How To Create The Custom Jewelry of Your Dreams

Custom jewelry is a way to create a personalized, one-of-a-kind keepsake. Whether a beloved relative gave you a diamond, you have old jewelry you want to revive, or you saw a show-stopping piece, with some creativity, you can turn these ideas into the jewelry of your dreams. If you’ve wanted a special ring, pendant, earrings, cuff links or really anything, at Peter Franklin Jewelers, we can transform that idea into jewelry. 

Engagement rings and wedding bands are the most popular custom pieces. Some customers just have a vision for a piece they’ve always wanted. We’ve made everything from custom belt buckles to pendants with a child’s handprint to rings for sports champions. At Peter Franklin, the design process is collaborative and creative, and custom work is more affordable than you might expect. We’ve invested in the latest technology and training, and we’re always refining our craft. 

If you’re considering custom jewelry, let us explain the process:

Gather Inspiration and Ideas

Whether you have jewelry you’d like to turn into something new or just crave an original piece, you need to start with ideas. We recommend browsing magazines, our website, and Pinterest to gather inspiration on the styles you like — and the ones that you don’t. If you admire a friend or family member’s jewelry, take a picture. Save these images so that you can share them with us. You should also think about possible settings, stones and metals. If you want to combine several ideas, try sketching out your dream piece.

Collaborate with a Professional

Once you have a good idea of what you want, it is time to make an appointment with a customer experience professional. Our sales team is highly trained to guide you through the design process. They’ll want to see all of your inspirational pictures and gather details. Some things they’ll ask:

• Do you have a stone or stones to use or do you need to purchase gemstones? We’re happy to work with stones that you have or help you pick stones from our large collection of diamonds and precious gems. 

• What metal would you like to use? White gold and yellow gold are the most popular, while platinum and rose gold are other strong choices.

• The cost is influenced by the metal you choose and if you need to purchase a stone or stones. The amount of labor involved with creating your piece is another important factor. A more intricate item with a lot of stones will be more expensive than a simple design.

• What is your timeline to receive the item? While we sometimes can create an item in a few days, it typically takes three to four weeks. We want to make sure your design is perfect!

Behind The Scenes

From start to finish, we keep the entire process in-house, which is a rarity in the jewelry business. At Peter Franklin Jewelers, we have one of the most advanced custom production systems in the region and we’re among just 5% of jewelers nationwide that use this casting system.  

Our senior designer Dave Konkle has designed more than 2,500 custom pieces. To create your custom piece, he takes the sketches and pictures and renders them into a scaled drawing. He then transfers the design into a computer program called CAD, which is also used in architecture, and renders it in color. Using a three-dimensional printer, he then grows a mold and mills a wax model. You’ll get to hold it and try it on. Once you give us your approval, we can use the mold for the item and begin creating the custom jewelry. We polish the metal, set the stones and make sure everything is perfect.

When you’re ready to get started, visit one of our three Northeast Indiana locations in Angola, New Haven or Fort Wayne, and browse our website to see examples of our work. Our customer experience professionals are ready to help bring your jewelry dreams to life.