How to Order a Custom Engagement Ring from Bali

By Dmitry Strugovshchikov, founder of STRUGA

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 is a deep school of silver handwork. The island's silversmiths train for years in a craft passed down through family workshops, generation to generation: a wax model, 925 sterling silver, hand finishing. The same path fine jewelers follow in Paris and New York — but here it has stayed handmade, with no assembly line.

A custom ring isn't "cheaper than the store." It's a different thing entirely. A production piece is designed once and repeated thousands of times; an authored one is made for a single couple and exists in one example. You're not paying for a name on the tag — you're paying for the maker's time, for the silver, and for the work of the hand that you can see on the finished piece. Working directly with the workshop, without a long retail chain, keeps the price honest — but this is an investment in an object built to last, not a one-off purchase.

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

We'll get back to you with initial design thoughts, a price estimate, and a rough 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 becomes a mold, and 925 sterling silver is cast into it. What comes out is a silver piece that matches the wax original exactly — ready for the hand finishing that follows.

Step 5: Finishing

The piece is cleaned and worked by hand until the surface is right, and the inside is smoothed for comfort. If you've chosen a dark finish, the silver is oxidized, then selectively polished so the edges and high points stay bright. 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 carefully and shipped tracked from Bali. Making a ring takes around 3–6 weeks as a guideline, plus transit — the exact timing depends on the design and the season, and we'll confirm it with you once the form is set.

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).

At STRUGA the price is built from three open parts, the same as on our custom order page: design from $700, silver at $50 per gram of the finished piece, and a $250 consultation deposit that is credited toward the final quote. The total depends on the form, the silver weight, and the stone you choose, and it is fixed once the design is approved. 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.