Have You Ever Had Custom Jewlery Work Done?

I’d like a Knights of Columbus ring.

While there are many K of C rings, and fraternal jewlery catalogs abound with them, I would like the ring to have some very specific symbols, representing offices I’ve held in the Order. I have come to the conclusion that if I want such a ring, someone’s going to have to make it for me.

Has anyone had any experience getting jewelry designed? How did you find your jeweler? How long did it take? Did you provide sketches or some other kind of art examples?

  • Rick

My wife designed her own engagement ring. She had in mind a combination of a diamond “flanked” by oddly shaped rubies. We went to a central business district jeweller [sic] who made fairly arty stuff and she talked to him and drew a picture. Over about two months he got in various stones (they were too big to start with) and she matched them according to what she had in mind. The result was really good. It was a matter of finding someone who was both capable of doing it and prepared to take direction from a punter. I’d look for someone who is a designer but is not too precious. Be prepared to talk patiently about what you want and take a while in getting it right without treading on the jeweller’s toes or giving in to what s/he thinks you should want.

I have all my rings made. In the US a family freind is goldsmith. In Saudi I have couple of good guys on hand.

I am especially pleased by my Master Mason and Scotish Rite rings. Both are very discrete.

Mr Sea and I had our wedding rings custom made, matching celtic bands in white gold. We were talking to a shop owner who sold rings similar to what we wanted and she said the goldsmith would take custom orders.

Maybe you could ask the catalogs if their manufacturers would do something specifically for you.

as the daughter of a custom jeweler, why yes, I have had custom pieces made.

From my experience :wink: , any jeweler who’s any good should have some examples of their work.

I had a wedding ring custom-made and was truly unhappy with the result. The jeweler who made it is good at some types of work (and has won awards) but should have simply admitted that she couldn’t do a ring that would emulate filigree.

I was so upset I cried over it, and today it sits in a drawer, absolutely loathed. The jeweler didn’t want to work with me to make something I liked better. I regret the money we spent on it.

Just a cautionary tale. Be sure that you see something in the jeweler’s repertoire that resembles the kind of work you want.

Watching carefully as TheLadyLion will have her wedding set custom made from stones and gold in rings belonging to her mom and mine. I’m going the easy route and getting a techy looking but modestly priced titanium band for myself.