Recreating a piece from the archive
Do you want to comission a piece similar to something I have already made before? We can make alterations and tweaks to an existing design (swapping out stones, changing the size or chain type etc..) and often you can assist with picking out your specific stone/s. Generally the price will be the same as the original retail price listed for the piece, but could be slightly more if we need to source new stones, choose to use a more expensive gem or need more time with me for design work.
Before beginning a new piece, please have these questions in mind.
-What metal type and gemstones do you want?
-If it’s a ring, what’s the ring size?
-What is the budget?
Once the design and price is agreed upon I’ll take a deposit and begin the fabrication. The piece is usually done in 2-4 weeks (depending on the wait list and casting and labor times).
You can about starting a piece with me in the contact page. Please bring reference/inspiration photos and any other information you have to make this process streamline for both of us :)
Custom Fine Jewelry and Engagement Rings
Here are a number of questions to consider when picking out the perfect ring-
Are you looking for a diamond or a non-traditional gemstone? If it’s a diamond, clear and classic or something unusual like a salt and pepper or colored diamond?
Now shape; Round and square/rectangle being the most classic shapes but you can go off the beaten path with a marquis, kite or pear etc.
Metal color- yellow gold or white gold are the types I work with. Karat can be determined by you and will often depend on the depth of gold color you like and any metal sensitivities.
Setting- prong or bezel. I almost always do bezel setting which means the metal is wrapped around the stone. Prong lets more light in but it raises the stone up higher making it less practical for a person who works with their hands. Bezel also feels a little more “low key” since the stone is sort of sunk into the metal rather than sticking up off the band like a prong setting. There are other types of settings that can be done but these are the two most common.
Carat- Does your fiance-to-be like her jewels big and bold, or is she’s a simple dresser who wouldn’t want anything too flashy. Either way is TOTALLY OK and we can make a gorgeous ring with any size stone. In my opinion a more casual size is around 0.5 carats and a middle ground is 1 carat. A large stone would be anything over 2 carats. Don’t base this decision on price because we can always get to your budget by tweaking other factors. Let’s start with what their ideal stone is and work from there.
Finally, budget. My minimum for custom work is $500 but your budget will depend on the size and clarity of the stone you pick (lab grown diamonds are not as expensive as salt & pepper/silver diamonds, which are not as expensive as clear natural diamonds). The type of metal will affect the budget as well, 18k gold is more expensive than 10k.
You can get a sense of what to expect with pricing in the Fine section of my shop.
Once you are ready you can email me at mh@mirandahope.com to get started.