How to Design the Perfect Custom Engagement Ring: A Sparkly Guide from Ooh! Aah! Jewelry

How to Design the Perfect Custom Engagement Ring: A Sparkly Guide from Ooh! Aah! Jewelry

Designing a custom engagement ring isn't just about picking a stone and a setting—it's about telling your love story in gold, sparkle, and style. At Ooh! Aah! Jewelry, we specialize in crafting one-of-a-kind rings that are as unique and unforgettable as the person wearing them. Whether you're dreaming of a classic solitaire or a bold statement piece with a southwest twist, here's your guide to creating the ring of your (or your partner's) dreams.

1. Start With the Love Story

Every custom ring begins with inspiration. Maybe it's a favorite place, a shared hobby, a vintage heirloom, or just a feeling. Our clients often bring in meaningful details that help guide the design—like the mountain range where they got engaged, a grandmother's ring, or even a favorite color. We're here to turn those sweet, sentimental sparks into wearable magic.

2. Choose Your Centerpiece

This is the star of the show! Whether you love the brilliance of a lab-grown diamond, the warmth of a champagne stone, or the vivid personality of a sapphire, we've got options. Want to incorporate a birthstone or family gem? We love that. We’ll help you find the perfect centerpiece that feels just right for your love story.

3. Picking the Perfect Stone

Choosing the right stone is where your ring truly starts to shine. At Ooh! Aah! Jewelry, we offer a curated selection of ethically sourced gemstones including:

• Lab-Grown Diamonds: Just as sparkly as mined diamonds, but more sustainable and often more affordable.

• Natural Diamonds: Classic, timeless, and full of natural charm.

• Moissanites: An ethically sourced conflict free alternative

• Colored Gemstones: Think sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and turquoise for something bold and nontraditional..

Not sure where to start? We’ll walk you through all your choices. 

4. Set the Style

Do you lean modern and minimalist? Vintage and romantic? Bold and boho? We'll help you choose a setting that complements your centerpiece and matches your vibe. Some of our favorite looks include:

• Unique & chic: One of kind, just for you.

• Fairy or nature inspired: Romantic and whimsical

• Modern & minimalist: Sleek and polished

• Vintage inspired: Bespoke details and textures

Don’t worry if you don’t know the terms—we’ll walk you through it all.

5. Experience the Ooh! Aah! Magic

When you work with us, it’s more than just jewelry—it’s personal. We love making the process fun, friendly, and all about YOU. Come into our Albuquerque shop and tell us your story, try on styles, and play with stones. Can’t make it in? We also offer virtual consults so you can design your dream ring from anywhere.

6. Timeline & Budget Tips

Custom doesn’t mean complicated. Most custom rings take 4-6 weeks. Budget-wise, we’ll work with you to get the most sparkle for your spend—from dainty and delicate to big and bold.

7. The Big Reveal

Few moments are more magical than the final reveal. Whether it's a surprise proposal or a "we-designed-this-together" celebration, seeing your vision come to life is unforgettable. And honestly? It’s our favorite part, too

Ready to start your custom ring journey? Pop into our Albuquerque shop or book a virtual consult today. Let's create something sparkly, sentimental, and totally YOU.

Ooh! Aah! Jewelry — Where your love story meets its forever sparkle.

Lab Grown Diamonds and Moissanite

Valencia engagement ring with 1.9 carat round brilliant cut moissanite

Diamonds are forever is a slogan that has been a part of popular culture for decades. As the industry grows, learns, and becomes more aware of the ecological impact mining has on the earth, technology has brought many alternatives to mined diamonds.

Diamonds are coveted for lots of reasons though. They are very strong ( a 10 on the MOHs hardness scale) and they maintain their brilliance over time. They are neutral, versatile, and a lovely metaphor for a love that will transcend a lifetime. They’re often one of the first large purchases couples make, and are often passed down over generations.

Everyone has a choice, and our role in the process is to help provide you with the right information on what stone is the right option for you. Here are the basics on lab created stones and diamond alternatives.

