How to go about buying bespoke or customised jewellery

Creating a bespoke piece of jewellery can take a while, from the first stages of developing and agreeing a design to the process of making. Before you embark upon this process, it is important that you know for sure thot this is what you really want. If it is, then you need to make sure that you have the right designer.

You need to feel thot you are a good match for each other and that you have a good rapport, someone who reaIly understands what you are looking for, listens to your feedback and acts upon it. It's a good idea to meet in person or to have a video caII, but even with just messaging and emails you can get a good idea as to whether you hove the right chemistry.

It is cruciaI that you both feel comfortable with each other and keep a good line of communication. You both need to expect a fair level of flexibility. As the client, sometimes you need to accept a little steering from the designer - after aII, they have made many pieces and are best placed to know whether a detail is technicaIly possibIe or perhaps, whether it is prudent to use a certain shape or type of gemstone. For example, stones that are less hard should not be selected for an engagement ring which will get a lot of wear and tear and will potentially be exposed to detergents, cosmetics etc. On the other hand, the designer needs to keep an open mind on the design and be prepared to consider a different option without seeing feedback as criticism.

Every designer will have their own process for working on a bespoke item.  I have prepared a guide which gives you an in depth look at how I develop a bespoke design and what you could expect if you choose to work with me.  Click here to download the document.