How to make a solitaire engagement ring

You've reached that stage.
You want to propose to the one you love, but you don't necessarily want to go down the line of buying a traditional engagement ring. You would much prefer to create something yourself. Give it that individual feel, and make the ring much more of a personal item.

This instructable will show you how to create your own engagement ring with a bit of designer know how and direct you to the resources you will need to make it.

First though, a little about me. I'm an industrial designer, not a jeweller. That meant that when I wanted to create an engagement ring to propose to my girlfriend, I had lots of lavish ideas of what I could do. I quickly realised that living in a small flat meant that hiding tools to build the ring manually wasn't really an option.

The first thing I did was to research. User edwatkins has an amazing tutorial on how to build a three stone ring, so I took a bit of inspiration from there. I shall say the same thing as he has; this is not necessarily the correct way to make a ring, but it is how I did it.

Step 1: Purchase the stone

The first step in the process is arguably the most expensive. Being as the ring's shape is greatly effected by the size and shape of the stone, this is the part you need to buy first.
There are loads of factors to consider here; the clarity, the weight, the cut... I had a number in mind that I had saved up and searched to find the best diamond I could get for the price. It may be tempting to get a lower quality stone that is bigger - I would recommend against it. Getting a stone with good clarity means it sparkles that much better and makes a huge difference to the ring.

Comments

[devham]

Hi There. I was wondering if you happen to have the CAD file for this ring? Would love to check it out and modify it for my project.

[Hoppa74]

Hi, lovely ring.

I'm interested in doing something similar, where did you purchase your diamond? Could you /anyone suggest the best places to buy in UK/Europe for non-trade (one offs). Ideally it would be an alexandrite ring that I would be making.

[HRhV]

Hi Hoppa,
I got mine from 77 diamonds. (http://www.77diamonds.com/) They appeared to be a very reasonable cost and came with all the certification behind the diamond - something you want to look out for!
Good luck with your project!

[chrissysno]

Beautiful!

[Krotas]

Sir, I love you.
Saved in bookmarks for future reference.

Godspeed for you and your fiancée.

[foolitsbubba42]

So did the i.materialise website give you a wax version of the ring? Or did they just take the design from CAD, print it from wax possibly, then made the cast and finalized it with the type of material you wanted it as seen in the picture?

[Givver112]

Step 9: Buy a house, have a child, and make a nice life

[silvertrove]

I am a master silversmith and wire jewelry artist and want to congratulate you on mastering this project. I also want to suggest a couple of easier, more economical ways to create an engagement ring, or any other gemstone ring, that will allow you more design flexibility. If you go to some jeweler's supply sites, you will find ring settings that are already cast. I would suggest a sterling silver setting because they are much less expensive, easier to set and they look the same as white gold. Sterling silver is a precious metal that steadily increases in value over time, plus, if you make a mistake and damage the ring, you won't have to spend an arm and a leg to replace it or have it repaired. There are tons of designs to choose from and you can even have them customized to your liking. Many of these settings will allow you to set some accent stones along with your center stone. Keep in mind that smaller stones are much more difficult to set, so you may want to play it safe and order a single stone ring. There are countless design possibilities. Look for easy set or snap in settings, which will allow you to set the stone yourself. Some jeweler's supply web sites have video tutorials on how to set their settings, but you can also search on YouTube. They are quite easy to master, once you see how it's done. After you choose a setting, look for a calibrated diamond to fit and any accent stones your setting requires. You may also want to purchase a gem setting tool which will allow you to tighten the prongs without damaging the stone or setting. If you couldn't find the setting you liked in the correct size, you can take it to a jeweler to be sized. It will be less expensive to do this before you set the stones. Once you have your gemstones and setting, you are ready to make the ring. I think you'll be amazed at how easy it is to pop the stones in and tighten the prongs and you'll have a gorgeous engagement ring that you made yourself! Another way to do this would be to search the Internet for sites that offer wire jewelry tutorials. You can learn to make an engagement or gemstone ring in a short amount of time and end up with something very unique and artistic. You can start practicing with some inexpensive copper wire until you are confident enough to make your ring in sterling silver or gold. To get an idea of the type of rings you can make with wire, search Etsy.com for 'wire engagement ring' and for 'wire gemstone ring'. Try doing the same search on ArtFire.com too. I'm attaching a couple of pictures from my Etsy shop. I get a lot of orders for my wire wedding bands and engagement rings and my customers tell me they just wanted something different than the average jewelry store ring. Many people are even ordering colored stones rather than diamonds. Whatever method or design you choose, have fun with it! A handmade ring will have much more meaning and sentimental value.

