Custom jewelry design is a way to create a new jewel, exactly the way you want it. My job as a designer and jeweler-gemologist is to help you bring your jewelry ideas to life. Custom jewelry lets an individual's creative preferences guide the process of designing, refining, and literally 'building' a new jewelry treasure.

Custom design can be categorized in one (or more) of the following groups:

◊ New Pieces, or 'Dream Jewels'
◊ Restoration / Revivals
◊ Stones from Travels
◊ Inherited Pieces (in need of 'refreshing')
◊ Special Occasion Pieces (birthdays, anniversaries, new jobs, baby births)

And of course, my personal favorite, the 'No Special Occasion' occasion!

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Models can be created in a number of materials. Generally, the most common model materials are a hard wax (often blue, green, or purple) or sterling silver. Both materials have advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes a combination of both modeling materials can be used to develop a piece.

A model can be helpful in refining ideas and fabrication needs. They are also useful for visualization of the final jewel. Some models are hand built. Others involve more advanced computer creation through CAD CAM modeling programs. Exisiting models can also be incorporated into new pieces. 

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Casting
Next is the metal stage- where the actual precious metals are involved. Great heat is involved and the word alchemy comes to mind!

Some pieces are transformed from a wax model into metal by a process called lost wax casting. A cylindrical tube, called a flask, is placed around the wax and filled with a plaster-like substance that hardens. When the flask is heated and the bottom removed, the wax melts out, leaving a hollow cavity in the shape of the jewel. Molten metals are forced into that hollow cavity and take the place of the form inside, in this case a piece of jewelry.

Fabrication
Some pieces are built entirely from scratch. Each wire, prong, band, etc. is put together from metal by welding (called soldering) the pieces together. The wire will be pulled through a narrow aperture to change its diameter. Other pieces are filed, bent, and or shaped by pounding with hammers and other tools.

Generally, a piece of jewelry involves a combination of the two processes, casting and hand fabrication.

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After casting, a piece of jewelry has a rough finish, called a casting ‘skin.’ This skin results from the high heat molten state, oxidation, and the surface of the flask. To bring the metal to a shine, the ‘casting’ is often tumbled with an abrasive, then hand filed, sanded, and polished with a range of compounds destined to bring the surface to a bright shine.

Lapidary Work
Most gemstones can be found in faceted form. Custom design often requires gemstones to be cut into specific shapes or sizes, or from a specific material. A lapidary is an expert gem cutter. He can cut a stone to a specific dimension or maximize the size of a cut gem from its original rough.

Stone Setting
Once the jewelry design has been created in precious metal, filed, polished, the preparation for setting begins. The stones must be fitted to their settings or the pressure of setting can cause them to break. Prongs and bezels are cut with grooves in order to bend the metal over the stones.

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After the stones are set, the jewel generally undergoes one last final polish to remove any scratches from the setting process and bring out its bright shine. And viola! A custom jewel is born.