FAQ
FAQ Custom Design
For fashion and bridal
Design
1. Do I need to know what I want in order to meet with a designer?
No, you do not need to have a clear picture of the jewelry piece you want when you come into Jay F. Jeweler for a custom design. You can bring us your thoughts, pictures, notes, loose gems, or old jewelry you would like to repurpose. To get started, all you need to do is to come in and meet with one of our designers. They will help you turn your ideas into a stunning piece of fine jewelry.
2. Do I need to schedule an appointment to come in and talk about a design?
Appointments are not necessary, but they are highly recommended. If you know when you would like to come in, having an appointment will save you time if our designers are working with other customers in the store when you stop by. If you don’t know when you’ll be coming in, we gladly accept walk-ins.
To schedule an in-person appointment with one of our designers, please call us at (952) 432-9595, contact us at info@jayfjeweler.com, or reach out to us on the chat feature of our website.
We are currently accepting online appointments if you would like to have a virtual consultation with one of our designers. To schedule a virtual consultation, please call us at (952) 432-9595, contact us at info@jayfjeweler.com or reach out on the chat feature of our website.
3. Does it cost anything to come in and talk about a potential design?
No. We do not charge a consulting fee. You can come in and talk to us about your ideas and plans anytime, but an appointment is recommended. If a complete sketch of your design is created, there will be a $45 non-refundable fee for our designer's work. Once a design is approved by you, our next step is to build a model of the piece in the computer and make a resin model of it for you to hold and examine. This step requires a $95 non-refundable fee.
* You are welcome to keep this model when the design is complete. Creating a custom piece for you or a loved one is a special gift and keeping the model you helped create can be a way to document the time and care you took to create a one of a kind piece.
4. Can we create custom pieces with you virtually?
Yes we can! We have created custom pieces for long-distance customers before the Covid-19 pandemic and are ready to help you create a beautiful custom piece without ever needing to enter our store. Whether you are far away or staying at home, we will work with you through virtual appointments to create stunning jewelry pieces just for you!
The ease of this process can depend on the complexity of the design as well as how good you are at visualizing and communicating what it is you want. Contact us if you’re interested in doing a virtual project and we can talk about the details. We would love to hear from you.
5. What if I want to have a ring made as a gift/engagement but don’t know the person’s finger size?
While it is much better to know their finger size for certain, if your goal is to keep the ring a surprise, we can make the ring based on your best guess. If you know they have a ring they already wear on that finger, we can take a measurement off of it and start the design process.
Keep in mind a person’s fingers are usually all different sizes. A person’s finger size can even differ between their dominant and non-dominant hand. Most rings can be sized after being finished but there can be difficulties based on the design, type of setting, and number of gemstones.
Materials
6. What type of materials do you use to create your custom pieces?
Our custom pieces will contain precious metals such as gold (yellow, white, rose), silver (sterling, continuum), and platinum.
Because our design and manufacturing process are all done in-house by our designers and experts, we can guarantee your custom piece will only contain the precious metals you request.
7. How do I pick out a diamond?
Picking out a diamond can be a daunting task! When you come into Jay F. Jeweler our gemologists and experts will walk you through the process of finding a style and diamond that are perfect for you. One of our experienced jewelers will go over diamond grading and other helpful information with you before showing you a few diamonds. Even though two diamonds may be graded the same, they can look very different in person.
It is very important for you to see the diamond in person before purchasing. If you are looking for a unique cut or size we do not have on hand, we can easily get additional diamonds for you to view, usually within a few days.
Our job at Jay F. Jeweler is to empower you to make the best choice for you. We do this through supporting you and supplying you with the industry’s best information. Big moments for you, like choosing a diamond for your engagement ring, are big moments for us as well. We are so thankful when we get to be a part of your journey.
8. Will you set diamonds and gems not purchased from Jay F. Jeweler?
Yes! Bring in any gems you are interested in using. We will look them over and as long as they are in good condition we can use them in your new design. If there are chips or other issues with your gemstones we will let you know of the potential risks in re-mounting them.
9. Where do you get your raw materials such as gold and gemstones?
We obtain gold that is typically recycled and refined back to 24 karat bullion which is then alloyed as desired. The two refiners we use belong to professional refinery organizations that monitor standards and quality.
