Custom Orders: How Does It Work?
One of the most fun things I get to do as a gemstone cutter and a designer is create some very unique and custom pieces for my clients. Here, I will outline some of the guidelines to getting a custom piece made by me.
There are three categories of custom work I offer here at The Pacific Lights:
1) Recreations
2) Enhancements
3) Off the Shelf Settings
Recreations
What is a recreated piece?
Recreation is when clients have viewed a previous item I have made and you want me to recreate it. You can modify these items to fit your:
• Ring Size (USA 4 to 10)
• Gold Karat (5, 10, 14, 18 and 24 kt)
• Gold Color (Yellow, Rose, White, and Green gold)
• Gem cut, material, and size:
Lab sapphire,
Lab spinel,
Hydrothermal emerald,
Lab ruby,
Czochralski Alexandrite
My minimum cut size for most main center stones is 6mm - 12mm.
Pendant main stones can be min 6mm - to max 20mm if rough allows
To learn more details about custom gem cutting - visit my articles section “About: Gem designs, sizes and colors"
How to Make an Order
All you need to do is use the website’s Made to Order section. If you need to discuss gem details with me - send me a message alongside your ring order so we can make sure your gemstone is a perfect match to your ring or pendant!
How Long Will It Take?
These types of orders can take minimum 4 weeks, up to 7 weeks if I am very busy. I will make sure to contact you and let you know each step as we go!
My Cherry Blossom ring is a great example of a recreated item where the size, color and gem can all be custom to your liking.
Enhancements
What is an Enhancement?
An Enhancement is building off of what I have already made but with some tweaks and changes. The order is essentially just like a Recreation but with replacements or additional motiffs.
Below are two examples of Enhanced pieces I made for clients. They loved my Cherry Blossom design but wanted to change the theme up a little bit to their liking. For reference, my original Cherry Blossom ring is here.
Photo 1 •The “Moon Garden” ring was the client’s idea, as his partner wanted a more lunar-themed motiffs. I added a crescent moon phase down the band, kept the milgrain detail, and the blossom basket.
Photo 2 •The Greek/Roman-esque leaf design ring has leaves instead of flowers, with a flower basket setting and leaves going down both shanks.
Some enhancement pieces are easier to build than others and some will require a consultation to get details and specifics.
Photo 1 - “Moon Garden” ring - 14kt white gold with Czochralski Alexandrite, 7mm - “Hibiscus”
Photo 2 - “Leaf Ring” - 18kt Green gold with 8mm Czochralski Alexanderite - “Youre Such a Snowflake”
How to Make an Order with Enhancements
If you are not sure about the specifics of your project - then we need to have a consultation.
A consultation is about 30-40 minutes where a client and I will screen share on Zoom (you do not need to have a camera on you for me to share my screen with you, so no worries!) so that we can get details and specifics clearly communicated.
Price for Consultations
• Consultations are $30 and the cost goes towards your purchase.
• Consultations are NON-REFUNDABLE but can be used towards your purchase for up to 3 months. After 3 months, a new consultation will need to be booked, with a new fee.
Enhancement orders have the same commision contract agreements which you can view here.
Off the Shelf Settings
Stuller is a brand name in the jewelry industry and has a wide array of simple to extravagant settings that your custom-cut gemstone can be set in.
They can offer beautiful high-quality melee stones and lab diamonds for our project, as well as natural or lab diamonds for your side stones. This is a really great option for more commercial-style pieces or pieces with lots of small stones and details.
Below are some examples of these rings I have set for clients.
You can browse this catalog anytime here.
Prices in the catalog are only for the setting + labor + shipping. **They do NOT include your custom cut gemstone you will order from me**
An 8mm Moissanite in a Stuller band with lab diamonds.
A Moissanite in an emerald cut, with lab diamonds on the side from Stuller.
A beautiful 14kt yellow gold “scroll work” band provided by Stuller, with a green lab sapphire I cut and set for the client
A gorgeous natural Tourmaline I cut, and the client found this beautiful setting from Stuller with lab diamond accents.
