Designing the Perfect Diamond Solitaire
It seems like a no brainer, right? Find a diamond, pair it with the fine metal of your choice, and you've got yourself a solitaire engagement ring. Some may think that these settings are easy to design because of their innate simplicity, but the reality is quite the opposite. Creating a well-balanced diamond solitaire engagement ring that is timeless and beautiful from every angle is a tremendous design challenge; there are no bells and whistles to hide behind. It's all about exacting, balanced, harmonious design.
Dana Walden co-founders and designers Dana Walden Chin and Rad Chin liken designing the perfect solitaire to "drawing the perfect circle." If you actually try it, you'll find that the seemingly simple freehand task actually requires a great deal of skill.
So, which of our designs is Dana Walden's "perfect circle"?
Enter ASTRID, Dana Chin's first-ever engagement ring design and arguably the most perfect handmade diamond solitaire you've ever seen.
There is indeed a fine balance when it comes to how thin the band (also known as the shank) on your solitaire can or should be. Dana Walden Bridal has mastered the fabrication of a band that is delicate without sacrificing the structural integrity of the piece. Other considerations while creating your piece include client preferences, finger size, and the exact metrics of the handpicked, conflict-free diamond being used.
Our baskets are different for each of our handmade diamond solitaires. The ASTRID, for instance, has an exquisite V-shaped basket that tapers out to each clawed prong. Our signature finely-clawed prongs add a distinctive touch to every ring; they are more difficult to fashion than the rounded prongs you might have seen on commercially-produced rings, but they create fluidity and lightness. These small artistic touches create transition along your ring's profile, as your eye moves up towards the center diamond. 
Our GEMMA and GRACIE rings are paved with diamonds along the girdle (the widest point) of your center diamond. Meanwhile, the popular JESSA solitaire is clean and modern, with minimal lines and very few embellishments to distract from its 2+ carat diamond center stone.
Thoughtful design choices make these handmade Dana Walden diamond solitaire designs stand out among the sea of commercially made rings on the market today. The result of our thoughtful design process is a light and airy piece that allows the diamond (sourced by Dana and Rad themselves) to be the focus. As always all diamonds are conflict free and responsibly sourced by your Dana Walden designers, while all fine metals are ecofriendly.
Rest assured that we are fully committed to socially-conscious and mindful production practices. Your handmade "DW Classic" will be an engagement ring you can actually feel good about wearing.
Choosing a Fine Metal for Your Engagement Ring
Shown left to right: JESSA & SORA
Our solitaires can be handmade in 14K or 18K white gold, yellow gold, or rose gold, and in platinum. Each metal color & solitaire combo creates a different feel and endless possibilities for a ring that is timeless yet distinctive. Some examples? If you want a timeless diamond solitaire under $8000 with an heirloom quality to it, we would suggest our ASTRID with 1 carat diamond in 18k yellow gold. If you want something a little more playful and romantic, you might consider JESSA in 14K rose gold.
Let's Get Started
If you've been looking for a diamond solitaire engagement ring, but haven't quite found what you're looking for, it might be time to schedule an appointment with Dana and Rad. Decoding the design of a masterfully crafted engagement ring requires some know-how, and this is where working with an artistic jeweler can really be helpful.
Dana and Rad meet with every.single.one. of their bridal clients one-on-one to take down your personal aesthetic notes. They'll work with you in an iterative design process to create the perfect diamond solitaire engagement ring for you (while being transparent about and mindful of your budget).
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