custom jewelry

There’s not much worse than losing a piece of jewelry that you love. To make things even more difficult, perhaps you don’t even have a good quality picture of the lost jewelry!

This is where drawing a sketch comes in handy. Did you know that is possible to use a sketch or drawing to replicate a ring design?

Even simple sketches can be used as to create a beautiful brand new piece of jewelry that is a replica of the original lost item. It doesn’t need to be elaborate!

THE SKETCH

This client had lost a very unique ring that would have been impossible to find at a local jewelry store, or even online.

By drawing a sketch of the lost ring, I was able to use that sketch to replicate the original ring design and translate it into CAD renderings.

To learn more about the custom process, visit the custom jewelry page.

FIRST DRAFT

CAD rendering of the sketch used to replicate a ring design

The original ring featured a trillion shaped stone, bezel set at an angle. Using the sketch provided, this was the first CAD rendering that I sent to the client.

While this first draft did look like the original, the client decided that she wanted to go with a different stone shape!

That is the really cool thing about designing jewelry with CAD, the design can be tweaked and altered as you go.

REVISIONS

CAD rendering of champagne sapphire bezel ring

The ring design was revised to fit a 1 carat round stone. We decided to keep the bezel setting offset like the original ring.

After these revisions were made and reviewed by the client, the OK was given to have the design cast in metal!

CREATED CHAMPAGNE SAPPHIRE

For the center stone, we decided to go with a beautiful lab-grown champagne sapphire.

Lab-grown gemstones are chemically identical to natural stones found in the earth. There is extra incentive to use these modern stones. Not only are they radiant, but they are also conflict-free!

Modern Goldsmith specializes in creating beautiful jewelry with lab-grown diamonds and lab-grown gemstones. To learn more, please contact us.

BEZEL SETTING

Jewelers vice holding a ring for stone setting

Bezel set stones are an excellent choice for those looking for a setting that is low profile.

This ring was secured in a jewelers vice (pictured above) for the stone setting process. The gold surrounding the stone is hammered down to overlap the edge of the sapphire.

The bezel also provides a lovely accent. Read more about the benefits of bezel settings.

THE FINISHED RING

Final ring from sketch design. 14K yellow gold freeform ring with champagne sapphire

After the ring was fully polished, it was sent out to our excited client. She loved the end result.

In the end we see that starting with nothing but a piece of paper and a pencil can yield beautiful results.

VIDEO

Watch the video to see how this ring sparkles. We love how the champagne sapphire blends so wonderfully with the yellow gold.

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Trillion Birthstone Ring With Citrine and Peridot

This year for mother’s day, I designed a 14K yellow gold, custom trillion birthstone ring.

This ring features two birthstones, peridot and citrine, cut in trillion shapes and set into a petite yellow gold ring setting.

The ring design was made to have the the trillion stones sitting up right next to each other, with one of the points running horizontally with the ring band.

What are Trillion Shaped Stones?

2 Stone Mother's Ring with Peridot and Citrine.

Trillion gemstones, simply put, are triangle shaped. The biggest differentiation between a trillion and a trilliant or a triangle is that the term trillion is specifically reserved for gemstones.

Oftentimes trillion shaped gemstones are used as accent stones to a main center stone. In this case, the custom trillion birthstone ring was designed to have the stones themselves be the focal point. They get the lead role this time!

For all custom trillion birthstone ring inquires, or any other custom jewelry inquiry, fill out our customization form!

What is the birthstone for the month of August?

3 loose peridot gemstones. A trillion, pear, and oval shape.

The birthstone for the month of August is peridot. This stone is a beautiful yellowish green. It is found naturally in the earth and is also synthetically produced.

Peridot is only a 6.5 to 7 on the scale of mineral hardness, so it is considered “fair” for every day use. The stone should be shielded from heavy blows and worn with care. To learn more, visit the Gemological Institute of America.

What is the birthstone for the month of November?

6 loose citrine gemstones. An antique square, pear, round, and marquise shape.

The birthstone for the month of November is citrine. Citrine has many different shades of yellow, from light translucent yellow to darker shades.

Citrine is rated a 7 on the scale of mineral hardness and will hold up pretty well with every day wear. It is just a bit harder than peridot, but just that small increase can go a long way in a stones durability. To learn more, read about citrine on the GIA’s website.

Custom Trillion Birthstone Ring: Designed with CAD

A CAD rendering of a custom trillion birthstone ring.

The majority of the time when I do a custom ring, I will first design the ring in CAD. I love doing it this way because it gives my clients the opportunity to see what the ring will look like before it is cast in metal!

Once the clients have the renderings delivered to them, they can request any changes they feel necessary, and we can tweak the design as we go.

