Designing a Custom Piece of Jewelry

Designing a custom piece of jewelry can be an exciting and meaningful endeavor. It is quite common for a person to have inherited a piece of jewelry that has sentimental value but either is not in wearable condition or simply doesn’t mesh with the new owner’s style or other jewelry. Perhaps it’s your grandmother’s wedding band, but can’t be sized to fit; or, your mother’s diamond ring, set in a chunky yellow gold 1980s mounting…
Customized Diamond Ring

Designing a Custom Piece of Jewelry

Designing a custom piece of jewelry can be an exciting and meaningful endeavor. It is quite common for a person to have inherited a piece of jewelry that has sentimental value but either is not in wearable condition or simply doesn’t mesh with the new owner’s style or other jewelry. Perhaps it’s your grandmother’s wedding band, but can’t be sized to fit; or, your mother’s diamond ring, set in a chunky yellow gold 1980s mounting…

 

Here are some basic guidelines before making a decision on custom jewelry:

 

  • Find a Jeweler You Trust

Find a jeweler who will listen to you, ask questions, and interpret what you want into a visual picture. This will help integrate what you’d like to include from the original piece of jewelry but will be utilized in a fresh, fashionable new way. If you are simply choosing to design a new piece of jewelry from scratch, the same steps would apply!

  • Examine What You Have and Decide What You Like!

The designer will examine the stones and metal, making note of the size, quality and condition of stones. A discussion will ensure about the new piece.

 

Things to consider:

 

-What color metal?

 

-In what condition (color, clarity, etc.) are the diamonds?

 

-In what color is most of your jewelry currently?

 

-Will this be an “everyday” piece or worn just for special occasions?

 

-Will you be wearing it with other jewelry? If so, it need not “match” but should coordinate in some way (For example, if a ring is to be worn with another ring, the jeweler can show you options to have them sit well together on the hand).

 

-Are additional stones needed to make the design just the way you want?

 

Customized Diamond Ring Design

 

  • Determine a Budget

Once the piece and style are determined, a budget can be discussed so that different options can be suggested to fit within budget.

  • Narrow Down the Design

After price and design are agreed upon, the jeweler can either present a drawing or a “cad-cam” computerized picture detailing the design from from various angles so that you can see exactly what the piece will look like. Any changes to the design will be made at this point, before the piece is actually created. After the final OK is given, consider the design pretty much set in stone!

  • Timeline

A lot of jewelry exists in the world, but there is something magical about being able to wear a special piece of jewelry created just for you, especially one that incorporates both the “old” and the “new” – because jewelry is most valuable not just because of the monetary value of its parts, but because it perfectly and beautifully represents the wearer’s personality so well.