So, you’ve found the one (which is certainly no easy feat) — now it’s time to find the ring. But where do you start? Do you go with a classic diamond or lean into the vintage revival? Can you take heirloom jewellery and make it your own? how much will it cost, and how long is the process?
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To demystify the process, we’ve called in Gemima Macdonald - the founder of Gemima. She's a professional with 10 years of experience in the field, who graduated from GIA as a gemologist in 2014. Before starting her own fine jewellery brand, she worked with star-studded jewellery houses including Boodles and David Marshall - it's fair to say she's an expert on everything from cut to clarity, carats, and the finer details.
"Go with your heart, you’ll know when you know. Invest in the diamonds. A ring can be redesigned in the years to come, but diamonds are the piece that becomes a part of your story forever more."
Gemima
Based in London, Gemima is set to open her first store this spring, a place which she describes as "a sanctuary for secret missions, a safe place for couples and gents to relax in. From bespoke engagement rings to quickly inquiring about upgrading or redesigning that piece. There's a bridal snug, and also an invitation-only ‘Gem Bar’ for private events. Think cosy Parisian living room with an Ibizan playlist, your favourite cocktail and tailored service."
"I have always done diamonds differently, so I'm excited to disrupt the industry and show people the magic in private luxury design, away from traditional jewellery destinations."
She takes going above and beyond for her clients quite literally. So much so that she's hidden in airports and even delivered rings to a destination: "From booking dinners and drivers to hand delivering rings in the Alps. I’ve hidden in Folie Douce in case he fell over on his way to the restaurant, and pretended to be a waitress in LA. More recently I’ve been gliding through departure lounges at Terminal 5 and navigating the crowds in Ibiza; it’s never a job which gets boring! Just call me 00 Diamond…"
Amongst all the glitz, glamour and excitement of a proposal, Gemima emphasises that the most important thing is to "Go with your heart, you’ll know when you know. Take some time to understand what you're commissioning and what will make it special. Invest in the diamonds, a ring can be redesigned in the years to come, but diamonds are the piece that becomes a part of your story forever more."
P.S - she also has a secret link for you to tell her about your dream ring in advance,,,
A gemologist's must-know guide to creating a bespoke engagement ring
What are the main steps involved in designing a custom engagement ring?
Decide your aesthetic. What's your style? Are you looking for a clean contemporary ring, a vintage ring, or perhaps something in the middle like a trilogy design? Save inspiration from Pinterest and Instagram or make an album on your phone. Decide what gold is right for you and if you're a diamond girl or more of a gemstone girl. Come and physically try some rings on, make it a date night after work. Give your partner my contact details.
How long does the process usually take from initial consultation to having a complete ring?
The short answer is roughly 4-6 weeks.
Every engagement ring we make is designed uniquely for the client and handcrafted in our London workshop. The process usually starts with a phone call to talk about the essentials: when you're looking to get engaged, any design inspirations and what price point we're working to.
At Gemima, once we unearth each couple’s dreams, we source a number of unique gemstones fitting the criteria within two weeks and invite you to a ‘Diamond & Design’ appointment. Together we compare diamonds by size, clarity, colour and character. In this relaxed and intimate setting, we educate and inspire our clients and discover sentimental and unique design details to incorporate into their engagement ring.
Once signed off, the design is handmade in our workshop in London and we document every step, creating photography and videos as timeless keepsakes. All in, we typically request four weeks*; although we often are working to much tighter requests.
* Please note for extraordinary designs timelines may be adjusted.
What should people consider when choosing the right diamond or gemstone?
When a particular diamond stands out to you, ask yourself 'why that one?' Often couples say because ‘there's just something about this one’ and that's the beauty of diamonds! The slight ‘imperfections’ in the eyes of the traditional jewellery industry, actually create unique incomparable natural character.
No two are the same and the traditional measures of cut, colour, clarity and carat, “the 4 C’s” (which all diamonds are graded by), is just the start of understanding which stone is right for you. You could line up 100 diamonds with the same certified gradings and they would all look different.
You have to see stones in person and compare them, and if you’re not 100%, ask to see more options.
However, if there was one non-negotiable, for me it should always be the cut of diamond. The cut is what gives that brilliance, that sparkle and fire. The cut doesn't just refer to the shape of the stone, for example, the round brilliant cut is most used in bridal jewellery, but you need to pay attention to how it's been cut. Is the symmetry perfect, is it the right depth? You don't want a bottom-heavy ‘ice burg’ diamond, you want to see your money and see that unstoppable fire.
What are the most popular metals for engagement rings?
Yellow Gold bands with platinum heads.
Yellow gold is the most requested in engagement rings, it allows you to drop a grade in the colour of the diamond and therefore potentially go in size. Most girls wear yellow gold day-to-day so a yellow gold engagement ring seamlessly fits into her jewellery wardrobe.
My advice with yellow gold is: craft the ring, band, and the design in yellow, but any metal that touches the diamond, the claws, or the basket, should be platinum. This is an elegantly subtle detail and brightens the diamond while adding extra strength to the ring.
What shape or design could someone choose to maximize their ring for a smaller budget?
For smaller budgets I'd move away from a stand out solitaire and look at a trilogy. My signature Trio design, spreads the budget across three diamonds, covering the finger while giving a juicy impact. I love to use pear cuts as side stones because they spread larger than their weight on paper.
How much does it typically cost? and how can someone create a bespoke ring while staying within a specific budget?
Going bespoke means you set the budget. You commission us to source all stones and complete a design within your budget. Typically we see clients spending in excess of £10,000, which delivers a rare, sophisticated ring with an exceptional diamond.
