Custom Engagement Rings NZ: How Much Do They Cost?

Jewellers are hesitant to give you a price for a custom design engagement ring because there are so many different things that determine price. These include:

• The gemstone you choose.

• The size and number of the gemstones.

• The precious metal you choose.

This article will walk you through how to think about each of these things so you can get your dream ring that is guaranteed to sparkle with workmanship you can count on, right here in New Zealand.

Gemstone

Custom Engagement Rings with Lab Grown Diamonds

Diamonds are the most popular and most expensive gemstone that you can choose. And at Four Words, getting a diamond engagement ring with a 1 carat lab grown diamond will start from around $4,000. And while you may notice other jewellers offering a lower price, it is because we don’t compromise on the diamonds that we choose for you.

For starters, we only work with the best diamonds that the eye can see. This means diamonds that sit between the DEF colour range, VS clarity and ideal cut. Your diamond will look flawless to the naked eye and super sparkly. There are quite a few other things that our diamond pickers look over before choosing you a lab grown diamond for your custom engagement ring but we don’t think you need to worry about it. You can learn more about our standard and read our reviews.

For example, this stunning multi-stone pear cut diamonds features a 1.5 carat lab grown diamond in 14K yellow gold came under $8,000 but would cost close to $15,000 if it was made by a traditional jeweller using mined diamonds.

Custom Engagement Rings with Moissanites

While diamonds are the most popular, they are by no means the only gemstone for an engagement ring. In fact, we are seeing lots of couples choose moissanites over diamonds. It is extremely difficult to see the difference and are actually more sparkly than diamonds. And while they are slightly less hard than diamonds on the Mohs scale, they are harder than sapphires, rubies, emeralds and aquamarines.

Most moissanites are cut by diamond cutters. And finding a great cut moissanite is harder than most people think. This is because moissanites need to be cut in a completely different way to diamonds for its sparkle. At Four Words we only work with jewellers that specifically work with moissanites for the highest quality gemstone to add to your bespoke jewellery design.

For example, this 2 carat cushion cut moissanites features two accenting pear stones in 14K yellow gold. Our client tells us that her friends didn’t even ask whether or not it was a diamond or not because of its sparkle.

Custom Engagement Rings with Coloured Gemstones

Sapphires, rubies, emeralds, alexandrites and spinels are having a renaissance (yes the art deco is roaring back!). In fact, a few of our most popular designs don’t feature lab grown diamonds at all.

All these gemstones are cheaper than diamonds and a custom made engagement ring with any of these gemstones in a 0.7 carat equivalent in yellow gold or rose gold can start from as little as $2,500.

Just with our lab grown diamonds and moissanites, we only choose the best gemstones that the eye can see. And because gemstones — including moissanites are not independently graded, we carefully select gemstones based on their cut and craftsmanship. We also have a wide range of gemstones in our studio so you can get the exact colour that you are looking for.

For example, one of our clients was looking for a very specific emerald cut teal sapphire engagement ring.

We spent a few days going back and forth on the colour as we worked with our suppliers to make sure it was exactly what the sapphire ring that our client wanted.

Size and number of gemstones

The greater the size of the gemstone, the higher the price is going to be. And, the more lab grown diamonds or gemstones in your custom made engagement ring, the higher the price. But there are a few things that we think you should consider before being putting off getting a larger gemstone.

The larger the gemstone, the higher the price

Not even five years ago, it would cost over $10,000 to get a bespoke engagement ring with a 1 carat high-quality diamond. With the development of lab grown diamonds, you can get a high quality 1 carat diamond for around half the price.

At Four Words it costs around NZD 4,000 for a bespoke 1 carat solitaire lab grown diamond, a custom made 1.5 carat solitaire lab grown diamond engagement ring starts from NZD 6,000, and a bespoke 2 carat solitaire starts from NZD 8,000.

For moissanites and gemstones, getting a custom made engagement ring with a 0.7 carat equivalent starts from $2500. For a 1 carat equivalent solitaire, this starts from $2,600, at 1.5 carat equivalent solitaire starts from $3,100 and at 2 carat equivalent solitaire starts from $3,600.

