Vol. I · May 2026
put a ring on it
An editorial on the small, circular things we keep
Archive · Page 13
No. 122

Can I design a custom ring with a hidden message or symbol?

Short answer: yes. Longer answer: it depends on what kind of message you mean, and where you want it. I've done this maybe thirty or forty times now, and...

No. 123

Are there any ethical concerns with custom ring materials?

There are, and most jewelers don't talk about them unless you push. I'll give you the short version first, then the long one. The short version: three...

No. 124

How do I resize a custom ring with intricate details?

You probably can't. Not without losing some of that detail, and anyone who tells you otherwise is either working with very simple engraving or hasn't...

No. 125

Can I design a custom ring to be stackable with other rings?

Sure. And you should. Stackable rings have been around a lot longer than the current trend cycle suggests - I've sized enough Victorian stack bands to know...

No. 126

How do I create a custom ring that looks antique or vintage?

Let me be blunt: most rings sold as "vintage-style" aren't. They're modern rings with a few decorative flourishes slapped on - millgrain here, a halo there,...

No. 127

Do custom ring designers offer virtual consultations?

They do - but there's a difference between a jeweler who offers virtual consultations as a convenience and one who offers them as a substitute for the real...

No. 128

Can I get a custom ring made with recycled metals?

Yes, and I'd guess about 60% of the custom work that comes through my bench these days includes a request for recycled metal. The other 40% don't ask, and I...

No. 129

How do I choose a setting that protects the gemstone?

About 60% of the damaged stones I see come in from settings that looked good in the store window but weren't built for how people actually live. A 1.8 carat...

No. 130

What are the best custom ring styles for small hands?

Let's start with what I see across the bench. Small hands - usually a ring size 4 to 5.5, or finger length under about two inches from base to knuckle - get...

No. 131

Can I order a custom ring with a specific engraving style?

Yes. But let's be specific about what "engraving style" means, because the word covers a lot of ground, and the execution depends on who's doing it and with...

A letter, every other Sunday.

One essay, one object, one quiet recommendation — delivered slowly, the way these things ought to be.