Your engagement ring and wedding rings are one of, if not the most, important pieces of jewelry you will ever own. For this reason, many people wish to make their wedding jewelry more meaningful by making it themselves. Today, thanks largely impart to the internet, it is now easier than ever to learn how to DIY almost anything and your wedding jewelry shouldn’t be any different, right? Perhaps first consider these top 5 things to think about before tackling DIY wedding rings alone.
The Tools for Making an Engagement or Wedding Ring
After consulting with many people who have attempted to try and make their own engagement or wedding rings, the most common barrier to DIY jewelry is the cost of tools and equipment. It may seem simple enough to make a classic engagement ring or wedding bands, however, there are many nuances in making fine jewelry that is impacted by having the right tools. Many tools used in the jewelry industry are specialized for specific tasks and not what most people have laying around their home workshop.
Materials
Not only are the right tools critical for the job, knowing what materials you will need are key to any successful DIY project. Making a piece of jewelry to last a lifetime depends greatly on the type of material you use. Traditionally gold is used because of its resistance to corrosion, good looks, and malleability. However, there are many variations of gold that go beyond 18K or 14K. Proper alloyed material for your design and technique are critical. Using scrap gold from other pieces can create unique challenges because of the many variations of alloys and or soldier that may be in your old jewelry. In many cases, a piece will require soldering, and very specific soldiers are used to achieve proper color match and melting temperatures. Purchasing gold material is not as easy as visiting your local hardware store. Even when purchasing online, credentials are often needed to buy raw supplies from reputable distributors.
Time
The most challenging part of any DIY project is finding the time to complete it. Although this may be an important task that you make time for, will you have enough for the trial and error process? Knowing when you will need the ring is a key step to planning. You have seen someone make a ring in two minutes on the internet but the reality is that person spent a ton of time mastering that process. A DIY jeweler wanting to make a nice ring will need much more time. The trial and error process of any DIY task can be a fun learning experience, but most people do not have the time or the patience for the trials and tribulations in learning a skilled trade like jewelry making.
Cost of Making Your Wedding RIngs
When preparing to make an engagement ring or wedding ring, it is critical you know your budget. If you are attempting to DIY, you will need to factor in the cost of tools, bulk purchasing of consumable supplies, the materials, and your unseen opportunity cost. Most often the stones used in a custom engagement ring are the most costly component. Depending on the technique used to make your engagement or wedding rings a factor of production waste must be accounted for. As with most DIY projections, you may want to buy extra supplies, but when working with costly materials such as gold, this can be cost-prohibitive. It is crucial you factor in all costs associated with making a DIY engagement or wedding ring.
Experience Needed to Make an Engagement Ring
Some experience is helpful when working to tackle a DIY project with the type of tools and materials necessary to make a handmade engagement or wedding ring. Design experience is also helpful if you are wanting to express your artistic abilities. However, designing a piece of jewelry and actually manufacturing it can require a steep learning curve filled with trial and error.
Conclusion – Be a Maker!
Because actions speak louder than words, nothing is more romantic and special than making your own wedding rings. You can make your own engagement ring or wedding rings DIY style with LaProng Jewelers Wedding Jewelry Workshop excursions. Sign up for professional guidance and access to everything you need to make your own custom wedding rings with no experience necessary. A single-day 6 – 8 hour workshop experience where you are coached to go hands-on in fabricating your wedding rings DIY style.
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