How Many Design Revisions Are Included in The Price, And How Are Extra Changes Billed?
When Custom Jewelry Design Changes Stop Being Free
When you decide to have something custom-made — like a custom diamond necklace — it’s a big deal emotionally and financially. No one wants to feel stressed during the design stage — they want to feel excited. Especially while your designer is still working out the design.
The biggest concern is simple: How many revisions are free, and when do extra charges start? A clear-cut revision policy is not just a formality. It’s your protection from confusion, surprise costs, and regret after you’ve given approval.
What U.S. Clients Expect from Custom Jewelry Revision Policies
Revision policies are probably one of the top five topics that people talk about when they’re thinking about ordering custom jewelry. Many U.S. clients prefer clarity when a project involves creativity and multiple possible outcomes. Therefore, American customers want to know three basic things about revisions before they commit to having something custom made:
- Will there be a limit on the number of revisions?
- Until which point in the design process can I make revisions without paying for them?
- When will I begin to incur financial liability for making additional revisions?
Clients also frequently ask practical questions, such as: How much time does each design revision take? And will each design revision delay the eventual completion and delivery of my finished jewelry? As mentioned earlier, every single design revision at Olertis can take anywhere from a few hours to two business days depending upon the complexity of the design. Additionally, at Olertis, we offer flexible communication methods based on your preferences (email, live chat, video or phone call), and our production timelines already account for a certain number of design iterations. Therefore, a revision that is made prior to your approval is unlikely to cause delays in completing and delivering your custom jewelry.
Unlimited Free CAD Design Revisions Before Jewelry Production Begins
At Olertis, we offer unlimited free 3D design revisions before starting the production of your bespoke jewelry. Our goal is to make the design process clear and straightforward.
Creating custom jewelry is an iterative process. After seeing the first CAD render, you might notice that the proportions of some elements of the design (such as the size of the stones, the band width, the prong height etc.) look different than expected. By removing a limit on revisions, we give you the time to explore the design fully without feeling rushed.
In addition, our unlimited revision policy ensures there are no potential disputes or misunderstandings related to revisions. The formal approval of your design represents the definitive boundary. Once you formally approve your 3D model, it marks the final version. And from that point on, the design is considered the agreed-upon technical specifications for manufacturing your custom jewelry.
At Olertis, we retain ownership of the 3D CAD file. But upon request, we can provide a copy of the CAD file (STL, OBJ, 3DM) to the client who commissioned the piece, for personal reference. We do not resell or redistribute these files.
Examples of common revisions might include changes that do not contradict the overall approved design elements, such as modifying the band width, altering the prong height, or adding or removing stones while maintaining the original design concept.
Design Approval, Production Start, and Post-Approval Change Costs
Once you approve your design, the process moves into production. At this stage, any revisions will impact labor, materials, and tooling costs.
Any post-approval revisions are billed on a proportional basis to the stage of production that has already been completed. There is no flat “revision fee” or penalty for making a change. If a client requests a major change that requires restarting production, the cost will reflect the work that needs to be redone.
The method used to calculate post-approval revisions aligns with standard practices in the U.S. bespoke jewelry industry, and is widely regarded as fair and transparent.
Any changes made later in the production process may impact the time required to complete your custom jewelry, depending on the point they are made. Any modifications made after manufacturing are treated as post‑production services, not design revisions.
Preventing Disputes with Clear Jewelry Design Approval Guidelines
At Olertis, we minimize the risk of misunderstandings throughout the design and approval process by using clear, structured guidelines and documentation:
- Final design approval before production starts;
- Client approval of key design parameters;
- Clearly defined limits between free and billable revisions.
This format helps address many of the common questions we receive from our clients, including:
- When do changes and revisions become billable?
- What exactly am I approving at the CAD design stage?
- How will my costs be affected by any additional design revisions?
We also distinguish between design revisions and other services performed after the initial design, such as post-manufacturing adjustments. Throughout the design and production process, we keep you updated on the progress of your custom jewelry via your preferred method of communication.
Below is a list of FAQs that address the most common questions we receive.
