The short answer: a custom ring will almost never resell for more than the metal and stone value. A branded ring - Tiffany, Cartier, Van Cleef - commands a...
Yes, absolutely. And I’d argue it’s one of the most practical reasons to go custom in the first place. The question isn’t really whether it can be done -...
Six to ten weeks, if everything goes right. That's the honest range. Anyone promising you two or three weeks is either rushing something or using stock...
Yes, and honestly, those are some of my favorite jobs to take on. An engagement ring comes with a whole set of expectations-budget, timeline, pressure from...
I get asked about trends a lot. Usually by someone who's about to drop real money on a ring and wants to be sure they're not buying something that'll look...
Geometric and architectural rings are having a moment, and it's not just a trend - it's a return to something older. Think of mid-century modern jewelry,...
About 40% of the custom work that comes into my studio isn’t for engagements. It’s for anniversaries, promises, milestones, or just because. So yes - you...
Yes, you can. I do it all the time. About 70% of the engagement rings I make start with a stone the client already owns - a grandmother's diamond, an aunt's...
About 23 years ago, during my apprenticeship in Florence, I watched my master goldsmith price a custom band for a local couple. He took the material cost -...
Yes. If your jeweler isn't offering you a 3D model or rendering before they start cutting metal, you're working with the wrong jeweler. That said, there's a...
One essay, one object, one quiet recommendation — delivered slowly, the way these things ought to be.