Ring guards and wraps are an excellent way to add a beautiful accent to an engagement ring. They can also serve the purpose of the wedding band.
A ring guard is rightly named as such—it “guards” the engagement ring from one or both sides.
Ring guards are also referred to as “ring wraps” due to the way they enclose and wrap around an engagement ring.
In addition to ring guard and ring wrap, these rings are also called ring “jackets” or “enhancers.” To make things easy, we will mostly refer to them as ring guards in this post.
How To Choose The Right Ring Guard For Your Engagement Ring
I cannot stress the importance of this aspect enough. Most box-store jewelry retailers will carry a varied selection of ring guards and wraps, but finding the right fit for your ring can be a challenge.
It is very difficult to find a guard that works well for your engagement ring if the guard was not made specifically for your engagement ring.
Here is a list of common problems that arise:
- Large gaps between the guard and the engagement ring
- Engagement Ring is too large (or too small!) for the ring guard
- Ring shoulders don’t line up properly
- The “bars” at the bottom of the ring guard get in the way
- The style of the ring guard simply does not match well
What’s The Solution?
There are really only two options: Try to find something pre-made out of the jewelry display case, or have a ring guard custom made.
Let’s start with the worst of the two options. While most “out of the box” ring guards are not good matches for existing engagement rings, there generally are ways to make them work.
I would know, I’ve done it countless times.
I’ve had contracts with big-box jewelry companies where they expected me to make these imperfect ring guards work (for the sake of the sale), and I got pretty good at it. Their customers were generally pleased with the result…that is unless I had to turn down the job completely.
Why did I have to turn down certain jobs? This generally occurred when inexperienced jewelry salespeople would sell a ring guard that simply would not work with the engagement ring.
Here are some of the ways I would alter ring guards to work with engagement rings:
- Remove the bars at the bottom of the ring guard
- Solder the guard to the engagement ring (if customer wanted)
- Squeeze the guard together at the top to minimize gaps
- Size the engagement ring larger than the guard so that the shoulders line up better
- Ensure the engagement ring and guard were properly centered.
These techniques are passable, but there is a solution that is much better. That would be custom!
Custom Made Ring Guards and Wraps
That’s right. Custom, custom custom!
Having a ring guard made specifically for your engagement ring will always yield a better result.
Not only will the ring guard match up a lot better with the engagement ring, but it can also be designed to compliment it.
In addition, in some cases buying a pre-made ring wrap is downright impossible if your engagement ring has unique curves and lines. Nothing you find in the jewelry display case will work. Custom is the only answer.
To inquire about getting a custom ring guard made, please fill out our customization form!
How Custom Ring Guards and Wraps are Made
In order to achieve the best results for a custom ring guard or wrap, it is important for the goldsmith to have the engagement ring in hand to use as a starting point.
It might be difficult for some people to part with their engagement rings (understandably so), however making the sacrifice to live without it for a few weeks will end with beautiful results!
The new ring guard will be custom made to fit the engagement ring, and after the guard is cast in metal it can be adjusted and centered appropriately.
Did you know all of our jewelry shipments are fully insured? Enjoy peace of mind knowing your jewelry is protected and in good hands. Contact us here for more information.
Utilizing CAD To Design The Ring Guard
In order to get the best match for your engagement ring, computer aided design (CAD) is used to create the ring guard model.
Using a 3D scanner, the original engagement ring is scanned in to the software. After that, the new ring guard is modeled to wrap around the engagement ring!
How Much Do Custom Ring Guards and Wraps Cost?
The final cost of a custom ring guard or wrap is entirely determined by the materials that are used.
For example, ring guards can be made in platinum, 18kt, 14kt, or 10kt gold, as well as silver. Each metal type has different prices associated with it.
Lastly, some ring wraps will have accent stones in them while others will be plain. The accent stones can be lab-grown diamonds, moissanite, or another stone entirely.
On average, a person can spend between $1,200-$2,800 on a custom ring guard.
Get a FREE QUOTE. Work one on one with a goldsmith to create a beautiful ring guard or wrap.
It should be understood that custom ring guards will generally be a bit more expensive than a generic ring guard bought out of the case.
Generic ring guards are generally massed produced and imported, which equates to a lower cost than something that is custom made.
The trade off is that you risk the quality and fit of your wedding set. Custom ring guards and wraps offer a greater value in quality and cohesion. It’s well worth the investment!