Bespoke jewellery is any piece of jewellery that has been designed specifically for you. This is different to customised jewellery, which is where an existing piece is altered to make it unique to you.
In the case of bespoke jewellery, each piece is designed and made from scratch, which means you can get exactly what you are looking for whether you are seeking the ideal engagement ring, beautiful wedding bands or a personalised signet ring.
Why would you commission a bespoke piece of jewellery?
There are many reasons to choose bespoke jewellery – although often people opt for a highly personalised creation to mark a special moment.
Bespoke engagement rings and wedding rings, for example, allow you to create special pieces that will remind you of your loved one. As these are pieces of jewellery that you will wear daily, it’s important that you love them and that they are designed to suit your lifestyle.
However, a report by Mintel highlighted how more and more people are seeking personalised jewellery as a way to express themselves and their personalities through their accessories.
Therefore, you may choose to commission a piece of bespoke jewellery to mark a significant birthday, or another milestone in your life.
How do you commission a piece of bespoke jewellery?
The first step is to decide which jeweller you would like to create your piece for you – as you’re here, we hope that you like what you’ve already seen of our work!
If you are interested in commissioning a piece of bespoke jewellery in Edinburgh with us, the first step is to book a consultation to discuss what piece you would like and how you would like it to look.
Broadly speaking, our bespoke jewellery service starts with four important steps:
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Consultation – this is essential so that we know precisely what you are looking for. This is also a great opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have about the process.
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Design – at this point, we put our creative energy to work. Taking what you’ve shared with us during the consultation, we’ll design your piece.
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3D printing – don’t worry, this isn’t how we make your final piece of jewellery. Our 3D printer enables us to create a wax replica of your design so that you can see it in real life before we start working with metal.
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Stone selection – when you come into our store to view your 3D printed design, you will be able to choose the stones to go in your piece.
Let’s look at each in a bit more detail.
Step 1: Consultation
When you come to your consultation, it can be useful to have examples of pieces of jewellery you like or even already own. This will help us to understand the style you are looking for from your new piece.
Don’t worry if you don’t have any specific design in mind though, that’s where our experienced consultants can help. We’ll also ask you about any inspiration away from jewellery that might inform the design and we’ll get a clear idea of your budget too.
This process is complementary, so you can explore the idea of commissioning a piece of bespoke jewellery without financially committing at this point.
Step 2: Design
We love this stage of the process, because it’s when we are able to bring everything you’ve told us together and create sketches of what your piece of jewellery might look like. As well as sketching the old-fashioned way, we’ll also create digital designs to share with you.
This part of the process is also free of charge, so that you can ensure you are truly happy with the direction the creative process is taking before we start making any piece of jewellery for you.
You can request changes to your design too, so don’t rush to respond when you receive your designs. Take some time to look at them carefully and make sure that what we’ve created really does fit with what you’re looking for.
Step 3: 3D printing
We only go ahead with 3D printing your design once you’ve signed it off. The benefit to this step is that it gives you an opportunity to view your design in 3D, so that you can see how it will look once it’s been crafted by our team of specialist goldsmiths.
When it comes to rings, this step is especially valuable because it gives you a chance to check the sizing. Although we’ll have measured your ring size during your consultation, it is still important to check that the piece sits as you would like on your finger.
Step 4: Stone selection
The 3D-printed wax replica of your finished piece will enable us to place stones on it. This means you can choose the stones you would like in your piece when you come into the store to view the 3D-printed version.
You can even swap different stones in and out of the setting, which can be helpful if you are planning to use multiple gems and want to see how they work together. We’ll have a selection of stones ready for you to choose from, all of which will fit within the budget you agreed at the start.