Congratulations! You’re found the perfect life partner, and you’re getting ready to ask that ever-present question. Obviously, that question is what ring they want. We know, it’s a big one but never fear - our experts here at Vanscoy, Maurer and Bash Diamond Jewelers are well-trained to help you find the answer! With over 150 in-stock styles to choose or be inspired by, we’re sure the ring for you is here somewhere.
Now, we have plenty of blogs about choosing the perfect stone, where to propose, and even how to pick the best ring for you! But have you ever wondered exactly how the sausage gets made? Well, a customer - we’ll call him Todd - recently purchased a stunning oval diamond and plans to set it into a gorgeous Vlora diamond solitaire ring. Want to follow along to see the ring from order to finish? Then keep on reading!
Design
Todd chose a ring that typically features a round center stone. Since Vlora is an expert in custom design, tweaking the center stone shape to match Todd’s wishes is a simple fix. According to Kelly, Vice President of Marketing at Vlora, the team will design a CAD (computer-aided design) as well as an interactive 3D model. “When we send (the 3D model) to the jeweler, the customer can interact with all aspects of the product itself and see what it would look like completed, which really gives the process a whole different element,” Kelly said. If Todd was between metal colors, this model also has the ability to display the ring in white, yellow or rose gold.
Production
Once the CAD is approved and the deposit paid, then the real magic begins. Production kicks off at Vlora’s factory in Bangkok, Thailand. Master craftsmen start with melting and casting the gold into the appropriate ring shape. From there, the freshly cast ring is polished and prepped for its diamonds to be set. Vlora will carefully and precisely ensure each side diamond is secure and ready for wear. “There’s a 12-point checklist to make sure everything goes through quality assurance,” Kelly said. “When it comes here to New Jersey, an additional part of that process is somebody takes it out, looks it over with the loop and they make sure everything is exactly what was ordered before we pack it up and send it to a customer.” From start to finish, this process takes about four weeks. Before you know it, the completed setting is shipped to our store in Lancaster, PA!
Final Touches
The ring may be in the store, but it isn’t ready for customer eyes just yet. This ring comes with a crucial missing part -the center stone! Now before you freak out, that was the plan. Our talented bench jeweler, Stephanie, is well-versed in completing this final step of the ring-making process. After our inventory manager does a final check and enters the ring into our system, she passes it off to our jeweler to make this setting look like an engagement ring.
Our jeweler will notch grooves into the ring’s prongs to establish a secure seat for the diamond as she sets it. Once the diamond is nestled firmly into the head of the ring, then she will bead the prong over onto the diamond, trim them and polish them to look nice and neat. Vlora’s engagement ring settings feature their signature V-style, which appears to look like little hearts underneath the diamond and can function as a diamond hidden halo or polished gold gallery rail, to provide maximum security while allowing as much light around the center diamond as possible. Once Stephanie is sure that the center diamond is as secure as possible, she has to make sure the ring looks like she was never there. After a thorough polishing and final clean, Todd’s ring is ready for pick up!
Whether you are choosing a similar ring as Todd or designing a piece completely from scratch, the process is the same. Each ring is handcrafted just for you, adding that custom touch to even the most traditional of engagement rings. So don’t worry about not being able to find the ring for you - even if you think it only exists in your head, we’re here to make that thought a reality. Make an appointment and let us get started on that ring in your dreams!
