GRACE GOW CREATES
Grace Gow helps you transform the jewelry you never wear into new pieces you'll enjoy every day.
Designing Your Dream Jewelry Piece
With a plethora of ready to buy jewelry available in the market, you will be spoiled for choice. But sometimes, despite all the variety you may have in front of you, there would still be a struggle to find the perfect piece that matches your vision. This is where custom jewelry comes into play. Designing your dream jewelry piece is an exciting and personal creative process.
Perhaps you are looking to create a custom wedding or engagement ring or maybe you want to reinfuse some life into a family heirloom. Whatever your motivation, there are several steps to consider. Here’s everything you should keep in mind when designing your dream jewelry piece.
Concept & Design
The first step - prior to anything else - should be to look for inspiration. Whether you source your inspiration from a personal memory or find it in nature, the most important thing is to have a clear idea of what you want to create. Create a concept for your piece - is it a necklace, a bracelet, a pair of earrings or a ring? Do you imagine it to have a gemstone? How about the texture or any patterns or motifs? Are you designing for a special occasion or is this a passion project? A rough sketch is a great way to visualize your idea and work out the kinks through trial and error.
Choosing the materials
Once your design concept is in place, you should start to consider the materials you will use to create your masterpiece. Gold, Sterling Silver, Platinum and other precious metals are typically used to craft fine jewelry pieces. You can choose to use natural gemstones such as diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds or opt for lab-grown gemstones. Depending on your preference, you can also choose to use a combination of materials.
Collaboration with a Jeweler
Now that you have a clear idea of the design and the materials you would like to use, it’s time to find an expert to make your vision come to life. Find a professional jeweler to collaborate with, and together you can fine tune the details. A jeweler can not only help confirm the materials that would be best suited for your piece but also help you source them, and then guide you through the process of crafting your unique jewelry piece. If you’re looking to create a custom ring in Seattle then head on to Pioneer Square and visit Cat at Grace Gow. You can join the Wax On Workshop, a place where you will be able to dive into an immersive ring carving experience led by jewelry designer Cat McCadden.
You could opt for group events which are creatively energizing and collaborative–and hosted in fun places like hotel rooftops and pottery studios. However, if you are more creative in quiet time then you could also reserve a private workshop led by Cat that’s for just you and your loved one to create anything you can dream of.
Quality Check
Customizing your own jewelry is an extraordinary experience. You’re the key decision maker for every step of the crafting process - so the responsibility for maintaining the high standard of quality you would normally expect from a store-bought piece lies in your hand. Throughout the crafting process your jeweler should be able to guide you through quality checks and use their expertise to ensure your piece is created with the highest standards of craftsmanship. Once your wav model is created with thorough quality checks, you can then have your wax model cast into your desired metal with help from your jeweler.
It’s wise to perform a thorough check of your final piece, especially if it is for a special occasion, before accepting delivery and taking ownership.
Care & Maintenance
Now that you have designed and created your own fine jewelry piece, it is essential that you take proper care of it. Take a look at our Ring Care and Maintenance guide to help you protect your handcrafted creation for a long time to come.
Perhaps you are looking to create a custom wedding or engagement ring or maybe you want to reinfuse some life into a family heirloom. Whatever your motivation, there are several steps to consider. Here’s everything you should keep in mind when designing your dream jewelry piece.
Concept & Design
The first step - prior to anything else - should be to look for inspiration. Whether you source your inspiration from a personal memory or find it in nature, the most important thing is to have a clear idea of what you want to create. Create a concept for your piece - is it a necklace, a bracelet, a pair of earrings or a ring? Do you imagine it to have a gemstone? How about the texture or any patterns or motifs? Are you designing for a special occasion or is this a passion project? A rough sketch is a great way to visualize your idea and work out the kinks through trial and error.
Choosing the materials
Once your design concept is in place, you should start to consider the materials you will use to create your masterpiece. Gold, Sterling Silver, Platinum and other precious metals are typically used to craft fine jewelry pieces. You can choose to use natural gemstones such as diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds or opt for lab-grown gemstones. Depending on your preference, you can also choose to use a combination of materials.
Collaboration with a Jeweler
Now that you have a clear idea of the design and the materials you would like to use, it’s time to find an expert to make your vision come to life. Find a professional jeweler to collaborate with, and together you can fine tune the details. A jeweler can not only help confirm the materials that would be best suited for your piece but also help you source them, and then guide you through the process of crafting your unique jewelry piece. If you’re looking to create a custom ring in Seattle then head on to Pioneer Square and visit Cat at Grace Gow. You can join the Wax On Workshop, a place where you will be able to dive into an immersive ring carving experience led by jewelry designer Cat McCadden.
You could opt for group events which are creatively energizing and collaborative–and hosted in fun places like hotel rooftops and pottery studios. However, if you are more creative in quiet time then you could also reserve a private workshop led by Cat that’s for just you and your loved one to create anything you can dream of.
Quality Check
Customizing your own jewelry is an extraordinary experience. You’re the key decision maker for every step of the crafting process - so the responsibility for maintaining the high standard of quality you would normally expect from a store-bought piece lies in your hand. Throughout the crafting process your jeweler should be able to guide you through quality checks and use their expertise to ensure your piece is created with the highest standards of craftsmanship. Once your wav model is created with thorough quality checks, you can then have your wax model cast into your desired metal with help from your jeweler.
It’s wise to perform a thorough check of your final piece, especially if it is for a special occasion, before accepting delivery and taking ownership.
Care & Maintenance
Now that you have designed and created your own fine jewelry piece, it is essential that you take proper care of it. Take a look at our Ring Care and Maintenance guide to help you protect your handcrafted creation for a long time to come.
LET'S CREATE
The feeling I strive to create for my customers is a ‘it’s summer somewhere’sensibility, one that will make them feel both free and strong the moment they put on my jewelry, no matter what they’re wearing.”