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Custom Jewelry Design

5 Most Common Questions About Custom Jewelry Design in Baltimore and Beyond

You’ve shopped around at every jewelry store online and in-person, but you haven’t found the one.

You inherited your great grandmother’s ring for your engagement, if only it wasn’t so gaudy.

The perfect earrings for your doctorate graduation lie in your old favorite necklace that hides tarnished and broken.

We have three words for you: custom jewelry design. Whether you want to revitalize an old piece of jewelry or want to create your own engagement ring, custom jewelry design is your answer and Nelson Coleman is your place!

Here are the 5 most common questions about custom designed jewelry to help you determine if a custom piece of jewelry is right for you. 

1. What’s The Custom Jewelry Design Process at Nelson Coleman?

You are involved in every step of the custom jewelry design process to provide opinions and critiques to create your own unique jewelry.

Step One: Free Consultation

The journey to create your own engagement ring or other jewelry starts with a free consultation with an experienced designer. You will talk over your ideas, story, and feelings to be incorporated in a one-of-a-kind jewelry design. From the consultation, basic sketches begin to breathe life into your custom design jewelry. Your designer will discuss wearability and comfort depending on the stone quality and precious metals choices.

If you have a budget in mind, we want to know! We can work around your budget to create something unique that you’ll cherish for years to come. 

Step Two: Jewelry Rendering with CAD

After approval of the sketches, the jewelry rendering service, computer-aided design (CAD), is presented. This photo-realistic image is altered to perfection to meet your expectations before the next step. If our experts are providing the center stone, we will provide our hand-selected stones for you to choose your favorite from! Or if you are shopping for diamonds on your own, make sure you research how to shop for diamonds to make sure you select the right fit.

Step Three: Wax Model

The custom jewelry design 3D wax model really hits home as a hands-on preview of your final dream jewelry. This step makes sure that custom jewelry CAD renders properly into the 3D accurate model. Once you get a sense of how the finished piece will look, we can make additional modifications here to the design and material components to ensure you’re truly happy with your custom jewelry!

Step Four: Casting & Finishing

Yes, the final step at last! Experts will handcraft the metal version of your design from all of the jewelry rendering services. The metal is shined, textured, and detailed to your custom design. A master gem-setter sets each stone into the setting with care and quality. After a final inspection of accuracy and quality by us, you will be presented with a piece of custom designed jewelry beyond your dreams! Create your own engagement ring in heirloom quality jewelry at Nelson Coleman Jewelers.

Contact Nelson Coleman Jewelers to set up a free consultation! 

How Long Does The Design Process Usually Take?

For each custom jewelry design, the process may take between 4 and 6 weeks from the initial consultation to the creation of a wax mold, though the length of the process varies on a number of factors, including how many changes are made. The process may also take longer depending on the season and the production time, but we will always do our best to provide you with an accurate time frame at every step.

We want to make sure we create the perfect piece for you, so our designers strive to ask the right questions from the very beginning. In most cases, the entire process takes between 2 and three months, and we may be able to rush your order in some circumstances if you need your piece in a hurry! 

2. How Much Does Custom Jewelry Cost in Baltimore?

Custom Jewelry can cost upwards of $350. Whether you’re making your grandmother’s necklace more modern or looking to create your own custom diamond jewelry, the budget is up to you. It is up to your preferences in gemstones, metal, and complexity of the design.

Is a custom jewelry piece worth the cost? Yes, it really is! 

Is Custom Jewelry More Expensive?

Custom jewelry design can often cost less than manufactured pieces, the reason being that the same process is used to create both custom jewelry and other pieces we sell. You’ll usually only find significant differences in prices when comparing custom jewelry costs to the price of mass-produced pieces.

When you visit us for a custom jewelry consultation, we will work with you to create a piece you’ll love that’s within your budget, so please let us know what kind of budget you want us to work around! It is our mission to create something you’ll love visually that falls within your budget, and we will always ask for your opinion throughout the process.

Until we cast and finish your final piece, we can make modifications to better suit your budget, such as thinning up the metal weight and reducing the number of gemstones, so that you are happy with the final product! 

3. How Long Does It Take to Make an Engagement Ring?

The custom engagement ring timeline ranges from six to twelve weeks. The time depends on how complex the custom jewelry will be and how many custom orders are ahead of yours. After the consultation, it can take one to three weeks for rendering and CAD, one to two weeks for the wax mold, and two to three weeks for your finished custom engagement ring. Every step will await your approval and satisfaction! When creating your own engagement ring the big date is what matters. If there is a specific time you need to pop the question, we will work to speed up the process and give a more accurate completion time. 

