Your jewelry is a meaningful symbol and often a significant financial expense. Customizing your dream piece may be easier, more affordable, and quicker than you think. Consider the following benefits and trade-offs when planning your customized jewelry.
Benefits of Customizing Jewelry
Customized rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces have many benefits. Most importantly, you can wear pieces that are a reflection of your personal style and individuality. A design that emphasizes your unique interests is also truly one-of-a-kind. Customized pieces can also be a great investment or a way to show your loved ones how much you care.
Things to Consider
While there are many advantages to truly customizing a piece of fine jewelry, there are some things to consider before you begin this process. For starters, custom jewelry might be more expensive than off-the-shelf designs, and prices can vary depending on how elaborate the design is. It also takes time to create (as long as 12 months in some cases), which means you might be waiting longer to pop the question if you’re customizing an engagement ring. A good rule of thumb is to get started on customization as soon as you can.
How to Prepare to Create Customized Jewelry
Step 1: Do Your Research
If you’re looking to create your one-of-a-kind piece for you or your special someone, the good news is that you’ve already come to the right place! Our jewelry experts are ready and willing to work with you to create the design of your dreams.
You can help the process by researching things like gemstone setting, band type, metal, size, etc. You can start by looking up examples of jewelry that speak to you, and use that to draw inspiration. Having photos similar to the jewelry you’re looking to create can help our jewelers get a sense of your style and help guide the design work.
Step 2: Generate Budget and Timeline
It’s best to have a price range for spending in mind for your custom piece. Our jewelers can offer a ballpark estimate when you bring in your design ideas with details. Your timeline is another factor to consider when going into a consultation. An average timeline for a custom piece may take a few weeks to several months depending on the design and the availability of materials. If this piece is a gift for someone special, consider giving yourself a buffer period of a couple months between when you order and when you expect to have the finished product. Planning ahead will allow you to have the piece just in time for your anniversary, birthday, holiday, or engagement proposal.
Step 3: Schedule a Consultation at Cecil’s Custom Jewelry
This is what you’ve been waiting for! At a consultation, you’ll have the chance to present your proposed design, research, budget, and timeline to our experts. We will work with you to create what you’re wanting and can start designing sketches for you to look over. You can also consider bringing a list of things you DO NOT want in your jewelry, so we know what to avoid. After this initial meeting, our experts can give you a more accurate timeline and budget based on your needs.
Step 4: Receive Your Piece and Celebrate!
Once your jewelry is ready, you can relish this heirloom that will no doubt be a treasure for generations. Congratulations!
We know you’re excited to get started and that’s the easy part. You can learn more about our work and book an appointment at http://cecilsfinejewelry.com/about/ or call us at 501-225-5068.