Custom Jewelry may seem like tricky business, but here at Westie's & Co, we do everything we can to make the process easy and intuitive for you. This article uses images of our past work to break down the process for you.
Design Phase
The first step is to nail down the design and the sizing. If we are designing a ring, we will need to take your ring size. For other types of jewelry, we need to figure out how big you want the item to be. At a minimum, we need to determine the maximum height, weight, and depth of the design.
Next, we need to sketch out the design. You can send us your sketches or some images of other jewelry that inspire you. If you want to make jewelry out of your personal logo or insignia, we can simply work off of an image of it.
If you aren't an artist, and don't have something in mind. We can set up a 60-90 minute in person consultation session where we work with you to come up with your dream design.
The image below is the result of a design session we had to design the Broken Image Chain
Sketches from the design process of the Broken Image Chain
The design phase ends when we send the customer a turntable, a revolving image of the 3D model of the design, and the customer approves it.
Production Phase
The production phase typically lasts 5-10 business days. In this time, we 3D print, cast, and polish your design. We will send you images of each step along the way so that you can follow your order along.
Pictured below is the Buddha, from left to right, in 3D printed resin, molded wax, and then cast gold.
Buddha Pendant in Resin, Wax, and Gold
Post Processing
Once you review images of the casted metal, it is time to consider the finishing details. For earrings and necklaces, what is the ideal placement of the bail (the loop that an earring hook or a chain can slip through)? Do you want matte or shiny finishes? Do you want to enamel or plate any part of the design?
Don't be overwhelmed by all these details. We will use our experience as jewelers to make expert suggestions and guide you through this process. After the decisions are made, we will work with our dedicated craftsmen to finish your design to the highest standards of quality. Start your custom project today by sending a message on our Custom Inquiry page.
Below are examples of different types of finishing details we have executed in the past.
Detail of our famous hidden bail on the "S" thing pendant
Detail of a black rhodium plated ring
Enamel plated pendant