Choosing an engagement ring is an exciting experience. An engagement ring is unlike any other piece of jewelry you will give to your partner. (If this is the first piece, it shouldn’t be the last!! Clearly, we are biased.) Whether a ready-made or custom-made engagement ring, we have a great selection and the ability to bring your vision to life. As a small business, we are able to give couples the time and attention they deserve. We hope you will visit us at our Belmont, MA store location where we hope to earn the right to count you as a lifelong customer!

READY-MADE ENGAGEMENT RINGS

We work with several vendors (some are local!) to bring you a large selection of ready-made engagement rings: traditional, vintage, modern & unique. We stock the rings in many metal types and we can set a ready-made band with any type of stone. If you are looking for a traditional setting but want to put a colored gem stone as the center, we can do that for you. Shopping for an engagement ring can a challenge, but we promise to make the process as simple and easy as possible.

CUSTOM Engagagement Rings

The decision to create a custom-made engagement ring is made for a variety of reasons. In some instances, one or both partners cannot find the exact vision they want in the marketplace. They may see a detail in one ring but cannot find it with their stone preference. Maybe they want an alternative stone or a rarer diamond shape. In those cases, the partner may have a traditional vision but want to add their unique style to it. Alternatively, couples might want to go against the grain– to be bold and do something that really stands out. Also, we tend to see people who would like a particular style of ring but want a more modest version to save money.

Whatever the motivation for creating a custom-made engagement ring, we cannot wait to hear your story & vision. Guiding you to maximize the budget to match your dream– that’s our specialty!

View the Custom Engagement Ring Gallery

YOUR VISION

For a custom engagement ring project, you’re in the driver’s seat. We merely give you all the facts for each option and you have the final say. Unlike other jewelers, we do not let our personal style preferences dictate the process. We appreciate and admire everyone’s style. However, we advise if a design choice compromises the durability of the ring. We’re also more than happy to provide options, insight and opinions.  An engagement ring is different from most other jewelry because it is worn every day. Given that, quality is our utmost priority.

When you are making this important decision, you are choosing a jeweler as well as choosing a ring. We want the best for the couples we work with. No matter what your questions and concerns may be, we will help you make the best decision for you. We would be honored to create your custom-made engagement ring, but if it’s not the right fit we will happily refer you to a more suitable one.  We strive to make your time with us extra special. If you already have a vision, please feel free to email us. We would be happy to give you pricing estimates and options. To schedule an obligation-free consultation at the Belmont, MA store please call 617.484.0645 or email.

THE PROCESS of a custom engagement Ring:

To explain the process of creating custom-made engagement rings, I will share a story of a couple who recently got engaged: Mike and Lindsay! Mike came to me with some ideas of what he wanted. The steps below will take you through the process from consultation to creation.

Step One: For our consultation, Mike showed me a photo a ring his soon-to-be wife liked. Mike had a few notes about the ring. Lindsay liked the style but wanted white gold, not yellow. Also, the original ring came with a 5-carat white sapphire,

while he wanted to do a real diamond that was a little over one carat. Lastly, he wanted the band to be slightly thinner.

Step Two: I went to work finding the right center stone for Mike and Lindsay. He wanted a sparkly stone.

Step Three: I provided him with a quote for the project to include the stone, side stones and production. It came to $9,000. He was happy with the quote and we moved forward.

Step Four: I presented Mike with a rendering of the engagement ring for approval. Before the mold is made, clients often share any last minute tweaks they may have. In most cases, because of the conversations leading up to the rendering, he approved it right away.

Step Five: The wax is made and then a gold is cast.

Step Six: The stones are set. In this case, I added the milgrain by hand. And the final bling was ready!!

Custom-Made Engagement Ring CONSULTATION & DESIGN

For the consultation at our Belmont, MA store location, please feel free to bring in pictures from magazines, online, or your own sketches and ideas. Also bring your budget & timeline if you can. If not, we can help guide you. This items will be very helpful to get started. During the consultation, we will ask many questions that will be used to figure out exactly what you need and want from your custom engagement ring.

We will discuss possibilities and then finalize and review the process with you. A quote for your project will also be provided. Email or call 617.484.0645 today to get started. I am excited to hear from you!

HOW LONG does the CUSTOM ENGAGEMENT RING process take?

Most design projects take three to four weeks from start to finish. After the initial consultation, you will see the start of your project within a week. Here are the basic steps:

• 1:Initial consultation to discuss concept, budget, and timeline.
• 2:I will send you pricing options.
• 3:Creating a rendering. At this time, you will be able to make edits to the design if you have any tweaks to make it just right.
• 4:A wax mold is made of the ring and then the ring is cast.
• 5:The stones are set and the fine details are added.
• 6:Saying YES!

If you have a particularly tight timeline, please let me know and I can try to meet your needs.

Engagement ring FAQs

Why choose Karenna Maraj Jewelry?

Customers have told me that they love working me because they don’t fell intimidated. This surprises me. I supposed it was because of my education from the Rhode Island School of Design or my devotion to fineness, high caliber work and expertise.

Rather than order how a project should go, I like to lay out all the options– giving the benefits of each. I want my customers to make a choice that reflects their individual style. An engagement ring is a big purchase. It’s a beautiful symbol of your love. My goal is to insure that each client walks away delighted with the final product.

I am honored to be a part of so many engagement ring stories. A friend of mine always loves to say I bring as much enthusiasm to my $30 projects as I do to my $10,000 ones. I believe that is the ultimate praise.

 

Meaning of engagement Rings?

