4 Things You Should Know Before Customizing Jewelry

To create a piece of jewelry from scratch is one of the most personal ways to create your unique jewelry.

Unlike buying an existing design, here you will create your ring, necklace, or earrings depending on your style, story, or a special occasion.

It sounds amazing, however, custom jewelry is associated not only with creativity but with lots of decisions which have to be made in the correct order.

So, knowing the process will help you avoid additional stress. Having the right expectations, custom jewelry can be an exciting and enjoyable process for you.

Lab-grown diamonds have helped many people create their unique jewelry since lab-grown diamonds are way cheaper than natural ones and thus leave more room in your budget for design, setting, and personalization.

Here are 4 things you need to know about custom jewelry.

 Why Should You Know the Right Things about Custom Jewelry?

To learn about the four essential aspects, it is necessary to clarify first what it is. This type of jewelry could mean different things, depending on the level of customization.

Bespoke (Fully Custom)

Here you begin with a concept, illustration, photo, or completely original idea. A jeweler will create a custom design only for you based on your ideas.

It allows maximum creativity but requires a lot of choices and time for the production.

Semi-Custom

You have an existing setting or design and personalize it with a lab-grown diamond, different metal color, side stones, or engraving.

This type of engagement ring is one of the most popular as it combines the ability to have a personalized jewel while still having a ready-to-use model.

Personalization

This is the easiest way of customization. You can add some engravings, modify the chain length or add the birthstone to the existing design.

It is cheaper and quicker than the fully bespoke jewelry, but still gives you the chance to get something unique.

Most people who want to buy a lab-grown diamond engagement ring prefer to order semi-custom jewelry, which allows combining the ready-to-use design and personal touches. 

In any case, the four things that are mentioned in this guide apply to all three above-mentioned options.

Thing 1: The Process Has More Steps Than You Think — and That's a Good Thing

The creation process of custom jewelry is more complicated than purchasing ready-made jewelry. Knowing the process in advance will make everything easier and eliminate any surprises.

Stage 1: Consultation and Concepts

It starts with the consultation on:

* The type of the jewelry
* Your personal style and inspiration
*  Your budget
*  Your deadline
* Specific details that cannot be omitted like particular stone cut or material

Bring your inspiration photos, explain how you plan to wear the jewelry, and be honest about your budget.

Stage 2: Design and Approvals

The jeweler can show you a sketch, a technical drawing, and 3D design view of the piece from different angles.

Check the design thoroughly before starting its production. Make sure that stone size, proportions, stone setting, and design look great. Ask for a top, side, and three-quarter views if it's possible.

Many jewelers offer a 3D-printed model that can give you an idea of the real size and proportions before the production process starts.

Stage 3: Selecting the Stone

If you are going to use diamonds, then the specific stone should be selected prior to the setting process.

Two 1.5ct oval lab-grown diamonds, for instance, can differ in their length, width, and depth measurements. This information affects the process of setting.

Key note: Actual dimensions of the stone should define the setting and not the stone's carat weight.

Stage 4: Manufacturing and Quality Control

After all the design and stone selection processes are completed, the jeweler produces the piece, polishes it, sets the stones, and conducts quality control check.

It varies depending on the design. Semi-custom jewelry takes several weeks to be produced, but bespoke design can take much longer.

Discuss the quality control process with the jeweler prior to your order.

Stage 5: Delivery and After-Sales Service

After the completion, the piece should be thoroughly inspected before shipment. Moreover, your jeweler should provide you with care instructions and explain what will happen in case of minor resizing.

 How Long Does Custom Jewelry Take?

It depends on the design and jeweler. Semi-custom jewelry can take several weeks, and bespoke jewelry usually takes weeks or even months.

The exact timeline should always be confirmed before you place your order.

Thing 2: Pick the Stone Before the Setting

Choosing the setting before the diamond is one of the most popular mistakes when it comes to custom jewelry.

Although designing the ring first and then finding a stone that fits seems easier, the actual dimensions of the diamond help define how the setting must be designed.

The Right Way to Do It

Step 1: Select your preferred shape of the diamond, which can be round, oval, cushion, pear, emerald or any other.

Step 2: Decide upon your preferred carats, qualities and budget.

Step 3: Find and select certified lab-grown diamonds.

Step 4: Pick your diamond and measure it.

Step 5: Design the setting according to these measurements.

This way, you give enough information to your jeweler for designing the setting.

