Looking for your dream ring? Then design it yourself says bespoke specialist Emma Clarkson Webb
Emma Clarkson Webb has been designing bespoke rings since 2015 and her mission is to make the process as transparent, ethical and special as possible. This is a ‘from scratch’ process where you can have your dream creation featuring the stones and settings you love. Here she explains why the bespoke route is becoming so popular with couples looking for a special ring, and current trends she’s seeing in engagement and other special rings.
The benefits of having an engagement ring bespoke-made for you are endless: you really can have your dream ring made to your exact specifications. Typically you will pay a fraction of the cost of sourcing the same ring from, say, a Bond Street jeweller. I am driven by a desire to help private clients create a beautiful, one-of-a-kind piece of jewellery as well as achieving value for money.
“My client base is super varied and each ring created is specific to them and completely unique”
My client-base is super varied and every ring I make is unique to that specific client. Each ring is a representation of that client’s personality and it’s really exciting to see my clients moving away from very traditional styles and opting for something more unusual: I recently designed the most stunning engagement ring with a single statement Black Diamond set in matte yellow gold.
Colour is still king and I have been seeing an increasing number of requests for coloured stone rings with halos – many of my clients come to me to incorporate family stones into their engagement rings and I love nothing more than taking an existing stone and transforming it into something modern. Green stones continue to be in high demand: I often suggest tsavorites and tourmalines for clients who want something more durable than an emerald but just as vibrant.
Three stone rings have never been more in fashion and the demand for cushion-cut designs flanked by two pears is showing no signs of slowing down. In terms of cuts of diamonds, I find that brilliant, cushion and emerald cuts are increasingly popular – and for good reason because they are timeless and beautiful.
The vintage trend is everywhere and I’m seeing a growing number of requests for old-fashioned settings and stones – old mine and rose-cut diamonds in particular seem to be having a serious revival. I predict that we will see more of the oval cut in the next year – thanks to the likes of Hailey Bieber. I love single stone rings: they are so elegant in their simplicity and are a great way to let your stone take centre stage. Bullet rings, or target rings as they are often known, are becoming more and more popular too: they’re a great way to create something really impactful.
I am also seeing a real demand from clients who want to reimagine an existing ring, repurpose a particular stone into a new ring or upcycle a number of pieces of jewellery into a new engagement ring. There seems to be an increasing awareness among my clients of the environmental and ethical impact of having an engagement ring made ‘new’ and I want to encourage my clients to upcycle their unworn, unloved jewellery into something that can be worn every day and loved forever. I predict that this may well become one of fine jewellery’s biggest trends and that we will see more and more couples opting to use existing stones rather than new ones over the next few years.
About Emma Clarkson Webb
A certified GIA gemologist, Emma Clarkson Webb specialises in sourcing gemstones from across the world and then creating unique bespoke jewellery for clients. Time spent in Asia means she has a large network of diamond dealers, enabling her to source unusual and rare stones. She meets clients at four London locations. emmacwebb.com
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