Building Your Own Ring: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough of the EX3 Configurator

Two Ways to Build a Ring

The EX3 ring configurator gives you two starting points: you can begin with the diamond and then choose a setting, or you can start with the setting and then select the stone. Neither path is wrong. Which one makes sense depends on how you think about the ring and what matters most to you.

If the diamond is the centerpiece and everything else should serve it, start with the stone. If you have a strong vision for the style of the ring and you want a stone that fits within it, start with the setting. This guide walks through both paths so you know what to expect at each step.

Path One: Diamond First

1. Set Your Filters

When you enter the diamond catalog, you will see filters for shape, carat weight, cut, color, and clarity. If you have never worked through these before, a quick orientation helps.

Shape refers to the physical outline of the stone: round, oval, cushion, emerald, pear, and so on. This is almost always a personal preference. Carat is the weight of the stone, which roughly corresponds to size but is not the same thing. Two diamonds with identical carat weights can look noticeably different in size depending on how they are cut.

Cut is the most technically significant quality factor for a round brilliant, because it directly controls how much light the stone returns to your eye. Color grades run from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). For most shoppers, the range from D through H is where you will be looking. Clarity grades from FL (flawless) down through VS, SI, and I grades. For most center stones, VS2 or SI1 gives you a stone that looks clean to the naked eye at a fraction of the cost of flawless.

2. Compare Side by Side

Once your filters are set, save a handful of stones that meet your criteria and compare them. Look at the grading reports, check the length-to-width ratio for fancy shapes, and review the IGI certification details for each stone. Every diamond in the EX3 collection carries an IGI grading report with a laser inscription matching the report number, so what you see is what you get.

3. Select Your Setting

With your stone chosen, the configurator will show you compatible settings. Setting compatibility depends partly on the shape and size of the stone, so the options shown are pre-filtered to what will actually work with the diamond you selected. You can filter by setting style, metal type, and band width. Side-stone or pave bands add cost; simple solitaire settings are typically the lowest-cost option.

Path Two: Setting First

1. Browse Settings by Style

The setting library lets you filter by style: solitaire, halo, three-stone, split shank, side stone, or pave band. You can also filter by metal. Start with what you know you want and narrow from there.

2. Choose the Setting, Then Select Compatible Stones

Once you pick a setting, the configurator shows you which diamond shapes and size ranges work within it. Some settings are built specifically for round brilliants. Others accommodate ovals, cushions, or pears. The system will not show you a stone that physically does not fit the setting you chose.

From the compatible stone list, apply the same quality filters described in Path One. The process from here is identical: compare, select, and move to review.

The Review Step

Before you finalize your order, the configurator shows you a complete summary: the diamond specifications and IGI report number, the setting style and metal, the total price, and the expected production timeline. Review every detail here. Check that the shape, carat, cut, color, and clarity all match what you selected. Confirm the metal is correct.

If something does not look right, go back and adjust. This is the last easy checkpoint before the order goes to production.

After You Order

Once your order is placed, our in-house team in Illinois begins building the setting. The stone is then hand-set by our jewelers using a cup-burr prong technique that rounds the tip of each prong to minimize snagging while maintaining a secure grip. The finished ring goes through a quality inspection under magnification before it ships, insured and with signature required on delivery.

Most configured rings ship within two to three weeks. Custom design requests with modified settings take longer. If you need the ring by a specific date, contact us before ordering so we can confirm the timeline.

Ready to start? Browse our IGI-certified lab-grown diamond collection to begin with a stone, or explore our engagement ring settings to find the right style first.