"The Ring Studio": Completely custom online retail
Advancements in technology have changed the way couples shop for engagement jewelry. In fact, online retailers have become a crucial part of the engagement process, as couples planning pandemic proposals have moved to digital shops instead of visiting jewelry stores in person.
Before, buying online was an experience lacking any personal touches: buyers could purchase basic settings or hope that a few pictures might be enough to gauge whether a ring was the right one for them. Now, James Allen has introduced The Ring Studio, an easy way to customize your engagement ring with 360° imagery and videos for a more informed decision.😘
So how does The Ring Studio work, and why should you give it a try? Let’s take a closer look at The Ring Studio and how to use it, and we’ll compare this new platform with competitors as well.
Table of Contents
What is The Ring Studio by James Allen?
With Millennial and Generation Z buyers moving to online retailers for fine jewelry, James Allen launched The Ring Studio as a way to give buyers creative control over the design of their engagement rings. Whether you start with a popular James Allen setting or create something completely new, you’ll have plenty of customization opportunities to create the ring of your dreams.
There are several ways to customize your piece with The Ring Studio. Here are some of the features you can enjoy while crafting your ideal engagement ring:
- Take your time hand-selecting both basic and intricate features for your ring. Options include:
- Diamond shape and carat
- Metal color
- Basket style (number of prongs, accent stones, etc.)
- Shank design and accent stones
- Use the 360° video and custom images for each ring to get a better look at your design from all sides.
- Select your center stone from James Allen’s thoroughly curated collection of over 200,000 diamonds.✅
- Choose custom engraving after you design your piece for a romantic, personal touch.
There are so many ways to customize your ring, and The Ring Studio is an excellent way for couples to craft an engagement ring together to make the occasion all the more meaningful. Plus, as we’ll show in the next section, the tool is incredibly user-friendly and can help you design your ring in mere minutes!
How to customize a ring from scratch with The Ring Studio
The Ring Studio makes customization simple, and the platform can walk you through all of the little details necessary to design your ring. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how the platform works.
Step 1: Choose your head
The head of your diamond is typically what people notice first, so you’ll want to select features that convey your style. Notable features of the head include your prongs and basket, and The Ring Studio allows you to customize both.
First, think about how many prongs you would like. Four-prong styles are the most common, but a six-prong style is great for extra protection.
Then, take a look at the various baskets available. You can opt for a classic prong setting, a protective lotus or tulip style, a halo, and more. If you’re looking for a setting that will protect your diamond, we recommend the lotus, tulip, halo, vintage, or scalloped baskets.
Finally, you can select your metal color, choosing between 14K and 18K yellow and white gold, 14K rose gold, and platinum. You can switch up your metal color for a more playful or unique style, and it doesn’t have to match your shank!😚
Step 2: Choose your shank
Once you’ve customized the head, you can move on to the shank of your ring. The shank includes all features of the band, and The Ring Studio gives you several gorgeous styles to customize your look.
Your first task is to select the shank you think would look best with your chosen head, as certain prong and basket styles may better suit specific bands. The shank styles range from plain metal bands to accent stones in pavé, channel, and bezel settings.
There are also some beautiful styles with ornate milgrain for a vintage look. Our favorite is the Knife Edge Pavé, which combines the best features of these designs for a sharp, modern sparkle!
Then, you can select the metal color for your shank, which can match the head or be a completely different hue. If you want a yellow or rose gold band but don’t want to detract from your high-quality diamond, a white gold or platinum head is a great way to get the best of both worlds while still highlighting your diamond’s white brilliance.💋
Step 3: Use the Diamond Preview to choose your diamond shape and size
The Diamond Preview section lets you try out different diamond shapes in your chosen setting, and the selection includes all popular diamond shapes: round, princess, radiant, emerald, marquise, oval, pear, heart, Asscher, and cushion.
It’s important to note that some diamond options may disappear for certain settings and vice versa, as not all setting options work with every diamond shape!
Once you’ve chosen a diamond shape, you can then decide the carat weight of your diamond. The Ring Studio offers .5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0-carat selections, but you can also choose your own diamond in the next section.
Make sure you inspect the 360° imaging of your chosen diamond to understand how it will sit in the setting. This can be helpful for determining whether you may face any snagging or other damage with that particular ring style or diamond shape.
