How to Personalise Your Engagement Ring | 4 Creative Tips
Are you looking for creative and practical ways to make your engagement ring unique to you and your partner? You’ve come to the right place.
Engagement ring personalisation is currently the number-one request for engagement rings in Australia. There is a lot of information available about making a ring unique, but I’ve found much of it repeats the same points: lists of diamond shapes, simple band styles and standard setting options to choose from.
In this article, I’ll take you deeper into the design aspects of an engagement ring, beyond the standard customisation of centre stone shape, metal choice, and band style.
If you are at the beginning stages of engagement ring research, read this blog first: How to choose an Engagement Ring | Tips from a jeweller
My aim is to show you creative ways an engagement ring can be personalised, to give you inspiration and ideas for designing a ring that feels genuinely meaningful and unique to you.
Our clients are looking for classic-style engagement rings that have unique features, they don’t want an engagement ring that is too far out of the box, because those designs tend to date.
At Set Together Jewellery, we like to find the balance between traditional and personal design features; these personalised and unique features are sometimes hidden and other times more obvious.
To start, I’d like to go over which parts of an engagement ring can be stylised and personalised, so you are familiar with the terminology. Then I’ll go into more detail about what unique aspects can be added to each section of the ring, giving ideas and examples of ways to add your own personal touch.
What parts of an engagement ring can be personalised?
Common answers to this question are; the centre stone shape, gemstone or diamond variety, band thickness and profile. However, as mentioned above, this blog gives a deeper insight into how to personalise an engagement ring, to help you discover ways to make your ring truly unique.
Engagement ring design sketch indicating shoulders, setting style, under bezel and the inside of the band.
The engagement ring design aspects that I cover in this blog are the following:
1: Setting style | The casing, prongs, or claws that hold your centre diamond or sapphire.
2: Under bezel or mount | The space under the diamond, seen when the ring is tilted downwards.
3: Shoulders | The part of the band that reaches up to the centre stone.
4: Inside the band | The part of the ring that sits against the finger.
1 - Setting style | The casing, prongs or claws that hold your central diamond
The most common setting styles are rounded or pointed claws and bezel settings, however there are many other ways you can get creative with the setting style.
Unique semi bezel
Here is an example of a pear-shaped diamond three-stone engagement ring. The centre pear-shaped diamond is set into a semi bezel style setting. From a distance, the ring looks like a classic three-stone ring, but when you look closer, you can see a uniquely designed semi bezel sweeping around the central diamond.
See more bezel and semi bezel styles here
Double claws
Double claws are also a great way to add a unique and personal touch to your engagement ring, especially if you like antique or vintage-style engagement rings. The example above shows a 5ct emerald-cut lab diamond set into double claws.
View more antique style rings here
Unique setting style tip:
Think about the shape of your chosen centerstone and ways the setting can work with it. For example; diamonds with square edges might work well with flat sharp claws and rounded shaped diamonds could work with sweeping semi bezels. Speak to your jewellery designer to explore more ideas that suit your style.
2 - Under bezel or mount | The space under the diamond, seen when the ring is tilted downwards
The under bezel or mount is a great space to add personal details without them being seen from the top. From unique patterns to favorite gemstone varieties, there are many options to add a little unique flare into this space.
Hidden halo’s
A popular engagement ring customisation is a hidden halo, which is a band of diamonds set under the main centre diamond. Because this feature is becoming more common, the idea of it being unique is starting to fade.
Creative option idea for a hidden halo
An example of a unique hidden halo is this one below, made here at Set Together Jewellery for the same client who had the semi-bezel pear diamond mentioned above. The hidden halo gemstones are round pink sapphires, set in pairs in an asymmetrical pattern.
Unique hidden halo tip:
Look for ways to incorporate your favourite colour into a hidden halo, not just a standard white diamond. Also think about ways you could play around with the spacing of the gemstones.
Ideas for adding symbolism to the under bezel:
Below is an example of adding personal symbols to the under bezel. We cut small silhouettes of the sun and moon on either side of the bar under the central diamond. These symbols are highly sentimental to the recipient of the engagement ring.
Tip to add symbolism to your engagement ring:
Think about a special icon or symbol that has meaning to you and your partner. As long as the design is not too detailed, there is usually no issue incorporating it into your ring. A discussion with your jewellery designer will help clarify what is and isn’t possible.
Whether it’s a simple shape, a repeating pattern, or something more meaningful, the goal is to design something that is uniquely yours. I’ve created engagement rings with a wide range of details carved into the under bezel, from leaf patterns and kite shapes to tapered baguettes and Art Deco–inspired designs. The world is your oyster.
3 - Shoulders | The part of the band that reaches up to the centre stone.
The shoulders are a detail often ignored in a standard engagement ring. I love this space as a canvas to add hidden meaning and personal details to a ring.
Unique ideas for the shoulders of an engagement ring
In the examples above, Art Deco motifs were used as the shoulders.
Other examples of unique shoulder detailing can include anything from leaf patterns to asymmetrical side stone details.
Hidden gemstones under the shoulders
The shoulder space is also another great option to hide gemstones. You can see in the east–west marquise ring above an example of an engagement ring where four blue sapphires were set under each shoulder on either side of the band. The gemstones are visible when the hand is tilted downwards.
4 - Inside the band | The part of the ring that has contact with the ring finger
Hidden gemstones inside band:
Hidden gemstones set inside the band are a lovely unique addition to an engagement ring. These are usually small, round stones and are often chosen as a birthstone for the person giving or receiving the ring, a child’s birthstone, or a combination of all three.
Tip to make a hidden gemstone more unique:
Consider choosing a different gemstone shape, such as a square, baguette, marquise, or pear.
Note: Not all small coloured gemstones are available in every shape, and the band will need to be made thick and wide enough for the gemstone to fit comfortably without compromising the strength of the ring.
Engraving inside the band:
Engraving has been around since before the invention of the engagement ring, it remains one of the most timeless ways to personalise an engagement ring.
Personalised engraving ideas:
A significant date like the day you and your partner, initials, or a short message for your significant other, creating a private detail that is only known to the two of you.
Looking for a jeweller to design a personalised engagement ring?
At Set Together Jewellery, we specialise in designing one-of-a-kind engagement rings that are thoughtfully created to reflect your story, style, and values. If you would like to work with us to design a personalised engagement ring, please fill in the form below and we will be in touch within one business day.
Our studio is located on the Sunshine Coast, QLD, and we work with clients across Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, and beyond.
