What’s the Step-by-Step Process for Custom Jewelry, and How Do I Get Started?

How Custom Jewelry Works: Step-by-Step Guidelines and Terms of Service by Olertis

Bespoke jewelry is now a rare and meaningful experience. It’s more than just a piece of jewelry – it becomes an emotional expression which turns into a tangible family heirloom with lasting sentimental value. The way we approach each custom commission is as an engineer-and-artist partnership, where we translate your emotional vision into the technical specifics needed to create your piece in metal and gems, while protecting your intellectual property and budget.

Below is a step-by-step process of how custom jewelry works. We’ll walk you through what to expect, how to start with confidence and to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

Bespoke Jewelry Process

Concept & Budgeting Deposit & Gemstones CAD & 3D Modeling Casting & Crafting Completion & Delivery How to Start Custom Jewelry FAQ

Custom Jewelry Concept, Budgeting & IP Protection

The initial step in creating your bespoke jewelry design is a casual, relaxed meeting to discuss ideas for your new jewelry. This meeting is completely free and all we need is a picture, a short description of your design, or even a mood board to develop a technical design brief. That design brief will outline the parameters for the project such as what you want the piece to look like, how you intend to wear it, and some of the materials we believe would be best suited to create your desired design. From there, we will provide you with a range of prices to consider, addressing the cost of custom jewelry upfront. These price ranges are based on the type of metals you select (10K, 14K Gold, 18K Gold, or Platinum), the quality of the gems selected and the complexity of the design. Keep in mind, platinum is denser than gold so a platinum piece will feel heavier than one created in gold, and this has implications for both the price and comfort of the piece.

The customer is drawing a pendant sketch for his wife. How Custom Jewelry Works: Step-by-Step Guidelines and Terms of Service by Olertis. US

Additionally, we take the concept and ownership rights of each of our clients very seriously. Any sketches, pictures, or descriptions provided to us as part of your initial consultation are kept confidential and never used as inspiration for another piece of jewelry. We have confidentiality agreements in place internally, and we delete your CAD files and specifications from our systems, or archive them if you prefer, once your final piece is delivered. We ensure the highest level of protection for your intellectual property.

Deposit, Price Lock & Certified Gemstone Review

When you decide to start your custom jewelry process, we ask for a deposit based on your preliminary estimate to initiate the creation of your piece. The creation of a personalized jewelry piece involves significant engineering time, and your deposit protects that time and allows us to schedule the creation of your piece. Once you have reviewed and approved the CAD jewelry design model and the final estimate, we will provide you with a Cost Lock Certificate. This certificate ensures that the price of your piece remains locked until you agree to make changes to the structure of your piece (i.e. larger stone, additional metal, different finish).

It’s also very important to us that we are transparent about the sourcing of your gems. When selecting the center stones for your piece, we will provide you with high-resolution photographs, videos, and third-party grading documentation (GIA/IGI) prior to making a purchase. These documents provide information regarding the cut, color, clarity, and dimensions of your center stones, and assist in the creation of an accurate insurance valuation. In most cases, smaller melee stones are not individually graded throughout the industry, however, we obtain our melee stones from reputable suppliers and provide internal Quality Control assurances.

Custom Jewelry CAD Design & 3D Modeling Process

Once we’ve settled on the price and your choices for metal and gemstones, we begin the custom jewelry design process by creating the digital model. The CAD model allows us to predict metal weight with a high degree of reliability and ensures that your design is as close to perfection as possible before moving into production.

3D CAD design of a custom ring with an oval stone and pave setting. How Custom Jewelry Works: Step-by-Step Guidelines and Terms of Service by Olertis. US

A highly detailed 3D CAD jewelry design rendering of your piece will be created, giving you a realistic preview of how it will look from every angle. This allows you to make adjustments and changes before the physical prototype. Gemstones are modeled within the 3D model as part of jewelry CAD modeling to ensure that the stone size, cut, and shape are precisely matched with the setting. This minimizes the risk of any surprises during the casting process and ensures the accuracy of your custom jewelry CAD design.

Lost-Wax Casting, Handcrafting & Final QC Process

Using the finalized CAD design, we create a physical wax prototype using advanced 3D printing technology. This wax model is an exact replica of the CAD design, down to the finest details, and is used for the casting process.

The wax model allows us to assess the design in the real world before committing to casting. It offers the ability to test for fit, comfort, and overall appearance, as well as to ensure the stone settings and metal weight align with your expectations.

After reviewing the wax prototype, you can provide feedback, and any necessary adjustments are made to the CAD model before moving forward to casting. The wax prototype is then used in the “lost-wax” casting method. This technique ensures that the design is replicated with high precision.

After casting, the piece will undergo cleaning, polishing, stone setting, and any additional detailing before being presented to you as the finished product.

Settings are carefully performed under a magnifying glass to minimize risk of losing your stones. Prongs are burnished and tested for tension. Finally, we conduct metal thickness checks, prong security testing, and polish inspections. This quality control phase typically adds 1–2 extra days to the process but it’s a deliberate investment in the durability of your piece.

