Just curious how long it takes to receive quotes for custom work?

[tawn]

I was just wondering what the average length of time is for receiving a custom quote? Two of the places didn''t even return my emails period, and the other 2 that initially replied haven''t come up with a quote as of yet. It''s been several weeks and I have to admit that I''m starting to get just a teeny bit impatient. I''m going on vacation out of the country for most of June and July, and I wanted to have things planned and ready. I don''t feel as though I should be hounding them though either. Our budget is only around 5K, which is a lot for us to spend, but maybe not enough to attract attention? I also think that we are doing things a little backwards, because I really want to have the "perfect" setting and have that priced out, then I can figure out exactly what price range I''m going to be shopping in for the actual diamond. Then we''ll buy the stone and have the ring made.

I think I''m going to check out the local custom jeweler in town while I wait...it looks pretty swanky so I''ve been a little nervous to even inquire about the cost of a custom setting. I think I must be the only person that isn''t in love with the X-prong or tiny little delicate settings! It would make the decision so much easier if I were...

 

[mrssalvo]

Have you tried calling them? I always find it''s much easier to just call. Emails sometimes get lost in cyberspace or in the many emails a vendor may recieve. I had a custom ring done by Whiteflash and Quest Manufacting is doing one for me now. Both times I called and spoke with someone to discuss my project then emailed the pics. If I wouldn''t have heard back within a day or two I would pick up the phone and call back. If you still get no response I would agree with Dave to take your business elsewhere.

 

[tawn]

Thanks! I didn''t think it should take more than a few weeks...and the funny thing is that all of the vendors I contacted were hightly recommended by PS! It''s hard to know since this will be our first custom ring. We''ve been victims of the mall stores and chain jewelers in the past!

I think I''ll follow up tomorrow on the phone, and see what happened with them...

 

[strmrdr]

Several weeks is too long, email is not 100% reliable.
Id give them a call and have them be expecting your email and call back if they dont get it.
Id want to do a custom setting long distance in email rather than over the phone so everything is verifiable.

 

[WinkHPD]

I am in fact working today just to catch up with the volume of quotes. Yours is now in your in box, along with many others that came in from our bench this week. Our bench is incredibly busy and it takes time to properly estimate the number of diamonds that will be used in a design such as yours as well as to estimate the amount of metal etc etc, none of which makes the wait any easier.

By the way, it is a blue bird day here and my heart wants to be on the river kayaking, but my body is pleasurably sore from the last two days of incredible paddling so it is a mixed blessing to be inside. I feel righteous getting my work done, yet after a long and VERY rainy Spring I long to be out of doors.

Anyway, I do apologise that it takes so long, but if you visit our website you will see some of the recent additions to what we have been doing and I believe you will see that the wait is well worth it to get what you like. I think Storm Rider put it well in another thread when he said something along the lines of "Wink has but one speed, slow but fairly steady". I know that is not the exact quote, but it does contain the gist of what he was saying. Custom design takes a lot of time, usually one to three weeks for the design and three to six weeks to complete the piece depending on the complexity.

We are coming on four months for one incredible suite of ring, pendant and earrings built around Richard Homer cut amethysts, but part of that was in design, redesign, tweaking of the designs and final acceptance, then the matching of straight and tapered baguettes, itself a tedious task to the final production of the pieces, which might be finished this week. Your design, should you choose to accept it, will not take nearly that long.

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

Hey Storm Rider,

I see you posted while I was typing, did I get your quote pretty close?

Wink

 

[tawn]

Wink,

Seriously, you should have gone kayaking today because it''s beautiful! And, thanks for responding...even though you could have just stayed anonymous!!

 

[WinkHPD]

You are welcome. I never figured annonymous was much good for taking responsibility or explaining anything. We do good work, we just don''t do it super fast normally, although we are constantly working on improving our systems. I am happy to take the applause for the quality of the work we are turning out, so I have to be willing to take responsibility for the time it takes.

Besides, getting caught short every once in a while keeps me humble.

Wink

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 5/30/2005 1:26:04 PM
Author: Wink
Hey Storm Rider,


I see you posted while I was typing, did I get your quote pretty close?


Wink

As remember it yep. Im too lazy to look it up.
slow and steady and worth it.