Learn · Working with Sara
What a custom engagement ring costs
Every custom ring is quoted after a consultation, because the price depends on the design, the stone and the metal, and there is no honest number before those are chosen. What can be explained is what moves the price, and how much each lever matters.
What it is
A custom ring's cost is the sum of a few things: the center stone; any side stones or melee; the metal and how much of it; the setting and the hand work to make it; and the design time in CAD. Sara shows each of these as a line, so the quote reads as a list of choices rather than a single figure.
Why people love it
A quote built this way can be changed: a smaller stone and a pavé band, or a larger stone and a plain band, for the same total. Nothing is hidden in a markup on a shelf ring, and the renderings show exactly what each choice buys.
Trade-offs
There is no price until there is a design, which means a conversation before a number. For people who want to compare against a catalogue, that takes patience; the trade is a ring that is exactly what you wanted at the budget you set.
Who it suits
Anyone who would rather decide where the budget goes than take what a shelf offers, and anyone with a stone or a budget in mind who wants to see how far it reaches.
Sizes
The stone is the largest lever. Carat weight is the obvious one, and the price per carat rises as stones get bigger. Shape matters: rounds cost the most per carat, elongated and step cuts less. Grade matters: color and clarity move the price a lot, and cut quality more than people expect. And the choice between a natural and a lab-grown diamond changes the price of the stone more than any other single decision.
The metal is the next lever: platinum costs more than gold, 18k more than 14k, and a wide or heavy band more than a thin one, because every piece is priced on its real weight. The setting adds labor: a plain solitaire takes the least hand work, a pavé band, a halo or a three-stone takes more, and V-prongs and bezels take skilled time.
What affects the cost
In short: the stone (carat, shape, grade, natural or lab-grown), the metal (type, purity, weight), the setting (how many stones and how much hand work), and the design time. Sara quotes the whole piece after the consultation, before anything is made, and the quote shows each part.
Every custom piece is quoted after a consultation; there are no posted prices for custom work.
Care
A custom ring comes with the Anniversary Care Program: bring it back every year and Sara cleans, inspects and photographs it. Cleaning and prong checks keep the ring, and its value, as they should be.
Questions
Why is there no starting price?
Because the stone, the metal and the design set the price, and they are chosen with you. A number before that would be a guess.
What moves the price most?
The center stone: its size, shape, grade, and whether it is natural or lab-grown. Then the metal and the setting work.
Can I set a budget first?
Yes, and it is the best way to start. Sara shows what the budget reaches with different stones and settings.
How is the ring paid for?
A deposit begins production and the balance is due before delivery; a schedule can be arranged for larger projects.