Budget
Every project is different. The necessary budget for individual jewelry is driven by the complexity of its design, the material cost and its workshop-time.
Heavy, simple designs may turn out to be cheaper than delicate but complicated styles. Simple featherweights are most budget friendly. Massive and complicated designs naturally demand the largest contributions from your bank.
Our minimum budget for a simple but individual piece will start around $400 plus the gem.
In any case: Our quote is binding. We will not exceed the given budget without your permission, even if we go under water.
Process
It makes little sense to wreck your brain about design-details BEFORE you have decided on a specific gem. Gold can be hammered, white diamonds are commodities, but a specific gemstone cannot be forced from nature. It must be searched and secured before any other work can be done.
Therefore, we suggest buying or at least reserving a gem BEFORE working on a design. Although tempting, we also advice you not to publish your dream-gem on social-media until you have secured ownership, or your gem might be snatched up before we even started on a design. Reserve or purchase first, then discuss it in public. We also ship a gem to you for inspection and only afterwards start the jewelry process. Shipping has become easy and safe, plus we have logistic points inside the USA and the EU.
Once the gem is yours, we can develop the right design. You may provide us with only an inspiration like 'sun' or 'leaves', or have more concrete ideas from past-projects, google-images, or you may have a very detailed plan already.
In any case, we will tell you what works and what doesn't, honestly. Is it comfortable and durable for daily wear or only for special occasions? Which is the best material, or material combination (within the budget)? What kind of side-stones could be used, if any? Is its weight balanced? Will it look balanced? Can it be cleaned easily enough? Is it too heavy, or not heavy enough? Of the thousand devils hiding in the details, we know the vast majority in person.
A project-plan with cost-estimate, images, CAD videos, 3D renderings, sketches and prose helps our workshop to transfer your vision into heirloom jewelry.
Before the goldsmith finally swings his hammer, however, we'll have a CADesign for your final approval. After your 'OK', ZEN may be the best practice against nervousness and impatience.
When the time has come, we'll check-in and coordinate shipping. Some would like to see images of the out-come earlier, but we have found it ruins the moment of initial contact. Nothing can replace the personal experience of holding your one-and-only jewel in hand for the first time. Of course, it is your decision when and where to do the unwrapping.
The BIG BAD 'What if?'
Sometimes even a perfect work may turn out to be different from your imagination, not every detail can be foreseen all the time, perceptions differ from person to person, and yes, even rotten mistakes do happen.
If things didn't work out as planned, we go back as far as necessary, re-design, re-do, start again, what-ever is needed, until you are happy.
In the rare but sad event that you reject made-to-order jewelry for any reason beyond our responsibility (e.g. the recipient doesn't want it, or can't be located) we will charge 75% of the project cost to cover external labor and waste material (minimum $800 US). Suitable arrangements for a re-sell or credit can be negotiated in all kindness.
