Custom Anniversary Ring - The Story of a Sapphire and Diamond Band
"Stacey and her team were such a joy to work with. They took great care of us every step of the way and made the process so easy. We could not be more happy with the result!"
- Jean and Todd
Perhaps it's a special wedding anniversary. Perhaps it's that your wedding band never quite fit your engagement ring or your style. Perhaps your style and sense of self has evolved since you got married, and you'd like a band to show for it. No matter the case, designing a completely custom anniversary band can be an exciting process that results in a ring unique to you.
Designing a Custom Ring for a 25th Wedding Anniversary
College sweethearts, Jean and Todd were engaged when Todd was finishing his law degree and they were both living in Los Angeles. Without the budget for a large diamond, they visited the LA jewelry district and worked with a jeweler to create a ring with a sapphire as the centerpiece, flanked by smaller diamonds on either side. For their wedding, they chose a simple gold wedding band to nestle up against the statement ring.
As they approached their 25th wedding anniversary, they wanted to celebrate with a special anniversary band. Given the unique style of the engagement ring, a custom design process offered them the most flexibility to create a ring that fit perfectly.
Princess Diana's Engagement Ring?
Jean's engagement ring is fit for a Princess, with a sapphire at its center that has a highly sought-after color saturation, and near colorless diamonds in a triangular pattern on the sides. Of course, its sapphire and diamond configuration is also reminiscent of that most famous royal engagement ring. We knew we needed an anniversary band that wouldn't compete for attention against the statement ring but also match it's "wow" factor and the quality of the stones.
A Curved Sapphire and Diamond Band
Jean's original wedding band, like most wedding bands on the market, only touched her engagement ring at the longest point of the sapphire - it never sat flush. This drew attention to the fact that the rings were not a match. When we set out to design her anniversary band, we knew one of the most important design characteristics would be that it curved perfectly around the engagement ring, as if it was originally made for it. As you can see in the finished piece, the ring has a curve, height and orientation of stones to fit wonderfully around Jean's statement ring.
Steps in the Custom Jewelry Process
Jean, Todd and the team at Stacey Fay Designs had several conversations to better understand the type of ring Jean was seeking. We discussed her dream ring, her likes and dislikes, and her budget. The SFD team then got to work on sketches so Jean could choose the design that fit her vision best.
One of the first steps in designing Jean's anniversary band was to assess the stones in her original engagement ring for color and clarity. Having her ring in hand also allowed us to craft a curved band that was completely custom fit.
After measurements were taken in the ring, we were able to create a wax model through 3-D printing. This wax model was adjusted to ensure it fit the engagement ring perfectly.
Lastly, the ring was cast into metal and the stones were set. Many hands and artisans came together along Jeweler's Row in Philadelphia to bring this ring to life.
An Ethical Custom Ring: Recycled Gold & Ethical Diamonds
In addition to the one-on-one custom design process and creating a ring that's a perfect fit, another benefit of working with Stacey Fay Designs is the attention to sustainability, and crafting a ring that is as ethical as it is beautiful. To that end, Jean's ring was crafted from recycled gold and diamonds, ensuring that conflict-free diamonds (the opposite of "blood diamonds") and cleaner manufacturing was part of the process.
The ring was also crafted start-to-finish right on Jeweler's Row in Philadelphia, the oldest jewelry district in the country. From the person behind computer design, to the stone setters and casting artists, the local economy was given a boost through the creation of this ring.
How to Get A Custom Piece of Jewelry Made
Looking to create a custom piece of jewelry for yourself or as a gift? See our custom design page for more information and review our custom jewelry portfolio to see some of our custom work.