OMG! Right this moment on TCF, I’m so excited to speak all the things moral plus dimension engagement rings with Ashley Catharine, co-founder of Chouette Designs.

Ashley is SO SO enthusiastic about creating stunning engagement rings in plus sizes. “Most jewellery manufacturers truly don’t transcend a dimension 8, in actual fact lower than 1% go as much as a 12 for those who can imagine it!” shared Ashley throughout our interview.

Right this moment, I’m sharing an IN-DEPTH interview with Ashley, providing you with a entrance row seat to EXACTLY what Chouette Designs is all about and the way the customized engagement ring course of works.

Additionally, as a member of the LGBTQ+ neighborhood, I needed to you should definitely add in tremendous useful data on how Ashley Catharine and Marine Schmitt (co-founders and wives!), and the group at Chouette Designs is affirming of all genders and pronouns, actually offering a good looking engagement ring course of for members of the LGBT neighborhood.

You prepared? Let’s dive in!!

Designing *Your* Dream Plus Dimension Engagement Ring

Okay, first issues first! I do know from following (okay, hardcore fangirling) over Chouette Designs on-line that they’ve a stunning assortment of demi-fine RTW jewellery that make nice presents (bridesmaids presents and wedding ceremony social gathering presents, anybody?)!

Whereas speaking with Ashley Catharine, she was very excited to share the precise step-by-step course of for designing your customized plus dimension engagement ring.

“Buyer training is so essential to me,” she shared, “there’s a number of misinformation on the market when individuals are searching for an engagement ring. We’re honored to assist our shoppers design the ring of their desires, and the design/customization course of is admittedly designed to assist our shoppers take advantage of knowledgeable (and enjoyable!) selections.”

How a lot time does a customized engagement ring take?

Earlier than leaping into the step-by-step information, it’s useful to know the way lengthy the method takes for customized engagement rings. “Longer is at all times higher,” explains engagement ring professional, Ashley Catharine, “simply in case we have to seek for the proper distinctive stone that isn’t as widespread as others. General, it takes 2-3 months to create a customized engagement ring, from begin to end.”

What does a customized engagement ring often value?

One thing I’ve seen as a vogue author and blogger is that individuals generally pre-emptively value themselves out of a customized piece, as a result of they suppose it will likely be dearer than an enormous field retailer possibility.

Not the case!

Explains Ashley: “At Chouette Designs, a customized engagement ring is round $3,000, and the typical American ring buy $6,000.”

Now that’s the typical value, after all, so you possibly can go greater or decrease! “I’ve completed rings that have been proper at $1,000,” she shares, “and rings that bought as much as $10,000. It actually depends upon what number of stones you need in your ring, the scale, the metallic you wish to use, and so forth.”

Step #1 Customized Engagement Ring Course of: Analysis!

“The very first thing that you simply’ll wish to you should definitely do when designing your dream customized engagement ring,” explains Ashley, “is to go on our web site and take a look at our customs creation web page. We’re at all times updating it. Check out the types we’ve completed, and fill out the survey. We’ll ask you about your price range (to be respectful of it!), model you’re considering of, and so forth.”

Step #2 Customized Engagement Ring Course of: Session

“After you attain out through our web site, we’ll have a session. We will meet in San Diego, California, the place we’re primarily based, or over Zoom! A lot of our shoppers are situated all around the USA.”

By way of the session course of, Ashley will sketch designs together with her consumer(s), serving to to convey their dream customized engagement ring design to life.

Ashley famous that some folks know EXACTLY what they need their customized engagement ring to appear like, whereas others aren’t positive. “I’m completely joyful to supply design concepts that incorporate a consumer’s life-style and aesthetic within the design,” shares Ashley. “Some folks aren’t 100% positive what they need, and that’s okay!“

From there, Ashley fees a small deposit (round $75, relying on the design) that’s utilized to your buy. Ashley additionally has shoppers signal a contract, to ensure everyone seems to be in-the-know on processes, timelines, and so forth.

Step 3: CAD Rendering

Now it’s time to go DIGITAL! After your customized plus dimension engagement ring design is finalized, Ashley creates a CAD (digital) rendering for manufacturing.

Step #4: Let’s Get This Engagement Ring IRL!

From there, it’s time to get your new engagement ring IRL!

As a part of the model’s moral practices, Chouette Designs works with a maker in San Diego and Los Angeles (relying on numerous design parts and particulars), to make the customized engagement rings within the USA.

Throughout our interview, Ashley Catharine needed to you should definitely embrace that the demi-fine items (the ready-to-ship choices from Chouette Designs) are made in a manufacturing facility in India, which Ashley Catharine has vetted by shut business contacts.

We love transparency!!

Step #5: You’ve Acquired Your Ring!

You’re virtually completed! When your customized plus dimension engagement ring comes again from the maker, Ashley provides ending touches and packaging. From there, your ring is prepared for the massive second!

Ought to designing a customized engagement ring be a 100% shock?

Whereas speaking with Ashley Catharine in regards to the customized plus dimension engagement ring course of at Chouette Designs, I had a burning query:

Does the proposing companion*** maintain the ring design course of 100% secret? Or is everybody concerned within the course of?

Whereas I’m a gal who LOVES a shock, I believe I’d wish to be in-the-know about my customized engagement ring, lol. However I do know some folks wish to be shocked!