Lab Grown Diamonds

Lab grown diamonds are diamonds that have been created in a laboratory. The process can vary, but usually starts with taking a slice of natural diamond and applying extremely high heat, pressure, and pure carbon. Over about a week the carbon solidifies under the heat and pressure, bonding to the slice, creating a beautiful diamond.

The only way that natural diamonds and lab created diamonds physically differ is by the way they were created. They maintain their strength, a 10 on the MOHs hardness scale, and even have variances in color and clarity. Each stone is still completely unique.

Moissanite

Moissanite is a natural form of silicon carbide that was first found in Canyon Diablo in 1883 by Charles Moisan. Most moissanite is lab created, and naturally occurring moissanite is rarely found outside of meteorite crash sites. A tiny piece of the cosmos! The process to grow a moissanite in a lab is similar to that of a diamond, by applying high pressure and temperature to a host slice and carbon.

Moissanite is a 9.25 on the MOHs hardness scale, the second strongest mineral, and they are more brilliant than diamonds. This is what makes them extra sparkly! Moissanite costs about a third of what a natural diamond of the same carat weight would cost, so it’s a great option to get a big, blingy look for a lower price.

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 If you have questions, you can find our contact information HERE. If you want to start creating your own creation, you can make an appointment with us HERE. 

Designing Your Dream Ring

Custom designed wedding set in 14 karat rose gold and rainbow moonstone with diamond accents.

We love love! We strive to keep a diverse selection of engagement rings and wedding bands in stock, but sometimes your dream ring has yet to be created.  We have curated our custom process to be as seamless and stress free as possible. If you are curious about our process, please continue reading.

The first step in designing a custom ring is to gather inspiration. This can be as simple as saving ideas from social media, or trying rings on in the shop. Our staff is trained to help find common design threads to establish a greater idea of what you like. 

The second step is solidifying a center stone option. We have stones in stock to choose from, and we can also help search to find the perfect stone for you. If you have your own stone, we can use that as well. 

As we narrow down the features of your dream ring, we will mock up designs on paper with pencil as a visual guide to help you further narrow down your design ideas. If we have already developed a firm design idea, we may not need to review hand sketches and we can go straight into the CAD process. 

Next, we move into the CAD (computer-aided design)  phase. CADs present a color image to scale using your stones in the setting you have designed. If the CAD isn’t quite right, we can always make changes. The CAD will also provide an exact price for your one-of-a-kind creation.

We do the first CAD for free, and if we need to make any changes we require a $200 deposit that goes toward the overall total of your ring. When reviewing the CAD, keep in mind that our jewelers use the CAD to print the wax mold which is used to cast the ring, so certain features may look exaggerated, like prongs, and the color may not be exact.  

Once you are satisfied with the design, we take half down on the total, and let our jewelers take it from there! In 3-5 weeks you will have a brand new, one of a kind creation. 

How long does custom take? 

From start to finish, custom takes anywhere from 3-8 weeks depending on the complexity of the design.

How much does custom cost?

We price each piece based on the materials that are used, meaning each custom piece has its own price. We don’t have a minimum for custom, so the world is your oyster! If there is a price you are trying to keep in mind, let us know so we can best guide you in your options.

Do you offer a warranty?

We do not provide any extended warranties. We will clean and inspect your ring for free as often as you want and offer affordable repair and upkeep options as well. We always recommend insuring your pieces, and can help provide you with appraisals of your gold pieces to help the insurance process. You can itemize pieces under home owner’s insurance or Jeweler’s Mutual, who we highly recommend. As a small business, our goal is to provide you with as many tools as possible to set you up for success.

Can I wear my ring 24/7?

We do not recommend wearing any jewelry 24/7. Depending on the type of ring you have, it will sustain more aggressive activities, but we do not recommend washing dishes, showering/bathing, bike riding, rock climbing, weight lifting, or wearing your ring during any activity that may put an excess of pressure on your ring. This may cause the stones in your ring to shift in their settings. No ring is indestructible, however with the right care and upkeep it can easily become an heirloom that you can cherish for decades to come. 

Can you design jewelry other than rings?

Yes! We also design customer necklace, earrings, and bracelets. The process is the same as the one above!