Wondering about the cost of a custom engagement ring or if they're more expensive than ready-made rings? You’re not alone—this is a question many people ask when planning their engagement. Whether you want a one-of-a-kind ring made in Toronto, or online options, factors like design complexity, stone choice, and labor affect price significantly. At Livia Diamonds, we frequently help clients weigh those trade-offs so they can decide what’s best for their style, budget, and values.

In this post, we’ll walk you through the real costs of custom engagement rings, what adds up, and how choosing a custom path might sometimes save you money—plus how it might cost more in some cases. By the end, you’ll have enough info to make an informed decision.

What Exactly Makes a Ring “Custom”?

To understand cost, first know what “custom” means:

• You choose the stone (moissanite, lab-grown diamond, or natural diamond)
• You pick the metal (14k, 18k gold, platinum, etc.)
• The setting design (how many side stones, types of prongs, band design)
• Whether there is a prototype-or CAD design / wax model stage before final production

Every extra decision can add to cost—but it also adds value, uniqueness, and often better quality.

Factors That Can Make Custom More Expensive

Here are reasons why custom rings often cost more:

1. Design Labor & Sketching / CAD Work
   Creating custom designs takes time—drafting sketches, revising designs, then producing CAD models. Those hours are part of the cost.
2. Prototyping
   If you want to see a wax or resin model before final production, that’s another stage with its own cost and time.
3. Stone Upgrades
   Choosing lab-grown diamonds vs moissanite vs natural stones make a big difference. Natural diamonds tend to cost the most; lab-grown often more affordable; moissanite often cheaper still for similar visual sparkle.
4. Metal Choices & Quality
   Platinum costs more than gold; 18k gold tends to cost more than 14k. Complex band designs or mixed metals also increase price.
5. Limited Overhead Isn’t Always Zero
   Even small family jewellers still have craft time, tools, inventory of materials, and quality control—those costs get passed on.

How Custom Can Sometimes Be Cheaper (or at Least Comparable)

Now for the flip side — when going custom might be more economical:

• Avoiding markup in brand shows
  Big retail stores have showrooms, display stock, big marketing overhead. Those up-charges are baked into their prices. Buying custom (especially from smaller jewelers) often lets you skip many of these costs. Beyond4Cs shows how online & direct-to-consumer pricing can reduce markup compared to mall or boutique stores. Beyond 4Cs
• Tailoring exactly what you want
  With custom, you don’t pay for extra design elements you don’t care about. Want a simpler band? Skip the halo? Pick fewer side stones? These decisions reduce cost.
• Better value with alternative stones
  Using moissanite or lab-grown diamonds (especially for side stones or smaller carat weights) gives much better visual bang per dollar. Blogs (like Moissanite by Aurelia) show how lab diamonds or alternate stones can cost 50-70% less than natural equivalents. Moissanite by Aurelia
• Using existing stones or metals
  If clients have heirloom diamonds or gold that can be reused, melting down metals or resetting existing stones reduces material costs significantly.

Things to Watch Out for When Calculating Custom Ring Costs

To avoid surprises, here are things clients (and you as the assistant) should always check:

• Always ask for itemized quotes: cost of the stone, metal, design/setting fee, prototyping, production.
• Clarify turnaround time. Custom often takes weeks, sometimes several weeks depending on design complexity.
• Confirm metal type and stone quality: plating, clarity, certification (especially for diamonds) all affect durability and how the ring wears.
• Shipping or customs (if materials or stones are imported).
• Warranty, resizing, returns—custom often has stricter policies.

What We’ve Seen at Livia Diamonds

In our experience here in Toronto:

• Many clients assume custom costs much more, but when they go with moissanite or smaller carat lab diamonds, the total can be close to what they’d pay for a premade diamond ring of lower quality.
• Complexity in design (ex: many side stones, filigree, mixed metals) is usually the biggest cost driver more than the stone itself in many cases.
• The prototype/CAD phase often shifts the timeline by 1-2 weeks beyond what initial quotes suggest. It’s good to pad estimates for clients so expectations are realistic.

Final Thoughts: Is Custom Cheaper or More Expensive?

The short answer: it depends on your choices. Custom rings can cost more—but they don’t have to. If you're willing to make design trade-offs (simpler settings, alternative stones, reuse materials), custom might give you better value, uniqueness, and meaning for a similar budget to a premade ring.

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