Nothing Pre-Made. Here Is What Actually Happens.
People ask me this all the time:
“What does custom actually mean? What happens after I book?”
Fair question. “Custom” gets used loosely in this industry.
So here is the honest version — the way a ring comes together at diamondboi, from the first conversation to the day you pick it up.
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Step 1. The Consultation
Everything starts with a conversation. In studio or virtually, your choice.
I lead every one personally. No sales floor, no handoff.
We talk about:
• The style you're drawn to (and what you're not)
• The hand it will live on — proportions matter more than people think
• Your budget, honestly
• Your timeline
You try shapes and sizes on. We look at lab-grown and natural options side by side. By the end of the appointment you have a clear direction and a firm quote — not a vague range.
Engagement-ring consultations run about an hour. Wedding bands, redesigns and virtual appointments about 45 minutes. Complimentary, no obligation.
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Step 2. Design and Diamond Selection
This is where the ring stops being an idea.
We lock the design — setting style, band width, profile, prong details, the small decisions that decide how a ring feels in ten years.
Then the diamond. Every centre stone I bring to the table meets the same standard: D–E colour, VVS2 or better, Excellent cut. Lab-grown stones come with an IGI report; natural stones with a GIA report.
If the design needs a render before you commit, we do that as its own step. You should never have to imagine what you're approving.
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Step 3. Your Approval
Nothing goes into production until you've approved two things: the design and the price.
Your quote holds for 30 days, so there's room to think.
Once you say yes and the deposit is in, the piece is yours — made for you, and only you.
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Step 4. Handcrafting — Allow 4 to 6 Weeks
This is the part most people never see.
Setting the stone, finishing the shank, polishing by hand. It takes time because we don't rush it, and because the ring is being made — not pulled from a shelf.
Four to six weeks is the honest window. If a design is more complex, I'll tell you up front, not after.
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Step 5. Final Inspection and Delivery
Before any ring leaves, it's inspected under the loupe — stone security, finish, proportions, the lot.
Then it's either in your hand at the studio, or shipped to you fully insured. We ship worldwide.
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And After?
The relationship doesn't end at pickup.
Every ring carries a lifetime guarantee against defects in materials and workmanship, one complimentary sizing and cleaning, and a lifetime trade-up on the centre diamond.
Inspections are free, any time. Bring it in.
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Proposing Over the Holidays?
Here's the practical bit.
With a 4–6 week production window, a ring for a Christmas or New Year's proposal should be approved by mid-November. For Valentine's Day, aim for the first days of January.
Book earlier than you think you need to. The consultation is the easy part — the making is what takes time.
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Where to Start
If you already know roughly what you want, book a consultation and we'll take it from there.
If you've seen something you can't find anywhere — a shape, a detail, an heirloom you want reworked — send it through the custom piece request with a few inspiration photos. I'll reply personally within two business days.
And if you'd rather read first, the Diamond Education guide covers cut, colour, clarity and shape in plain language.
After twenty years at the bench, I can tell you the best rings don't come from the biggest budgets. They come from getting the conversation right at the start.