However, we work with all budgets above £5,000, and on the other end of the scale, we have managed seven-figure projects where we’ve sourced truly show-stopping diamonds. Whatever your budget, I suggest having a clear idea of what you're happy to spend before starting the process. Never be sold anything that will make you uncomfortable later and always give yourself time when making decisions.
Do you need to know exactly what you want before starting the process?
Definitely not! The fun of designing a ring is discovering what excites you along the way. You could have an idea of the stone you want, the shape of a diamond or the colour of a sapphire for example or if you like a solitaire or trilogy ring design. Even so, keep your mind open and let us show you ideas. You may be surprised which ones connect with you!
The secret to what I offer is showing stones you didn't even know existed, I source off-market and love out-of-the-ordinary cuts which traditional jewellers wouldn't look at, as they stick to what commercially sells.
What’s the difference between a bespoke ring and one bought off the shelf?
Buying off the shelf can be beautiful but the truth is, it wasn't designed for you. It was designed to sell and will continue to sell over and over again. They’re simple commercial designs and many people wear the same.
Your engagement ring is the only thing you'll ever buy that you'll wear every day, it becomes part of you. I believe it should be designed to represent you as a couple and by going bespoke, it’s handcrafted with your style, love and life in mind.
What are the most popular diamond shapes and settings?
The band is the question girls ask most about, “how thin is it in mm?” Each band is slightly different and crafted with our secret curved interior for comfortable everyday wear. The band is proportionally decided by the diamond, and the entire ring is sculpted to show off your diamond while giving you the luxury of stacking any ring seamlessly.
The most requested cut is the iconic oval, driven by a host of celebrity engagements, think Hailey Bieber and Blake Lively. Closely followed by pear cuts and marquise.
Our bestselling overall combo has to be a 1.5ct Oval IVVS diamond on a yellow gold band, with an additional diamond band for stacking, because, why not? I'm a perfectionist and the ratio of an oval alongside the ever-ending quest of sourcing one without a bowtie is a labour of love.
As the ring is usually a surprise, is there a way to ensure the ring matches someone’s personal style?
If we’re working with a traditional surprise proposal, then that’s great fun and we get to deploy some of my secret agent methods to understand each woman’s style. Whether that’s scouring Instagram and working out finger size relative to a glass of wine she’s holding or identifying nail style choices, often girls who have rounded nails prefer an elongated oval or round cut, whereas those who go for square may prefer a chunkier rock like an asscher or cushion cut.
As a backup, I hold a secret spreadsheet (it started out as notes in my phone) of every time I’ve met a girl and asked her what the dream ring would be. 10 years later I think I’m allowed to call myself an expert in predictions!
Recently, I've moved this to a secret link on my website and I encourage all girlies to fill it in. Just tell me your finger size, gold preference and diamond dreams. I ask for your partner's last name and your birthdate, so if he ever comes knocking, I cross-check and make magic happen!
…and we don’t have to tell him.
What should someone look for when choosing a jeweller for a bespoke ring?
Someone you can relate to. Someone's opinions you trust and you can work patiently with.
Is it possible to use an heirloom diamond or gemstone in a new design?
Absolutely it's both sustainable and very romantic.
An easy way is to melt down gold from family jewellery. It's so romantic and often when I've met the girls after the proposal it's something they find truly unexpected.
We also incorporate heirloom stones regularly into bands and inside the ring, so it's not the central stone but it's incorporated. Lots of girls love to add additional gemstones into their designs to represent spiritual journeys and beliefs. Like wearing a ruby for blood health.
What’s the most unusual or creative request you’ve ever had for a bespoke ring?
One client asked to have a piece of a meteorite set into the diamond, but so the meteorite was still touching the skin. I’ve also made eternity rings with bespoke cut diamonds in the shape of coffins “till death do us part…”!
I love having diamonds specially cut, it's truly so personal and no one will ever have a stone like yours.
What are some unique design elements people can incorporate into a bespoke ring?
This is truly the most exciting part of designing for me, getting to know the clients as a couple but also the wearer. Does she have a lucky number? What's her birthstone? How did they meet?
Something happens in these meetings and it inspires my creativity. I like to design little touchpoints that are private but hold meaning for the couple. I don't show these too much on my social accounts as they are intimate to my clients but I invite you to come in and discover more about how I make your design unique.
Have you noticed any current trends in bespoke engagement rings/what trends can we expect for 2025?
Champagne gold, a mix between yellow and rose, elegantly contemporary. Coloured diamonds are back in a big way and yellow diamonds are highly requested at the moment. “Sun kissed diamonds”
Do you have a favourite custom ring you’ve designed? If so, what made it special?
Mine! Because I didn't know I’d actually made it…
It wasn't a secret that we were going to get married. We knew very early on and spoke about ‘how he could possibly ever buy me the ring’. But actually, I thought he would have an easy job as I could just do it for him.
He’s very romantic and traditional so he wanted everything to be a surprise. One night at a dinner he confessed he’d been chatting to some dealers I work with. They had shown him champagne stones because that's what I've always dreamed of, but they weren't right.
48 hours of knowing this and surprise, I had sourced a selection for him to view and together I hoped we had chosen our forever rock. Not knowing if he actually bought it, he had been to my workshop to have it made. Luckily I had drawn a design and stuck it on the wall, saying ‘if I ever get engaged this is the dream; p.s. my finger size is F”. Fast Forward 6 months (I know, how long did he make me wait!) and by complete surprise he proposed to me in Paris, with our rock and my dream ring.
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