An Olertis jeweler is crafting a gold necklace. How Custom Jewelry Works: Step-by-Step Guidelines and Terms of Service by Olertis. US

Custom Jewelry Completion, Warranty & Secure Delivery

Upon completion of your piece, you will review and approve it. At Olertis, we offer a one-year warranty on craftsmanship and stone security under normal wear conditions, and complimentary cleaning/inspection services during that period. Upon completion, you will receive an appraisal document that can be used for U.S. insurance purposes. Upon receipt of final payment, title will pass to you. We ship all of our pieces via fully insured and trackable overnight carriers using tamper-evident packaging. We ensure that every package is gift-ready as a standard part of our service.

If you require resizing at a future date, and the design allows for it, the turn-around time for standard resizing is 3–5 business days rather than requiring a full production process.

How to Start Your Custom Jewelry Project: 3 Steps

  • Schedule a free consultation (no jewelry drawings required, just give us your idea).
  • Review your initial quote based on metal, gemstone quality, and design complexity.
  • Make a deposit based on your preliminary estimate to begin CAD design and scheduling of your piece.

Timeline Expectations:

Most custom rings and bespoke jewelry pieces are completed within 3–6 weeks from deposit to delivery. For more complex design or rare stones this timeframe can increase. Rush options may be available for an agreed-upon surcharge.

Create Your Personal Jewelry

18K Yellow Gold Diamond and Amethyst Octopus Brooch. We make jewelry pins and brooch jewelry of any complexity. Custom Brooches and Pins. US Custom Brooches & Pins, Bespoke Fine Jewelry Design 18K White Gold Round Sapphire and Clear Marquise Diamond Leaf Tree Branch Necklace. Custom Necklace. US Custom Necklaces, Bespoke Fine Necklace Design in the US 18K Yellow Gold Diamond and Emerald Floral Bracelet with a Hiding Monkey. Custom Bracelets. US Custom Bracelets, Bespoke Gold & Platinum Bracelet Design 18K Yellow Gold Sapphire and Amethyst Straight Barbells with Grapes. Custom Body Piercing Jewelry. US Custom Body Piercing Jewelry, Bespoke Fine Piercing Jewelry 18K Yellow Gold Round Clear and Yellow Diamond Ruby and Citrine Leaf Dangle Earrings. Custom Earrings. US Custom Earrings, Bespoke Fine Earrings in Gold & Platinum 18K White Gold Blue and Clear Diamond Crown Engagement Ring. Custom Engagement Ring. US Custom Engagement Rings, Bespoke Diamond & Gemstone Designs 18K Yellow and White Gold Diamond and Ruby Elephant's Head With Tusks Ring. Custom Ring. US Custom Rings, Bespoke Gold & Platinum Ring Design 18K Yellow Gold Round-Cut Diamond and Pear-Cut Emerald Chain. Custom Chain. US Custom Chains, Bespoke Gold & Platinum Chains Custom Jewelry Design Service. Personalized jewelry development. Creation of sketches. 3D jewelry modeling. US Custom Jewelry Design, Bespoke 3D & CAD Jewelry Design 18K White Gold Diamond and Sapphire Eagle Ring. Custom Men's Jewelry. US Custom Men’s Jewelry, Bespoke Rings, Pendants & Chains 18K Yellow Gold Diamond and Ruby Sun with Beams Pendant on a chain. Custom Pendants. US Custom Pendants, Bespoke Gold & Platinum Pendant Design 18K Yellow Gold Round Diamond and Sapphire Tie Clip. Custom Cufflinks & Tie Clips. US Custom Cufflinks & Tie Clips, Bespoke Men’s Jewelry 18K Yellow Gold Diamond and Sapphire Wedding Bands Waves Sky and Stars. Custom Wedding Bands. US Custom Wedding Bands, Bespoke Gold & Platinum Bands

Custom Jewelry FAQs: Timeline, Cost & Requirements

Q Do I need to bring drawings to get started?
No. Simply a photo, a description of your design, or a mood board will suffice. Our free consultation will convert your idea into a technical design brief and CAD proposal. Once you review and approve the preliminary estimate, a deposit will be required to begin CAD work.
Q Will the price of my custom piece of jewelry change once I start working with Olertis?
Your price is locked in once you’ve approved the CAD model and estimate. While you may make changes to metal weight, stone size, or structural revisions to your original design, these changes will impact the cost of custom jewelry. All scenarios will be documented prior to initiating production of your piece.
Q Can I use my own diamond?
Yes. We will inspect the diamond(s) you provide to ensure that they meet the requirements for the setting(s) you’ve specified, and the structural requirements of your design. If the diamonds meet those requirements and are structurally safe, we will set them and provide documentation of their grade and measurement.
Q What certification documents will Olertis provide?
We will provide GIA/IGI reports for your center stone(s) and, if requested, an independent appraisal for U.S. insurance purposes. Melee stones are obtained from reputable suppliers and are guaranteed by our Quality Control processes.
Q Are the deposits I provide refundable?
Deposits paid to Olertis for custom CAD design and procurement of materials are non-refundable once the work begins. If you cancel your order prior to commencement of CAD work, we will handle refunds according to your written agreement.
Q How does Olertis ensure that the gemstones I buy are authentic?
We source certified center stones and provide grading reports. GIA reports contain specific details about the four C’s of a gemstone, including its dimensions, and allow for independent validation and documentation of an insurance appraisal.
Q How long does it take to create a custom piece of jewelry?
Typical project timeframe for completion of standard bespoke pieces at Olertis is approximately 3–6 weeks from deposit to insured delivery. For more complex design or rare stones this timeframe can increase. Rush options may be available for an agreed-upon surcharge.