How the Design Process Works
It all begins with an idea…
Well, it all begins with the desire for a high quality, unique ring. For wedding rings, more and more men are opting for unique a ring that expresses who they are rather than a solid gold or platinum band. There are so many materials to choose from as well as colors, textures, and styles. Even couples who have been married for many years may have either lost their ring, their ring size has changed, or are looking for an updated style, are choosing to get creative and upgrade their rings. So where do you start?
It all begins with an idea…the idea of creating a meaningful expression of who you are and of your marriage. How do you take the basics, such as materials, size, and style, and make the ring truly unique and customized for you?
In my design process, I walk clients through the following steps:
Step One: General Idea
What kind of ring draws your eye? Do you want a darker ring, or a brushed metal finish, or a shiny metal? Do you like the look of wood on the inside, outside, or as an inlay? Are you drawn to crushed stone or a colorful opal inlay? Do you like a heavier or lighter ring? This seems like a lot of choices, but it’s just to get an initial feel of what you are looking for or what you see yourself wearing. Many men have never worn rings, so if you are not sure, I have plenty of rings to try on or pictures of rings for you to look at.
Step Two: Customization
How can we make it more meaningful? What are your interests? Do you like whisky, bourbon, skateboarding, hunting, archeology, astronomy, aviation, baseball, fishing, golf, etc. What special materials might we use? Is there a type of tree that has special meaning to you from childhood or a favorite spot? Maybe having to do with your future bride or groom? Do you want to use up-cycled or sustainable materials? Do you like the idea of using meteorite, antler, turquoise or other special stone? Do you have a piece of furniture, family heirloom, skateboard, fishing pole, golf club, or piece of an aircraft or automobile that has special meaning?
Step Three: Final Design
I take all of this information and synthesize it into a custom ring design using the materials we come up with, in the size, fit, finish, and style you desire. You are only limited by your imagination! (…and potentially some limitations due to steps in the creative process, but we can come up with solutions to work around those.)
So why not get creative, express your unique style. If you want to read stories about the designs created by other couples, check out more blogs posts here.