We love
creating Original jewelry designs & specialize in custom work. The Artist at Green lake are nice people, too! so we work hard to make sure our pieces are affordable, well crafted & built with resposible materials right here in our Seattle Design Studio.
Is custom more expensive?
Our custom Made Pieces are priced comparable to fine quality mass produced pieces, and
you get exactly what you want!
Buying directly from the source saves you money and
you get a better piece of fine jewelry.
To save even more, choose our Green Lake Easy Order Originals or find great deals on our in stock items.
Pricing is based on design complexity & difficulty, metal and gemstones. Many custom shops
are expensive, but we produce top quality Original Designs for less than most stores sell mass produced pieces.
The reason we can is that while a large
factory can mass produce for 10-20% lower cost than us, they sell that item to a
store which must mark it up from 50% to as much as 300% to cover their own costs,
marketing, profits etc. We make that ring for you, to your style and taste, and
sell it to you with no extra markup. We have to pay our rent too, but only once,
not for both a factory and a store. Also, keep in mind, there are no giant factories making the
highest quality jewelry like we create. The best work is done in pretty small shops,
usually with no more
than 75-100 artisans, often far smaller, and even well known designers usually have
their pieces made in modest size shops, so we are actually fairly large and efficient
compared to our peers.
What's the price range to Design my Own Custom Piece?
Look
Through our galleries to get a feel for price ranges. Hundreds of our Green Lake
Original Designs have exact pricing and price ranges price to custom design a similar piece.
Have you found a favoritedesign, but wonder how to keep the price down? Live chat, click "Ask a Designer"
or call 206.527.1108 or 888.339.1709
nationwide. We have all kinds of ideas to make your favorite design perfect for
you and your budget.
How Long Will It Take? Well...How long would you like
it to take?
All kidding aside, we work at a pace that satisfies each client. Designing Custom
Jewelry is fun and many people like to take their time and relish all the little
details ... Other clients either don't have that luxury or just prefer to get on with it!
You have a lot of control of the time-line so let us know what suits you best. Many
custom designs can be completed within 2-4 weeks, but the design phase can extend
that time frame. We can meet most deadlines, but many people prefer a slower paced
design process and so jobs without a "Rush" often take 4-8 weeks from "Thinking
about it" to "Wearing it"... Most Experienced Bench Jewelers have made a gift for
a loved one in one long day, so trust us! We can fit the schedule you need!
Free Shipping Once completed, orders will be shipped
via FedEx or UPS 2 day air (U.S. addresses) or USPS to
APO address at no additional charge.
International Orders & Shipping
We offer free shipping and insurance to all our shipping destinations. International customers will be responsible for any duties, VAT, taxes or surcharges levied or charged by their country. Please check with local authorities prior to placing your order to confirm taxes and duties. Military personnel located overseas may also have their packages shipped to an APO or FPO location free of charge. APO/FPO shipments are done through the US Post Office and can take longer (sometimes up to three weeks) to arrive.
...More info
How does it work?
We begin with a conversation to discuss your design ideas, timeframe
& Budget, do quick sketches, and answer any questions that you have. When a design
is settled, a firm, written estimate will be given for the project, a deposit taken
and the creation begins!
Next: Detailed drawings, CAD
models, Wax Models (we send them for you to try on if you like!), then casting,
detailing, stone setting, filigree or engraving
and final finishes come last.
...More Info
How do I choose the best metal for my custom ring?
We find that If price is not considered, Platinum
is almost always first choice for white metals.
White gold is very popular, strong
and whiter than ever. Also, newer white Gold alloys are less likely to cause
iritation than they used to. We also offer Palladium 950, a platinum group
metal, with similar properties at only much lower cost than Platinum. Of course we cast in all alloys of Gold, and even do
exotic Alloys like Stainless steel and Titanium for certain types of work
...More info
...Metal Color Sample Images
Can I have my own metal melted down and reused in a
custom piece?
We have the capability to do this, but do not recommend re-using metal from an old
piece of jewelry or scrap. Because alloys vary from piece to piece, there is no way to control the chemical
composition or structural integrity of the new piece if we do not know the source
of the metal.
