If you’ve been shopping for an engagement ring, then you know that there are many benefits to buying a custom engagement ring from a boutique jeweller rather than the stock variety from a shop in the mall or a jewellery franchise. Unlike a mass-produced ring, a custom engagement ring is special because it’s one-of-a-kind. A custom engagement ring also shows your devotion to your relationship as you help design a piece of jewellery that matches your partner’s personality, taste and lifestyle.
However, some people hesitate to buy custom jewellery due to a few misconceptions. Let’s bust some of these myths so that you can make an informed choice.
Myth #1 Generic Big-Box Store Rings Are Better Quality Rings
Because big-box jewellery stores have sizable marketing budgets, many people assume that their products are better. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Big box engagement rings are often produced with generic settings that allow manufacturers to minimize costs. Manufacturing steps that ensure premium quality are often skipped.
On the other hand, custom engagement rings from fiercely independent jewellers offer better value and higher quality. While luxury retailers manufacture their products, reputable jewellers like Alexis Gallery handcraft each piece with great care and attention to detail alongside their clients, and are known as perfectionists, especially by people looking for engagement rings in Toronto and its surrounding areas.
Myth #2 Custom Engagement Rings Are Unaffordable
Custom engagement rings aren’t just for celebrities. From the right jeweller, such rings can cost about the same or even less than ones bought from the mall for a variety of reasons:
- Luxury retailers have greater overheads such as rent, marketing and salaries of sales staff
- A jewellery franchise’s goal is to maximize revenue and not necessarily to satisfy customers
- Generic big-box store jewellery can include materials you don’t want that drive up the cost
When buying an engagement ring from a store, the centre stone is often already set in the ring, so you don’t have the option to select your own stone. When buying online, you must trust the stock pictures or the diamond certificate without seeing the actual stone. There can often be a big difference between two stones in-hand, even if they have the same colour and clarity.
You’re in control when you buy a custom engagement ring. When designing such a ring, you can select materials that meet your budget and wants. And unlike a big-store where you may be pressured to purchase something outside of your budget from a sales associate with little knowledge of jewellery, a good family-owned jeweller will put you at ease and remove the intimidation factor while sharing their expert opinion to help you through the collaborative process.
Myth #3 Buying a Custom Engagement Ring Takes Too Long
It usually takes a jeweller 6-8 weeks to complete a custom engagement ring and 4-6 weeks to finish a custom wedding ring. Compare this to several months of shopping online and at malls for the one engagement ring that ticks all the boxes.
There are many reasons why you should buy a custom engagement ring instead of something off the shelf. Not only can they cost the same or less than rings from luxury retailers, but they are of higher quality and are one of a kind.