One of the first decisions you'll face
When you start shopping for an engagement ring, one of the first questions you'll need to answer is: do I want a custom ring, or a ready-made one? Both are great options — but they suit different people, timelines, and budgets.
Here's our honest breakdown.
Ready-made engagement rings
What they are
Ready-made rings (also called ready-to-ship) are complete rings that are available to purchase and wear immediately. At Seven Swans, our ready-to-ship rings are one-of-a-kind pieces — each featuring a unique, individually sourced antique-cut lab diamond in a handcrafted setting.
Pros
- Available immediately — perfect if you have a proposal date coming up soon
- What you see is what you get — no waiting, no uncertainty
- Often slightly more affordable — no design fees or extended labour costs
- Still unique — at Seven Swans, every ready-to-ship ring is one-of-a-kind
Cons
- You're choosing from what's available, not designing from scratch
- The stone and setting are fixed — you can't swap elements
- May need resizing (which we offer complimentarily, taking 4–5 business days)
Made to Order Designs
What they are
Our range of signature designs is always available to order. Inspired by art, antiques, poetry and the people we love, these designs hold a special place in our hearts. Every detail is customisable, providing a great jumping off point for your dream engagement ring.
Pros
- Faster turnaround — these rings take 4-6 weeks to produce
- What you see is what you get — try out our samples to remove any uncertainty from the process
- Individually sourced stones — our made-to-order collection features stones that are individually sourced, just for you. This means we can adjust the specs to your preference: colour, clarity, size and more!
- Customisable — at Seven Swans, our designs are customisable, so you can get exactly what you're looking for. Tweak our in-house designs to suit you.
Cons
- There's a short wait on our made to order rings.
- Other people will have the same ring: these designs are worn by people all over the world. It's not all bad, though! You'll be part of an exclusive club. IYKYK.
Custom engagement rings
What they are
A custom ring is designed and made specifically for you. At Seven Swans, this means we source your stone individually based on your brief, design the setting collaboratively with you, and handcraft the finished ring from scratch.
Pros
- Completely personalised — the stone, setting, metal, and proportions are all chosen for you
- Your stone is individually sourced — we find the right stone for your brief, not just whatever's in stock
- Deeply meaningful — you're involved in every step of the creation
- Perfect fit — designed around your partner's hand and lifestyle
Cons
- Takes 6–8 weeks from consultation to delivery
- Requires more decisions and involvement in the process
- You won't see the finished ring until it's made (though we use CAD renders to show you the design first)
Which is right for you?
Choose ready-made if you have a proposal coming up soon, you've found a ring you love in our collection, or you prefer a simpler, faster process.
Choose made-to-order, if you have fallen in love with one of our designs and have a few weeks to spare. We offer customisation on our whole range! So you can tweak them to your hearts desire.
Choose our custom pathway if you have a specific vision that you haven't found in ready-made rings, you want a unique stone, or you value the story and meaning of a bespoke piece.
Explore your options at Seven Swans
Browse our ready-to-ship lab diamond engagement rings, or book a free consultation to discuss a custom design. We'd love to help you find the perfect ring — whichever path you choose.
