My name is Eugene. Before the ring boxes, I was a wedding photographer for years.
Eugene Ashkin photographing a wedding ceremony before founding Ashkin Studio
You see a lot standing behind a camera at hundreds of weddings. Couples spend months on the venue, the dress, the florals — and then someone pulls out a cardboard insert from a jewelry store and drops the rings in. That thing ends up in every ceremony photo. Every flat lay. I kept thinking: why does nobody care about the box?
Natalia and I started Ashkin Studio because of that. She knits the bridal capes and wedding ponchos and wraps by hand. I make the ring boxes. Two people, one workshop, everything made to order. We've made boxes for over 6,000 couples at this point.
Wood
I use three species: beech, walnut, and oak. All solid hardwood, no exceptions. No MDF, no plywood, nothing veneered. I've tried cheaper materials early on and you can always feel the difference when you pick it up.
Beech is what I reach for most. The grain is tight and even, which gives laser engraving the cleanest result — especially for fine text, handwriting, coordinates. It also accepts stain better than any other wood I've worked with. When I'm aiming for a specific tone, beech gets me there consistently. The whole rustic line is beech.
Walnut is a different animal. It's naturally dark — that deep chocolate brown — and genuinely doesn't need much done to it. Sometimes I barely stain it at all. The grain is tight like beech, so engraving reads sharp and clean. For gothic orders I apply a black stain over it, which darkens everything while the grain texture still shows through. Painting over good walnut would be a waste.
Oak I use more selectively. The grain is wider and more open, so engraving comes out a bit rougher — not a problem for rustic or Viking-style pieces, but I steer people away from it if they want very fine detail work. It develops a warm amber color over time and looks genuinely old in a good way.
Engraving
Every box goes through the laser engraver. I know hand-carving sounds more appealing, but I tried it early on and the inconsistency drove me crazy — spacing drifts, depth varies, anything with real detail becomes a gamble. The laser hits the same depth every pass and gets the same result every time.
What's happening when the laser runs: it burns down roughly 0.3 to 0.8mm into the surface, turning that layer to char. That char is darker than the wood underneath, which creates the contrast you see. On beech or walnut the result is crisp because the grain is tight. On oak it comes out slightly textured, which actually looks right for certain styles.
I can put almost anything on a box — names, dates, coordinates, a handwriting sample (people photograph something handwritten and I digitize it), Celtic or Norse knotwork, florals, mountain silhouettes, star maps. If you have something specific in mind, just describe it. The only cases where I push back is when someone wants very fine detail on oak — I'll usually suggest beech instead and explain why.
Finish
After engraving, I sand every box by hand and then apply either oil or stain depending on what the piece needs.
Oil goes into the surface rather than sitting on top of it. The wood stays tactile — it still feels like wood, not like something coated. Stain is for when I need a specific tone: a deeper brown for rustic, black for gothic. Either way, the finish seals the engraving so the char doesn't come off on your hands.
The inside depends on the model. Most boxes get velvet. It grips the ring, absorbs shipping vibration, and doesn't compress and crack over years the way foam inserts do. I cut the velvet to the specific ring type, so a slim solitaire sits differently than a wide band.
The moss boxes use natural stabilized moss instead of velvet. It's permanently preserved — no water, no maintenance — and it holds a ring just fine. Those are mostly for rustic and forest-wedding buyers.
How long it takes
5 to 7 business days to make, 12 to 15 to ship to the US depending on your state. Canada and most of Europe is similar. Australia a bit longer. Every order gets tracking.
There's no stock sitting on a shelf. Each box gets cut and made when the order comes in, which is why no two boxes look exactly the same even in the same wood species — the grain is different in every board. The finish goes on by hand and I adjust it as I go because beech and walnut and oak all absorb oil at different rates.
If you're working against a deadline, message me before ordering. Rush is sometimes possible depending on what I have going.
Questions people ask
Can I see the engraving before you cut it?
Yes, for anything custom I send a proof first. For standard name-and-date text I just confirm the spelling with you before starting.
What if the ring doesn't fit the insert?
Tell me the ring type when you order. I'll cut the insert for it. If you're not sure, send a photo — easier than guessing.
Do the rings in the photos come with the box?
No, those are styling props.
Can I order without engraving?
Yes.
Returns?
Personalized boxes can't be returned since they're made for you specifically. Non-personalized ones can come back within 14 days of delivery.
The box ends up in your ceremony photos, your flat lays, on your dresser for the next twenty years. It held the rings when it mattered. It should look like somebody made it.
I did.
Questions? hello@ashkinstudio.com or WhatsApp. Usually back within a few hours.
Eugene,
Ashkin Studio