Can I Upgrade the Diamond Later if I Get A Custom Ring?

While it is not always possible, in many cases, you can upgrade the diamond used in a custom-designed ring. However, when you are collaborating with a jewelry designer, you should communicate your intentions upfront. Informing your designer that you may want to upgrade or replace the center stone in your custom ring later can help them accommodate that desire better in the initial design.

If you don’t communicate your intentions with your jewelry designer, the custom ring may not be as accommodating to an upgrade.

In many cases, modifications to custom jewelry, especially rings, are at least 5 or 10 years down the road. In these cases, clients are more likely to request a new, fresh design rather than upgrading an existing one. We can even help melt down the metals, trade in materials, and create something new and beautiful that holds the same sentimental value! 

What Should I Do if I Choose the Wrong Size?

Getting the size wrong on a custom ring can be a stressful experience, but if the piece is a surprise or a gift, you may not be able to discreetly find the exact ring size you need. It is best to get as close to the correct finger size as possible regardless of the design – ideally, the ring will not be more than one size off, to allow for easier adjustments.

The complexity and features of the design will also affect how easily we can resize the piece. If there are stones on the band, for example, resizing the ring after it is produced without compromising the design can be a challenge.

We often err on the smaller size, allowing us to add a little material as needed to size up a custom ring and preventing the risk of wasting materials. In the event that the ring is off by more than one finger size, resizing may be more difficult and can result in additional charges.

The best (and only sure way) to get the correct ring size for a custom piece is by coming into a reputable jewelry store like Nelson Coleman to get sized before having the piece designed and produced. 

Learn more about engagement ring sizing here!

4. What Is Possible?

You can create your own custom diamond engagement ring, necklace, earrings, hairpin, cufflinks — you name it! Whatever metal, gemstones, or jewelry type you long for, name your ideal jewelry configuration and we’ll make it. Something we don’t recommend is using significantly damaged items like gemstones from previous wear. If they are in fair condition, no problem! Take a look at some ideas for repurposing your vintage estate jewelry or example of a custom designed engagement ring

Do I Have to Know Exactly What I Want?

“Everyone has their own style, they just may not realize it.” Jaci Schleigh, Jewelry Designer

Most of our clients come to a custom jewelry consultation with an idea in mind or at least some inspiration. However, though it is rare, some clients may not have a good idea of what they want, and in those cases, our jewelry designers are happy to help find their styles.

If you don’t know exactly what you want, our designers may have you look at what we have on display to see what you like, what you don’t, and what you really want to help narrow down your options. We want to help create something beautiful and unique that you’ll love, and we’re more than happy to work with you to figure out what that looks like! 

5. Can a Jeweler Copy a Ring?

Yes and no. Yes, we can copy universal styles like a vintage halo setting with a split shank in white gold. No, we cannot make an exact copy of a specific Tiffany & Co. ring that you saw last week. Our designer can look at a few of your favorite designer engagement rings and create something new from them that ties into your personal story. 

Can I Show a Jeweler Examples of Rings I Like For Inspiration?

Absolutely! While we can’t recreate branded items, we love seeing examples of design elements that you know you love.

A lot of the time, our clients want something truly different and unique, but if there is a specific element you want to see in your design or something that inspires you, please share it with us! We won’t be able to create an identical copy of something you’ve found, but as long as the custom design is somewhat different (roughly 10% or more), we can create a piece you’ll love with all of the elements you want! 

Custom Designed Jewelry Versus Machine Made

You now know the answers to 5 custom jewelry design most common questions: the process, cost, time, what’s possible, and if we can copy a design. Still on the fence?

Manufactured jewelry isn’t built to last, and it’s also designed to please everyone, not your individual tastes. Everyone will like it, but will you love it? Even rare designs can still be mass produced by the thousands. Are you just like thousands of other people? And do you want your jewelry to reflect popular trends or your own personal style?

Custom designed jewelry is made to exceed your expectations on loving jewelry. It is made to be a reflection of you, your passions, and your experiences. Are you planning on passing your special piece for generations? The quality is superb, so you can pass on your custom designed engagement ring, necklace, earrings, and more to your children for many generations to come. 

Start Designing Your Custom Jewelry in Baltimore Today

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