How to Order a Custom Engagement Ring from Bali

You want an engagement ring that doesn't exist yet. Something designed around your relationship rather than pulled from a display case. Something handmade by skilled artisans in a place with centuries of metalworking tradition. Something from Bali.

This guide walks you through exactly how the custom engagement ring process works — from first idea to ring on finger — when you order from a Bali-based workshop like STRUGA.

Why Bali for a Custom Ring?

Bali offers something rare: world-class craft skill at accessible prices. The island's silversmiths train for years in techniques like lost-wax casting — the same method used by fine jewelers in Paris and New York, but refined here across generations of family workshops.

A custom engagement ring that might cost $2,000–5,000 from a Western jeweler can be made by equally skilled hands in Bali for $150–400, depending on design complexity and stone selection. The difference isn't quality — it's economics. Lower overhead, direct artisan relationships, and a culture where craft is deeply valued rather than commercially inflated.

The Process — Step by Step

Step 1: Share Your Vision

Start with whatever you have. This could be a detailed sketch, a Pinterest board, a photo of a ring you love but want modified, or simply a description of the feeling you want the ring to carry. "Dark, architectural, with a single black stone" is a perfectly valid brief. So is "something that looks like it was found in a temple ruin."

Include practical details: ring size (measure at a local jeweler if unsure), preferred stone, budget range, and your timeline. If you're planning a proposal or a destination wedding in Bali, mention the date so production can be coordinated.

Step 2: Design Consultation

Within 48 hours, you'll receive a response with initial design thoughts, a price estimate, and a production timeline. This is a conversation — ask questions, request adjustments, push the design in the direction that feels right. There's no commitment at this stage.

Step 3: Wax Model

Once you approve the direction, an artisan carves a wax model of your ring by hand. Wax is the perfect prototyping material — it can be shaped, adjusted, and refined much more easily than metal. We photograph the wax model from multiple angles and send images for your approval.

This is your last chance to make significant changes. Adding width, adjusting a stone setting position, modifying texture — all of this is straightforward in wax. Take your time reviewing.

Step 4: Casting

The approved wax model is invested in plaster, then heated in a kiln until the wax burns away completely, leaving a perfect negative cavity. Molten 925 sterling silver is poured or centrifugally cast into this mold. The result is a raw silver piece that exactly matches the wax original.

Step 5: Finishing

The raw casting is cleaned, filed, and sanded to remove any casting artifacts. The interior is smoothed for comfort. If you've chosen oxidation (dark finish), the piece is treated with liver of sulfur, then selectively polished to reveal bright silver on edges and high points. Stones are set by hand at this stage — each one individually fitted and secured.

Step 6: Quality Check & Shipping

Final photos are sent for your confirmation before shipping. The ring is packed in branded presentation packaging with a certificate of authenticity confirming the silver quality, stone type, and artisan origin. Shipping is express and tracked — typically 5–7 business days worldwide from Bali.

What It Costs

Custom engagement ring pricing depends on three factors: design complexity (simple band vs. sculptural setting), silver weight (thicker/wider uses more metal), and stone selection (onyx is standard; rarer stones cost more to source).

As a guide: simple custom bands start around $100–150. Rings with stone settings typically range $150–300. Complex sculptural pieces with multiple elements or unusual stones can reach $300–500. Every quote is transparent — we break down material, labor, and stone costs so you know exactly what you're paying for.

Getting Started

Ready to begin? Send us your idea through our custom order page, or email us directly. There's no obligation — we're happy to discuss feasibility and ballpark pricing before you commit to anything.

If you're proposing in Bali, we can arrange pickup from our workshop — there's something fitting about collecting a ring from the same hands that made it.