The more gemstones, the higher the price

It makes sense that the more lab grown diamonds or gemstones you add, the greater the price. For example, having a three stone diamond engagement ring is going to cost more than a solitaire engagement ring. The final cost will be based on the size of each of the diamonds. The same goes for gemstones.

For example, this princess cut diamond solitaire like the one below, will cost more than one that has more gemstones.

You can also add gemstones to your ring without it being the main feature. For example, adding a diamond halo or pavé will add to the price of your custom ring design.

For example, this boho inspired ruby engagement ring features lots of accenting baguette cut diamonds and diamonds running down the gold ring. This will be more expensive than a simple solitaire ruby engagement ring of an equivalent centre stone size.

And in this emerald cut green sapphire featuring a half bezel with channel set diamonds in a yellow gold band will be slightly more expensive than a similar ring with no diamonds running down the band.

There are hundreds of details that you can add to your bespoke engagement ring through the design process. This can include diamonds running along your custom ring, a diamond halo around your centre stone or gemstones on the inside of your ring. So long as it is not an accenting diamond, the maximum this should all come to is around $2000.

Centre stone carat vs total carat weight?

Quite a few jewellers in New Zealand report on total carat weight instead of centre stone carat weight. It’s a subtle difference but an important one.

A 1 carat diamond is not the same as 10 x 0.1 carat diamonds. When a jeweller reports on total carat weight, they are hiding the fact that you don’t actually get a 1 carat diamond. This is a sneaky tactic to charge you 1 carat prices for something that costs a lot less.

At Four Words, we report on both the centre stone carat and the total carat weight. If you buy from Four Words you will receive an independent valuation, and if you buy a diamond centre stone, we will also provide an independent diamond valuation — all for free. Strangely, this is not common at mall jewellers who have their own grading system which means their diamonds are not independently graded.

The Quality Of The Precious Metal You Choose

At Four Words, there are four metals that you can use for your engagement or wedding ring that we recommend. These are:

• Yellow gold

• White gold

• Rose gold

• Platinum

Yellow and white gold

There are 24 parts to gold. 24K is pure gold. 14K gold is 14 parts gold and 10 parts of another metal making it a gold alloy. There are typically four quantities of gold:

• 10K

• 14K

• 18K

• 22K

If you decide on yellow gold, we recommend going for either 14K or 18K depending on how yellow you want your gold to be. We find that 22K yellow gold as being too yellow and soft. If you are budget conscious, we recommend 10K gold because it is a little cheaper.

Regardless of what gold you choose at Four Words, all our gold is hypoallergenic meaning it won’t irritate your skin. Cheaper jewellers add nickel to their gold as a cheap alloy but will make your ring allergenic.

And yellow gold is not just for women. Below is an example of a signet ring that we designed as part of a dainty bridal set.

White gold is yellow gold plated with rhodium to provide it with a nice bright-white finish. It also is cheaper than platinum initially.

However, over time, the rhodium plating fades, meaning you need to get it re-plated every two to three years. This can cost around $50 - $100 NZD each time. Without this plating, it your custom engagement ring will look like a very pale-yellow-gold ring, which becomes more apparent as the plating fades.

Rose gold

Rose gold is a gold alloy with copper. And the lower the carat, the more red it will typically be.

When buying a rose gold ring, we highly recommend you inspect the colour before making a decision. It can come out more yellow or more red depending on the jeweller that you decide to use.

Platinum

If you are looking for an ice white finish, instead of using white gold, we recommend using platinum. It is stronger than gold and scratch resistant. Furthermore, it won’t need constant maintenance like white gold.

It is a particularly popular choice for a women’s wedding band, but we have also seen lots of men use platinum in interesting ways for their wedding ring too. For example, this men’s wedding platinum ring has a green lining made out of resin.

Whatever your engagement or wedding ring preference, we will take your ring size to ensure a perfect fit, no matter your ring style.

Get a custom engagement ring

If you are looking for a custom engagement ring or bridal set, enquire at Four Words. If you can dream it, we can make it. And we will work with your budget to get you exactly what you want.