What to expect when working on a custom design

[EllieTO]

I'm planning to have my first custom ring(s?) made soon, and I'm wondering what to expect through the process to help me decide who might be the best fit for me.

How is pricing usually determined? Is there usually an upfront fee to begin working on a design? A fee per CAD and any iterations? Or an all-in estimate? It seems kind of chicken-and-egg because how would they give an accurate estimate without knowing where the design will land? But how would the customer commit without knowing an estimate? I want the vendor to be compensated for their early design work, but I also want to have an idea of what I'm getting into. It would be helpful to hear how some of the common PS vendors approach it.

I would also love to hear the "styles" of working for the common PS vendors. For example, I know with David Klass the customer does most of the design details, with minimal design advice from DK. What about others?

Who are some of the lesser-known vendors to consider?

 

[alene]

I imagine it depends on the vendor but having worked on several projects with David, can speak specifically to my experience. I usually provide a pretty detailed description of what I want, with photos. He provides a quote that is the exact all-in price, including all the CADs. He does not ask for a deposit. We usually go through several versions of the CAD before finalizing it (3 for my current project, which is about average for me), then send my stones and the final product is ready in a few weeks. Once I approve it, I send the full payment and he sends the piece to me. Again, I suspect others may work differently.

 

[MissGotRocks]

It also depends on what type and style of rings you are considering. Some are better at creating certain styles. The starting point would be to choose a vendor and contact them. They will answer all of your questions about processes and pricing. I don’t think there is a one size fits all in terms of vendors - their policies can be varied.

 

[RMOO]

I imagine it depends on the vendor but having worked on several projects with David, can speak specifically to my experience. I usually provide a pretty detailed description of what I want, with photos. He provides a quote that is the exact all-in price, including all the CADs. He does not ask for a deposit. We usually go through several versions of the CAD before finalizing it (3 for my current project, which is about average for me), then send my stones and the final product is ready in a few weeks. Once I approve it, I send the full payment and he sends the piece to me. Again, I suspect others may work differently.

How did you handle shipping your stones? This is the part that causes me pause.

 

[maryjane04]

How did you handle shipping your stones? This is the part that causes me pause.

If you're in the US, DK can send you a shipping label.

 

[Dreamer_D]

If you're in the US, DK can send you a shipping label.

Only for domestic shipping FYI. International you must do it yourself. I insured my loose stones by adding them to my JM policy.

 

[Dreamer_D]

With CVB we spoke on the phone and discussed what I wanted. She gave me an all-in fixed quote. We exchanged some CADs, and after a few I was told I could have one more before I had to pay another fee. We got it right the next one ( or right enough). Then I paid a 50% deposit and it went into production. She sent pictures, I approved, and then I paid the remainder and it shipped. Design wise she offered many ideas and interpreted my ideas. I got renderings, not CADs with measurements. The end design is a mix of our ideas based on her design elements. For example I wanted a three stone like her Maria but with engraving and antiquing, and she suggested the octagonal donuts. This was my first custom experience and I found it extremely stressful during the design phase because I found it so hard to communicate what I wanted in words. I originally wanted a different shank than we ended up with. I abandoned the idea because something was lost in translation and we couldn’t get it detail right in CAD. Later I learned to use drawings and design boards and it really helped a lot.



Yvonne Raley I sent pictures of a similar design she had done and she gave me an approximate ballpark estimate. I then paid a fee for CADs, which included two rounds of revisions. Then we exchanged CADs and feedback; there was a slip up on the first CAD where it was nothing like I expected lol, so actually I did 3 CADs because the miscommunication was not my fault. If I wanted more I would have paid another CAD fee. Then she told me the final price of the piece (which was more than the ballpark original estimate by about 25%; the end design did have more metal), I paid a 50% deposit, and it went into production. She sent pictures when it was done, I approved, paid remaining amount, and she shipped it. Design wise we texted and exchanged pictures and I sent design boards for revisions. She offered opinions and the design combined a shank and side stone orientation she had done before with a different basket style to accommodate a cabochon. This was where I learned to use drawings on CADs and design boards which helped a lot when I was trying (and initially failing) to explain the type of basket I wanted for the stone.




My experience with DK is the same as Alene in terms of payments and process. Design wise they provided the initial
CAD based on a design they had done before, which I inquired about. I then offered rounds of revisions until it ended up looking like I wanted. We did many CAD, I think it was about 10 in the end (though some were just super minor changes or adjusting for the actual stone dimensions; substantive CAD changes was probably 6). We didn’t have any design discussions per se, though I believe others have had such conversations with Amy if requested. I think his style works best if you are either very easy going and thus would be happy with the first or second CAD you get (many people would have been happy with the first CAD on my project) or you want a design they have done before OR you have a lot of experience communicating design and interpreting CADs and feel very confident. I was the latter by this point and found it a very smooth process. It would have been different if this was my first go around. I probably would have settled on the initial design, and probably would have been satisfied with the end product, but I definitely wouldn’t have the ring I have which includes some unique details that I love.



Overall I personally find custom ring design extremely stressful lol The middle design phase is hardest. You can think a design element is so obvious in your mind but I’ve been amazed every time how in fact someone else can see the same pictures as inspo and come to a completely different conclusions lol I had this experience with all three vendors. Also the experience of providing feedback for revisions and some elements being overlooked or executed in a weird way. In all thee cases I got at least one CAD where I said “what the heck?!?!” When I opened it because it looked so weird and I couldn’t believe they believed anyone would want that lol In all three there was a a point in the middle of the design phase where I wanted to throw in the towel and had to just tell myself to persist, one more round and we will get there! And we did. In all three cases I compromised on some details and elements I initially wanted or thought could be refined more because in the end it’s a collaboration and you need to accept influence and know when enough is enough. But it’s very hard. Not knowing what the end product will actually look like is hard too. I always begin by choosing a design inspiration from the vendors existing catalogue so we have a shared starting point. When providing inspo for details I also choose from their catalogue. I find that makes it all easier. Not easy. But easier.

If I worked with Victor or Erika Winter or Cheyenne Weil I would be more hands off. I would just say “make me something beautiful in the family if these rings you have done before” and leave it at that. Of course, I don’t have the budget for them so that’s just a dream. I don’t think I could afford CVB these days either. I worked with her in 2019 and my ring cost the same then as my ring from DK cost today, but historically he has been about 20% less than her. Victor and EW are about double DK or CVB. Yvonne cost less than my DK/CVB pieces by about 20% but the design was single-tone metal (two tone costs more) and she only works with her own stones and her designs are less labour intensive to finish because of the style (though I love my piece from her).