Engagement Ring

When I began to plan to propose to my now-wife, I knew I wanted to make the engagement ring myself, as much as possible. Simply choosing customizations for a retailer to do didn't appeal to me, and while casting molten gold myself at home did, I opted for a more reasonable middle-ground. I used the lost-wax method, where a carving of the design is made of wax, then a negative mold is made around the wax carving, then finally the molten gold is cast into the negative mold. After I proposed, I said "and by the way, I made it", and I thought that it was very on-brand of me, but despite a long history of making things myself which are rarely homemade, she didn't believe me! Thankfully I had some photos of the process as proof, and more thankfully, she said yes.

Filing the wax for the base ring, then detailing the leaf features.

The cast ring with the gem-setter. Every piece of advice everywhere said to have the gem set by a professional, so I followed that advice.

She said yes!

My fingerprint on the bottom of the ring. Just hold a lighter to the wax for a bit then press your finger to it, and remind yourself that you're a big strong man and it doesn't even hurt that much.