Generally Yellow Gold recasts ok, but white gold does not. We do not
recast platinum or palladium. We offer properly recycled metals as an option for
new castings. We can take in old jewelry for “scrap value” credit towards your custom
project, and order newly recycled metals that have been accurately chemically balanced.
Can I use my own stones in a custom piece? Will you
set my Stone?
Yes! As long as your stones are in good condition, they can be reset into a new
piece. Contact us for Stone setting fees, as they vary with the value, difficulty
and durability of the stone.
All of our diamonds are Conflict-free
Conflict-free diamonds are stones mined, cut, polished and distributed in ethical
ways, whose profits do not fund war, terrorism the drug trade or other criminal
activity. The Kimberly process was set up to guide and monitor the Diamond industry
and is conformed to by almost all governments of the world and by all the important
diamond producing, cutting and distribution companies of the world.
We only work with diamond cutters and dealers who guarantee their diamonds are sourced under Kimberly rules.
Responsibly Sourced Gemstones & Metals
We care about the Earth, so we make our jewelry in the most carefully & resposible way.
We hand-select fine gemstones that are conflict free; we choose suppliers who care & who make sure that these precious gems are mined responsibly too. We use recycled & responsibly-mined metals to make your fine jewelry too.
As pioneers in large scale custom work, We feel resposible to push the industry to inprove sources & consider the earth first & select the most sustainable, low impact sources for all produsts we use.
What do different sizes and shapes of stones look like?
Click here for images and measurements….
What if I don’t like my custom ring-- what is your guarantee?
We work very closely with each customer to ensure that the design is what they want.
We promise that you will love your custom jewelry or tell us within 30 days of completion
and we will modify, redesign or start over one time for free! The only charge will
be for the difference in price if the new design would have cost more originally.
We will re-design and
re-make one time, for free, as long as the recipient is included in the design process
all the way til the end.
This is not for suprise designs... in the event a suprise design is not loved
like you thought it might be, we will give a partial credit toward a new custom
piece that will vary depnding on many factors. Ask us if you want to do a
Suprise design and we will work this out in advance.
We
also (rarely) reserve the right to exclude the Custom Promise on designs using experimental materials
or structural elements. Customers creating designs that are exempt from having the
Custom Promise will be notified before a deposit is taken and the job has begun.
Lifetime Warranty
We do all of our work right here in our own shop using the highest quality materials
and each piece is carefully inspected prior to shipment.& we guarantee all of our work for at least one year. We also offer a stone loss warranty program, complimentary
with any stone that we set. We stand behind everything we sell and warrant that all
items will be free from any manufacturing defects at the time of delivery. In
the event that there is ever a problem with your jewelry, it can be mailed back
to our offices for inspection. If the problem is determined to be from a
structural defect,we will repair or replace the item at no charge to you. You
may also return your jewelry to our shop for free prong tightening, repolishing,
and cleaning for the life of your fine jewelry, with only nominal shipping fees.
Please Contact Us if you have questions or would like to return your item for
any of our free warranty services.
...More Info
Jewelry Maintenance & Care
Most precious metals and Gemstones will need very little care to keep them looking fresh & new.
A few pointers:
-We suggest having your piece inspected at least every 6 months for wear and gemstone security.
-To keep your piece looking great, try to avoid wearing in the shower or the ocean and put your jewelry on last to avoing getting cosmetics or perfumes on them.
-You can clean most gemstones in commercial jewelry cleaning solution, but don't submerge pearls,
emeralds, opals or anything glued in or inlaid.
-We also do not suggest regular polishing as microscopic amounts of metal are removed each time.
-Many of our matte finishes can be restored with a very soft rub with a scothbrite pad (again, be carefull not to scuff softer gemstones.)
-You can expect to need your rings prongs and shanks built up every 5-15 years
for gold alloys, every 10-20 years for Palladium & once or twice in a lifetime
for Platinum. Pendants and earrings don't get the smae wear and should last a
lifetime without these issues, but pendant bails may need built up on occasion.
-The only gemstones we recommend for engagement and wedding rings, where they
will be worn daily for decades are Diamonds, Sapphires and Rubies. Since even
these gemstones can scratch or chip, all other gemstones are likely to be
damaged much sooner, so be carefull choosing lesser gems for everyday jewelry.