Custom Engagement Rings · Bedfordview, Johannesburg
Custom engagement rings in South Africa, designed around your brief
Design your own natural diamond engagement ring with Prodiam in Bedfordview, Johannesburg. Bring a sketch, a reference photo or your ideas; choose the centre stone, setting and 18k gold or platinum, then approve the design and complete quote. Consult by appointment or remotely from anywhere in South Africa.
Book a consultation with Darren Prefer a ready style? Engagement rings → Email Darren directly →
Diamond price guidance, captured 8 September 2026. These figures describe samples of sourced listings, with VAT and delivery for the stones included. They are not current stock guarantees. Settings and making are additional where jewellery is discussed; confirm the complete written quote.
What an engagement ring costs, by centre stone
An engagement ring's total is the centre diamond plus the setting, metal and making. In our captured H-colour sample, a one-carat stone was about R61 300, a 1.5ct about R148 700 and a two carat about R300 500. These are diamond-only guide prices at VS1–VS2 clarity, with an Excellent cut filter and no fluorescence. We quote your complete ring before work begins.
| Centre stone | H-colour guide | J-colour guide | At capture | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| half carat | R12 400 | R10 500 | 34 053 | See these → |
| 1 carat | R61 300 | R41 700 | 25 599 | See these → |
| 1.5 carat | R148 700 | R100 400 | 11 390 | See these → |
| 2 carat | R300 500 | R198 300 | 5 877 | See these → |
| 3 carat | R880 300 | R574 500 | 2 060 | See these → |
Both columns show sampled guide prices, not an entry price or a complete ring. The count includes all grades in each weight band at capture. Set a budget for the whole ring, then choose the diamond and setting together.
No two diamonds are the same
A table describes a market, not a stone. Two diamonds identical on paper can differ by a third in price and both figures be right: how well the stone is actually cut and how much light it returns, where the inclusions sit and whether the eye finds them, how strongly it fluoresces, and how keenly that one happens to be priced against the international trade benchmark on the day. We check every stone against that benchmark before we show it to anybody, and the number that matters is the one quoted in writing on the stone you actually choose.
Ask us what your budget buysSearch the live inventory →
Captured 8 September 2026; guide figures rounded up to the next R100. Colour and clarity tables use sampled medians and percentile bands; rows without a measured range may use a limited lower-priced sample. Prices and availability can change. Your written quote identifies the actual stone and all inclusions.
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Natural diamonds only
We sell natural diamonds and diamond-set jewellery. Ask us about the grading report and available origin documentation for your chosen stone. Why we don’t sell lab-grown →
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Independent grading reports
The grading laboratory is shown per stone. Review its report and the individual diamond before choosing; sourced examples can include GIA, EGL and IGI.
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Insured delivery, SA & worldwide
Overnight across South Africa via Brink’s, G4S or our nominated jewellery courier. Insured worldwide dispatch via Ferrari Group and FedEx Custom Critical.
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Darren: in the diamond trade since 1995
Director Darren Etkind on the desk since 1995. Rough bought at De Beers DBCM viewings under the Emerging Beneficiation Customer programme since 2019.
How it works
- 01
Brief
Concierge consultation with Darren. Your preferences for centre stone (shape, carat, colour, clarity), setting style, metal, finger size, budget, and timeline.
- 02
Stone
Centre stone selected from the Procut bench or commissioned specially. GIA cert provided. Side-stone pavé matched in-house.
- 03
CAD
Computer-aided design renders sent for sign-off. Adjustments until you’re happy.
- 04
Wax & cast
Wax model approved. Casting in 18k white, yellow, or rose gold, or platinum.
- 05
Set & finish
Setting at the bench. Hand-polishing to a mirror finish. Quality control under loupe and microscope.
- 06
Hand-over
Presentation at Bedfordview by appointment, or insured courier delivery. The centre-stone grading report and agreed documentation are included.
Choose the centre diamond, setting and metal
Your ring starts with the whole brief: style, total budget, size and proposal date. Compare suitable centre diamonds using their grading reports, proportions, photographs and video. Some stones are cut in-house; others are sourced through the certified trade. Confirm which can be viewed in Bedfordview and which need to be brought in.