[dtorreilles]

Thank you for your comments ireiss and Honus :-). I can only agree with everything you said. I know little for instance, and English is not my native language, you explained way better than me :-).

I know that the design he used is common today. And it looks great ... Maybe my perception is biased... but even done properly, personally, I wouldn't use it for an engagement ring. It is not because of aesthetic reasons, but only because it looks, and I believe it is, not as solid as the classic/old design.

I have to admit, maybe because I'm half German :-P That for me, Strength would override the style in that case... to ensure that even after 50 years of everyday wear, your stone will still be there, and as well maintained as the fist day.
By cons, for a more casual ring, why not...

In fact, it brings a question to me : Was that design really intended to be used for engagement rings? I wouldn't be surprised that they are selling that design as engagement ring, even if it wasn't intended for that at the beginning, just because people were asking for it ...

[ireiss]

Actually as a "Metal Smith" I can say that you actually did the job well, ask any jeweler, the style is often called a Tiffany setting because the light comes from below and the "claws" (some call them paws...the holders for the stone are very well designed...my teacher would love to have a student like you in his class...) anyway very well done!

[Honus]

Light does not come from below a Diamond. A Diamond set in a full depth bezel setting will have the same brilliance as a Diamond that is set in an open setting. Diamonds are cut so they reflect the light through the top of the stone (called the table.) Well cut stones reflect light better than poorly cut stones. As a stone setter, the most important thing to me is the cut of the stone- it far outweighs color or clarity in terms of the brilliance of a Diamond. For earrings though I'd go with higher color vs. clarity as the stones are typically smaller but that's just me. :)

[dtorreilles]

The result is impressive! Congratulations!

But you took many risks by designing your ring without consulting jewelers. As an amateur jeweler myself, I can point a few flaws in your design that could reveal dangerous over time. First of all, your stone has nothing to seat on except the four arms. Usually, there is a ring, slightly smaller than the stone, on witch the stone sits. Then we make an other ring underneath, much smaller, just under the pointy tip of the stone, and the four arms are soldered to the seat and that smaller ring. The difference in diameter between the two rings gives the angle of the arms. The arms are partially inserted in the rings. Meaning that you cant place the stone without grinding the arms a little just at the level of the seat, and thus, making them easier to bend over the stone.

Because of your design, your arms are not as strong as they could be and could easily bend if they receive a shock. And if one of the arm bends, because the stone has nothing to seat on, it may start to wobble and fall. More over, because your arms are joining at their base, your stone has to be farther from the finger that it could be, exposing it even more to shocks.

It would be really sad if you lose the stone, so be really careful! If I were you, I would design a new ring for that stone! The risk of losing the stone is really high, especially for an engagement ring worn every day and exposed to daily little accidents! You could keep that ring and put an other stone on it, for a more "casual" jewel for example, for occasions, where you are more careful and calm.

Well, once again, I'm not saying that to simply criticize and say the few things I know about jewelery. The result is amazing, congrats :-D And for a non jeweler, it is impressive! But I don't want you to lose that stone... and the risk is high, so I could't stop myself.

[ireiss]

Actually as a jeweler I can say that having taken a professional class his is in a style that Tiffany actually uses and there are in fact many diamonds that are actually set in the manner he has done...however usually the Claws (or as I have said in another write up, paws are cut out in a certain way think literally like they were paws to hold it...) Most use the standard you use however the style that he uses is quite common these days its how you indent or form the paws/ claws that matters most in either setting but in yours even if not formed correctly it will hold... far better only because he has not filed an indent for holding the stone (which give the "Paws/Claws" effect) to each of the sticks (or as some call it stems). you may see your self as an amateur but you could with just a little learning become a pro.

