Every bespoke commission we take on follows the same four-step process, whether the finished piece is a £2,000 solitaire or a £50,000 statement necklace. It usually takes three to four weeks from CAD approval to collection.
Step 1: Consultation
Free, 45 to 60 minutes, in person at the studio or by WhatsApp. We work through inspiration, stones, budget, and design direction, and leave you with a clear written starting brief.
Step 2: CAD design
We design your ring in CAD (Computer-Aided Design). You see the ring from multiple angles in photorealistic render, including how it looks next to a hand of typical size and proportion. Revisions are included in the quoted price until the design is right. No work begins until you approve.
Step 3: Making your piece
Once CAD is approved, casting and setting are carried out by specialist workshops, and the piece returns to our own bench at The Goldsmiths’ Centre, where our goldsmiths hand-finish and polish it. Most commissions take two to three weeks at this stage.
Why some stages go to specialists
We are direct about that last part, because it is a point some jewellers make a claim about and we would rather explain it than compete on wording.
Casting and stone setting go to specialist workshops chosen for that particular work. This is how fine jewellery has largely always been made, in Hatton Garden and everywhere else. A caster who does nothing but cast, and a setter who spends every day under a loupe doing nothing but set, will do that job better than a generalist bench doing it occasionally. The trade has worked this way for a reason.
What matters is who chooses those hands, who inspects the piece when it comes back, and who is accountable if it is not right. That is us, at our bench, on every commission. The design, the finishing, the judgement and the responsibility are ours.
Step 4: Hallmarking and collection
Every piece we make above the legal exemption weight is sent to the London Assay Office for hallmarking, which certifies the metal purity for life. Hallmarking is included in the quoted price. Once the piece returns, we arrange collection at the studio or free, fully insured delivery within the UK, with international delivery arranged and insured on request.
What you receive
- The finished ring in a presentation box
- GIA or IGI diamond certificate (if applicable)
- An invoice as proof of value
- A hallmark photograph and manufacturing record
- For a ring we have made, sizing down is complimentary and sizing up is quoted individually, depending on how much metal we need to add
Payment
Your commission begins with the CAD design fee, from £300, which covers the CAD design. The fee is non-refundable, and it is credited to the commission if you go ahead. Once you approve the CAD, a 50% deposit is due, less the design fee already paid. The remaining balance is payable before your piece is collected or delivered.
We accept Visa, Mastercard and bank transfer. If spreading the cost matters to your timing, raise it at the consultation and we will tell you honestly what is and is not possible.
Because every piece is made to your specification, commissions are exempt from the 14-day cooling-off period under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. The CAD design fee is non-refundable. Once production begins, the deposit is non-refundable and a commission cannot be cancelled, which is why we only move forward once you are happy with the CAD.
For a longer-form walk-through of the process, read the journal article. For what it all costs, see our price guide. To start, book a consultation.
