Tips on Starting a Custom Jewelry Design

Jewelry can be a very personal thing: Some people wear the same jewelry daily, so in a way, it is a bigger part of their image than their hair style or clothing choices.

That means custom jewelry can be all that much more thoughtful of a present, whether it's creating a ring set with each child's birthstone as a Mother's Day gift or turning grandma's diamonds into an engagement ring her granddaughter will wear for the rest of her life.

Our friends at Jewelry Creations in downtown Dover, New Hampshire, are highlighting custom jewelry this month, so we thought we'd share some tips for getting started on a custom piece.

1) Give new life to gemstones that have been sitting in a jewelry box for years. Whether you have a couple of outdated pieces you liked years ago or you inherited gemstones from a relative, designing a custom piece can preserve the sentiment behind those pieces. You can turn a ring into a pendant or a brooch into earrings. The sky is the limit.

2) Create a truly unique piece. Perhaps your wife loves to garden; you might work with a jeweler to design a leaf-shaped pendant (that also resembles a heart), with gems placed down the stem representing each of your children. Or maybe your future fiancee loves everything Irish, so you want to incorporate a trinity knot into the ring band. A jeweler can help you refine your idea into a one-of-a-kind design.

(If starting from scratch is too intimidating, Jewelry Creations also has a selection of loose gems and earring, necklace and ring mountings to help you get started.)

3) Educate yourself. Decisions about which gems and metals you use will affect both the look and the price of a custom jewelry piece, so educate yourself about the options. Jewelers of America, a professional organization of independent jewelers, has a fairly comprehensive and easy-to-follow overview on its website. In addition, Jewelry Creations' website has photographs of dozens of pieces of jewelry if you're looking for a touch of inspiration.

4) Really think about the recipient. What does he or she enjoy? What does this person need? Or use constantly? Custom jewelry need not be a standard ring or necklace. Jewelry Creations recently fashioned a simple chain with a clip to help a customer who worried about losing her hearing aides.

5) Plan ahead: The entire process takes about 3-4 weeks, maybe longer depending on design changes. It's not too early to start working on gifts for Mother's Day or graduation! If a stunning, intricate piece won't be ready in time for the big day, you can slip her a sketch of the design or get her involved in the process.

Ready to get started? Click here to schedule a free consultation or to get more information with Jewelry Creations.

An added bonus: For every custom design project in April, Jewelry Creations is donating $25 to the Jewelry Design Class at Dover High School. You, too, can help support our community's future jewelers!