Ashley Catharine took that query in stride with a smile, saying, “It’s completely regular to have each or all companions concerned within the design course of,” she shared. “We’re joyful to make it a 100% shock as effectively. Generally, a pair will meet with me collectively to design the customized engagement ring, getting a majority completed. Then, the proposing companion and I’ll end the design, to ensure the ultimate ring design is a little bit of a shock.“

I like that!

And, the proposing companion generally is a bit sneaky and shock their love with an “additional” to go together with the customized wedding ceremony engagement ring. “We will design coordinating earrings, a stacking band to the engagement ring, and so forth.  Now we have methods!” shares Ashley with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

We love surprises!

LGBTQ+ Customized Wedding ceremony Engagement Rings

One thing that I LOVE about Chouette Designs is that the jewellery firm is lesbian-owned. As an LGBT blogger myself, I knew it will be SO useful for members of our neighborhood to dive in deeper with Ashley on how she works together with her LGBTQ+ shoppers.

Beneath, Ashley shares how the model incorporates inclusion into all the things they do:

• Pronouns & Gender Identification Assist: “The marriage business will be very gendered,” shared Ashley. “We’re proactive about utilizing the suitable pronouns and language to have a good time our shoppers.”
• Ring Dimension: “Now we have had some shoppers be instructed that they’re ‘mendacity’ about their fiancé’s ring dimension” [at other retailers]
• Language: “A few of our consumer’s are excited to be a “bride” or ‘groom,’” she shares, “so we use that language. Others want completely different phrases, which we’re 100% on board with.”

Throughout our interview, Ashley additionally gave The Curvy Fashionista an unique insider sneak peek, saying, “We’re additionally excited to offer customizable masculine wedding ceremony bands or engagement rings,” she shared. “There are extra choices than a big stone or plain band! So keep tuned on that entrance!”

Moral Customized Plus Dimension Engagement Rings

Okay, now that we’ve talked about price range, course of, and LGBT-inclusion — let’s discuss ETHICS.

Many individuals in 2023 don’t wish to use conflict-diamonds, and there are a couple of methods to get your customized dream engagement ring, in a extra moral method.

You able to learn the way?! Let’s go!

“I’m very proud to say that we use each pure and lab-created stones. What’s actually essential to me in stone origin and being assured on the place that stone comes from,” explains Ashley.

Generally for a specific stone, it’s not an choice to supply it ethically. However Ashley and the group at Chouette Designs are to not be deterred!

“If there’s no origin data for that stone, I go for lab-grown at that time. If a consumer needs a specific form, shade or dimension, and I can’t discover it naturally with origin data, then we go for lab-grown.”

Fascinating Inclusions

An rising pattern for 2023 is the intentional use of stones that aren’t 100% good. Explains Ashley, “Within the jewellery world, the main target has at all times been on a flawless white diamond. If we’re about being moral and extra aware, I as a designer can use a stone with attention-grabbing inclusions, like a salt and pepper diamond. This permits a consumer to have a diamond, however use a novel stone that the jewellery business would discard or contemplate scrap.”

What stones shouldn’t be used for a customized engagement ring?

After Ashley educated me on what a “salt and pepper diamond” is (a diamond that has inclusions or darker specks that type of appear like pepper), I requested Ashley, “What stones aren’t a superb match for an engagement ring?”

Ashley immediately had a solution, saying, “The largest points are opal and moonstone,” she shared with a sigh.  “It breaks my coronary heart a bit to interrupt my consumer’s hearts, when I’ve to speak them down.  Or allow them to know ‘You probably have your coronary heart set on an opal or moonstone, be ready to interchange it!’”

I like that Ashley and Chouette Designs are all about educating their shoppers, and in addition encouraging them to search out their most enjoyable customized engagement ring.

Swap Out & Improve Your Engagement or Wedding ceremony Ring

Talking of changing rings or stones, Ashley made a terrific level throughout our interview about “swapping out’ your ring. It may be worrying to attempt to design a hoop you’ll love endlessly — and also you don’t must!

“Everybody thinks we’re supposed to like our engagement rings our complete lives,” shares Ashley. “As an alternative, possibly you possibly can plan for in 10 years we’ll improve it to do one thing completely different. That’s okay, too!”

She provides with a smile, “It’s a number of strain to behave such as you’ll love the ring you bought at 30 or 40 or 20!”

Whereas I’m not married, my mother has undoubtedly upgraded and adjusted up her wedding ceremony ring over time (love ya, Mother!), so I actually love this concept!

What’s Subsequent for Chouette Designs?

Ashley and the group at Chouette Designs have a LOT deliberate for the remainder of 2023. “One thing we’re very enthusiastic about is releasing our first anklet! We’re beginning with a S, M, L, (8 inch, 10 inch, 12 inch). As we develop and get suggestions, I wish to be certain we now have the suitable sizes for anybody who wants them, and do customized items.” 

Store the most recent in moral plus dimension engagement rings at ChouetteDesigns.com!

I personally love the Chouette Designs TikTok — it’s so enjoyable!

You probably have questions on the ring course of, or you understand EXACTLY what you need your customized engagement rings to appear like, pontificate within the feedback!

*** Word on language: You might have seen that we deliberately didn’t use phrases like “bride” or “groom” on this piece! It’s because not everybody likes to make use of these phrases, and generally a bride might suggest to her groom! As a lesbian-owned firm with many consumers within the LGBTQ+ neighborhood, Ashley needed to be as inclusive with language as attainable — which I used to be completely on board with, after all! 🙂