that special woman in their lives - something that no one else has. But, one thing that is often overlooked in the quest to find that special ring is the possibility of custom designing a ring.

Custom engagement rings are becoming incredibly popular. It allows you to have the power to bring an idea to life and create something that is so unique and special. Custom designing an engagement ring is a great way to create a ring from scratch that no one else will have. It'll forever be a one-of-a-kind ring that she can pass down for generations.

Curious to find out more? We've compiled a list of 7 ideas for custom engagement rings that'll help spark your creativity:

1. Adding Colored Gemstones

To kick things off, you can always add colored gemstones to a ring in order to give it some personality and flare. It's a perfect way to take an otherwise standard diamond engagement ring and make it colorful and unique!

Gemstones come in almost every color, but some of the most popular that are used for engagement rings include sapphires (blue), rubies (red), and emeralds (green). The gemstone can be used to replace a diamond as the center stone or it can be place next to the center diamond along the sides. The gemstone can even hold more meaning based on the color chosen or maybe a symbolic birthstone.

It can be difficult to find rings with colored gemstones, and the selection can often be limited. Talk to your jeweler's design team to see how they can incorporate a pop of color into the engagement ring.

2. Getting a Vintage Inspired Look

Many people love vintage engagement rings. They are unique, one-of-a-kind and usually hand crafted. But, sometimes there can be some drawbacks to getting a ring that is actually vintage. The diamonds in vintage rings are a lot different than the ones that are used in more modern rings. Some of the charm and draw of vintage engagement rings is that they can be a little inconsistent because they were individually crafted. This may not appeal to some people, however, who would prefer their ring be new and more uniform.

A good solution for a woman who likes the vintage look but who may not want a vintage ring is to get a ring that is "vintage inspired." These include rings that have beautiful filigree details and unique patterns and shapes. You could create your own vintage engagement ring look by working with a designer and adding newer stones.

3. Adding a Unique-Shaped Diamonds

If you have your heart set on adding a unique-shaped diamond to the engagement ring, it may be difficult to accommodate that diamond in average ring settings. A jeweler could certainly make sure that the diamond you want will be placed properly into a setting, but it may not look exactly the way you were hoping.

Using a unique diamond could also prove difficult if you want to add a diamond halo around it. This is when you really should consider creating your own custom engagement ring. That way, you could make sure the ring fits perfectly with the diamond shape that you've chosen. The below examples show custom ring designs that feature unique shapes like heart and a flower pattern with marquise diamonds. If any of these diamond shapes appeal to you, and you want to make sure the ring looks exactly the way you were hoping, then custom designs may be the way to go.

4. Accommodating Larger Diamonds

When you want to add a large diamond, over a few carats, you may want to consider creating a custom engagement ring for the diamond. In some cases, it wouldn't make sense to add such a large diamond to a more traditional setting because the diamond might not be well supported. Or, the proportions could look off.

If you want to go all out with the diamond, create a custom ring that completes the big diamond look. Working with a ring designer, you could add large stones on the side of the diamond or put the diamond on a larger band. The examples below illustrate how a large diamond could look if you were to get it custom designed. Think big!

5. Incorporating Rare Diamonds

Fancy colored diamonds are all the rage these days. Everyone wants to find a ring that is unique, and one way to accomplish this is to add a fancy colored stone to an engagement ring. Fancy diamonds, like yellow or pink diamonds, are formed when there is an anomaly in the diamond forming process. Normally, a diamond that you would feature in an engagement ring would be colorless. Fancy yellow diamonds, however, are formed when there is an excess concentration of nitrogen in the diamond which adds a vivid yellow color to an otherwise colorless stone.

These types of stones are incredibly rare, making them a great choice for a woman who likes color. Because they are more rare, the selection of colored diamond rings that you will have to choose from will be much smaller than the selection of classic diamond engagement rings. Working with a ring designer, you can create a unique design for the engagement ring that features these beautiful colored stones in a way that really accentuates the diamond.

6. Using a One-of-a-Kind Setting

If you really want something that is creative and one-of-a-kind, you can work with a design team to think of a custom ring setting that is different than anything else you've seen before. You could walk in with an idea in mind or you could let the designer help you come up with something. This is an incredible opportunity to get her an engagement ring that would be truly unique and special.

Below are just a few examples of one-of-a-kind ring settings that you could create with a designer. But, the opportunities here are really limitless. You could mix and match different metals to give the setting a fashionable look or twist and turn metal to make the ring different than any other ring that currently exists.

7. Adding Small Symbolic Details

A great way to make the engagement ring unique is to add a small symbolic detail in the ring that will be meaningful for her. There are many different ways that you can accomplish this. You could add a love knot on the bottom of the ring that only you and her will know about. The love knot is made from two parallel cords that tie together in two interlocked overhead knots and is meant to symbolize eternal love between the couple. This is just one small way to add some unique personality to the ring.

Another idea is to add a small gemstone or diamond on the inside of the ring. Maybe it could be her birthstone or a color that is meaningful to both of you. Whatever the reason behind your choice in stone, you can have the jeweler insert these in hidden spots in the setting of the ring.

Thinking about a custom engagement ring? Long's Jewelers has a design team that can create customized, one-of-a-kind rings using the latest design technology. To speak to someone about this, you can call us at 877-845-6647 or make an appointment to come see rings in person.