 Why Carat Is Not Sufficient

Two 1.5ct oval lab-grown diamonds can differ in length, width, and depth.

For instance,

* Diamond A: 8.5 x 6.5mm
* Diamond B: 9.2 x 7.0mm

These two diamonds have different proportions despite having the same carats. That's why the jeweler needs the measurements of the stone, and not only carats.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Lab-Grown Diamond for Custom Jewelry

There are some additional things to keep in mind when selecting a lab-grown diamond.

Actual measurements: You need to know the measurements of the stone in order to make sure it will fit into the setting.

Table and depth: These proportions influence the look and performance of the diamond. Your jeweler will assist you with choosing appropriate proportions for the chosen diamond shape.

Girdle thickness: The girdle is a thin line around the diamond. Too thin girdles are prone to getting damaged, whereas too thick ones add unnecessary weight to the stone.

Certification: If you want to buy expensive custom jewelry, it is better to choose an IGI or GIA-certified lab-grown diamond. This will give you independent information about the stone's carats, color, clarity, cut and other features. Always check the certification number at the laboratory before buying it.

The One Rule to Follow

Pick out the diamond first and then design the setting for it next.

Doing it this way will make your custom jewelry experience much simpler and will prevent any issues from occurring with the fit.

Thing 3: Make a Realistic Budget That Covers Everything

A lot of people often underestimate the complexity of a custom jewelry order and budget only for the stone itself.

You might find a perfect stone but then realize that changes to the setting, metal, labor or design increased your price to the point where it doesn’t fit into your budget anymore.

To ensure there’s enough money for everything, your custom jewelry budget should consist of four elements.

 Element 1: The Stone

The stone (especially if it’s a bigger diamond) can take up a lot of your budget.

Another benefit of buying a lab-grown diamond is the reduced price that leaves extra budget for the setting and labor.

If you have $5,000 allocated for a custom ring, it will be possible to buy a smaller diamond but allocate more budget to the setting part and get something fancier.

The choice of how to divide the budget is up to you depending on the importance of the diamond size, quality, design and craftsmanship for you.

Element 2: The Setting and Labor

With a custom-made setting, you pay not only for the metal itself but also for:

* Design consultations
* CAD and 3D modeling
* Design revisions
* Casting and metalwork
* Stone setting labor
* Polishing and finishing
* Quality control of the finished piece

Simpler semi-custom settings usually cost less compared to complicated designs that feature halos, pavé, intricate metal work and other design details.

Ask your jeweler about the full price of the setting before approving your design to have all the details covered.

Element 3: The Metal

Metal is another part of the total price.

Depending on the following parameters, you final price might vary:

Metal type: 14K gold, 18K gold, platinum
Ring size: bigger rings require more metal
Band width: wider bands use more metal
Design: more intricate designs require more metalwork

Even the same diamond used for a simple solitaire or elaborate pavé design might result in significant differences in metal costs.

Element 4: The Contingency Budget

It’s always good idea to leave some buffer in your budget for possible changes.

You might decide to increase the width of the band, include some engraving, change the setting height, make some other design alterations along the way of working with the jewelry.

Leaving 10-15% in your budget gives you flexibility without any pressure on the remaining part.

Formula For Simple Budget for Custom Jewellery 

Consider your budget to be:

Diamond + Setting + Labour Cost + Metal + Contingency Cost = Total Budget for Custom Jewellery

Prior to starting, consider asking your jeweler for an estimate of the total cost rather than the cost of just the diamond itself.

 Thing 4: Select Your Jeweler With the Same Attention as Your Design

The jeweler is no less significant than the design itself.

A gorgeous design and an excellent lab grown diamond do not guarantee a satisfactory product if the jeweler does not have the necessary qualifications, communication skills, and quality requirements.

Key Factors to Consider When Selecting a Custom Jewelry Maker

Transparent communication: An ideal jeweler will always keep you up-to-date on every step of the process and answer any questions that you may have.

A written agreement: Make sure that all important points are documented in advance: the characteristics of the stone, your approved design, timeline, total cost, and the payment terms.

Design revisions: Inquire about the number of design revisions included prior to production. You should have reasonable opportunities to revise the design prior to production.

Proof of the ability to customize: Instead of generic marketing pictures, look for examples of custom-made jewelry that are already completed.

Stone certification and documentation: For important diamonds and gemstones, ask for documentation and certification. In case you are buying a certified lab grown diamond, make sure that your report is accurate.

