A LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER · 5 MIN READ

A Ring Carries Whatever You Put Into It. Here Is What We Put Into Ours.

She will wear it for a lifetime. It should be made with care and attention to detail. A letter from our small Melbourne studio.

By the time a ring leaves our studio, it has been designed, checked, photographed and handled with care.

Why I started a small ring business in Melbourne

I didn't start out planning to sell engagement rings. Before this I was developing businesses in other industries.

Then it was my turn to buy a ring. Chain stores, glass counters, a salesperson on commission quoting numbers that had more to do with an old marketing slogan than with the ring in front of me. I helped a friend through the process, and he came out the other side with light pockets and a questionable ring.

Two things stuck with me. First, for an object whose entire job is to carry love, almost nobody in that chain seemed to feel much about it. Second, the gap between what the big retailers charge and what a beautifully made ring actually costs is enormous, and nobody behind those counters was ever going to mention it.

So I built the business I believed should exist, in Melbourne. Every ring going through a careful quality assurance process and sent from here, made to order. Consults are by appointment only, 25 minutes in person. Or purchase directly online for a seamless experience.

4 years in, two things still get me. The proposal photos we get sent afterwards, and the feedback we get from happy couples.

The part of a ring you cannot see

Here is something I believe that sounds sentimental until you sit with it.

A ring carries the way it was made.

Not mystically. Practically. A mass-produced ring is one of ten thousand, cast in a batch, inspected by sampling, boxed by someone who will never know it existed. Nothing about it was ever about you.

A made-to-order ring is the opposite at every step. It begins as your choices: your setting, your metal, your stone, her size. It is crafted by our jewellers for that one order. It is finished, polished and set as a single piece with a single destination.

When people say a ring from a small maker feels different, this is what they are feeling. Care is not a marketing word. It is a series of decisions, made slowly, by people who are allowed the time to make them.

That care transfers. The couple receives it whether they can name it or not. Our reviews keep describe it.

How we choose your stone

The stone is where care is easiest to fake and easiest to skip, so here is exactly what we do.

Every moissanite we set is D-E colour and VVS clarity, certified by GRC. That is the top of the grading scale: colourless, and clean to the point that inclusions are near impossible see unless under 10x magnification.

The cheap end of the market is where moissanite and lab diamonds can get its bad reviews: cloudy, greyish stones sold on price through marketplace listings.

And the certificate is the floor, not the finish. Stones are checked individually before setting. On cuts with known quirks, like the bow-tie effect on ovals, we check for it on every stone rather than hoping the certificate covers it.

We provide diamonds now as well, in DEF colour, VVS+ clarity, IGI certified lab diamonds. Same selection care, same checks.

The checks every ring passes before it reaches you

Before any ring leaves us, it goes through quality assurance at the Southbank studio, and I mean the unglamorous kind:

  • The setting: every claw checked, the stone seated and secure, the finish inspected under light.
  • The details: sizing verified against the order, engraving checked character by character.
  • The proof: we photograph your finished ring before dispatch, on request we can send you a video or photo before sending, otherwise we keep it on file here.

Then it is dispatched from the studio to you, within 6 weeks of ordering, or 3 weeks on express.

And here is the part that keeps the checks honest: the lifetime warranty on both the stone and the craftsmanship, plus a free resize within 3 months with return shipping covered. When you promise to stand behind a ring forever, you check it properly the first time. The warranty is not a perk bolted onto the process. It is the reason the process exists.

Want to know exactly what your ring would cost? Design it in the builder and get an instant quote: setting, metal and stone, priced live as you choose.

Get an instant quote in the ring builder

Will anyone be able to tell?

The question behind every first consult, even when nobody says it out loud.

Lab-diamonds can't be told apart from a natural. Expert gemologists can't tell to the eye. It requires an advanced testing machine.

Moissanite is not a diamond and I will never tell you it is. It is its own stone: silicon carbide, nearly as hard as diamond (9.25 on the Mohs scale, diamond is 10), made for every day of a long life.

Side by side under studio lights, moissanite shows more fire than a diamond: more rainbow flashes. Some people prefer that. Some prefer the whiter flash of a traditional diamond.

The peace of mind choosing a stone that is guarunteed to not have questionable origins is the real benefit.

Prefer to talk it through with the person responsible for your ring first? Book a 25-minute consult at the Southbank studio or by video call. You will leave with a shortlist and exact prices, no obligation.

Book a 25-minute consult

What Our Google reviews say when we're not in the room

We hold a 5.0 from 116 Google reviews.

Care, communication, the patience, what the ring looked like out of the box, what happened when they needed something afterwards.

“We don't live in Melbourne, so we couldn't come in for an in person consultation, but Jarod's prompt, polite and friendly email correspondence took a lot of fear out of the experience of designing our ring and having it made for us. We had a specific budget, and they gave us options which fit with all of our requirements and budget.”
Connor, Trustpilot
“The ring needed to be resized and was fixed within a week with no extra charge even though we passed the period to have it resized for free.”
Eric, Trustpilot
“He was so quick to respond to any queries and so easy to communicate with. Had such a quick turn around time which was incredible as I was able to pick up the ring on Christmas Eve. The ring is absolutely beautiful, cannot recommend enough!”
Alyssa, Google

Three ways to start, ranked by how useful they are

I am not going to pretend a page can pick a ring for you. Here is what I would do in your position, in order.

1. Download our comprehensive guide. Designed to answer any question you think of in a short summary.

2. Get an instant quote in the ring builder. Pick the setting, metal and stone, and watch the exact price update as you choose. No email required, no waiting, done in minutes.

3. Book a 25-minute consult. If needed. Southbank studio or video call, by appointment, with me personally. You leave with a shortlist, real prices, and no obligation.

4. Browse the collection. If you are still gathering ideas, start with the rings couples choose most.

Whichever you choose, your ring will be made and sent with care.

Jarod Guthrie
Founder, Moissanite Engagement Rings
Southbank, Melbourne

P.S. The lifetime stone and craftsmanship warranty and the free 3-month resize are on every ring. We can only afford promises like that because of the checks the ring passes before it leaves. Care, it turns out, is also good business.

Rated 5 stars by our couples

Real reviews from Trustpilot

Amazing customer service

Amazing customer service with all my ring purchases. Very personal and helpful with prompt communication. We live in WA and to have the trust in someone across the country with my wedding and engagement ring I wouldn't use anyone else! Thanks so much Jarod!

Expert in his craft

Jarod is hands down the most “invite him to nans Sunday roast” man of the century. He was so genuine from the moment he introduced himself and we were instantly at ease. His creative and professional insight was considerate of our hip pocket as well as longevity of the ring and design. We are so excited to have been able to easily design THE ONE together.

Highly recommended

Jarod has been amazing to work with. I landed on a custom design and am absolutely thrilled with the result. Beautiful quality and always very informative. I asked lots of questions and was always met with prompt and detailed responses. The turn around time was also really great from my first email enquiry, all the way through to collection.

Engagement Ring Experience

Jarod was very professional and helpful throughout the entire process. The ring needed to be resized and was fixed within a week with no extra charge even though we passed the period to have it resized for free. Would highly recommend this place and will be back again soon to select our wedding rings!

Incredible service!

Incredibly helpful with our quick turn around time. Especially Jarod for his efficiency and genuine care to give us the best experience and service. Couldn't be more grateful for these guys, we've recommended them to all our friends who are in the market for engagement rings!