How a Jewelry Designer Created Her Own Perfect Natural Diamond Engagement Ring

Every girl dreams of her wedding and imagines the ring that will accompany it, at some point in time. For a jewelry designer, designing an engagement ring for clients is routine, but when it comes to designing your own, it’s significant. Casey Perez knew it would be the most meaningful piece of jewelry she would ever create for herself. She wanted to create something representative of her, her love with her husband, her values, and her heritage. Bringing this vision to life was no easy feat.

Perez met her husband, Elliot, who worked at a coffee shop near her job. Like a New York rom-com, Perez left her job and decided the two would never see each other again, but fate had other plans. The two reconnected after Perez saw a flyer for a show his band was playing in at a different local coffee shop, and the rest was history. They have been together for a decade. 

When Elliot proposed, Perez tells Only Natural Diamonds, “It was a surprise when he proposed, and special. For all the years he has known me, he knew I would want to create my own ring that would meet my expectations.” She continues, “I wanted to make this ring personal to me with a deep significance. I tapped into the inspiration of my mom, and her native land in Mexico, Tierra Nueva.

Perez beamed while talking about her family. As the youngest of four, she told me more about her mom saying, “She is the most inspirational figure in my life. I thought to myself, “How can I pay homage to her?” Adding, “She was so excited to celebrate this special moment in our family. This ring honors her and myself, it is a tie to our heritage.” She continues, “My parents came to the US from a rural town in Mexico and it took a hell of a lot of sacrifice and gumption to get here.” 

After several iterations and sketches, Perez selected a reclaimed oval-cut natural diamond. “It was like a quest for the perfect diamond. I knew I wanted it to be reclaimed, and I had three finalists, but I loved and connected with the stone I selected. She continues, “It is a beautiful stone and has a beautiful sparkle.”

The diamond sits akimbo on a gold band that features waves and ridges noting, “My taste has never been traditional, the diamond set askew adds interest and I love that nothing is perfectly symmetrical. It feels organic.” She continues, “The contours in my ring were meant to invoke landscape.” Adding, “The diamond is traveling on these little waves through these valleys. It is a transition from one place to another. My Mexican heritage into this new country where I was born and have my roots.” 

Perez also designed Elliot’s wedding ring to mirror the design of her engagement ring band. “I wanted his ring to match and be symbolic of my heritage,” she says. Perez added details about the symbolism of the design saying, “It is meant to resemble a landscape like my ring, but over time the ring will wear down, much like a landscape erodes and weathers, but it remains standing. She adds, “These formations have been shaped by the forces of nature into beautiful structures. Like the Grand Canyon will always stay strong and weather the storms, whatever comes our way in this marriage we will find a way to stay strong and resilient.”