All of the diamonds used at Jay F. Jeweler are obtained directly from site holders who are members of the Kimberly Process. This organization works to connect different sectors of the jewelry industry in the mission to reduce the collection and sale of conflict diamonds. Our colored gemstones are sourced from companies and distributors that we have been working with for decades. We make every effort to ensure the gemstones we procure are ethically and responsibly sourced.
10. Do you use lab-created diamonds and gems?
Jay F. Jeweler does sell high quality lab created diamonds and gems when requested. We will always be upfront about the origin of the gem you are purchasing by making clear if your item contains a natural or lab created gem. While all of our natural gems have gone through rigorous checks to ensure they are sourced from reputable distributors, we acknowledge a growing trend toward lab created gems and are happy to help you source these as well. We want to help create your perfect jewelry, and whether natural or lab-created, we will find the best fit for you.
11. Can I bring in metal to use in my new piece?
Yes you can, but it may not be feasible to add the metal in your new piece. We often recommend that you trade in the metal elements instead of having us re-cast them. If it is important to you to reuse the metal elements of your previous jewelry piece, please let us know and we will work with you as best we can to incorporate your metal into the new casting.
If we use too much metal that has already been cast, your new piece could turn out porous or have other issues. We have experience taking items such as wedding bands and bending/fabricating them into something new without casting. It all depends on what you are looking to have made.
Cast definition = Heating metal until it is liquid and pouring the liquid metal into a mold of the finished shape and left to solidify.
12. If I bring in old jewelry and we take out the gemstones to use in a custom piece, what happens to the rest of it?
We can either return the old mountings to you once the gemstones are removed, or you can trade in the old metal to be used as a credit towards your new item. Removing gemstones often damages the original mounting to where it can no longer be used. In specific situations, a mounting can be preserved for another gemstone.
If you are wanting to reuse an old mounting, be sure to talk to us about it before gemstones are removed (gemstones are taken out once you give us approval on your custom piece).
Process
13. How long does it take to create a custom piece?
In general, it will take about five weeks from when we start creating a design for you. Plan to give us two weeks build your design in the computer for you to view before the piece gets made, and about three weeks to complete the piece once you give us your approval of the design.
The time frame can vary based a variety of factors, like the number of edits and redesigns that occur before we begin making the physical jewelry piece.
If your piece is going to be made in platinum, plan to add an additional week onto the creation time of your custom piece.
If you have a time constraint for when you need a piece of custom jewelry, please contact us and we will work with you as best we can.
14. Do you send out any of your work? Will my gems be sent out during the process?
No. Jay F. Jeweler has a state of the art jewelry shop that is equipped with expert appraisers, gemologists, designers, jewelers, and goldsmiths. We have the capability to design, 3D print, and create your custom pieces all from our storefront.
If it is ever necessary to send your piece out of our store, nothing from your jewelry or design will be sent without first contacting you and receiving your approval.
15. Is custom design expensive? How much will it cost?
We are competitively priced based on the quality of our designs because we do all our custom work at Jay F. Jeweler. Our store is founded on the concept of making high quality, striking jewelry pieces that are meant to stand the test of time. Because of this, our pricing may seem higher than other jewelry estimates. Our intention is to create pieces with longevity, not just pieces that are pretty in the moment.
If you are curious about our pricing and methods, come in and talk to one of our designers about your ideas. We can create a computer model of your design idea to better estimate the cost of your custom piece.
16. Who is making my jewelry?
Our in-house CAD (computer aided design) artists, who build the model of your piece, are also goldsmiths. Because of their experience at the workbench, they will not only build you a design that looks good on the computer, but one that will be well-built in the physical world and stand the test of time. We also have our own state-of-the-art 3D printers and do our own casting, allowing us to control every aspect of your jewelry’s creation. Once a piece is cast, it is given to one of our in-house jewelers who have a total of over a hundred years of experience. They set gemstones under high powered microscopes and finish your piece all within our windowed shop. You can see them working from our showroom anytime you stop by.
Cast definition = Heating metal until it is liquid and pouring the liquid metal into a mold of the finished shape and left to solidify.
17. Will my custom piece come with an appraisal?
If your custom piece has $800 worth of materials used, you will receive an appraisal automatically at no charge. If it is less than $800 and you would like an appraisal, there will be a $100 charge.