More help to find custom jeweler in silver

[dzop]

I posted a thread a few days ago asking for references to someone who can set stones well in silver. I was pointed to Etsy, but when I looked at the Etsy vendors the vast majority of the settings were very simple tube bezels on a plain shank.

Now that I have the stone, I know that I don''t want that type of setting. The stone is a 6x5mm cushion, and what I''d like is a semi bezel with a tapered shank, such that the ring is 6mm wide at the bezel and about 3mm wide on the sides. I''ve attached a picture below with a "model" fashioned out of aluminum foil that should make clear what I''m talking about. The stone needs to be in a bezel b/c it is slightly windowed. My girlfriend is tall, so her fingers aren''t that much smaller than mine- you can see from the photo why I think a thicker shank would look nice.

Now, the stone was only $45, so I want to set it cheaply; but its much prettier than I expected, so my budget has gone up a smidge.

Any ideas on jewelers?

 

[FrekeChild]

Dude, ask some etsy vendors for a custom quote. Just because they have tube bezels on their sites it doesn''t mean that is all they do, that just means that''s what sells best on etsy. If no one had asked about custom, then no one would have found JKT.

 

[dzop]

I don''t think its as easy to find Etsy vendors as you make it out to be. Some of them don''t do custom, some don''t work with customer-provided stones, and PLENTY of them have photos which show sloppy bezeling, which drives me nuts. Finding an Etsy jeweler "cold" has needle/haystack aspects to it.

Date: 4/30/2010 1:58:29 PM
Author: FrekeChild
Dude, ask some etsy vendors for a custom quote. Just because they have tube bezels on their sites it doesn''t mean that is all they do, that just means that''s what sells best on etsy. If no one had asked about custom, then no one would have found JKT.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 4/30/2010 2:57:22 PM
Author: dzop
I don''t think its as easy to find Etsy vendors as you make it out to be. Some of them don''t do custom, some don''t work with customer-provided stones, and PLENTY of them have photos which show sloppy bezeling, which drives me nuts. Finding an Etsy jeweler ''cold'' has needle/haystack aspects to it.

Date: 4/30/2010 1:58:29 PM

Author: FrekeChild

Dude, ask some etsy vendors for a custom quote. Just because they have tube bezels on their sites it doesn''t mean that is all they do, that just means that''s what sells best on etsy. If no one had asked about custom, then no one would have found JKT.

Who have you tried?

JKT does open bezels (not the tubes), and I think DanielM might as well. I''m pretty sure that either is well up to doing a basic tapered semi-bezel (though I hear that JKT isn''t accepting custom orders under $250 or something like that).

If you want it done cheaply, custom and in silver, and don''t want to go through Etsy, why don''t you try a local jeweler?

 

[decodelighted]

Dzop,
If the search function is working again ... do a search for the "Etsy finds" thread ... there are HUNDREDS of jewelers mentioned on there & pictures of custom work that PSers have had done by them. It will also explain some of these abbreviations & nicknames: "JKT" and "Sally" -- w/links to their actual stores.

Good luck! Your foil model is impressive!

 

[packrat]

McFarland Designs

Kateszabone

Wired Design

Patrick Irla

Argentium 1

KyleanneMetals

Creative Goldsmith

One Garnet Girl

 

[Michael_E]

Date: 4/30/2010 3:04:41 PM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

If you want it done cheaply, custom and in silver

These three things don't go together very well. Doing custom work takes the same amount of time and effort regardless of what the piece is made from and since a large part of the cost of any custom piece is in the labor, you really can't do "custom" in silver cheaply. You can however modify a stock piece relatively cheaply. I would suggest looking at Rio Grande, ( http://www.riogrande.com/ look under findings and then rings), or some other supplier of silver findings, settings and band parts to see what they have. If you can find a band that you like, you could always have a bezel fitted to it at a reasonable cost. I suppose that it all depends on what you mean by "cheaply" too. Go too low and you're likely to end up with something that would make that aluminum foil look good.

 

[enbcfsobe]

Date: 4/30/2010 3:32:29 PM
Author: packrat
McFarland Designs

Kateszabone

Wired Design

Patrick Irla

Argentium 1

KyleanneMetals

Creative Goldsmith

One Garnet Girl

Kate has lovely things but does not work with outside stones (or that''s what she told me, anyways...)

 

[FrekeChild]

Ditto enbcfsobe. Kate won''t work with outside stones at all due to liability issues.

 

[dzop]

When I say "cheaply" I mean $100-150. I don''t know if that''s unreasonably low, but there are plenty of Etsy vendors selling finished rings for that price, so I presumed it was ballpark reasonable.

Date: 4/30/2010 4:00:56 PM
Author: enbcfsobe

Date: 4/30/2010 3:32:29 PM

Author: packrat

McFarland Designs


Kateszabone


Wired Design


Patrick Irla


Argentium 1


KyleanneMetals


Creative Goldsmith


One Garnet Girl

Kate has lovely things but does not work with outside stones (or that''s what she told me, anyways...)

 

[packrat]

I didn''t know that about Kate-oops. Just ignore that then sorry!

 

[karpouzi]

You could always set up an Alchemy request. Ask bidders to show examples of their bezel work or just see what they have in their shops.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 4/30/2010 4:47:35 PM
Author: karpouzi
You could always set up an Alchemy request. Ask bidders to show examples of their bezel work or just see what they have in their shops.

yep this - great suggestion karpouzi. I recently did one for a piece of clothing I just couldn''t find anywhere, and am having it tailored in India for cheaper than my ideal price

dzop, have you considered Alchemy on etsy? Basically you put up your request, with your desired price - you than have a large area to be very specific about what you want, and can attach photos.
Etsy sellers than "bid" on your request - they will send you a convo, telling you how they can make your item, the cost and so on. You then ask questions and consider the offers before deciding on one seller and closing the request.

It sounds like you don''t have the inclination to search through all the etsy sellers - so I think this would be better for you; you can have the sellers "come to you" and then decide who is best for the job, based on your convos.

It is easy and quick to set up an alchemy request.

Infact, I think this may be how JKT was "discovered" by PSers!

 

[Clairitek]

Alchemy is how I found DanielM to do my bezel pendants for my bridal party. Since then I''ve had him set my diamonds in platinum martini settings. His work on those was meticulous and Ive seen other examples of custom fine jewelery work he has done so I''m sure he is capable of doing a nicely executed semi bezel ring for you.

I''ve also worked with One Garnet Girl and she did a custom bezel for me for my mother in gold on a cushion toumaline that I provided for her and that bezel was really beautiful.

Definitely give the alchemy thing a try. It''s worth it to see what sort of response you get back.