What to Bring to a Custom Jewelry Consultation

I get asked this a lot, usually the day before someone's first custom jewelry consultation with us. What should I bring? Honestly, not much. But a few things make a real difference in how far we get that first time.

This goes for rings, pendants, earrings, pretty much anything we make, whether you come into our Midtown studio or do it by phone.

Pictures of What You Like

Screenshots, Pinterest saves, a sketch, whatever you have. My one tip is to pick a few that are actually different and jot down what you like about each. "Like the thin band, don't love the halo" is way more useful than fifteen photos of basically the same piece.

If you've played around with our AI jewelry design tool, bring those too. They aren't perfect, but they show the shape you're picturing, which is plenty for early custom jewelry design.

Something That Already Fits

People forget this one a lot, and it's a pain to fix later.

• Rings. Bring a ring that fits and tell us which finger it goes on. Wide bands fit tighter, so we'll adjust if the new one's wider. Surprise? Our ring size guide can help.
• Pendants. A necklace that sits where you like it. That tells us how big to make the custom pendant.
• Earrings. A pair you can wear all day and forget you have on. That tells us about how heavy we can go when we design custom earrings.

Have a Budget Range in Mind

I know, nobody likes saying a number out loud. People worry it'll just get spent.

But we can't give you a firm price until we know two things: roughly what you want to spend, and whether you want natural or lab-grown diamonds. Lab-grown is a lot less money for the same size and look, so that one choice moves the price more than almost anything, whether it's a pendant or one of our custom engagement rings. A range is fine. "Somewhere between three and five thousand, maybe more for the right stone" gives us plenty to work with.

Stones You Already Own (and Any Paperwork)

Remounting is when we take a stone out of an old piece and put it into a new one. Grandma's ring turned into a pendant is a pretty common one.

Please bring the stone still in its setting and don't try to get it out yourself. Old prongs break, and loose stones get lost easily. Bring any paperwork too, like a grading report, an old appraisal, or even the receipt. A grading report is basically a lab's description of that exact stone, and you can check that yours is real on GIA's Report Check or IGI's report verification page.

One of our gemologists will measure the stone and look at it under magnification for chips, wear, and inclusions, which are small natural marks inside the stone. A big inclusion near the edge can make a stone harder to set, and we'll tell you if so. If we keep the stone, you sign an intake agreement first listing what it is, its condition, and that it's yours. More on our remounting diamonds and gemstones page.

Your Date and How It'll Be Worn

If there's a date, tell us up front. Most of our custom jewelry is done two to three weeks after you approve the CAD, which is the 3D model of your piece. You see it and sign off before anything gets made (more on CAD files here). The big online companies usually quote six to eight weeks. I'd still give yourself a month or two in case you want changes.

Also tell us how it'll be worn. If you work with your hands, a high setting catches on things, and heavy earrings get old by evening. 14k gold is harder than 18k, so it holds up better for everyday wear.

Doing Your Consultation by Phone

Lots of our clients never come to the office, which is fine. We just can't see anything, so photos do the work. Email them to design@thecustomjeweler.com the day before. For stones, take pictures in daylight, from the top and the side, with a coin next to it for scale. Have the grading report handy. For size, measure the inside of a ring that fits in millimeters, or just get sized at a local jeweler. You can book a free phone consultation here.

Your Custom Jewelry Consultation Checklist

• A few inspiration images, with a note on what you like
• A ring that fits (and which finger), a necklace length you like, or earrings that feel right
• A budget range, and natural or lab-grown if you've decided
• Any stones you want to reuse, still in their settings, plus reports or appraisals
• Your deadline
• Anything the new piece has to sit next to, like an engagement ring for a custom wedding band
• The person who'll wear it, unless it's a surprise (one friend is plenty, a group slows things down)
• Your questions (try our 7 questions to ask a custom jewelry maker)

Custom Jewelry Consultation FAQs

Is a custom jewelry consultation free?

Yes, at The Custom Jeweler the first consultation is free, in our studio at 2 West 45th Street in Manhattan or by phone. You don't pay anything until you've agreed on a design and a quote. Deposit and ID details are in our terms.

Do I need to know what I want before a custom jewelry consultation?

No. A lot of people come in with a couple of screenshots and that's it. We'll ask about style, budget, the stone, and how you'll wear it, then turn that into a sketch and later a CAD model you can look over. A rough idea and a budget range are enough to start.

Will I get a price for custom jewelry at the first consultation?

Usually you'll get a range, not an exact number. The final price depends on your budget, natural or lab-grown stones, the metal, and the finished design, and metal prices change week to week. Then we send a written quote before anything is made.

When you're ready, book a free custom jewelry consultation at our Midtown studio or start your custom jewelry project online. Or try the AI jewelry design tool first.