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For many, the thought of going into a shop to spend more money than they've ever spent on one piece of jewellery before, is daunting enough. Selecting from rows and rows of seemingly similar (yet vastly different) sparkling stones can be overwhelming.
But suggest that a prospective groom doesn't even choose from anything in front of him, but instead dreams up his own design - as Prince Harry did - and it can quite frankly be enough to push him over the edge. Even if the bride offers her assistance (more and more couples are now opting to choose a ring together), it can still seem an impossible task, no matter how clear an idea you might have of what you want.
So where to start? When choosing to design an entirely unique ring, it's important to find a talented expert who does the right amount of hand-holding, while still inspiring you to design an ambitiously individual piece of jewellery. We spoke to some of Bazaar's favourite bespoke jewellers to get your creative juices flowing...
5. Daniella Draper
Silver and aquamarine ring, Daniella Draper
Engraving has long been a popular choice for wedding jewellery, with dates, initials and small messages often hiding beneath the surface. Daniella Draper, a jeweller from Lincolnshire, built her brand by making contemporary stamped silver and gold jewellery for both men and women that carries personalised quotes, lyrics or codes – Ed Sheeran is just one of her celebrity fans. “The words transform a plain piece of metal into something that has a meaning and a far greater significance,” says Draper.
Her most unusual bespoke offerings are her “Cinderella rings”; to create them she chooses a stone and hand carves the metal setting in one piece, which means the size of the band is fixed. “The Cinderella idea came about because if the ring fits, it’s meant to be for you,” she explains. Each ring is completely original, waiting for its wearer to choose it from a sea of antique diamonds, denim-blue sapphires, emeralds and aquamarines.
Visit danielladraper.com.
