What is appropriate etiquette when working with designers?

[PearCraze]

Hey everyone!
I am waiting on a ring from a designer. They warned me it would be a long wait (8 weeks), but they aren't really providing me with many details about the overall process. We solidified the design 2 weeks ago, but my diamonds help me cope....with life and stress, so it's really hard to be away from them this long. How often should I keep in touch without feeling like my project isn't getting lost in the crowd? Don't get me wrong- this designer is nice and respectful and responsive- but with little information, like 1 sentence replies, I get the sense they are very busy. Are there any guidelines or etiquette when communicating with designers? Should I even be contacting them if I am just supposed to be waiting? What have been your general experiences when it comes to the overall process?

Thanks!!

 

[valenledge]

I’m so sorry you’re stressed out by this! I don’t know if enough people talk about how anxious a custom process can be. It’s an expensive and emotional investment.

Have you asked your designer if they can provide updates as they go, or even do you know that you shouldn’t expect any until your project is close to being done?

From what I’ve read here, once the design is finalized and the stone is with the designer, most people don’t get updates until the project is finished (edit: though every designer is different!). There are usually projects ahead of you or your design could be intricate, or they run into problems with the stones or somewhere in the setting, but hopefully tell you if they do.

For my original engagement ring, my husband said he didn’t talk to the designer until it was done and ready to ship (7 weeks). For my reset which is the first time I’ve done the custom process, I was told 6-8 weeks, and I tried to be so patient and distract myself for weeks before checking in to see if everything still looked like it would be done in that window (which it was). Most people would probably recommend waiting until the quoted time, then checking in. I was too excited!

I hope you get your diamonds back sooner than 8 weeks if possible! You can also come hang out with us impatient types in the Two Weeks thread where you will find a lot of support and understanding.

 

[PearCraze]

Thank you for the guidance, this is my first time being away from my stones for more than one day. I really didn't know what I should be doing! Sounds like I should probably leave the poor designer alone and let them do their job haha. I'll be sure to check out the two week thread

 

[Lookinagain]

I've never asked for or been given updates once I have given my custom project the green light. I don't see what good updates would do anyway. It will be finished when it's finished. If they meet the original timeline, that's wonderful, but if they don't, what would you do anyway? Complain? I doubt that will make them be able to move the process along faster. I think you have figured out that what you should do is just leave them alone unless the original timeline comes and goes by a week or two and then it's very fair to ask for an update. That said, if it's a project for an event with a particular date that was communicated to the designer and it's getting close with nothing to tell you it will be ready on time, then by all means you should inquire as to whether they will be keeping to the promised delivery date.

 

[MillieLou]

If the wait time is 8 weeks, I would assume that I was in a queue behind other projects and nothing will actually be "happening" until 3 weeks or so before the due date, or however long the ring actually takes to make. So, there is probably just nothing to update as yet.

I would check in at 2 weeks before the due date and ask if everything is on track, then again a few days after the due date if there is no update. Personally I would not expect spontaneous updates but would expect to be told if there was an anticipated delay beyond a few days.

 

[kenny]

It's understand to be anxious.
This is important to you, and costly.
I'd be anxious too.

But I'd do my best to try to just put it out of my mind, trust them, and leave them alone.

I doubt contacting them for updates will speed them up.
It might annoy them.
I'd hate to generate bad feelings on their part.

You've trusted them enough to choose them for your project.
Now trust them to do their job for you.

 

[missy]

Waiting is challenging for many of us. I am an impatient person in general so I get it. But I would wait and be as patient as possible because you want them to concentrate on doing an excellent job for you and not rush it in any way. You trust the vendor so now be patient and try to find delight in the joyful anticipation. Hopefully they will send you an update when it is further along.

 

[distracts]

If a designer gives me a wait time, I usually don't contact them at all until the time is up.

 

[Lucy-In-The-Sky]

I usually don't contact them until the projected wait time is over, plus a reasonable margin of time. (ie, a few days grace period rather than at 9 am the day after they anticipated it being done).

It's hard and as much as I would love regular updates and to see in-process photos, I don't want to cause disruption or slow things down.

With my custom pieces, the only time I've been contacted with an update mid-process was to give me a heads up about an unavoidable/unpredicted situation that was going to cause a delay. (It was an emergency health situation). I appreciated the proactive heads up so I could mentally adjust to the new deadline.

 

[Wink]

I am going to pop my head up and give you a view from the bench side.

Once I give my craftsmen the item, I rarely interrupt them. To do so requires the benchman put down the job he or she is working on and look to see where the job you are waiting for actually is. It may be at the casting house, it may be in the middle of clean casting. It may be in stone setting and it may also be in the final polishing process.

At our bench, the various jobs are done by the person best suited for that job. Our platinum casts are done at one casting house, our gold casts at another. Our clean caster for platinum is not the stone setter, or the final polisher.

In the rare case where something goes wrong, we will be advised by our craftsmen so we can advise you. When something happens, the job being remade goes to the front of the line so as little time as possible is lost.

Getting a job in and out of the line costs time and delays the finish time. Letting it stay in the process actually helps keep the person doing the job on task and complete all of the items more quickly than constantly getting updates.

Now, as a sometimes client of my benchmen and ladies, I know I wanted so much to inquire how my ring was doing when I had it made. I had a good chuckle when they told me that I had flummoxed them by not inquiring and thus no one won the pool on how long I would wait until I started annoying them. I did not know there was a pool, but I did now I did not want to slow them down by asking...

 

[PearCraze]

I am going to pop my head up and give you a view from the bench side.

Once I give my craftsmen the item, I rarely interrupt them. To do so requires the benchman put down the job he or she is working on and look to see where the job you are waiting for actually is. It may be at the casting house, it may be in the middle of clean casting. It may be in stone setting and it may also be in the final polishing process.

At our bench, the various jobs are done by the person best suited for that job. Our platinum casts are done at one casting house, our gold casts at another. Our clean caster for platinum is not the stone setter, or the final polisher.

In the rare case where something goes wrong, we will be advised by our craftsmen so we can advise you. When something happens, the job being remade goes to the front of the line so as little time as possible is lost.

Getting a job in and out of the line costs time and delays the finish time. Letting it stay in the process actually helps keep the person doing the job on task and complete all of the items more quickly than constantly getting updates.

Now, as a sometimes client of my benchmen and ladies, I know I wanted so much to inquire how my ring was doing when I had it made. I had a good chuckle when they told me that I had flummoxed them by not inquiring and thus no one won the pool on how long I would wait until I started annoying them. I did not know there was a pool, but I did now I did not want to slow them down by asking...

Really informative to hear about the other side of the process! LOL...I wonder what a pool in a diamond/design studio wins you, sounds like a fun place to work!

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

Agree that you should check out the 2 week club. It’s fun to get support and it’s also fun to give support. I do a little internal celebration when someone gets their jewelry.

I would either send one email at week 7 or else an email on the due date. A friendly “hey cant wait how’s it going” on the due date is not going to make them melt your ring back down.

I am hereby impatient on your behalf.