Over my numerous years in the business designing unique pieces for customers, I still find that many people are surprised by just how easy the custom jewelry process is. Often they tell me “I thought it would be so much more complicated and take a long time, but this was simple and fun!” The most challenging and important task is finding a jeweler you can trust and feel comfortable with. Once you have that, you can begin to design any piece of jewelry you desire.
As a customer-first business, my process begins by understanding the customer’s vision, and in some cases, helping them to realize their vision. I always begin by discussing their ideas and then constructing renderings of different design options. The next step is creating a 3D wax mold of the piece so they have something tangible to react to and modify to their liking. Once we finalize the mold, a casting is made with the metal of their choice — gold, platinum, or sterling silver. We then polish and set the gemstones.
The customer is involved in every step of the way, and we work together to ensure we work within the allocated budget. One common misconception is that custom pieces are more expensive. This is not true. In fact, it can sometimes be cheaper than buying something ready-made; not to mention that the process is fun and enjoyable.
Working with your local jeweler also has many advantages:
- You establish trust and face-to-face rapport;
- You can have your jewelry cleaned, repaired, and checked regularly;
- You support your local community and make your downtown more vibrant.
Custom design is about the jewelry you wish to create; the desire to have something unique — a one of a kind piece. At Patronik Designs, we work out the details to make your jewelry vision a wearable heirloom for today and the future.