A custom piece of jewelry moves from concept to creation in two phases: design, then production. Design covers the consultation, sourcing the stone, CAD and revisions. Production starts only once you approve the design, and usually takes about four weeks from there.
This is how I run that process, step by step, and what it costs. Most of my work is built around natural fancy color diamonds, which changes the order of things in one important way: the stone comes first.
Where the jewelry design process starts: the stone, not the sketch
Most custom jewelry starts with a design and then finds a stone to fill it. I work the other way. The stone comes first, and the piece is designed to show it.
That matters most with color. A setting can concentrate a stone’s hue or drain it, through the metal around it, how much light reaches the pavilion, and what sits beside it. A Fancy Intense Yellow in white metal with colorless accents reads differently than the same stone in yellow gold. Those are technical decisions with a visible result, and they are the real art of jewelry design.
Step 1: The consultation
Every project starts with a conversation. The first 15 minutes are free, by phone or video, and commit you to nothing. Bring a stone, an occasion, a budget, or only a feeling. I will tell you what is possible, what it is likely to cost, and how long it will take.
Step 2: Sourcing the stone
Most stones are sourced to order rather than held in stock, so a search usually runs four to six weeks and sometimes longer. I show you what comes back, including the stones I do not think you should buy and why. Every diamond I sell is natural and untreated, and arrives with its laboratory report.
If you are wondering what a colored diamond for your piece might cost, I explain how I price them here.
Step 3: Design, CAD and revisions
Once the stone is settled, the design is built around it in CAD, so you can see the piece accurately before anything is made. A $500 deposit opens the commission and covers our design conversations and the CAD work.
Two rounds of revision are included while we settle the design. Further rounds are $200 each. The design is approved when you accept the final render in writing, by email, text or message.
Step 4: Choosing the metal
Metal is part of the design, not a finishing choice. Platinum, white gold and yellow gold each change how a colored diamond reads, and the right answer depends on the stone’s hue and any modifying color. I recommend a metal for each piece and explain why, then we decide together.
Step 5: From approved design to finished piece
At approval, 50% of the quoted cost is due. That comes before any wax, printing or casting, which is the point where the piece stops being a drawing and starts costing money to make.
From there the piece is cast or fabricated, the stones are set, and it is hand finished, polished and inspected before it ships. The balance is due before shipping.
How long it takes
Two weeks is the floor for production. Plan on four weeks from design approval to a finished piece. Intricate work, an unusual stone or a busy stretch can push it to six weeks or beyond.
The production clock starts at approval, not at the first conversation. If the piece is for a proposal, a wedding or another fixed date, come early. Rush work is sometimes possible for a 20% surcharge, depending on the schedule.
What custom jewelry costs
Custom projects begin at $2,500. That is a starting point for one-of-a-kind work, not a minimum spend, and the final price follows the design. Before production starts, you get the proposed design and the anticipated cost, so nothing is discovered late. The first resize is included.
Full terms, including cancellation, are on my bespoke jewelry page.
Working with a stone you already own
Inherited pieces and stones from settings you no longer wear can become something new. I inspect the piece first to see whether the stones and mounting will survive removal and resetting, and I tell you what I find before anything is touched. If you send me a stone, it is my liability the entire time it is in my hands.
Start your design
Consultations are by appointment, in person or by secure video, anywhere in the country. Book a free 15-minute call, or reach me at (860) 996-4045 or contact@kkdiamondsllc.com.
Tell me what you are looking for
A stone, an occasion, a budget, or only a feeling. I will tell you what is possible, what it is likely to cost, and how long it will take. The first fifteen minutes are free, by phone or video, and commit you to nothing.
Or book the free 15-minute call directly · Call or text (860) 996-4045 · contact@kkdiamondsllc.com
Ready to start a piece? Book a project appointment ($25, credited toward your piece).