There are infinite opportunities to express love in the form of fine jewelry. Perhaps you’re keen on presenting your partner with a personalized ring when you pop the question. Maybe your little sister is finishing college, and you’d like to gift her with an exquisite, engraved necklace that crystallizes her achievements.
Whatever the case may be, jewelry acquires a whole new level of meaning when it’s custom designed.
Whether you’re designing a piece for yourself or a loved one, crafting custom jewelry requires several stages, from ideation to manufacturing. By illuminating the steps in between, you can start getting inspired to make your first radiant creation.
What is Custom Designed Jewelry?
Custom designed jewelry refers to pieces that are conceived and designed by an inspired individual, often with the guidance of a professional jewelry designer.
People typically design custom jewelry in two scenarios:
- They want to update an existing piece of jewelry, like a family heirloom or vintage piece, with modern elements and custom touches
- They want to create a brand new piece of jewelry with sparkle all its own
Because jewelry design requires specialty knowledge of metals, value, construction, and so on, a seasoned jeweler is an invaluable collaborator in this process. They’ll help you take a kernel of a concept into a final product that dazzles.
From Inspiration to Creation: 6 Stages of the Custom Jewelry Process
Every jewelry maker follows their own process to design custom jewelry. That said, most customization procedures include the following six phases.
#1 Envision Your Dream Piece
The first phase should determine the shape and style of the final piece. You can start by creating a rough sketch of the piece you’d like to design. If you’re not much of an artist, collect photos of jewelry you admire (as well as the sources where you found them) for reference as you build your vision.
Remember, most any type of jewelry can be customized, but some of the most common pieces to create are:
- Rings
- Earrings
- Necklaces
- Bracelets
In some cases, you may feel fresh out of inspiration. Or, you’re looking to craft a piece that a partner, friend, or loved one would genuinely adore—and you haven’t the faintest idea of their tastes.
Jewelry designers are indispensable allies in this department. They can help guide you towards:
- Current trends in jewelry design
- Ageless designs that can be worn proudly for a lifetime
- Design possibilities you may not have known about
#2 Define Your Preferred Budget
Your budget will be one of the main determinants of your final product. The price of a custom-made piece of jewelry depends on a handful of factors, including:
- The type of metal used
- The stones you will have inlaid
- The complexity of the design
Again, jewelry designers can be a wonderful support for ensuring your budget and your vision align. If the idea you’re chasing isn’t in your budget, they’ll help you lay out alternatives that are.
Moreover, if your heart is set on a custom design that’s beyond your means, many designers and manufacturers offer flexible financing options.
#3 Refine Your Focus
The deeper you move into the process, the more likely it is the details of your piece will change. For a little guidance, here are four areas you can tinker with as you refine your vision:
For instance, princess diamonds are particularly brilliant with a romantic feel. But round cuts tend to disperse more light, scattering multiple colors from across the color spectrum.2 Each unique shape has its subtleties that can make you fall in love with your custom piece even more.
#4 Bring In Your Professional Designer
Whether you’ve arrived at a concrete design or you’re still experimenting with ideas, it’s time to share your thoughts with a professional to start manifesting your custom piece into reality.
Every manufacturer has its own protocol for launching the process. At Noémie, we like to meet you by asking you to complete a Custom Design Form. This form reviews the basics, such as:
- Your preferred budget
- The type of piece you have in mind
- The fit you will need
- Any design details you’re contemplating
You can also share the photos and website links you’ve been saving, so our designers have a sense of what your idea looks like. Achieving the piece of your dreams is important to us, so the more specific you can be, the better. And since we’re lifelong jewelry lovers, our team of designers is always happy to offer their thoughts and counsel!
Once your custom design request has been received, a member of our team—or the jewelry maker you’ve chosen to work with—will reach out to you about next steps.
#5 Collaborate on Your Vision
Once we’ve gotten acquainted, one of our designers will send out a creation package for you to review. This will include:
Once you’ve started to see your piece come to life, our designer will provide you with a final design and cost. After we’ve gotten your approval, it’s only a matter of time before you’ll see your idea manifest into a palpable piece!
#6 Try it On for Size
To us, your satisfaction is paramount. We want you to feel like you’re unearthing a hidden treasure with every Noémie piece you receive. To start, that means ensuring a proper fit, whether it’s for you or a loved one—so try on your custom piece for size! We can help you find your ring size for your customized wedding rings.
If you find that it misses the mark, don’t fret: We supply our customers with complimentary resizings, exchanges, and returns (yes, even on pieces you’ve designed!)
How Long Does Custom Jewelry Take?
A gorgeous piece of custom designed jewelry will bring you or a loved one delight for decades to come—but it shouldn’t take decades to make!
In most cases, creating a custom piece hinges on:
- A designer’s current workload
- The intricacy of the design
- The availability of materials
- The time it takes to secure your approval
At Noémie, we pride ourselves in delivering the finished piece to you between 1 and 6 weeks.
Where Can I Draw Design Inspiration?
We adore this question, since even the most accomplished artists and designers rely on their muses for inspiration.
Our design process usually starts with the following sources of creativity:
Craft a Captivating Piece with Noemie
Feeling that familiar itch of inspiration? We want to craft your next custom piece with you.
Whether we’re designing our next collection or crafting a piece just for you, Noémie’s talented designers are inspired to create pieces every wearer will cherish. We’re committed to brave, graceful designs, high-quality materials, and end products that will leave a lasting impression.
Start making some magic with a custom jewelry design from Noémie, and enjoy the treasures of your masterpiece for a lifetime.
Sources:
- GIA. Diamond cut.https://4cs.gia.edu/en-us/diamond-cut/
- Gem Society. Different Diamond Shapes: Ultimate Guide with Size & Price Chart. https://www.gemsociety.org/article/diamond-shapes-price-size/