Custom Radiant Cut Engagement Rings: Quality & Designs
If you're shopping for a radiant cut diamond engagement ring, you may be overwhelmed by the design choices. Or maybe you want to ensure you get the highest quality design.
Most information available focuses on the quality of the diamond, which is extremely important, but don't realize that a proper setting can make or break a ring.
Placing a high-quality diamond in a poorly crafted setting can make the whole ring look cheap. The setting should enhance the diamond.
This article will guide you through what to look for to create a beautiful, expertly crafted custom radiant engagement ring.
The way that she carefully placed the diamonds together made the center stone look as white, as large, and as stunning as possible.
Leily .K
Cupertino, CA
Full Yelp Review
What Is A Radiant Cut Diamond?
A radiant cut diamond is a type of diamond cut that combines the brilliance of a round cut diamond with the elegance of an emerald cut diamond. It is a rectangular shape or true square shaped diamond with trimmed corners and a total of 70 facets, which allows it to reflect light in a way that creates a stunning sparkle.
One of the benefits of a radiant-cut diamond is that it can make a diamond appear larger than it actually is due to its elongated, rectangular shape, and the way it reflects light. This makes it a great option for those who want a larger-looking diamond without having to pay for a larger carat weight.
Overall, a radiant-cut diamond is a beautiful and unique choice for an engagement ring. Its combination of brilliance and elegance, along with its versatility and affordability, make it a popular choice for those looking for a custom engagement ring.
Benefits Of A Custom Radiant Engagement Ring
There are several benefits of a custom ring over a mass-produced ring you would get from a retailer. The most important reason is the craftsmanship.
Settings for rings are manufactured without the center diamond. That means the setting probably won't match the center stone's color or dimensions.
When you get a ring custom-made by a highly trained diamond setter, the diamonds in the setting match the center stone, and everything is proportional and seamless. It's like getting a suit hand-made by a tailor; it fits your exact measurements and every curve of your body.
The other reason is the quality of construction. Most manufactured rings cut corners when it comes to design features, which we'll cover in the next section. This is a piece she will wear every day for the rest of your life. It should feel comfortable and look flawless.
The most important, is that the ring represents your love story. Part of that is the effort and intention you took in creating the ring.
Structural Integrity of The Ring
I've seen prongs that can be compared to foil, where stone loss is common, or shanks that are made too thin or Hollow.
There are two types of jewelry repairs I commonly see: ones that are just plain accidents, where she dropped it into a garbage disposal (and yes, that has actually happened to one of my clients), and then there are other repairs that could have been avoided, such as a ring shank being made too thin in one spot that really required extra durability to support the size of the diamond set into it.
That's why, as a Master Diamond Setter, I'm mindful about creating rings that she won't have to keep getting repaired all the time. I mean, this is a quality that you should be looking for in whichever jeweler you plan to hire to create your custom ring.
Factors To Consider When Designing A Custom Radiant Engagement Ring
There are so many factors that go into constructing a flawless custom ring. Here are my top five that most custom ring jewelers don't consider and what sets me apart from other diamond setters.
Let's dive into the five techniques that we apply to our radiant cut rings to make them absolutely spectacular.
1. Sleek Claw Prongs
My prong styling is meant to blend in beautifully with the facets of the center diamond, making them thin and triangular shape. Most prongs you typically see are rounds balls of metal.
And while this is definitely a time saver when it comes to production, for something so special as a meaningful radiant cut diamond engagement ring, it really does kick it up a notch to hand sculpt the claw prongs like this.
2. Polishing Under The Diamonds
This isn't something you likely would even think about because once they're set, they're set. But consider this: if dirt and grime get under the diamonds, if it's not a smooth surface that can be cleaned away easily with water or a jewelry cleaner, then it's going to get stuck in the rough crevices and look darker or dirtier, making it really hard to keep super bright as it once looked when it was new.
3. How Scratchy The Small Prongs Are Between The Fingers
On rings, sometimes the edges of the small prongs on the shank feel rough and high between the fingers. We take extra time to soften and shape our prong edges to minimize snagging and scratching.
In fact, I test out each ring on my finger to see how it feels as a woman, and I also rub it against a sweater to see if any fibers catch. That's not to say it never will; it just certainly minimizes it from happening if at all.
4. Seamless Halo: Minimizing The Gap
If your design is a halo ring, then this is a way to really make that round center diamond "pop". Minimizing the gap between the halo and the main Diamond will prevent your eye from focusing on a dark shadow around your diamond once it's set.
4. Comfort Fit Shank
This means the edges of the inside of the shank of the engagement ring setting, are slightly rounded for more comfort, especially if you're not used to wearing rings and plan to wear yours every day. Clients really appreciate this technique.
It's easier to take a flat sanding stick and polish the sides flat to a 90-degree angle, which is common in mass manufactured settings or even some custom pieces I've seen. But as someone who is sensitive to sharp edges when I grip things like a steering wheel or doorknob, I prefer for it to feel buttery smooth inside my ring.
Most people won't place importance on these features when buying their radiant cut engagement ring because they just don't know to even look for them. But it's all of these little decisions in the ring construction process that add up to make a difference between a mediocre ring and a "perfect" ring.
Popular Radiant Diamond Ring Styles
Halo Ring Style
By far, the most popular style that I get the most requests for with radiant cut diamonds is the halo setting. The halo setting is a halo, or ring of diamonds around the center stone.
There are so many variations and customizations when it comes to halo settings you can learn more about here.
The halo gives the radiant diamond an even more pop of fiery brilliance. And when it's done correctly, the halo setting makes the radiant diamond appear even bigger than it already is.
Two-Toned Ring
The two toned ring style combines two different metal colors, often a yellow gold (and sometimes rose gold) with either white gold or platinum.
This is perfect for someone who wants a yellow gold band, but doesn't want to take away from the whiteness of the center diamond.
Where To Find The Best Custom Radiant Engagement Rings
If you want a "perfect" ring, you may want to consider going the custom route. When you buy a ring from a jewelry store, the ring is mass-produced, meaning that small, important details are neglected.
All of these details add up to an okay ring. But for an important piece of jewelry you're going to wear every day of your life, do you want to settle for just okay?
If perfection matters, have your ring made by a master diamond setter who is going to take the time to make your ring perfect down to every small detail and have it custom-made just for you.
With a jewelry retailer, your money goes to high overhead, marketing and sales commissions, and rent. You want your budget to go into the construction and materials of your ring and the care and attention to each detail.
How To Spot A Good Jeweler
Take a look at the jeweler's past work. Do they pay attention to the details we mention in this article? Ask them if they take the time to polish the inside of the setting that no one ever sees or if they take the time to shape and polish prongs and align them with the facets of the stone to ensure clean lines.
Have them show you examples of these details.
Look at their reviews. You want your ring designer to "get you," which means they need to take the time to ask the right questions and get to know the design features you'll really like.
Is A Custom Radiant Cut Diamond Engagement Ring Right For You?
If you love the square shape of an emerald or princess-cut diamond, but want the fiery brilliance of a round diamond, a radiant cut diamond engagement ring might be the stone for you.
If you want to look into getting one custom made, consider scheduling a call with us. I would love to work with you to create the ring of your dreams.
Or, read How It Works if you want to know more about our process.
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