Seongsu ring workshop: first OBELIA couple rings by hand, Robenta

Why we chose Robenta Seongsu

Robenta Seongsu is a ring workshop in Seongsu where you can make your own rings from designs by a ring designer with 30 years of experience. We don't have couple rings yet, so we decided to make ours at a ring workshop this time.

While we were wondering "where should we make them?", a friend told us about a ring workshop in Seongsu where you can make really delicate, pretty rings, so off we went :) The place we visited is Robenta Seongsu.

There's currently an event: book through Naver and visit, and you get free letter engraving worth ₩10,000.

Where Robenta Seongsu is and how to find the entrance

Robenta Seongsu is a 5-minute walk from Seongsu Station Exit 3, on the 3rd floor of the NOT4NERD building. The address is 301, 19 Yeonmujang 13-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, and Naver Maps lists it as 273-51 Seongsu-dong 2-ga. It's open daily from 11:00 to 19:30.

The entrance is the building's door on the right, next to Sanbyeot Real Estate (산볕 부동산) :)

Go into that building first and head up to the 3rd floor, and you'll find Robenta Seongsu :)

Inside the building, we took the stairs up to the 3rd floor. When we got there, the entrance of Robenta Seongsu was right in front of us! Doesn't it look super clean already?

What's the inside of Robenta Seongsu like?

Robenta Seongsu has a ring display area, a coat rack and big work tables. We had a reservation, and the really kind owner guided us through everything :) He was so friendly that we were in a great mood before we even started!

The first thing that caught our eye was right here! All sorts of rings were on display, and they were so pretty.

It's freezing these days, so everyone's wearing a coat, right? T_T There's a rack where you can hang your coat easily, which was handy!

And this is where the rings get made! It's really spacious and has so many tables that we were surprised :O

How ring making at Robenta Seongsu works, step by step

Here's how things went at Robenta Seongsu.

• Step-by-step guidance from choosing a design to making it
• About 1 hour of filing, sanding and polishing by hand
• Professional finishing by the workshop staff after your session
• A final check of the ring's shape and surface before it's done

How do you choose a couple ring design?

At Robenta Seongsu, you start by choosing your rings with guidance. We picked ours by talking directly with the owner!

These are the designs they had. There were so many couple rings, and every single one was so pretty!? The owner told us the rings at Robenta Seongsu are a range of designs developed in-house by a jewelry designer with 30 years of experience. From simple rings to sculptural shapes and gemstone designs, it was easy to pick whatever we liked!

Ring prices were listed like this, and the owner said couples don't have to pick the same ring!? You can each choose a design that suits your own taste and hand shape, and still put meaning into them together. Every ring was so pretty that we really struggled to decide T_T

The OBELIA we chose, and the material

We decided to get a matching couple set, and the ring we chose is 'OBELIA'. There were also 4 plating options, but we decided to go without plating.

The owner told us Robenta Seongsu uses sterling silver with a 92.5% content, and for designs with stones, they use moissanite instead of cubic zirconia, which is known for its high brilliance and durability. He said that's why the rings are comfortable and trouble-free for everyday wear!

Tip for choosing your ring size

Next we decided our ring sizes. The kind owner measured each finger carefully, one size at a time! He said a ring that's too small can be enlarged, but one that's too big can't be made smaller. So if a size feels just right, it seemed best to go a bit smaller :)

Getting ready: apron and gloves

Once we'd chosen our rings, the workshop finally began in earnest!

First we moved to our seats and put on aprons! Look at this adorable Penguin :)

This is a plant in the work area, and it was so pretty that I snapped a photo haha

Then we sat down in the workroom, put on gloves, and were all set. We told the owner we were worried because it was our first time at a ring workshop, and we were relieved when he said you can take part without any stress even if it's your first time making a ring and you're not good with your hands.

Step 1: filing

The first job at Robenta Seongsu is filing: using a metalworking tool called a file to grind down and smooth the ring's surface and edges. The owner demonstrated it himself first, then we got to work :)

We filed where the owner had marked. He told us that if you file too hard, the surface gets cut away and ends up uneven. So we went as gently and lightly as we could!

The before and after were clearly different!? The surface and edges became so neat, which was amazing :) The owner took a look and said we did really well, which made us happy haha

Step 2: sanding

Next up was sanding! The owner demonstrated first, and he made it look so smooth. We followed along diligently, and the sandpaper seemed to be working nicely haha

Here's Haedal hard at work sanding! He gave me a thumbs-up and said it was really fun, even though it was his first time at a ring workshop haha I followed along and sanded away too. Personally, I put in so much effort because the ring was just so pretty haha

Haedal also sanded gently and softly, saying how pretty the ring was haha We chatted while we worked and had a great time! Personally, I'd really recommend this as a quirky date in Seongsu!

Haedal and Penguin hard at work! It's our first ring, so we worked really carefully and diligently. We had the owner check it and he said it turned out nicely haha I was on pins and needles while doing it, so what a relief!

And with that, the hand work was done and we moved on to the next step.

Step 3: polishing

The last step of the experience at Robenta Seongsu is polishing, done with a machine on the table. You press a pedal with your foot to run it!

Again, the owner demonstrated first and then we went ahead. Every time I watch, I think the owner's hands must be actual metal..

We worked on the inside and the surface of the ring, and the owner adjusted the RPM for us, so it was easy to do without any strain haha As we went, we could clearly see the shine coming through! It's amazing how much a ring shines after it's been worked on ^ㅁ^

That's how we finished the surface and the inside of the ring neatly! We were so relieved when the owner gave us an OK in the final check haha Our Haedal was concentrating so hard that he didn't notice even when I filmed him lol

How do the finishing time and ring pickup work?

At Robenta Seongsu, about 1 hour of finishing time was needed after our hands-on work. The owner said you don't have to wait in the shop; you can go enjoy a date around Seongsu!

He said that once the work is done, you get a call that it's ready and can pick it up the same day during opening hours. If you can't come to pick it up, or if you need plating, they can also ship it by courier :)

We got the call while we were out on our date in Seongsu and came right back to pick up the rings! You can choose a case from 2 colors, he said :) Don't you think the case alone looks really classy and pretty?

We chose the case on the left! The case looks so classy and the ring is really pretty too, isn't it!?

We decided to wear the rings out! Aren't they just so pretty :O!? So our first ring workshop in Seongsu was a huge success and we were so, so happy with it!

A Polaroid to keep as a memory

On top of that, Robenta Seongsu takes a Polaroid photo of you to keep as a memory! So we got a photo we can treasure for life :) Between the really kind owner and the beautiful rings, we were so touched T_T

How was Robenta Seongsu for first couple rings?

We made such a lovely memory at the Seongsu ring workshop Robenta Seongsu :) It was our first time at a ring workshop, and making the rings ourselves was so much fun and the finished rings are really beautiful, so we're very happy :O

It was even better that we could enjoy all kinds of dates around Seongsu after making the rings! If you want to make a special memory at a ring workshop in Seongsu or Seoul, we really recommend Robenta Seongsu. We came away with such happy memories after a long time, and we're really satisfied♥