There’s nothing quite like giving a loved one jewelry as a gift and watching their eyes light up when they open it.
There’s an old cliché that says diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but really anybody lives jewelry as a gift. Jewelry is versatile. Jewelry is customizable. Jewelry sends a message. Jewelry is long-lasting. Jewelry is always a surprise.
If you’re really looking for something special for your loved one as a gift, you can’t go wrong with custom jewelry. With custom jewelry the sky’s the limit, whether you’re looking for the perfect engagement ring sparkling diamond necklace or even a unique pair of earrings.
If you’re going to design a piece of custom jewelry to give to your loved one, it’s important that you do a little bit of research before you get started. Chances are good you can find a jeweler in your area that will put together your custom piece, but you want to be able to tell them exactly what you want when you go in there. With that in mind here is some tips for making your own perfect piece of custom jewelry:
- Budget: The sky may be the limit with custom jewelry, but your wallet might not be as big as your imagination. You can go as simple or as flashy as you want, but the flashier you go, the more expensive your piece is going to be. You also have to consider the labor costs since your piece is being made especially for you. The best thing to do is talk to some jewelers, bounce your ideas off of them and have them give you an estimate on what your piece might cost.
Take an engagement ring for example. If you’re thinking about proposing, there’s no doubt you’re excited about the future, but you might also be thinking about the perfect ring. If you’re going to make a custom ring you can choose the metal, the cut of the stone you use (diamond or otherwise), the weight (carat) of the stone, whether the main stone will be the only one on the ring or whether it will be surrounded by smaller stones, etc. - Keep track of time: Custom jewelry can’t be made overnight, so you’re going to have to order with enough time to have it made before you gift it to someone. You have to give the jeweler enough time to work, but you also have to leave yourself enough time to consider what kind of piece you want and how you want it to look.
- Be prepared: Before any work is done, you’re more than likely going to have a consultation with a jewelry. This is where you need to come prepared with sketches, notes and any ideas you have for what you want and don’t want. Giving a jeweler ideas allows them to brainstorm with you and make your ideas become reality and some of them may even be able to use design software to show you exactly how it will look before it’s ever made.
- Think about repairs: Having a piece of custom jewelry also means that should anything happen to it (such as a break), it will need to be custom repaired. This is why you should hang on a copy of the contract as well as receipts. Should you need repairs, it’s also best to go back to the place the work was originally done, since the jeweler will have an idea of what must be done to fix it.
Once you have your piece, give it to your loved one and watch them enjoy it. Half of American adults are married and if your piece is a custom engagement ring, your future bride will be delighted with her gift.