Is Custom Jewelry a Better Idea?

[aries2]

Hello,
I''m looking for some information on getting custom jewelry made. I''ve been thinking of doing this for some time but really don''t know where to start. 1st...I have heard that getting something custom done (buying a stone and then having it set) can actually be cheaper than buying jewelry in a store. Is this true? I have done a search on the web to find companies who set stones but have not had much luck. Where can I get something like this done? Now for the stone...This is the biggest problem, where can I find reputable dealers on the web? Any suggestions? Are stones bought seperately generally cheaper? Particurally, I am looking for a nice sized Pear shaped Amythest, Aquamarine, and Blue Topaz to be set in seperate rings with a fairly simple solitaire with 2 very small side baguettes or 2 very small round diamonds/other stones. I have a budget of about $500 for one ring and would like to put most of that into the stone. Would I be able to pull something like this off with that kind of budget? Any suggestions you can give me about this situation would be great! Also, if anyone has reciently seen any nice pears...let me know!
Thanks!!!

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

Greetings

Possibly you are looking for someone who can put together a few components and has the stones your looking for in store etc. You can certainly ask. The same person might be able to provide a cheaper, more customised and better made ring if you are talking $5000+ for the whole deal. In which case buy the diamond on-line (and look around here to see how) and be very nice to your jeweller who will make ok money to finish the job.

$500 doesn''t really put you into the custom jewellery market, especially if you want a $300 diamond. It won''t cover the man-hours and definately not if the margin on the diamond is taken away.

The mass-produced market is actually hard to compete with. Jewellers hand making jewellery tend to be competative in the higher price ranges because while their manufacture costs are higher then, say, a sweatshop they only need be paid for the labour and the rest of the margin is not as important.

Good luck

 

[denverappraiser]

aries2,

There are quite a few manufacturers of components for rings that are called ‘findings’. These are the shanks, heads and some of the decorative elements that can be assembled together to form a finished piece. Most jewelers are prepared to do think kind of work and it can result in a lovely piece that can be unique to you. Your budget adds some limitations to which options will be available but it shouldn’t be impossible to put together something that will work for you. Find a store that has a bench jeweler on-site and ask them.
Neil Beaty
GGA(GIA) ISA NAJA
Independent Appraisals in Denver