The Color of Royalty
The February birthstone has long been prized for its deep purple color. Historically worn by nobility, amethyst makes a beautiful center stone for a custom engagement ring even if you have don't happen to have any royal lineage.
The Custom Experience
Talk About It
Discuss design ideas, options, budget, with your jewelry consultant - your guide to the custom experience.
Get It Designed
See sketches and concept art designed just for you by our jewelry artists.
See It Come To Life
Visualize your piece with high resolution 3D renderings, and we'll adjust every detail until you tell us it's perfect.
Treasure It
Receive your custom piece, with the assurance it's been made to wear and last a lifetime.
Dedicated Service
Our team of design consultants helps you figure out the details, explains your options, and guides you through each step of designing a custom amethyst engagement ring.
Personalized Design
Our artists and designers create sketches and detailed 3D renderings for you, so you'll see just how your ring will look when it's finished. We'll work with you on every detail until you say it looks exactly right.
Expertise
Our design team, artists, and experienced jewelers will handle your project with the utmost skill, care, and knowledge.
Reviews
Choosing Amethyst for Your Center Stone
The most famous of all purple stones, amethyst’s rich color, availability in large sizes, and affordability make it a versatile gem for ring design. Once one of the most expensive and sought-after stones of the ancient world, amethyst is now within reach of the average jewelry-lover.
History & Lore
Amethyst is a violet to reddish purple variety of quartz. Once considered equal to ruby, emerald, and sapphire in rarity and value, large deposits discovered in Brazil have made it affordable for modern consumers. Its purple color led the Greeks and Romans to associate the stone with royalty and with Bacchus, the god of wine. Amethyst jewelry has been worn by the likes of Roman emperors and senators, the Napoleon family, Queen Alexandra, Queen Elizabeth II, as well as many popes and bishops. It is the birthstone for February and particularly apt for those who enjoy wine and vineyards or simply love stones that symbolize fidelity.
Color & Clarity
Amethyst is typically prized for its rich reddish-purple color, with highly saturated hues being particularly popular. It can also be found in very light or very dark shades of greyish-violet, though these are generally considered less valuable.
Amethysts tend to have high clarity, so you should expect to choose a stone that has no eye-visible inclusions. Amethyst are also prone to color-zoning, having strong purple color in one area and a pale violet or yellow in another. Stones with obvious color zoning are considered less valuable, and most buyers will want to avoid them.
Durability
Amethysts have decent hardness (Moh’s 7) and are relatively durable. When set in an engagement ring that will be worn daily, amethyst may wear down over time, potentially requiring repolishing or replacement. Amethyst is affordable enough to make this a reasonable choice. Buyers who are wary of having to replace their center stone might also consider more durable alternatives like purple sapphire and purple spinel.
Care & Maintenance
Amethyst are fairly easy to care for. They should be protected from abrupt temperature changes to prevent fracture. Amethyst should not be stored in strong, direct light and should not be exposed to harsh chemicals or they may suffer fading or damage. It is generally safe to put amethysts in ultrasonic cleaners. The safest cleaning method, however, is to wash them using soap and warm water.
Settings & Styles
Amethysts are faceted into a variety of shapes. Brilliant cuts, including rounds, ovals and pears are extremely popular. White gold settings tend to emphasize the cool tones of amethyst and give the jewelry a clean, sleek look, while yellow gold settings bring out the warmer tones of the stone and makes the purple of amethyst stand out more. Yellow gold also gives amethyst jewelry a royal, vintage look, but stones that are pale in color or cut shallow may take on an unattractive yellowish tint if the yellow gold is visible through the stone. Rose gold settings give amethyst jewelry a softer, more modern and perhaps more romantic feel.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a project take?
Typically, your custom piece will be in your hands 2-4 weeks after we've finalized your design. However, because each project is different, the time it takes to complete your project may vary. Here's a rough breakdown of how long each part of our process takes:
Design: As long as it takes for you to tell us it's perfectWhen it comes to creating your design, we'll work at your pace. Some customers only need to exchange a few messages with us - we'll often be ready to make their piece within a few days. Others may prefer to design and iterate with us over many weeks, or even months.
Production: Approximately 2-4 weeksOnce you've approved a design, we'll manufacture your piece, finishing all the details by hand. When it's ready, we'll send you photographs of your finished piece so you can give us your seal of approval before we ship it to you.
Shipping: 1-3 days (domestic), Approximately 1 week (international)We offer free shipping within the US via FedEx or USPS, and we ship international packages via DHL Worldwide Express, one of the fastest services available. Depending on location, international shipments can sometimes be delayed by local customs for inspection, which can extend the delivery time.
How much will my ring cost?
In general, our custom rings are the same price as similar rings off-the-shelf ('similar' meaning a comparable selection of metals and gemstones used, which are the biggest factors in price). Our aim is to make high-quality custom designs accessible to everyone.
Each ring we produce starts off as a brand new concept. Because of that, it’s difficult to know how much a piece is going to cost without knowing a bit more about the idea you have in mind.
The easiest way to figure out how much your ring will cost is to start a consultation with us and let our team know what you're looking for - we can provide an estimate with only a few details.
When do I get to see a design? Do I have to pay first?
There's no charge to discuss your design, and price out options with our team. In many cases, our jewelry designers will also create artistic sketches of our design concepts for your piece. We request a deposit prior to producing 3D models and renderings of your design and that deposit goes toward the final cost of producing your piece.
Where do your gems come from? Can I browse your inventory?
Unlike most jewelers, we don't keep a huge inventory of gems. Since every piece we make is custom, we prefer to source each stone individually, to suit the design and the specific needs of each customer.
As with the rest of our design process, our team will guide you through the gem selection process. We start by figuring out what's important to you in a gemstone, whether it's budget, origin, size, color, or simply the overall look. With that in mind, we research and prepare a set of options that we think would work for you. Some come from our curated collection, others from a network of trusted suppliers, and in some cases, we may opt to have an expert lapidary custom cut your gem. You'll make the final decision on the option that best meets your needs, and we'll make sure you have everything you need to make the best choice.
Our primary goal with gemstones is transparency. The center stone is an essential part of the look of your ring and it can be a big financial decision. Trust is built on honest communication, so we work hard to give you all the information you need to make a confident choice.
Do you offer a warranty?
We stand behind our jewelry 100% and we offer a comprehensive set of warranties so that you can purchase with confidence.
Lifetime Manufacturer WarrantyWe guarantee our workmanship and take responsibility for any structural defects.
Certificate of AuthenticityAll the materials (metals, diamonds, and gemstones) we sell are authentic and properly specified in your proposal agreement.
Accent Stone Loss WarrantyIf any small accent gems (<$100 value) break or fall out of their settings in the first year after we create the ring or within a year of us performing maintenance on the ring, we’ll replace them free of charge.