There’s jewelry. And then there are engagement rings.
Different category altogether. You can swap out earrings, tuck away a necklace, leave a bracelet at home if it doesn’t fit the mood. But this ring? It stays. Every day. Through coffee runs, job interviews, vacations, kids’ birthdays, anniversaries. It becomes part of your hand, part of your life. People notice it. They ask about it. Years later, it gets passed down.
That’s a lot of responsibility for one piece of jewelry. Which is probably why people obsess over getting it right.
A lot of rings in the glass cases look the same. They sparkle, sure. They catch your eye. But they weren’t made for you. They weren’t made to fit your story. That’s why more couples are skipping the ready-made designs and going the custom route.
If you’re in Arizona, you’re lucky. It has a reputation for luxury shopping and fine living, but what a lot of people don’t realize is that it’s also home to some of the best jewelers. The kind who can sit down with you, listen to what you’re picturing, and actually build it.
Popular Styles of Engagement Rings
The word “custom” sometimes makes people think of something totally out there. But most custom engagement rings are rooted in styles people already love. The difference is, you get to make the small choices that make the ring yours.
The solitaire is still the most popular style. One diamond, clean setting, nothing to distract from it. Simple. Timeless. A ring that never feels like it belongs to a specific decade. You can still add your own touches. Maybe the band curves in a subtle way. Maybe there’s engraving only the two of you know about. That’s the beauty of custom. Even the classics can be personal.
Halo rings are another favorite. That little circle of smaller diamonds around the center stone adds sparkle and makes the middle diamond look bigger. People have been drawn to halos for years, and there’s still room to play with them. Oval halos. Square halos. Double halos. A traditional idea with endless variations.
Three stone rings have their own following. Past, present, future. It’s a symbolic design, and one that feels more substantial than a single stone. Some couples like the balance of symmetry. Others like mixing stone shapes or colors for contrast.
And then there are couples who want something different altogether. Sapphires. Emeralds. Even black diamonds. You see more and more people choosing stones that stand out because they don’t want their ring to look like anyone else’s.
None of these styles are new. What’s new is the way people make them their own. That’s where custom design changes everything.
Best Jewelry Stores for Your Custom Ring
Arizona has some great jewelers who can take these familiar styles and turn them into something that feels completely original. Let’s take a closer look at this list.
1. E.D. Marshall Jewelers
If you ask around about jewelers in Scottsdale, this name comes up first. E.D. Marshall has been here for decades. Their showroom is huge, filled with diamonds, gemstones, and fine jewelry. But it’s not the size of the place that makes them number one. It’s the work.
They have master craftspeople who can take a stone that’s been in your family for years and set it into something new. Or take a rough idea you describe over coffee and sketch it into a design that eventually becomes your ring. That level of skill doesn’t happen overnight. It’s built over years of doing the work and building trust.
And trust is the real reason people choose them. An engagement ring isn’t like buying a watch or a bracelet. It’s not something you want to get wrong. You want to know the jeweler you’re working with has a reputation for being steady and consistent. E.D. Marshall has that. Which is why couples keep coming back.
2. Schmitt Jewelers
Schmitt feels different from the big showrooms. It’s family-owned. Comfortable. The kind of place where you don’t feel like you need to know all the right terminology before you walk in.
What they do especially well is listen. A lot of couples don’t walk in with perfect sketches. Sometimes they don’t even know exactly what they want. “Something vintage, but not old-fashioned.” “I want sparkle, but not too much.” Schmitt’s team has a way of pulling the idea out of your head and turning it into something real.
Their rings are beautiful, but not just in a delicate, look-under-the-jewelry-case way. They’re practical. Strong. Built to last decades of everyday wear. And that combination of warmth, patience, and skill is what makes them one of the best options in Phoenix.
3. London Gold
London Gold has been around since the late seventies, and their Scottsdale location is still a cornerstone for couples shopping for engagement rings. They carry a wide selection, but what makes them stand out is the way they involve you in the design process.
They use CAD software to create detailed 3D renderings of your ring before it’s ever made. You don’t just get a sketch. You see it as if it already exists. You can tweak the setting, change the stone shape, adjust the details, and feel confident about it before the final version is created. For a purchase this big, that peace of mind is worth a lot.
London Gold’s reputation has been built on service and consistency for decades. They’re one of those names people trust because they’ve been around so long, but they’ve also adapted with the times. That balance of experience and technology keeps them near the top.
4. Oliver Smith Jeweler
Oliver Smith is smaller, but that’s part of the draw. This is a jeweler that treats engagement rings like art. Their style leans modern. Clean lines. Subtle sophistication. Nothing loud or overdone.
They’re detail-obsessed. Every curve of the band, every angle of the setting feels deliberate. Nothing looks accidental or rushed. That’s what makes their rings feel different. They’re simple in one sense, but you can tell the time and care that went into the design.
If you’re the kind of couple that doesn’t want your ring to look like anyone else’s, Oliver Smith is where you go. It’s not about mass appeal. It’s about precision and uniqueness.
5. Forever Diamonds
Forever Diamonds is smaller in scale but makes up for it in attention. The experience here feels more personal. Couples sit down, walk through ideas, and actually feel like they have space to decide what they want.
They’re flexible too. Start from scratch? Sure. Redesign a family heirloom? Absolutely. Their wide selection of loose diamonds gives couples more control over both the budget and the final look.
The vibe is calm. No rush. No pressure. Just time and care to create something you’ll feel good about for the rest of your life.
The Bottom Line
Engagement rings matter more than most pieces of jewelry ever will. They’re not just fashion. They’re not just sparkle. They’re about meaning. About a promise.
That’s why custom design has become so important. It’s about creating something that feels like yours and yours alone. Each one offers a different path to the same goal. A ring that feels right on your hand and right in your story.
If you’re in Arizona, and you’re ready to design your dream ring, these are the places to start.