Once the design is looking just perfect, then we will proceed to the casting process! For more information, feel free to contact us!

Custom trillion birthstone ring with a thin yellow gold band

The end result is a ring that looks nearly identical to the CAD renderings! The best part is, the real ring will always look better in person than in renderings, so if you are feeling excited about what you are seeing on a screen, just wait until you get the real piece of jewelry in your hands.

The weight of the gold, the reflection of the stones, the shine and shimmer. These are things that can only be handled and seen in person, and the end result is so satisfying!

To see more custom projects, browse the portfolio!

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I recently had the opportunity to make a custom 14KT yellow gold men’s band with flush set diamonds.

The ring was made 6mm wide, with 9 flush set diamonds even spaced apart.

Side note: I’m giving away a pair of 14K rose gold earrings for Mother’s Day! Just subscribe here to enter! Giveaway ends May 5.

Each Stone Has Meaning

When I was collaborating with my client, they came up with the super sentimental idea of having one stone for each family member in their life!

I thought this was a super cool idea and contemplated on whether or not the stones should be all close together or spaced out.

Having them close together could have been a nice way to represent a “tight knit” family vibe.

In playing around with the design however, I really liked doing a design where stones were spaced out. It gives more meaning to each individual.

The Custom Design Process

A vast majority of the time that I do custom jewelry, I’m utilizing CAD software to give the client renderings of how a ring will look before it is cast in metal!

This gives the client the opportunity to see in high detail how their ring will look, and they can also request any changes they might want to make to the design.

Want to work with me on a project? Fill out the Custom Jewelry form!

Why Flush Set

Flush set stones are perfect for men’s bands that want to use diamonds, but also keep a masculine appearance.

Flush set stones are also excellent due to their low profile. That means they don’t have any prongs to scratch or snag on anything!

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Custom platinum wedding set. Invisible gallery engagement ring with custom wedding band to match.

This custom platinum wedding set features an invisible gallery on the engagement ring and a custom matching wedding band.

The 2 carat center stone is supported by a hidden rail underneath that reveals diamonds on the sides. The bands were made to be on the thinner side to achieve a beautiful modern look.

Custom Matching Wedding Band

This platinum wedding set was designed to be a cohesive look between the engagement ring and wedding band.

The wedding band sits up perfectly next to the engagement ring and runs underneath the rail of the center stone. This allows the set to be worn together without any visible gaps between the two rings.

For all custom wedding band inquires, fill out our customization form!

What is an ‘invisible gallery’?

A CAD rendering of what an invisible gallery engagement ring looks like.

The gallery of a ring is the section that is seen from the side, or looking through the ring. Many times this can be solid metal or some sort of decorative design.

In this case the ring was designed to have an “invisible gallery” or simply, no gallery at all.

This allows you to see the bottom quarter of the center stone, including the bottom point, or culet.

The rail that makes up the center stone setting was designed to have diamonds set down into the sides.

This is a really neat feature as these diamonds cannot be seen when looking down at the ring, however if you look at the ring from the sides, the shimmering diamonds reveal themselves.

Clickhere to shop our engagement ring collection!

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When the time comes to purchase an engagement ring, many people will rely on their jeweler to supply the stone. Buying an already completed ring is generally the most common way an engagement ring is purchased.

In this post I will be covering a frequently asked question I receive:

“Is it possible to use my own stone for an engagement ring?“

The title of this page is spoiler—yes, it is possible to use your own stone for a ring. Whether it be an engagement ring or some other type of jewelry, you can always use what you already have.

THE LOOSE STONE

So what are the most common reasons people have their own diamonds or gemstones? Oftentimes these stones are inherited from family members. In addition, loose stones can also be purchased alone without a ring setting to to go with it.

“Can I take my stone to a jewelry store and pick out a setting for it?“

Depending on the stone you have, it may be possible to do this, however I have found that it is not always the best option. The reason being is because you are trying to fit your stone into a ring that has already been designed.

The best way to use your own stone for an engagement ring is to have the ring custom made! This way the ring will be perfectly designed to fit the size and aesthetic of your stone.

To get started, please fill out the customization form.

DESIGNING A RING WITH AN UNIQUELY SHAPED STONE

Finding a ring setting for an uniquely shaped stone is not only hard, it’s usually impossible! This is why having a custom ring made by a goldsmith is the way to go.

A goldsmith can measure the stone out with exactness and craft a ring to match those dimensions. In this case, CAD was used to build the bezel to fit the stone.

While the gray diamond doesn’t look exactly the same in renderings, the shape and stone dimensions are measured with exactness.

