Custom Order Setting Questions

[indigo]

We found a diamond finally but don''t have a ring to put it in yet. The settings that I like are out of my price range so I''m debating whether I should have one copied/ custom order or settle for something else.
For those who have ordered a custom-made setting, what exactly is the procedure?
I''m considering using platinummfg.com and want to know how other places handle custom orders. I''m basically expected to trust the people to make what I ask for, pay them up front, and not see the ring until I get it in the mail. If I want to return it, I lose 25%.
I''m just a little gun shy after being burned by some roofers recently. I have a brand-new roof that I paid $5,000 for, and it has more leaks than the old one.

I''m probably going to place the order early next week so any advice or experience in this area would be appreciated.

 

[indigo]

NOONE has ordered a custom-made ring??

 

[valeria101]

I have. Right accross the street from home... not through mail. It is always a trichy step between order and receipt and one has to prepare somehow for what might hapen with the initial illusions when getting the actual ring. I you get to see the wax form of the future setting it is better... but this may not hapen at all if either the jeweler does not work like this or the production process is altogether different than casting. In any case, there must be some understanbding of what hapens if the endproduct does not meet the expectations, if stones are chipped... etc. There has been a recent thread (something like 'beware of jeweler') describing a bad case of dissapointment. I had 6 rings made by now by the same jeweler (and a couple other pieces...). In any case, I guess you should make sure that he has done pieces like the one you are asking for before. After all, the 'designer' ring you like might be technically challenging or requiring techniques that a certain jeweler might not be as familiar with as another. Small shops, for example, are unlikely to provide world class engraving, mil-grain, filigree or what not, plus gem setting all in one ring since these require as many different techniques. Tension settings are considered difficult by some. And the list goes on. How about tradeshop.com? or jewelryexpert? I do not think these require such a fee. One good piece of advice: the 25% policy sounds way strange.

 

[indigo]

Neither of the vendors you mentioned will accept returns on custom orders at all so I guess the 25% isn't THAT bad. It sounds like you get to approve a wax ring before it is cast in metal though.
I'm still worried about the whole process. When someone says "you just have to trust us"... it makes me worry even more

 

[valeria101]

Hm...Sorry to hear this. My jeweler is in Bucharest, Romania, so this does not help. I am surprised to hear about jewelryexpert,since it seems that they have modified designs upon request, but, again, it could have been either in the 'wax' stage or for extra cost. This did not happen to me though. I like to see the setting before the stones are put in, but this is not the norm. I can get this because my jeweler is not all that bussy and he does all the operation in his backroom (himself plus an aid) so scheduling tasks is easy. These being said, I would personally not get anything made unless I see some work by the same person and get a clear enough idea wether my model resembles previous work. If so, then I would still like to see the wax with or without the 25% back!

Hope someone could be of more help...

 

[sylvesterii]

winkjones.com

he does a lot of custom order, and send you waxes of the cast pieces prior to casting, and if you TRULY* are unhappy, he has accepted something back even though it was a custom order(though i have only heard of 1 or 2 peopel actually going this route). He really is a nice guy. i would check into it.

 

[indigo]

Thanks for the responses and the referral! I looked at the guy's work, and he doesn't seem to have done anything like what I'm looking for. I want a platinum ring with engraving and pave-set diamonds... along the lines of Tacori.
Anyone else have suggestions?

 

[valeria101]

Your ring does not sound easy to make by a small-scale operation. One way to check this would be to get quotes from a couple of places: I bet they would compare with the brand name setting. I personally shy away from having jewelry 'made by mail' (meaning having a jeweler send the piece away from his shop to have details such as engraving done offsite = "outsource the production stage"), and having a demanding design done by one person is not the norm. I hope I am wrong.