Jewelry renovation FAQs
Is it worth it to renovate my jewelry?
If it’s worth it to you it’s worth it to us!
Most of the projects we work on are "worth it" either because the materials being used are sentimental, our client would like to re-use what they have, or the materials being used are of value. If the materials are not sentimental, of value, or something you particularly like, jewelry renovation may not be for you!
Some of the types of projects we do are:
- Create a classic diamond solitaire necklace from your diamond .
- Re-setting heirloom diamonds into engagement rings.
- Melting family gold into wedding bands.
- Resetting jewelry from past relationships.
- Reworking dated and unwearable jewelry into new pieces.
- Converting antiques into updated formats (eg. making a brooch into a necklace ).
- Bringing together gemstones and jewelry elements from different parts of your life story into one new piece of jewelry.
- Reliquaries and mourning projects.
How do you price projects?
We carefully evaluate each project based on the complexity of the design, labor, and materials we will be adding to the final piece. Your proposal will include detailed pricing for each design we suggest. We've worked on thousands of projects ranging from $500-$50,000+ but the vast majority of our projects are in the $1500-$5000 range. The majority of our ring projects are in the $2000-$5000 range. This pricing does not include any gold credit you may have from your original settings which we can apply towards costs, more on that below! We do have great suggestions in the under $1500 range if you're open to our ideas.
What is gold credit?
We are always happy to re-use and recycle your precious metals as much as possible during your renovation project. If you have an excess of precious metals (gold or platinum) we can recycle those and apply a credit towards your project. Most of our clients recycle gold with us to reduce their total project cost. This credit gets applied to your final invoice. Read more about gold credit here.
How does shipping work?
We will provide you with an insured 2-Day FedEx label. We always ship insured and signature required, no exceptions.
What does "custom" really mean?
We specialize in creating custom jewelry from unique, heirloom, inherited, and sentimental materials. As the materials we are working with are never the same twice, every piece we create is designed around your materials. Working on each project this way (rather than fitting your materials into the closest size of pre-made setting) allows us to creatively approach each project to best suit your life and personal style. It also allows us to fit each piece perfectly to your body. While we offer designs at a variety of price points, please note that custom jewelry is often more costly than jewelry that is created in mass production.
What is fine jewelry?
We use fine materials and time honored fine jewelry techniques to create lasting jewelry. We work in gold and platinum, bringing our highest quality of craftsmanship to each project, whether we’re working with your finest diamonds or your baby teeth. We treat all of our projects with the same respect and care.
What is the process?
We typically begin with a brief phone consultation, reviewing photos of the jewelry you'd like to renovate. Once we've spoken to you and gotten a sense of your style, and your materials, we will prepare a design proposal for you that will contain our design suggestions and pricing. Once you have chosen a design, we'll prepare an insured FedEx label to send you. When we receive your materials, our production time is about 3 months.
How long does it take to complete a project?
Our production time on each project is typically about 3 months. We do not like to rush this careful work, and only take on a limited number of projects per month.
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