A Meeting Place and a Wedding Toast Preserved In a Pair of Custom Wedding Bands
Every custom ring starts with a story. Some couples bring us stones they've collected on hikes, while others bring feathers, heirlooms, or mementos with their own special meanings. Our job is to shape those materials into something strong enough to be worn every day.
For this couple, the ring journey began with two materials that carried real meaning. A stone from the place where they first met and a piece of oak from the wine barrel used at their wedding. They wanted both keepsakes incorporated into a matching pair of custom wedding bands to keep their shared memories close.
Their first concept was to craft a pair of thin, 3- to 4-millimeter bands with both materials wrapping all the way around in a full, uniform inlay. The challenge was space. Channeling two fragile inlays into such a limited width risked weakening the structure of the rings. The narrow cut also left little room for the wood grain to shine or the stone to hold securely.
After reviewing options together, we shifted to a split inlay style. This gave each material its own section, allowing the details to show clearly while keeping the bands durable. She chose 14k white gold to match her engagement ring. He chose black titanium for its strength and bold finish.
The wood from the oak cask was the most complex material we worked with. Thin cuts of wood tend to split, and in this case, we had only a small amount to work with. Preserving the grain pattern, shaping it exactly to the inlay, and preventing cracks took deliberate work. We carved it down slowly on our small CNC machine and stabilized it with high-quality resin so the texture would hold.
The stone they sent us needed a steady hand as well. We crushed it down and set it piece by piece, filling the inlay until it formed a solid, lasting surface.
Her white gold band was custom-cast with dividers already in place for the inlays. His titanium band had to be machined with very small tools to create clean, rounded corners inside the grooves. Once the materials were set, both rings were polished and finished by hand. Every surface was checked closely before they left the shop.
The finished bands carry both materials side by side. The wood from the oak cask shows its grain, the stone shows its edges, and together they hold the places that shaped this couple’s story.
That is what makes custom work matter. A ring built not only for daily wear, but to carry memories that would otherwise live tucked away in a drawer or box.
Got materials with meaning? Reach out here, and we’ll help you build them into a ring that lasts.
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