Customer reviews: Pay attention to customer reviews of people who ordered customized jewelry. The information about communication, quality, timeline, and problem handling will be helpful.

Things to Find Out Prior to Order Placement

Prior to placing your order, inquire about the following:

* The sequence of stages in your custom design process;
* The number of design revisions included;
* Whether you receive a 3D CAD rendering;
* Whether a model is provided before production;
* What certification you get for the center stone;
* What happens if the final product does not match your approved design;
* Whether you can view examples of your custom jewelry completed;
* The policies regarding jewelry resizing or adjustment after delivery;
* What happens if production goes beyond the initially estimated period.

The answers will give you valuable information about the jeweler.

Choosing the Right Jeweler Makes It Easier to Get Customized Jewelry

You don’t have to get the most expensive jeweler or the most complicated design.

You simply have to get someone who is transparent, experienced, organized, and communicative.

When you get that right, getting your customized jewelry will be easier for you, and chances are you will end up with jewelry just like what you had in mind.

Lab-Grown Diamonds and Custom Jewelry: A Natural Combination

There are reasons why lab-created diamonds fit nicely with custom jewelry beyond reduced price.

If you're buying custom jewelry, then it means that there's a certain level of customization involved in the process. There may be certain designs, diamond shapes, diamond size, or other specifics you would like to include into your jewelry.

More Opportunities in Custom Designs

A greater variety of lab-grown diamonds includes:

* Different diamond shapes
* Carat sizes
* Color grading
* Clarity grade
* Dimensions and proportions

Having greater variety allows more freedom in selecting a stone that will correspond to your custom design idea.

For instance, you may want an elongated oval shape diamond with a certain ratio of lengths and widths, or a cushion cut diamond of a certain design. Greater variety of choices allows more chances to select a suitable diamond.

Why It Matters for Bespoke Jewelry?

In case of natural diamonds, some special diamond shapes or unique combinations of carat weight and quality might be more difficult to obtain.

Availability of lab diamonds may allow you to increase the choice of stones without changing the entire custom jewelry design in accordance with what was available to you.

It might be very useful in case when you're ordering bespoke jewelry and diamond is an integral part of your design.

Design flexibility is the main benefit of lab diamonds for custom jewelry buyers.

The fact is that with the help of lab diamonds, one is able to find more diamond stones which will match the buyer's vision, not just the buyer's design which matches some stone which happens to be available at the moment.

Mistakes That Make Your Custom Jewelry Design a Disaster and How to Prevent Them

Creating a custom-made piece of jewelry means having a greater control over its creation, but you have to avoid some mistakes that can result in extra costs and stress.

Creating a Setting Before Choosing the Gemstone

Select your diamond first and base the design on its true measurements.

Carat weight does not give you the exact measurements of your stone. Getting those first will help your jeweler create the right setting for your gem.

Not Anticipating the Time Required for Creation

Custom jewelry requires a lot of time because there are many stages from designing and revising the idea to choosing stones, manufacturing, setting the stone and doing some quality checks before delivering it to you.

Simple semi-custom jewelry can be done faster than fully bespoke jewelry, but in any case, make sure you know how long it will take before creating a piece.

Not Examining the Design Thoroughly

Treat your first rendering as a preliminary design.

Make sure you review proportions of your ring, check how the stone will be positioned in it, band width, height of the setting, and other aspects of the piece.

Not Getting All the Details of the Deal in Writing

Any custom jewelry should have all the details written down.

Make sure the agreement includes:

* Specifications of your diamond/gemstone
* Material of the jewelry, metal, and karats
* Approved design
* Measurements and other design details
* Final price
* Terms of payment
* Anticipated timeline
* Policy of resizing/adjustment

Getting your details in writing will help avoid future misunderstandings.

 Buying Custom Jewelry Based Solely on Price

Cheapest quote does not always mean a good deal.

Make sure you compare craftsmanship, materials, communication, and other aspects of the service besides the price of the final piece of jewelry.

When it comes to the jewelry you want to wear for many years, quality and reliability should weigh as much as the price.

 Ignoring the Verification of Diamond

If you buy a certified lab-grown diamond, make sure you verify the certification before setting the stone into it.

You have to make sure that the report number corresponds to the stone and that the specifications match the ones that you have chosen.

The Simple Rule

Select the stone wisely, check the design, note the specifics, and work with a jeweler whom you trust.

Doing these things will help avoid many pitfalls that the novice custom jewelry buyer faces.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How long does custom jewelry take to make?