[Honus]

What you really want is to cut a seat in the prong to hold the stone. With a typical brilliant cut round Diamond this is done using a 45 degree hart burr. You really don't want the majority of the underside of the stone (called the pavilion) to rest directly on the prong so the angle of the prong should always be more vertical than the angle of the pavilion. The cut you put in the prong will hold the stone by the outer edge of the stone (called the girdle.) Different shape stones require different cuts in the prongs- some stones like Sapphires typically have a thicker girdle and the pavilion has more of an acorn shape so you need to design the ring with slightly thicker prongs- this also applies to princess cut and radiant cut Diamonds as well. The depth of cut in the prong should also never exceed 1/2 the depth of the prong.

[Honus]

Nice job and congratulations!!

[MyMenagerie]

Congratulations!!!

The ring is very dainty and lady-like. It looks even more beautiful on your fiancee's hand. Best wishes for a long life together!

[ireiss]

would love to know more about the 3d cad and how that works and were one can have that done...there are some things that as a Metal smith/ Jeweler I can't do by hand...this idea of yours to make the ring this way might be the way to solve a problem with a design I cam up with but can not make in the usual fashion...

[maemae13]

This is just amazing!
So creative and smart.
The ring turned out beautiful!
Congrats (:

[meritsetgo]

what was your source for the wooden box?

[alesuamor]

Epic, you are awesome!

[tn.]

the only possible way to make it better would've been a TARDIS ring box (but that's just me, lol)

[jimvandamme]

Your next Instructable should be "How to propose in a quaint Flemish town".

[daniel30471]

thanks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[r_harris2]

Do you have any reference or advice about the dimensions of the arms/prongs? To me, these seem critical, since they secure the stone. Too thing, they might be dangerously weak, too thick or short, they might be too hard for the jeweler to bend, etc. Did you have a reference or measure some existing rings, and if so, can you post or direct folks to some sizing recommendations?

[suayres]

Beautiful job! Your fiancée must have been blown away. The ring is lovely, and your work well thought-out and executed flawlessly. I'm glad you were smart enough to admit to not being able to handle some aspects of production, I.e., the casting and the mounting. Some things really require the professional touch. BUT, you did the important parts: the design, the heart, and the soul. And, BTW, congratulations!

[porcupinemamma]

Well what a romantic guy you are! Wonderful! Congratulations! My God bless you both!!

[Ugifer]

What a lovely project and a beautiful result!



Shame they didn't have these types of tools 15 years ago or perhaps I would have done the same. Still, I guess I could just find a new wife to try this on!*



*If you're reading this Mrs Ugi: I'm kidding OK.

[aahwaan]

This is amazing.

I loved it, though getting all the paraphernalia may not be easy in my place, but I sincerely hoped if I could make one like this...

[HRhV]

Glad you liked it! You say that, but all of the bits for this (with the exception of the stone setting) were done using online tools! Good luck if you decide to give it a go!

[nyx702]

Very cool. Did you have a mandrel or anything to check the size? I am curious how much error there was between the 3D model to 3D print compared to actual ring sizes.

[HRhV]

Thanks! Just a standard digital calliper to check the size - I generally use a tolerance of +/- 0.1mm to make sure that parts fit, but with this I had the prongs flush against the diamond on the CAD model and everything fitted perfectly. Because of the polishing of the metal afterwards, it allowed everything to fit really nicely.
As for the ring size itself, I new what size I wanted, so found the size in mm of that online and made the internal of the ring the same size. No mandrel needed!
The thing with rings is that people's fingers aren't exactly the right size or shape, so there is a good chance that the ring will slowly shape to the finger it sits on anyway! I have to say for the folks at i.materialise though, the accuracy on the printing was fantastic. They do say on their site though that they can print with layers of 0.033mm thickness...

[scoochmaroo]

Just stunning. What a lovely story. Well done!