Step 4: Choose your diamond
Finally, you can choose your diamond! Once you select your setting, a box will pop up that allows you to choose a diamond or gemstone from James Allen’s inventory. You can also filter your options based on your desired specs for a refined search.
The Ring Studio offers a helpful “Experts-Recommended Diamonds” function, which presents you with six personally selected diamonds for your setting of choice. Based on your setting selections and the shape and carat of your ideal diamond, the platform can suggest quality diamond options to make the search much less intimidating.👍🏻
What’s more, this panel offers 3D imaging of the diamond instantly, and you can view the diamond’s specs once you select it for a more thorough inspection.
The Ring Studio vs. Other branded customization features
So how does The Ring Studio stack up to competitors? Let’s look at Blue Nile and Whiteflash to compare their platforms with The Ring Studio:
Blue Nile
A fan favorite with a user-friendly website, Blue Nile offers their “Build Your Own Ring” suite, which allows shoppers to select a diamond or predesigned setting from their inventory.
Shoppers can start their journey by perusing Blue Nile's vast inventory of diamonds or settings, filtering for certain specs or features. Unlike The Ring Studio, users can search three-stone, bezel, side-stone, and other unique settings to complete their look.
Similarly, this tool allows you to shop for engagement rings that already have a matching wedding band, saving you time later in the purchasing process. If you start by selecting a diamond, the platform encompasses the same shapes and specs you can expect from The Ring Studio.
You will not have the option of perusing “Experts-Recommended” stones like those available in the James Allen tool. However, you can always talk to a Blue Nile diamond professional for more information regarding your chosen diamond.
Much like The Ring Studio, you can preview your design and get an idea of what your newly created ring will look like. 💡Just be careful: the 360° video and images do not always reflect the size of your chosen diamond.
For instance, some may show your selected diamond:
While others only preview your selected diamond shape.
In short, The Ring Studio is excellent for anyone looking to customize a solitaire ring, whereas Blue Nile’s “Build Your Own Ring” functionality is great for shoppers looking to mix and match already designed settings with their inventory of diamonds. If you want a truly custom piece, use Blue Nile’s design services to craft a completely unique ring.
Whiteflash
Another popular online jewelry retailer is Whiteflash. They may not have a dedicated customization tool for users, but you can still build a ring from their collection of diamonds and settings.
Much like the Blue Nile platform, you can start your search with either a diamond or a setting.
However, beyond these options, there are limited ways to customize your piece, and the tool isn’t as user-friendly as James Allen and Blue Nile’s options. But, Whiteflash does go beyond the typical solitaire and halo settings of The Ring Studio to offer more ornate designs, such as split shank, vintage, cathedral, and side-stone pieces.
If you’re looking at any of Whiteflash’s designer collections, you do have more ways to customize your ring. You can even opt to customize your whole set, so your engagement and wedding rings are a cohesive pair.
Whiteflash is a suitable starting point for individuals who want to see what’s out there when it comes to different settings and diamonds, but anyone who wishes for more control should seek out Blue Nile’s Build Your Own Ring tool or James Allen’s The Ring Studio.
Beyond compare: The Ring Studio wins against other custom ring builders
If you’re looking for a solitaire, the in-depth customization of The Ring Studio is excellent for shaping your dream ring piece by piece. James Allen offers quality metals and diamonds for your engagement ring, and being able to customize every little detail of your piece makes the experience all the more special.🎉
However, if you want a complex design, Blue Nile and Whiteflash are definitely sites you should visit. They may not offer the same depth of customization, but they do have excellent options for all tastes.
Ring customization: What’s next?
While The Ring Studio is a powerful first step in instant online ring customization, it is just that: a first step. The platform is phenomenal for customizing a solitaire or halo setting, but it doesn’t include anything beyond these designs. In the future, we’re sure James Allen will expand the platform to include more settings and customization options, but some couples may have to wait a little longer for their dream ring if they want to use The Ring Studio.
Perhaps The Ring Studio may even work for other jewelry one day, allowing complete customization of any piece a buyer needs. As more online jewelers follow the custom jewelry trend, more platforms like The Ring studio will become available and shoppers can find the item they need without shopping around!
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