Traverse City Jewelry - Custom Design

Custom Design

	Step 1 - Initial Meeting The most important step in custom design is the relationship we establish with you, our customer. We begin the design process by really listening to your desires, discovering your personality and discerning how you live your life. Some clients have a clear vision for their custom jewelry while others are looking for inspiration and direction. Our experienced designers and goldsmiths are here to assist and guide you through the entire design process so that the finished piece is one that you can truly call your own.
	Step 2 - Wax Model With an approved idea and sketches or photos in hand, our master craftsmen begin the delicate process of carving a wax prototype to scale. These prototypes provide a reliable visual representation of the actual shape of the finished piece.
	Step 3 - Casting We turn the perfected and approved wax models into the plaster cast that is used to forge your jewelry. We use a very delicate process called “lost wax casting.” When successfully completed, it produces a cast that is identical to the wax prototype. However, if the investment process destroys the wax model, the jeweler must start from scratch and re-carve the original wax prototype. The finished plaster cast is then filled with molten metal to create a rough casting.
	Step 4 - Rough Jewelry After the cast has cooled, the result is a rough form of the final jewelry piece. Our craftsmen take this time to file off jagged edges and prepare the piece to receive its precious stones.
	Step 5 - Setting the Stones The piece is now ready to receive its gemstones. Each precious stone is set by hand, and we can use a variety of setting styles. Depending on the number and type of stones, this may be the shortest or longest step in the custom jewelry design process.
	Step 6 - Polishing After our craftsmen place the finishing touches on a piece, it undergoes a rigorous inspection in this last step of the custom jewelry design process.