Advice on choosing a local jewler for custom work?

[HopeDream]

Hi everyone!

I'm about to embark on a little custom project, and I want to try out the local talent in my area. I will be supplying my own stones.

Any advice for finding or choosing a local bench?
Any easy to spot clues that the jeweler is good at their trade?
Any red flags I should look out for?

How much should I expect to pay for labor and materials (0.30 ct diamond to be flush set in a plain platinum band - probably 5-6g of platinum? size 4).

Thanks for any info/suggestions you might have.

 

[Gypsy]

First where are you? No sense in re-creating the wheel if PSers live near you and have tried out places.

Second, what type of project is it? What type of design?

 

[HopeDream]

Hi Gypsy,

I'm currently in Victoria, BC. and hoping to work with someone in-town.

I'm planning a very simple gypsy-set .30 ct cushion solitaire in a plain band.
Kind of like the picture shown below, but with a square-ish diamond.

I'm going to be very picky about the fit and feel of the ring, so I want to work with someone local and to check it out before it's cast.
I'm guessing CAD and cast would be the best production method for a piece like this.
I want the setting to be tidy and precise.

 

[Gypsy]

You are right about all of it.

My best advice is to go to different jewelers that do custom work in house and ask to see examples of their work. Particularly bezels and gypsy set stones.

 

[SB621]

A few things:

As Gypsy already stated you want to see bezels and other custom designs the jewelry has created. Ask to see their portfolio. See if they have bezels and similar styles. I would want to know if the bench is on site. I prefer jewelers who are their own bench and don't send it out. I also want to know what are my options if end result doesn't meet my standard. Will they just keep remaking it till correct? Will I get my money back? Does the jewelry do CADs, wax etc?

 

[HopeDream]

Thanks Gypsy, I'll definitely ask for pictures of past work and keep a close eye on the quality of the workmanship presented. I'll also try and find a jeweler who te4nds to do more of that type of setting (rather than pave etc.)

SB621 Good points about the bench location and the re-do policy (but hopefully it won't come to that).

Any other red flags or green arrows anyone can think of?

The lucky stone is this cute little Brellia from ededdeddy http://loupetroop.com/listings/loos...and-arrows-brellia-cushion-cut-diamond-30-ctw

 

[distracts]

Ask to see previous work. I have found MANY jewelers that do custom work will not have any sort of photographic record of prior work. I always politely recommend that they take and keep hi-res pictures of it. Often jewelers will only have a couple of pieces in the case made by them versus stock settings. You can always ask that when they complete a custom piece, they call you in so you can take a look at it. You can also ask if there are any pieces they have in that required extensive repairs that they can show you. My jeweler takes hi-res pictures of items when they enter and leave the shop so he can show really well what changes have been made. But weirdly enough he doesn't often take pictures of custom-made things.

An easy way to ascertain if there is a bench onsite (sometimes asking that can get you confusing answers) is to ask to speak to the benchperson.

I know many people here recommend finding an independent store in a high-end shopping center, or an expensive independent store, as a shortcut to finding good work, but the best places I've found are actually little hole-in-the-wall sorts of places in mid-range shopping centers. The high-end places I've been had middling bench quality. So I don't think that's a foolproof shortcut.

 

[Gypsy]

I agree with Distracts. You need an onsite bench with a very skilled bench. High end jewelers rarely have that.

 

[distracts]

Oh and look at everything with a loupe! It won't be so important with the gypsy setting, but I have seen quite a few self-proclaimed "pave experts" with blobby crooked pave once you loupe it.

 

[Gypsy]

Bezels have that issue too distract. You see them up close and you are like WHOA, that's not good.

 

[HopeDream]

Hi again,

So I sent a preliminary round of emails out to 6 local jewelers, and have received 2 responses and recommendation for a different jeweler.

1 bench only works on their own designs (despite listing the possibility of custom work on their website)

So far I have 1 bench quoting me $2k for an 8g platinum ring (including CAD design, production and casting off-site, and stone setting at $200 for an outside stone).

Maybe I'm out of touch, but $2k seems a little high. What do you think?