Engagement rings serve as a symbol to mark a very special occasion. You give one to your partner as the outward symbol of your commitment to marry one another– a meaningful and enjoyable part of being married.

Deciding what you want to spend?

How much to spend or how many months’ salary for an engagement ring, you might ask? Some convincing marketing campaigns say engagement ring should cost twice or even three times a men’s net monthly salary. Times have changed. Our advice is to spend what feels right.

Every partner deserves the biggest diamond in the world, but who needs to start life married in debt? Engagement rings vary widely. Given that, the prices range. We specialize in maximizing budgets to get the most for your money.

If you haven’t discussed the price with your partner, or you simply don’t want your partner to know how much you are spending, we can help. Grooms often ask us what to do when his bride loves an expensive ring. There is always a solution. We completely understand. You can always call us ahead of your visit 617.484.0645 to get a sense of pricing, or email for options in advance if you are coming in with your partner.

How much does the average engagement ring cost?

In the US in 2020 the average engagement ring costs $5,500 and the size of the diamond is about 1ct. Don’t be pressured by the national average. We understand that you might want to “live up” to standards like this, but you should always make the best decision for you and your partner. At Karenna Maraj Jewelry Collection we have competitive prices and can work within your budget to find you just the right ring.

How many carats should an engagement ring be?

There are no rules when it comes to how many carats an engagement ring should be. The average engagement ring is about 1ct. We suggest staying just under whole and half size diamonds. Meaning a 0.9 ct instead of a 1.0 ct. You might be able to save 20% by doing that.

Can you finance your engagement ring?

 There are a couple of ways to finance your engagement ring at Karenna Maraj Jewelry Collection in Belmont, MA. We are pleased to offer financing through Square Installments. You can contact Square directly to fill out the short application and see all of the details up front. Or if you wanted to setup a payment plan directly through us we can invoice you each week or month and you can pick up the ring when it is paid off. We also accept all major credit cards.

Do couples pick engagement rings together of alone?

The romantic side of you says, “I’ll buy the ring by myself and it will be a surprise.” There are lots of ways to propose and surprise her with an appointment to design the ring of her dreams. Plenty of couples design their engagement rings together.

If you have your heart set on a traditional, surprise engagement, there are ways to find out what she wants. Asking friends and family, or even looking on her social media sites like Pinterest can be a helpful guide to what she likes.

Read our Engagement Ring Testimonials

How do you tell the quality of a diamond?

Honestly, don’t even try if you can avoid it. At Karenna Maraj, we can explain the fundamentals that decide the stone’s value. These main factors are color, clarity, cut and carat. Smaller diamonds are graded “collection quality”–this means that they are the finest white But it takes years to know diamonds, and we have years of experience that you can leverage instead of trying to gauge diamond quality on your own., brightest and cleanest diamonds that are perfect under 10x magnification.

How do I know which of the 4 C’s are most important?

We recommend not getting too held up in the C’s that she can’t appreciate, like clarity and color. We advocate for getting the best engagement ring cut you can. Cut is what makes the diamond sparkle. Having an excellent cut will help to hide some of the imperfections of the clarity and the color. Then look at the carat to see which size will fit in your budget.

Have you considered an alternative white stone?

There are a few white stone alternatives to a genuine diamond: lab created diamonds, moissanites, and white sapphires are great alternatives. Lab created diamonds have the same chemical, physical and optical composition as a genuine diamond but are about half the cost. Moissanites are brilliant, extremely sparkly and made out of silicone carbide. They are super strong and also created in a lab. White sapphires are very durable and significantly less than a diamond or even a lab created diamond. The only drawback is that they are duller- have less sparkle because of a lower refractive index. Come into Karenna Maraj Jewelry collection in Belmont, MA to compare for yourself some of these alternative stones.

What finger does the engagement ring go on?

The engagement ring goes on the ring finger (fourth finger) of the left hand in the US. England, Canada, Italy, Egypt and New Zealand, just to name a few, also wear it on the left hand. Germany, Russian, India, Norway are a few places that wear engagement rings on their right hands. Engagement rings are recognized not just by the hand they are on, but often by the look of the ring. Not long after, engagement rings became popular were people obsessed with diamonds. 

How should the engagement ring fit?

 We recommend that the engagement ring should fit snugly over the knuckle, and not too tight on your finger. You should have a little more resistance to get the ring back off of the finger. A ring might never fit perfectly because of swelling from exercise, salty food, drinking, and temperature, among other factors. If could also be that your knuckles are larger than the lower part of your finger, so the ring wiggles. We suggest adding a ring guard can be helpful to keep the engagement ring up right and fit closely on the lower part of the finger. At Karenna Maraj Jewelry we offer ring resizing and ring guards in various sizes.

How to insure an engagement ring?

There are a few ways to insure an engagement ring. You could add the ring to your home or renters policy. Even adjust your policy by adding an extension (also called a rider) which will cover your engagement ring specifically. We also recommend giving your ring its own policy with a company that specializes in jewelry insuring. Rates might fluctuate but it usually cost between 1-2% of the value of the ring per year.

How to clean your engagement ring?

You can use a liquid jewelry cleaner and dip your ring and let it sit for a minute. Using a small brush to scrub all the nooks. Rinse in water, dry and use a polishing cloth to polish the surface. We sell these items at Karenna Maraj Jewelry Collection.  We highly recommend bringing your ring in to us to get a professional polish. We can remove scratches and use a buffing wheel to bring your ring to a high shine. We even do rhodium re-plating.

View Ready and Custom Wedding Rings & Bands Here