Choose a solitaire, three-stone, halo, hidden halo, bezel or vintage-inspired setting in 18k white, yellow or rose gold, or platinum. The complete quote covers the agreed diamond, any side stones, metal and making, with VAT and delivery specified. A loose-diamond price on its own is not the ring price.
Ring sizing and a written insurance valuation are included. You can commission in person or by video, with insured delivery across South Africa.
Engagement-ring shapes & settings for your design
Explore round brilliant, oval, cushion, emerald, pear, princess and marquise centre diamonds. The shape and dimensions influence how the ring sits on the finger and how its side stones should be matched. For a round brilliant, compare the laboratory cut grade; for fancy shapes, assess proportions and the actual appearance rather than assuming a GIA overall cut grade applies.
Each shape has its own in-depth guide, read about round brilliant, oval, pear, marquise, princess cut, emerald cut and radiant cut engagement rings, or start your brief with a GIA certified diamond as a cutter-direct dealer.
Not sure what your budget buys?
Every commission is priced on its own stone and design, so the honest answer is a conversation, not a chart. Tell Darren the total you have in mind and he will show you what it genuinely buys at bench pricing, with the trade-offs explained in plain English. Start on WhatsApp or the enquiry form, whichever is easier. Your budget helps us aim right; it is never a target to push past.
The Prodiam promise
The quote is free. So is walking away.
Ask us to quote any stone or ring and you get a firm figure in writing within 24 hours, VAT inclusive, with the trade-offs explained in plain English. It costs nothing and commits you to nothing: no deposit, no account, no follow-up campaign. Worst case, you learned the honest number and bought elsewhere better informed.
We actually want you to compare. Buying well means weighing options; it is how we buy rough at the viewings, and it is how you should buy a diamond. Bring any written quote and we will price it like-for-like, and if we cannot beat it, we will tell you so bluntly. Either way you leave knowing where you stand.
One more thing worth knowing: this site shows a selection of our stock, never the full range. Far more passes across the bench than we ever list, so if the exact stone or design you want is not here, ask us for it. It is usually one message away.
Get my written quoteWhatsApp Prodiam instead →
Prefer to talk it through first? That works too. Tell us how you like to be reached, and that is how we will reach you.
Custom engagement rings: common questions
How much does a custom engagement ring cost in South Africa?
The complete price depends on the natural centre diamond, any side stones, the metal and the design and making. Set a total ring budget at the brief, then compare proposed stones and settings within it. Some diamonds are cut on our own bench and others are sourced through the certified trade. You receive a written VAT-inclusive quote for the complete ring before work begins; loose-stone examples exclude the setting.
Where can I commission a custom engagement ring in South Africa?
Prodiam designs and makes custom engagement rings in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, with appointments at the viewing room and remote design consultations across South Africa. Bring a reference photo or sketch, your total budget and your deadline. We propose suitable natural diamonds and a setting, then agree the design and written quote before making begins. Insured nationwide delivery is available.
How long does a custom engagement ring take to make?
Most commissions run four to six weeks from approved design to finished ring: brief and stone selection, CAD render sign-off, wax model, casting, setting and hand-polishing, then quality control under loupe and microscope. A faster timeline is sometimes possible when the centre stone is already on the bench, tell us your deadline in the brief and we will tell you honestly whether it is achievable.
Can you set a diamond I already own, or an heirloom stone?
Yes. We inspect your existing diamond and setting before proposing a new design. Recutting or repolishing is considered only where it is suitable and you approve it. Agree the treatment of the old metal, any additional stones and the complete cost in advance. The stone-you-own and heirloom-redesign services explain these routes.
What is the difference between a custom ring and a ready-made one from a chain store?
A custom ring is designed around your brief: you choose the natural centre diamond, setting, metal and size, and approve the design before manufacture. A ready-made ring lets you inspect the finished piece immediately, but changes depend on its existing construction. Compare the actual diamond, workmanship, complete price, lead time and aftercare when deciding which route suits you.
Do you make custom engagement rings for buyers outside Johannesburg?
Yes, couples commission across South Africa, as well as from abroad. The design conversation happens by video, the stone is chosen from GIA reports plus loupe photography and a live viewing, and the finished ring is delivered insured and overnight nationwide, or by jewellery-grade insured international courier. If you are unsure of the size, send us a measurement taken at home and we confirm the letter before anything is cut.