How should I re-make my engagement ring?

September 15, 2013 2:26 PM

I received an engagement ring that used to be my grandmother's. Photo here and here. I love this ring! I would keep it exactly like it is, but I'm a manual therapist and so I'm touching people all day - this ring is SO tall and scratchy. Right now I'm taking it off when I work, but I'd like to be able to wear it at work. How should I have it re-made? Please assume I know nothing about rings, weddings, or jewellery design.

Things about me:
- I'm not so fancy (this is the nicest piece of jewellery I have ever had or ever hope to have).
- I'm not concerned about trends or sizes of diamonds.
- I don't want to add more stones to it.
- I'd like to wear it on the same finger as my wedding ring, and ideally the two would be flush.
- I would like it to be lower, and for there to be no more prongs or scratchy things. Sweater season approaches!
- Not all the stones have to stay, if you can think of a good reason why they shouldn't.
- If this whole thing could somehow be just flattened and rounded out, while keeping the same look, I'd go for that.

I'm meeting with a jeweler on Friday and she asked me to bring pictures of what I want. Can you help me figure out what that is please?

Thank you!

posted by andreapandrea to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (14 answers total)

Have you pondered having it made into a pendant, or into earrings, to sidestep the issue of having it on your hand?
posted by zadcat at 2:29 PM on September 15, 2013 [4 favorites]

Have you looked at any bezel-set rings? I have a kind of bezel set with detailing and smaller side stones (Etruscan style,) and it has no edges or popped-up details to catch on things. Mine is set fairly close to my skin, which keeps the overall height to just slightly taller than the center stone stone is. You could probably have some of the stones set into a bezel or half-bezel halo around your ring, and depending on whether you like the style, into a sort of pave-style band. Something like this, maybe, with a solid metal band? This etsy seller has a lot of more minimalist bezel designs, if you wanted a different approach. It should be easy to work with a jeweler to incorporate some muted points or the kind of swirl that your ring has, just set lower and closer to your finger.
posted by jetlagaddict at 2:40 PM on September 15, 2013

I think what you're looking for is something that is "Flush-mounted". That takes away the prongs and makes things smoother, kind of like a class ring.

One thing you might consider is making two rings, one with the large diamond and a band with the smaller diamonds. The one with the single diamond for your engagement ring, and the band as your wedding band. I think it's a nice look.
posted by TooFewShoes at 2:41 PM on September 15, 2013 [1 favorite]

Channel-set is another term to ask about. I pictured something along these lines when you said smoothed out: ring.
posted by brilliantine at 2:44 PM on September 15, 2013 [1 favorite]

Perhaps a toned-down version of Jennifer Aniston & Brad Pitt's engagement ring which has a bezel-set diamond with spiraled diamonds around. You could get the central diamond bezel set lower than that with the smaller diamonds wrapped around in a less snaggy setting (and of course a plain band).
posted by girlhacker at 3:53 PM on September 15, 2013

I have this ring:

http://www.nahoku.com/jewelry-type/rings/na-hoku-wedding-band-with-diamonds-available-in-18k-yellow-18k-white-or-platinum-1.html

and there are never ever any snags.
posted by spunweb at 4:47 PM on September 15, 2013

I think you could do something like a swirling wrap mount for the main stone and channel set the smaller stones, something akin to this.

(I had my own engagement ring done by Green Lake Jewelry Works and they are very flexible in meeting your needs/desires and excellent craftspersons. I'm certain they could create something that would capture the spirit of your grandmother's beautiful and unique ring and yet flatter and smoother around the edges.
posted by drlith at 5:01 PM on September 15, 2013

How long have you been wearing it?

My engagement ring sits up high and a first I snagged it constantly. After a few weeks, I never snagged it at all. I take my engagement ring off for things like gardening, but otherwise I wear it all the time.

It was your grandmother's ring and you love it. You could certainly channel mount the surrounding stones, but it will be a much less delicate ring. A channel set will eliminate the prongs, but it will be a more modern style.
posted by 26.2 at 5:16 PM on September 15, 2013 [2 favorites]

Would it be too odd to wear it on a necklace while at work, so that you can preserve the original design when wearing it in non-work settings?
posted by NikitaNikita at 5:49 PM on September 15, 2013 [3 favorites]

(I don't think it's too odd, personally :))
posted by NikitaNikita at 5:49 PM on September 15, 2013

I have a cathedral setting. It is very smooth, and you can have it done in various heights.
posted by dpx.mfx at 6:08 PM on September 15, 2013

If it was me, I'd ask for it exactly the same, but the middle diamond flush with the others. If you like how unique and delicate it is, I wouldn't completely redesign it.

You can get necklaces with clip pendants, so you can clip on your ring during work hours, and easily remove it later, without fiddling with tiny clasps.
posted by barnone at 7:11 PM on September 15, 2013 [2 favorites]

I'd do a flush-mount in the exact same design. It won't mesh with any other rings, but if you like it, then it will work.

The other option is to do a more traditional setting with the large stone in the middle and the smaller stones set into a band on either side, and have it designed to interconnect with your wedding ring.

I had my engagment ring and wedding rings cast into one ring. It's easier that way.

The other option is to have it made into a pendant in the exact shape it's in.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:07 AM on September 16, 2013

Best answer: well, I do custom jewellery, and if you came to me and really loved your ring, I'd just make it less snaggy. rounder, thicker, slightly lower prongs, maybe making the outside diamonds into a halo pave setting, and just scoring the outside to echo the prongs you currently have there.

if you're getting your engagement ring re-done, having a custom band made at the same time is simple, so then they will fit together.

if you look at the tiffany "embrace" style, something like that, but with a shaped halo, modified to look like your current "swirling" style of halo. That's a very comfortable style of ring, and is beautiful with the center stone mounted in prongs, or even in a bezel if you want maximum comfort.

if you like, memail me and I would be willing to do a couple quick sketches for you to take to your goldsmith working on your description of what you like.
posted by euphoria066 at 9:36 AM on September 16, 2013