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The most common question we hear about custom engagement rings is "how much more does custom cost?" The answer surprises most people: sometimes nothing. A custom ring can cost the same as, or even less than, a comparable off-the-shelf ring because you're choosing every component and cutting out the wholesale distributor markup. What custom always costs more of is time and involvement. You're part of the design process, and you need to show up for it. Here's how custom ring design works at Vanhess, from first conversation to finished ring. Step 1: The Consultation (Free, 30 Minutes) You come in...

Most people don't think about jewelry appraisals until they need one. Maybe their insurance company asks for documentation after a claim. Maybe they inherited a ring and have no idea what it's worth. Or maybe they just spent $5,000 on an engagement ring and someone mentioned they should "get it appraised." Here's what an appraisal actually is, what it costs, when you need one, and what the numbers on that piece of paper really mean. What a Jewelry Appraisal Is (And Isn't) An appraisal is a document that states the replacement value of a piece of jewelry. That's the cost...

If you own a white gold ring, the bright silver-white colour you see isn't the gold itself. It's a thin coating of rhodium, a platinum-group metal that's applied over the gold to give it that clean, cool-white appearance. The gold underneath is actually a pale greyish-yellow, because white gold is still gold alloyed with white metals like palladium, nickel, or silver. Without rhodium plating, white gold looks noticeably warmer than most people expect. This is one of the most common questions we get at Vanhess: "Why is my white gold ring turning yellow?" It's not turning yellow. The rhodium plating...

Trends in jewellery move slower than trends in fashion, which is good because nobody wants to spend $2,000 on a ring that looks dated in six months. But they do move, and 2026 has some clear directions. After a decade of "less is more" minimalism, the pendulum has swung. People want more presence, more colour, more personality in what they wear. Here's what we're seeing at Vanhess and what's worth buying vs. what's worth skipping. Bold Gold Is Back (and It's Staying) Chunky gold chains, wide cuff bracelets, oversized hoops, thick signet rings. Bold gold is the defining look of...

You have the engagement ring. Now you need a wedding band that works with it. This sounds simple until you try to slide a straight band next to a cathedral-set halo and realize there's a 3mm gap between them. Or until you discover that the diamond band you fell in love with is slowly grinding the prongs on your engagement ring every time you move your hand. At Vanhess, we fit wedding bands to engagement rings every week. Here's what we've learned about what works, what doesn't, and what most people don't think about until it's too late. Start With...

Diamond studs are one of the most common first fine jewellery purchases, and one of the most common gifts for milestones: graduations, 30th birthdays, anniversaries. They're also one of the easiest purchases to get wrong if you don't know what to prioritize. Most people walk in focused on carat weight. That matters, but it's not the whole picture. Here's what we've learned from fitting hundreds of stud earrings at Vanhess in Coquitlam. Carat Weight: Total vs. Each Diamond studs are sold by total carat weight (TCW), not per stone. A "1-carat pair" means each diamond is 0.50 carats. This trips...