How James Made His Own Engagement Ring in Bristol
How James Made His Own Engagement Ring in Bristol, A Bespoke Make Your Own Engagement Ring Workshop Story
He came to me wanting to be part of the process, not just to commission a ring, but to make it himself. And not just any ring. He had in mind something that would feel as considered and personal as the proposal he was planning. What unfolded over several months of conversations and one full day at the bench is a story I think captures exactly why I offer the Make Your Own Engagement Ring workshop in the first place.
Where the Design Began
When James first got in touch, we sat down together to talk through ideas. Stone setting
styles, metal choices, and design direction, the early conversations covered a lot of ground. He knew he wanted a diamond. Beyond that, we worked through it together.
Designs like this rarely arrive fully formed, and James's was no exception. Over the course
of a couple of months, the ring gradually evolved into something quite distinctive: a floral, nature-inspired design with five diamonds set into each shoulder of the ring. Delicate, considered, and full of detail. It was exactly the kind of design that rewards time spent getting it right.
The centrepiece was a 0.4ct diamond, with ten tiny single-point diamonds along the shoulders, small individually, but together they brought the whole ring to life.
A Practical Man at the Jeweller's Bench
James works as an electrician. He's someone who is good with his hands and comfortable with tools, but precious metal work is its own discipline entirely, and he had no prior experience of it. That didn't deter him in the slightest.
I should be honest: this wasn't an easy design to start with. Most clients begin their workshop day by soldering a simple band, which gives them a feel for the flame and builds confidence before moving on to more intricate work. James didn't have that option. The design he had chosen meant he was working with fiddly claws from early in the day, and he was, in a sense, thrown in at the deep end.
He took it in his stride.
The Making of It, A Day at the Bench
If you watch the video below, you'll see the day condensed into thirty seconds, but behind those clips is a full day of focused, careful work.
It begins where every piece begins: the first cut. From there, James hammered and forged the metal, annealed it to keep it workable, and used a mallet to create the twist in the claws that gave the ring its character. He shaped the metal around the triblet to form the ring itself, then spent time cleaning up and refining until the form was exactly right. The polishing stages brought out the quality of the metal, and by the end of the day, you could see what it was going to become.
There was only one soldering join required during the whole making process, which came at roughly the midpoint of the day. For a design this detailed, that's actually quite efficient, a reflection of how well James handled each stage.
Watch the video below to show the making experience.
The Finished Ring
The ring was set with a 0.4ct round brilliant diamond and ten 1pt diamonds along the floral shoulders. In platinum, a metal that suits this kind of intricate, heirloom-quality piece, it was everything the design had promised during those early conversations.
James left with his ring in a walnut wooden box, laser engraved with the words Made by Me. I think that detail matters. He didn't just buy an engagement ring. He made it, and that's something that belongs to the story of the proposal as much as the ring itself does.
What Happened Next
You may have seen on my social media that James proposed in Iceland earlier this year, and she said yes. He's since been back in touch to say how it went, and that kind of moment is genuinely one of the best parts of this work.
Make Your Own Engagement Ring, Could You Do This Too?
The honest answer is yes.
James had no experience of silversmithing or jewellery making before he walked through the door. What he had was patience, a willingness to learn, and a real investment in what he was making. That combination is enough.
The Make Your Own Engagement Ring workshop is a full day, held at the beautiful Winterbourne Medieval Barn just outside Bristol. It's designed for people who want their ring to be genuinely handmade, not just customised from a catalogue, but made by hand, from scratch, by them.
We begin with a design consultation to work out exactly what you want to make. Metal choice, stone setting style, overall form, everything is discussed and agreed before the making day. You'll learn to work with precious metal: how to cut, forge, solder, shape and finish. I guide you through each stage of the process, and the result is a ring that has your making in it.
Every design is different. Some clients come with a very clear idea; others arrive with a vague sense of what they want and find their way to something specific through the conversation. Both work well. The design James made, with its fine claws and ten-stone shoulders, was on the more ambitious end of what people attempt in a day, and he pulled it off.
If you're based in Bristol or the surrounding area and you're thinking about proposing, or you simply want to be involved in making something that will be worn every day, this workshop was made for you.
Book a Make Your Own Engagement Ring Workshop in Bristol
I take a limited number of commissions and workshop bookings, so if you have a proposal in mind, I'd encourage you to get in touch sooner rather than later. We'll have an initial conversation about your ideas and go from there.
Aimee Winstone is an award-winning jeweller based in Bristol, offering bespoke commissions, handmade engagement rings, and jewellery making workshops including the Make Your Own Engagement Ring full-day experience at Winterbourne Medieval Barn.
