So you’ve decided on a customized mothers ring and are a bit overwhelmed by the options – engraved on the inside? Outside Engraving? Ornate or simple? How expensive will it be?

Relax – here are five steps to custom design mother rings so they have that maximum wow factor.

Step 1: Hint: Mom Already Knows Their Names

One thing to consider: Does she really need an engraving that tells her the names and birthdays of her children? For what little engraving space you have, a heartfelt message with each child’s initials may have a nicer touch. This could be especially true for older children who may want to pass along their secret code like “BFF” or some such that will make mom smile long after they’ve grown.

Step 2: Styles Change

Keep in mind mothers rings are the ultimate keepsake, and as such are meant to be kept and worn. That’s why for some tastes, a customized mothers ring that is classic and simple may have a longer staying power to something a little flashier. Take a look a mom’s jewelry box and odds are you’ll see things she hasn’t worn in years. There are reasons. Customize with restraint - when in doubt, odds are the simpler the better.

Step 3: Family Ring or Mothers Ring?

So this is a big deal. Typically a mothers ring has the birthstones of her children. With a customized family ring you add the two birthstones of mom and dad. Consider how mom will react – is that what she’d want? If not, there are other options that showcase mom as part of the gift: Placing mom’s birthstone in the center surrounded by her child’s birthstones, or buying a customized eternity ring, in which the mother’s birthstone is in a thin line surrounding the band of the ring, topped off by the children’s stones. That’s a nice touch.

Step 4: Stackable Mothers Rings – Yes or No?

Simple question really: Are you planning on more children? If so, when you design your own mothers ring you’ll likely want to consider a stackable option, in which future rings of the same design can be added adjacent to those already there. An extra benefit of this option is that because each birthstone is on it own band, there is typically extra room for engraving a longer message.

Step 5: Silver or Gold

When it comes to color after the birthstones, you basically have three color options – Gold, Silver and Platinum mothers rings. Although gold is the most popular option (10K is less expensive than 14K) you may want to consider the longer-lasting and durable platinum mothers ring option, especially depending on the mix of birthstones you are working with.

Finally, mothers birthstone rings are most popular at Christmas and most of all, Mother’s Day. That’s an opportunity. Keep this in mind when customizing, because the closer you are to those holidays, the more you’ll pay and the less time you’ll have for that personalized mothers ring you spent so much time perfecting!