Engagement rings,
natural and lab grown,
in Montclair
- Book a private appointment Or just walk in. Real, unhurried time with someone who knows the stones.
- Natural and lab grown Hold both side by side in daylight before you decide anything.
- See it before it is cast A 3D rendering first, then a printed model worn on your own hand.
- Bands and sizing, here too The band is shaped flush to your ring. Estimates are always free.
Book a Private Appointment
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Six steps.
Nothing is cast until you approve it
Most people arrive knowing one thing they like and very little else. That is a normal place to start. Here is what happens between that and a finished ring. If you are still deciding between stones, our guide comparing lab grown and natural diamonds covers the part that actually changes the price. If the proposal is a surprise and you are guessing at a size, read how to find her ring size without her knowing first, because the setting you pick decides how much a wrong guess costs. Proposing over the holidays without knowing which setting they would want? You can propose with a loose diamond and design the ring together afterwards. Choosing a metal? White gold vs platinum explains how each one wears over the years. Thinking of turning the stone sideways? Our guide to east-west engagement rings covers the shapes, the setting and the band. And if you are weighing a website against a studio, the honest comparison is in custom jewelry vs buying online.
Sit down with the stones
A booked appointment means the cases are open and loose stones come out on the desk. Bring a photograph, a ring that fits, an inherited piece or nothing at all. Budget is discussed at this point rather than at the end, because it decides the stone.
Choose the stone first
Natural or lab grown, shown side by side at matching specification with the certificate in front of you. Cut is what makes a diamond bright, which is why a well cut stone one clarity grade lower usually looks better than the reverse.
See it as a rendering
The ring is drawn in 3D around your stone and its exact measurements. You see it from every angle before a single millimeter is committed. Changes at this stage cost nothing but a conversation.
Wear the printed model
A resin or wax model of the finished ring, printed and put on your hand. This is where band width and stone height get settled, because proportions on a screen and proportions on a finger are not the same thing.
Cast, set and finish
Once you approve the model the ring is cast in your metal and the stone is set by the bench jewelers the studio has used for years. Setting style, prong count and finish were all agreed before this point.
Collect it, then look after it
You see the finished ring before you take it. After that, prong checks and cleaning keep it wearable. Resizing or retipping is handled at the studio like any other repair.
The pair that actually sits flush
A band bought separately from the engagement ring often leaves a gap or rides on the stone. Designing them together lets the band be shaped to the ring, and couples who start here for the engagement ring usually come back for both bands. Matching an existing ring is also normal work, so bring it in and we will shape around it. There is more on choosing wedding bands and why they leave a gap if you want the detail first.
Engagement rings, answered
Do I need an appointment to look at engagement rings?
No, walk ins are welcome Monday to Friday, 10:00am to 6:00pm, Saturday until 5:00pm. Booking ahead is better for rings because it means someone is free to sit with you and pull stones out for comparison rather than serving the counter at the same time.
Do you have natural and lab grown diamonds?
Both, and we show them side by side in daylight rather than describing the difference to you. They are the same mineral graded on the same scale, so what genuinely differs is how the stone was formed and what it costs. A natural diamond formed under the ground over roughly a billion years. A lab grown one is made in a reactor in a matter of weeks. There is a longer explanation in our lab grown vs natural diamonds guide.
Do you make diamond rings other than engagement rings?
Yes. A diamond ring does not have to be an engagement ring. The process is the same either way. The stone is chosen first in daylight, then the design is built around it and approved as a 3D rendering before anything is cast. Our custom jewelry page covers how a piece is designed from scratch.
Can I see the ring before it is made?
Yes. Custom pieces start as 3D renderings, then a printed model you can actually wear before anything is cast, so the proportions are settled on your hand rather than on a screen. Nothing is ordered or cast until you approve it.
Can you use a stone or a ring I already own?
Yes. Resetting an inherited stone or redesigning a ring that is no longer worn is some of the most common work in the studio. We assess the stone with you first and say plainly if it should not be reset.
Do you sell wedding bands to match?
Yes, and matching a band to an engagement ring is easier when both are designed together. Couples who buy the engagement ring here usually come back for the bands, and the profile of the band can be shaped to sit flush against the ring.
What happens if the ring does not fit?
Resizing is handled at the studio like any other repair. Ring resizing, prong work and stone tightening are described on our jewelry repair page, and an estimate is free before anything is touched.
Where are you located?
Astra Jewelers is at 250 Bellevue Ave, 2nd Floor, Montclair, NJ 07043, in Upper Montclair. It is a private studio on the 2nd floor rather than a street level shop, and it serves Montclair, Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, Verona, Cedar Grove and the rest of Essex County.
FIND ASTRA IN UPPER MONTCLAIR
We are a second-floor studio on Bellevue Avenue. Appointments get you undivided attention. Walk-ins are welcome during opening hours.
Address
250 Bellevue Ave, 2nd Floor, Montclair, NJ 07043
Hours: Mon-Fri: 10:00am-6:00pm, Sat: 10:00am-5:00pm