Top 5 Tips for Creating Your Own Custom Jewelry Pieces
There's something special about owning and wearing a piece of jewelry that was designed specifically for you by yourself or a loved one. Whether it's a piece that showcases who you are and your personal style, or it commemorates something special, such as your birthday or another important anniversary, wearing a custom piece of jewelry is the perfect way to celebrate the occasion. If you're looking for a unique piece that is different from anything you'll find in jewelry stores and will be treasured for a lifetime, here's what you need to know.
Types of Custom Jewelry 
With so many custom pieces of jewelry options, you are sure to find a special piece for anyone you are buying for. Our experts can help you custom design jewelry that fits your budget, as well as the style and emotion you're trying to capture. Have a look at some options below.
Custom Ring
When it comes to custom jewelry designs, rings are a popular choice, particularly for couples celebrating an engagement, wedding or anniversary. By creating the item with your sense of style and the details of your love story in mind, you'll end up with a beautiful piece that means something to both of you.
Perhaps you choose a custom engagement ring with the date engraved on the inside of the band. Maybe the bride wants something different so you create a set of engagement and wedding rings that feature mixed precious metals, colored gemstones or anything else unexpected that showcases who she is.
Women's Necklace
Necklaces are fun to customize by varying their length and details. This is a fun way to create something special for the woman in your life, even if it's not a romantic relationship. Personalized jewelry is a fabulous gift for mothers, daughters, sisters, best friends and grandmothers.
A necklace can be made to suit the wearer's length preferences, to commemorate a special event or to go with a specific outfit. Think a mother of the bride necklace, or a matching pair of necklaces for best friends who want to share their friendship with the world.
One-of-a-Kind Bracelets
Much like necklaces, there are plenty of design ideas for bracelets. Custom-made bracelets are ideal for stacking, wearing for a special occasion or to commemorate a special event.
Perhaps you have one made to pair with your custom engagement ring. Or maybe you want a piece of custom jewelry that reminds you of the birth of your children or the date of your anniversary. Custom bracelets can be worn alone or paired with your everyday jewelry for a look all your own.
Custom Earrings
Again, having a custom-made pair of earrings is ideal for making sure the earrings go with a specific outfit or to pair with other pieces of jewelry. Consider choosing something your precious stones that signify a birthdate, your own or someone else's. Hoops and pendant earrings are other great options when you want a sentimental piece of jewelry that no one else will be wearing. You'll find many online jewelry stores provide easy access to custom diamond stud earrings.
Benefits of Custom Design Jewelry
No matter what type of custom-made jewelry you decide on, there are plenty of reasons to make the choice. Keep reading to find out why anyone will love having a piece of personalized jewelry in their collection.
It's Exactly What You Want and Need
Not only is custom design jewelry made with your personal style in mind, but it can also take into account your lifestyle. If you spend a lot of time outdoors or are involved in athletic pursuits, your jewelry can accommodate accordingly. At the same time, you can create precisely what you want to wear for special occasions or with specific outfits.
You Get Something Unique
If you're someone who doesn't want to be seen wearing the same mass-produced jewelry as everyone else, custom pieces are the way to go. You'll get a necklace, ring or pair of earrings that is like nothing else created, meaning you can wear it with confidence that no one else will be.
More Value for the Money
The cost of any piece of jewelry varies from brand to brand, reflecting the design process, the value of the precious metal and the carat weight of any stones. With costume jewelry, its brand and aesthetic value. With bespoke jewelry, there's no middleman or mass production process, which can translate to a lesser cost (but not value) Direct collaboration allows for the exact piece you want at a reduced cost.
Better Customer Service
When you work directly with the jewelry designer, you get better customer service. You can be involved in the entire decision-making process as you work together to make your vision come to life. At the same time, you have control over whether work goes ahead and can give permission (or not) for certain design elements.
Perfection is Attainable
When you shop for jewelry, you might find one piece that is the ideal color, while another is the right size, and still another has the perfect setting. It can be frustrating to keep finding what you want, but not all on one piece of jewelry. With custom design jewelry, you can take all of the design features you love best and put them together into one great piece, whether it's a custom engagement ring, an anniversary necklace or any piece of jewelry for a special event.
The Custom Jewelry Making Process
Because there's a careful planning process to follow when creating handmade jewelry from scratch, you can expect some waiting time for it to be finished. You should be kept up to date throughout the design and manufacturing process, informing you of how the work is proceeding.
The process begins with a consultation with a jewelry designer. You'll go over metal and gemstone preferences, as well as choose special details and design elements that you want included. Next, a sketch is created combining everything so you can see what the finished piece will look like. This collaboration is both fun and exciting, but is also a key component and one not to skimp on.
Once you've agreed the design, CAD or wax renderings are then created so you get a three-dimensional view of the jewelry. Once you approve it, work will begin on the piece of jewelry and a timeline is outlined to give you an idea of when your jewelry will be ready to collect.
There will be a fitting session to iron out any issues and to ensure the item fits and then it's yours.
Tips for Creating Custom-Made Jewelry
You know you want a unique piece, but it can be overwhelming to start designing the item. Use these tips to help you get started.
Gather Inspiration
One of the best ways to determine what you love is to look to other pieces for inspiration. Maybe it's an heirloom piece that has been in your family for years or perhaps it's something you see while you're scrolling your Pinterest feed. Collect inspiration from other items around you so that you start to envision something that speaks to you. Other places to look may be current trends, the pieces that important people in your life wear and your personal style.
Create a Design
Using what has inspired you, come up with a potential design. This lets you see it in real life and gives you an idea of where changes and modifications may be needed, both for appearance and practicality. The designer will help you put together a sample that takes measurements, lifestyle, and other factors into account. A draft should also include details of colors, metals and settings.
Set a Budget
Knowing what you can afford to spend is vital to creating a design that fits your budget, but also your dreams. Whether it's hundreds or tens of thousands of dollars, this is a starting point that will get your custom-made jewelry design on the road to success. Just keep in mind that cheap materials may not suit your needs so you may need to balance certain elements of the piece with the resources needed to put it together.
Consider Metal Choices Carefully
There are plenty of metals out there, with yellow gold and white gold being the most popular. However, depending on what kind of jewelry you're creating and its purpose, you can also choose sterling silver, platinum, titanium or rose gold. If the piece is for a certain occasion or outfit, make sure the metal matches. If you have sensitive skin, consider the metal type best suited to your allergies or skin issues.
Consider Storage Space
Where will you keep your piece of jewelry when you aren't wearing it. Not only should you consider space constraints, but you also need to keep security in mind. Be sure the place where it will be stored is safe and won't cause the item to be damaged or tangled with other pieces. At the same time, be sure it's secure and not at risk of loss or theft.
What to Look for in a Custom Jeweler
Now that you know what goes into creating personalized jewelry, it's time to select the ideal person for the job. Look for someone with evidence of training, knowledge and experience. You also want a jewelry designer who can cater to many styles and types of jewelry. Consider whether the designer can hand draw the piece and/or use CAD to show you exactly what you'll be getting. Ask to see previous work so you can get a sense of the quality and appearance of this person's work. Finally, be sure you have a rapport so that your collaboration sessions will be productive and enjoyable.
Contact Micheal and Sons
At Michael and Sons, we want you to love your custom jewelry, so we offer a premier personalized jewelry design experience. We focus on integrity and quality and our team of highly dedicated designers offer comprehensive design services to help you create the exact piece of jewelry you're looking for. Let us accompany you on your journey to create the most unique and beautiful piece of jewelry you'll ever own.