The ring was made with a custom bezel in order to incorporate the shield cut stone. In addition to the custom bezel, the ring shank is flat on the top. This compliments the sharp lines of the bezel.

Part of the allure of having an engagement ring custom made is that the same ring could literally not be found in any jewelry store!

ALTERNATE ANGLES

RING VIDEO

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it is not uncommon for people to inherit jewelry from relatives. By hiring a goldsmith, you can rest assured that you can use your existing stones to create something beautiful.

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*A wedding ring completed smashed and bent out of shape.*

I always welcome the chance to restore or remake a destroyed wedding ring. There is something super fun about taking on a project like this.

Many people wonder if a ring can be fixed after it has been smashed or sustained a lot of damage. This post will detail the process of how to remake a destroyed piece of jewelry.

*When attempting the pull the smashed ring apart, the ring snapped in one of the weak spots.*

My original plan was to just melt the ring down and roll it out, then bend it to a ring shape. This could have worked but I wanted to create something seamless and perfect— something that was nearly identical to the original.

I determined that due to the extensive damage the ring sustained, it would be best to cast a whole new ring using the existing materials.

Replicating The Design

*CAD can be used to replicate or design a piece of jewelry with exactness.*

The first step in recreating a destroyed ring is to try to figure out the exact dimensions of the original. In this case, the destroyed ring had plenty of areas where I could measure the exact width and thickness of the ring.

Once the measurements had been taken, the ring was redesigned. Typically this can be done with CAD or by carving a wax by hand. I prefer CAD due to the exactness you can achieve.

Wax Ring Model

Whether you carve a ring model by hand, use a milling machine, or print the jewelry model with a 3-D printer, the final wax model should be ready for casting.

A sprue is attached to the ring that jets out from the surface. This will be used to attach the ring to a base or casting tree.

*Attaching a sprue to the wax with a wax pen.*

The wax model is attached to a base, or “sprued up” as is casting terminology. A wax pen is used to melt the wax and fuse the sprue and the ring model together.

Investing

*Investment powder is weighed on a scale This measurement will be used to fill the flask which holds the ring.*

*Water is added to the investment and stirred in.*

*The wax ring model is enclosed inside of a flask.*

*Investment is poured into the flask. Within a few hours the investment has completely hardened.*

The Burnout

Once the investment has completely hardened, the rubber base is removed and the flask is put into the oven. What happens next is called the “burnout cycle.”

During the burnout cycle the temperature inside the oven ramps up in increments. During this time the wax ring model completely melts and burns out of the flask. Any residual wax is emptied into the wax tray below the flask.

Once the burn out cycle is complete, the flask is brought to casting temperature and is placed in a vacuum casting machine.

Melting & Casting

*The original destroyed ring laying in a crucible.*

*Refined gold is added to the original ring.*

To ensure the new cast is clean and free of defect, “fresh” refined gold is added to the original destroyed ring. It’s always a good idea to add at least 50% refined gold when doing a new casting with existing metal.

A hot flame is applied to the gold sitting in the crucible. Once the gold melts to liquid form, it is then poured into the flask!

Remember the wax model that used to be in the flask? Well that was burned out, leaving a cavity in the investment for the gold to flow into!

*Molten gold fills the void left by the melted wax ring model.*

Molten gold is poured into the flask, perfectly fills the void and assumes the shape of the original wax ring model.

A bit of excess gold is needed to fill the sprue portion. The rest forms a “button”. It’s always good to use a bit extra metal when casting to ensure the jewelry piece comes out as a complete cast.

Finish & Polishing

*The sprue and button are cut off using a jewelers saw.*

*An inside ring grinder is used to achieve a smooth inside surface.*

*A fine sanding disc is used on the outside to smooth the gold and bring the casting out of it’s rough state.*

*A hand tool is used to bring the ring to a semi-polish before it goes to the polishing machine.*

*A lapidary is used to create nice crisp edges on the sides of the ring.*

*The inside ring finger creates a smooth and comfortable surface on the inside of the ring.*

The final polishing wheel smooths out the entire piece and brings it to a high shine.

The Final Result

The completed ring! It’s always such a joy to take a destroyed wedding ring and make it new again.

It doesn’t matter if your ring is smashed, destroyed, or broken—As long as it was made with precious metals such as gold, there’s always hope!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: “I have a ruined ring that I haven’t worn in a long time. Can it be fixed?”

A: Probably! There are many ways to expertly repair jewelry. Worst case scenario, stones and metal can be harvested and used to redesign or remake your ring. Send us a picture of your ruined jewelry for a free quote.

Q: “How much will it cost to repair my broken jewelry?”

A: This entirely depends on what is wrong! Go ahead and contact us and explain what is wrong, we will be happy to give you a free quote!