Custom Jewelry Design
Designing a custom ring or another piece of jewelry allows you to create something with your own touch or something special for a loved one with only them in mind. Often our customers come to us with diamonds, gemstones or gold from jewelry pieces that they no longer use. The design is outdated or just not their style and they no longer find them enjoyable to wear. Instead of selling these items, they are looking for something new to breathe life into their jewelry pieces and turn them into something meaningful, functional and breathtaking. Whether you have items you want to incorporate or you are looking to purchase a loose diamond and want to design a setting for it, we can help you create a one of a kind custom jewelry creation. Custom designed rings are just one way to accomplish this with the help of our Gilbert, AZ design experts.
Curious about our process? Learn about the process of custom ring design and the step-by-step process of one client's creation below.
Custom Ring Design Process
Step #1: Initial Design Meeting
Our jewelry design projects begin with an initial design meeting where we gather all the items you want to include in your custom piece and discuss any design concepts you would like to see come to life in the end-result. We can help you pick out new stones for your creation or incorporate existing items. This is a very rewarding process as, a lot of the time, the items our customers bring in have great sentimental value or their new stones will be used to commemorate a beautiful moment in their lives.
For a past client, we were given a collection of items to start with: a diamond pendant and two rings with diamond center stones.
Step #2: Design Concept Drawing
Sometimes, a customer will come to us with an pre-existing example of what they would like replicated. Other times, they will have a handful of photographs and a rough design concept in their head. No matter how far your imagination has taken you in the process we will work with you to refine those ideas. Through collaboration we will draft up a rough hand-sketched design concept that meets your individual style. Often times, this sketch is then drawn using CAD and refined until a final design is approved.
Most often, we have a drawing for the first image but, in this particular case, our customer had a sterling silver ring she wanted replicated and recreated using her own diamond center stones.
Step #3: Wax Carving for a Custom Ring
After the design process is complete it's time for the concept to really start coming to life! Through the process of wax casting, an exact wax replica of your design will be carved. In almost all ways this 3D version is what your finished custom ring will look like. It allows you to really see what your design will be like at actual size and make any final changes before it undergoes the casting process. We will then use the wax model as our guide in creating the form or mold for the metal version.
This is a side and top view of our customer's wax model next to the original sterling silver ring she brought in.
Step #4: Jewelry Casting for a Custom Ring
From the wax carving your custom project will them move into the casting phase. The first steps in this multi-step casting process will leave us with an exact replica of your custom ring, but in reverse. This allows us to use the hardened replica, which is made of a material similar to plaster, as a mold. The final stage takes us to the actual casting of the liquid metal into the custom ring shape we've created.
This is the unifinished cast created from the custom replicated wax model.
Step #5: Ring Polishing and Setting
The beauty is in the details and no aspect of a finished ring is overlooked in our creation process. We now carefully and securely set any stones that need to be incorporated and add any custom engraving that might be desired. Once the setting is complete great care is taken in polishing the ring to perfection to give it a spectacular shine and smooth appearance.
Here we see the diamonds have been securely set and the custom ring has been polished to perfection.
Step #6: Completed Custom Ring Design
This is a side view of the detail on our customer's completed, set and polished ring! We were thrilled with the finished product and as a greater reward, so was our customer.
Completion Time: 2 Weeks
At Forever Diamonds, our Gilbert design experts are sure you will be satisfied with any custom jewelry creation you entrust us to make for you. Let us create something for you that will take your breath away.