Finding the right engagement ring is an intricate process. With countless options and styles to consider, the task can be both exciting and overwhelming. To guide you through this significant decision, we sat down with Claire Hammon, the talented designer and director of Meadowlark, independent New Zealand jewellery brand renowned for their exquisite and timeless pieces.
“There aren’t many times in your life where you get to purchase such a special piece, so you want it to reflect that special moment in time,” she says. “Have fun with it with your partner, and most importantly don’t put pressure on yourselves. The diamonds have been under enough of that for the both of you.”
Below, Claire shares her insights into the world of engagement rings, offering valuable advice on everything from design trends to selecting the right stone. Whether you’re a future bride, groom, or a couple searching for the perfect symbol of commitment, Claire’s expertise will ensure your final ring design is one that not only captures the essence of your love story but also stands the test of time.
Which metal is right for you?
What is more timeless, gold or silver?
Both gold and silver are timeless, and can have comparable price points depending on whether you opt for pure gold, rose gold, white gold or platinum. Gold and silver trends go in waves, and there’s nothing wrong with mixing metals, but if you want to stick to one metal it can be good to think about your skin tone and what looks best on you.
What are the different metal types, and what’s the hierarchy of price?
The types of metals that you’ll generally find at your jeweller are 9ct yellow, white and rose golds, 14ct & 18ct yellow and white gold, as well as platinum. They go up in price in exactly that order but platinum has been out-priced by 18ct gold in the last few years. [At the top end] is 18ct gold and platinum – these are the metals I would always suggest investing in as they are harder and will wear better over time.
What is involved in the process of redesigning family heirlooms?
Modern jewellery design is generally quite refined or simple (even if they have bold elements) and heirloom jewellery can be quite fussy, so taking heirlooms and reinventing them into a new style is a very popular way of incorporating the past into a piece that fits into a contemporary aesthetic. It’s a beautiful way to celebrate sentimental pieces, as well as make use of stones that you already have access to. In terms of what can be refurbished, it’s generally very easy for jewellers to take the stones and design a piece that fits with existing shape, size and colour. The hard part comes with the metals – it’s a very complicated process to separate all the metals in the alloy and rebuild them back to be reusable. Beware that some jewellers may say they are refurbishing your metal, when they might not be…
Understanding the different engagement ring stones
Should I choose a diamond, a coloured stone, or a coloured diamond?
I think in a modern sense, colours are chosen as a stylistic expression rather than holding a certain meaning. You could say blue stones mean tranquillity and peace, while a red stone might say passion and romance, but I don’t think many people put too much emphasis on this. If you want to go down the coloured path route, then choose something that resonates with your personality or aesthetic. Always go with your gut. The best options for engagement rings are sapphires and rubies as they are harder than a lot of other stones. Sapphires come in a rainbow of colours too, so you can get pretty creative with it. Emeralds were used back in the day, but there are countless stories of them falling out of the setting as the stone is just too soft for everyday use. And if budget isn’t an issue – coloured diamonds are rare and expensive and overall badass! They make total fairytale rings.
What do I need to consider when choosing a diamond?
Diamonds really are forever, they take millions of years to grow naturally, they are so beautiful and once you have one you just want more, no other stone sparkles as much as a diamond. There are a range of clarities with diamonds which means you’ll notice they have different price points even if they are the same size. In the end, you want your diamond to be sparkly as possible, so you want to opt for a diamond that includes very few flaws. Look out for this when you’re shopping around, educate yourself on the Diamond Chart so that you don’t end up disappointed with a murky stone in the future. To help fit a budget, lab grown diamonds are a great way to get scale at a reasonable price. Lab grown diamonds are chemically identical and grown in a lab within about six weeks, you can’t tell the difference between a good natural and a good lab grown diamond.
A guide on engagement ring styles
How do I find the right balance between something timeless that’s not boring?
I would recommend going with whatever you’re most drawn to whether it’s classic or something out of the ordinary. Selecting a timeless design makes a lot of sense but if your natural inclination is to break the mould, then do it. Creating something that feels different can be really satisfying and exciting.
Humans evolve all the time so it’s likely in 10 or 20+ years you might not love the ring anymore (whether you decided to be bold or timeless) or you might have different requirements, so don’t worry too much about the future. If you don’t love it one day, then change it. Remodelling a ring can be really fun.
What’s the process for designing a bespoke engagement ring?
A bespoke ring is one of a kind, designed just for you. Bespoke rings can be a really fun process but it’s definitely more time consuming as your essentially starting from scratch. [At Meadowloark] we usually have about five people working across a bespoke ring to design and source for your unique piece. It helps when you have a really clear brief for your jeweller or work with a designer who you wholeheartedly trust and let them design something that they believe will resonate with your style and personality. You’ll be amazed what a designer can come up with if you let them go for it.
Claire Hammon’s top tips on choosing an engagement ring
Try all different shapes of stones and designs to figure out what suits you best. Then build a wish list – stone shape, metal colour and any other things that are important to you – lab diamond versus mined, coloured stone versus diamond etc.
If you’re considering a bespoke ring design, this process can be made easier by customising an existing design. For example, adding or taking away pave bands, sourcing unique stones or making diamonds bigger. Playing with colour and scale can make a design feel super unique and entirely different to your peers.
Trust your instincts when designing a ring and don’t be too quick to follow trends or friends.
Images: Supplied
The process of designing and making of their own wedding rings inspired designers Claire Hammon and Greg Fromont to release a full selection of Ceremonial rings in 2013.
