The Naturaleza Custom Ring Process: From Your Idea to Your Finger
Every custom ring we've ever made started the same way: with an email, and an idea.
Sometimes it was fully formed — a sketch, a list of materials, a vision carried for months. Sometimes it was barely a sentence: "I want something with wood from my grandfather's barn." Sometimes it was a question: "Can you use metal from my grandmother's ring?" In every case, that first message became the beginning of something completely, irreplaceably theirs.
If you've been thinking about reaching out but aren't sure how the process works — or whether your idea is something we can actually make — this post is for you.
How It Works: Six Steps from Idea to Finger
Step 1 — Send us an email
Tell us what you're imagining, as clearly or as loosely as you like. A sketch, a reference photo, a description of materials, a story you want the ring to tell. You don't need to have it all figured out. We'll help you get there.
Step 2 — We talk it through
We respond personally — usually Amy, sometimes both of us — and ask the questions that help us understand what you're really after. What woods feel right? What metal speaks to the occasion? Is there a symbol, a place, or a person this ring is meant to honour? This part is a genuine conversation, and we love it.
Step 3 — Marlon prepares a sketch or rendering
Once we have a clear sense of the design, Marlon creates a sketch or visual rendering for your approval. You confirm the proportions, the materials, the overall feeling — and we refine it until it's exactly right.
Step 4 — We confirm materials, sizing, and price
We provide a full quote based on your chosen materials, design complexity, and metal. Every choice affects both the look and the price, and we walk you through all of it transparently. We confirm your ring size carefully here too — wood requires more precision than metal.
Step 5 — Marlon makes your ring by hand
This is where it becomes real. Marlon shapes, inlays, and finishes your ring entirely by hand in our Louisville studio — the same way he's been making rings for over twenty years. Timeline varies by design complexity and our current schedule, and we always confirm it before you place your order.
Step 6 — Your ring ships to you
Every ring leaves our studio with a waterproof sealant, care instructions, and careful packaging. And the moment it arrives — well, we'll let the rings below speak to that.
What You Can Bring to a Custom Order
This surprises people most. You're not limited to choosing a wood species and a metal colour — you can bring:
Wood with a personal history — from a meaningful tree, a piece of antique furniture, a fallen branch from somewhere that matters to your story.
Heirloom metals and stones — family jewellery, a stone passed down through generations, or a diamond you'd like reset in something entirely new. Every stone we source ourselves is conflict-free and ethically obtained.
Objects you'd never expect — guitar string, aircraft metal, deer antler. If it's safe to work with, the question is never can we — it's how.
A symbol, a date, or a number — meaningful dates and numbers can be encoded into the band using Mayan numerical symbols: dots, bars, and shells that look like art to anyone who doesn't know what they're reading.
The Materials We Use
Sustainability isn't a feature we added — it's where the process begins. Marlon gathers woods from the forest floor, salvages fallen timber, and sources from suppliers he trusts. Our metals are 100% recycled sterling silver and solid gold — yellow, white, and rose — because choosing recycled metals is simply the right thing to do. Read more about our materials here.
Five Rings That Started as Just an Idea
The best way to understand what's possible is to see what other people have already done. Below are five custom rings — each one a conversation that became something extraordinary. The stories, the materials, and the moments when they arrived are all theirs.
Honeycomb Inlay Custom Wood Ring
KC wanted to create a unique wedding band that would complement a family heirloom ring with a ruby. He hoped to somehow incorporate two important symbols: fire and honeycomb. He shared, “The idea of fire comes from chanar roots in Tibetan Buddhism. She is a fire dragon according to the zodiac valence and she has always felt akin to fire. The honeycomb is an image that resonates with her. “
As beekeepers ourselves, we were especially excited to create a design that incorporated honeycomb. We imagined some different possibilities, and decided to represent the fire with color through variety of stones in amber and red tones.
The Appalachian Trail Angel Ring
Ben contacted us when he had cell phone service while hiking the Appalachian Trail. He wanted to create a ring for his wife to thank her for her support for his solo journey, and present it to her when he arrived at his final destination, Mount Katahdin, the northernmost peak on the Appalachian Trail.
The design includes the white trail “blaze” painted on trees, the symbol for the “AT” and the outline of Mount Katahdin, with the engraved message “Trail Angel.”
Reaching Mount Katahdin to culminate 6 months of hiking was bound to be an emotional experience for the couple, but it was made more memorable when Ben presented Amanda with his gift of appreciation in front of other friends and family that gathered to greet him.
Amanda wrote us to share her excitement, “First of all, thank you! It's perfection. It encompasses so much that words can not, it fits just right and I wear it on my right hand ring finger every day. “
Chipmunk Inlay Ring
Michael had a unique request for a ring with a chipmunk in silver, with meteorite accents.
His vision for the chipmunk was clear, we just had to perfect the proportions of the design to fit on such a small canvas as a ring. Marlon hand-carved the chipmunk from sterling silver sheet, and inlaid it into coyol seed, with the meteorite accents framing the design.
Peach Pit Commitment Rings
Our customer had a really meaningful hike with their partner, where they shared a peach and discussed their commitment. It felt right to symbolize their commitment with matching rings. The peach pit was saved, and made for a great material to incorporate in custom commitment rings. It was used as the primary inlay in the “Union” design. Turquoise was chosen as the additional inlay as a favorite of the couple and for its spiritual significance promoting honest communication, self-expression, and emotional balance.
Bee, Tree and Jade Wood Ring
Brian was excited to create a custom wedding band that was environmentally conscious. He shared a vision for incorporating jade, wood and two meaningful symbols: a bee and a tree.
After sharing design sketches to refine our ideas, we created the ring with hand-cut symbol inlay that requires a lot of patience and precision.
Have an idea? Send it to us.
In twenty years, we've never turned away a custom order because an idea was too complicated. If you have something in mind — however early or unformed — send us an email. We'd love to make something for you.
Before you reach out, our ring sizing guide is worth a read — accurate sizing matters more with wood than metal. And if you have questions, our FAQ has answers to the most common ones.
