Jewelry Redesign Story #41: A Diamond Ring From Loose and Lose-able to Secure and Safe

THE REDESIGN CHALLENGE:

Allison has been married for seven years and has loved her beautiful diamond ring. However, she was not able to love wearing the ring because of a small design flaw: The setting for the diamond was too loose and she constantly worried that she would lose her stone that was of such value to her both financially and, of course, emotionally.

In order to fix this issue and create a way to safely wear her ring daily, worry-free, Allison came to us to make sure the diamond would sit securely and tightly in the setting without too much additional space. 

Because we were in the process of redesigning the ring for structural reasons, Allison also wanted to create some design changes as well to better suit the ring to her tastes. She wanted the diamond to be set a bit lower as she found the ring’s current design included a setting that was too high for her tastes. 

In creating the lower setting for the design, Allison also requested that we re-envision the shank on her classically designed ring. In the course of overhauling her ring, Allison also wanted a ring that utilized a wider shank, the lower setting, and a more futuristic style of band to create an almost entirely redesigned ring that would still feature Allison’s stunning diamond in a more modern overall design. 

Allison had one final request before we were able to begin designing her ring. Because of the emotional value and the high cost of the diamond from her original ring, Allison did not feel comfortable leaving such an important gem in anyone’s possession other than her own for any period of time. We completely understand these feelings and love to support people who want to maintain security and a close eye on the jewelry and stones that they love and which mean so much to them and hold so much value. 

In order to comply with Allison’s request, we promised her that we could make all the fittings and measurements for new casting in one meeting and handle the setting at a second meeting, both of which Allison would be present for. In this way she would never need to be outside her comfort zone in letting the diamond out of her sight for any period of time. We were more than happy to help her feel safe and secure in her redesign process and were glad to create a two-meeting system that would suit her comfort level.  

THE REDESIGN PROCESS:

initial sketches

We created a number of different designs that included Allison’s requests for a wider shank and a few different settings for the diamond. 

Allison ended up choosing a design with a wide, flat band, and a low setting that made it appear as though the stone was halfway on the shank. With all of these design elements together, Allison was excited to have a redesigned ring that was a little less classic than her original piece while still remaining simple and focused on the stone as the main design element. 

Rhino modeling

When creating our Rhino model, we wanted to focus especially on the measurements to ensure that the diamond is both sitting low and that there is not too much additional space between the diamond and the prong setting. When working with such a large stone with a design focused on practical elements, measurement and setting, tested via the Rhino platform, were of the utmost importance.

Casting

Once we received the casting, we were able to test the setting of the diamond during our first meeting with Allison and the stone. We were able to quickly assemble the setting and shank, ensure that the diamond fit perfectly and snugly, before giving the stone back to Allison and for us to continue our process. 

Setting

Because of her special request, Allison was actually present when we met with our setter to have the stone set into its final place. Allison was able to watch closely as our setter finished the setting and did a polish on the final piece. 

THE REDESIGN REVEAL:   

The finished jewelry on customer

Both Allison and our team were so excited to be able to have the customer present as the redesign ring was birthed into existence and placed directly onto the customer. 

Allison instantly fell in love with the ring. She was so glad that she felt safe to finally wear her engagement ring every day and that was a completely upgraded style that she absolutely loved. 

Materials: 18k rose gold ring with 1.5ct oval diamond in claw prong setting 

Manufacturing Level: Medium

Design Level: Medium

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