What is the price of your custom setting?

Date: 12/30/2005 7:52:55 PM
Author: valeria101

Mrssalvo covered the basis...

Most custom jewelers not only not list prices, but ask clients not to disclose them. For some good reasons (projects are not alike) and not so great (quotes many vary... but, why not).

Some give ranges of prices for their work: Mark Morell (mwmjewelry.com) does that (gives a start price and quotes for the simpler settings). Art of Platinum used to give a range ( 1.5 or so for simple ones with no additional stones and 3-5k for reasonably intricate work, without large sidestones or outlandish options) but could not find that on their website anymore and... what does 'reasonably simple' mean in that shop anyway!?

By all means, do not expect 10k apiece as some designer brands may demand (Beaudry, Daniel K have been mentioned in the range) or as little as the pre-made off the rack settings.




On a slightly less straightforward note:

However, in the lower end 'custom' may also include pieces not entirely handmade but rather assembled from relatively few pre-made pieces (How do you call these?). While such things are still quite a bit better finished than the stock settings that never get fit to the stones... it is not quite 'custom'. BDL puts up an ultra short explanation of these options - take a look.

Some jewelers use other terms to define levels of 'hand work' (for example: 'hand set' or 'bespoke' or 'hand wrought'), but there is no established standard. And this is yet another reason why many would not post prices - it is hard to show details of quality and choice next to them.

Sorry if this is somewhat long winded. I've been looking for a chance to open this subject up for ages.