Your jewelry is a meaningful symbol and often a significant financial expense. Customizing your dream piece may be easier, more affordable, and quicker than you think. Consider the following benefits and trade-offs when planning your customized jewelry.
Benefits of Customizing Jewelry
Customized rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces have many benefits. Most importantly, you can wear pieces that are a reflection of your personal style and individuality. A design that emphasizes your unique interests is also truly one-of-a-kind. Customized pieces can also be a great investment or a way to show your loved ones how much you care.
Things to Consider
While there are many advantages to truly customizing a piece of fine jewelry, there are some things to consider before you begin this process. For starters, custom jewelry might be more expensive than off-the-shelf designs, and prices can vary depending on how elaborate the design is. It also takes time to create (as long as 12 months in some cases), which means you might be waiting longer to pop the question if you’re customizing an engagement ring. A good rule of thumb is to get started on customization as soon as you can.
How to Prepare to Create Customized Jewelry
Step 1: Do Your Research
If you’re looking to create your one-of-a-kind piece for you or your special someone, the good news is that you’ve already come to the right place! Our jewelry experts are ready and willing to work with you to create the design of your dreams.
You can help the process by researching things like gemstone setting, band type, metal, size, etc. You can start by looking up examples of jewelry that speak to you, and use that to draw inspiration. Having photos similar to the jewelry you’re looking to create can help our jewelers get a sense of your style and help guide the design work.
Step 2: Generate Budget and Timeline
It’s best to have a price range for spending in mind for your custom piece. Our jewelers can offer a ballpark estimate when you bring in your design ideas with details. Your timeline is another factor to consider when going into a consultation. An average timeline for a custom piece may take a few weeks to several months depending on the design and the availability of materials. If this piece is a gift for someone special, consider giving yourself a buffer period of a couple months between when you order and when you expect to have the finished product. Planning ahead will allow you to have the piece just in time for your anniversary, birthday, holiday, or engagement proposal.
Step 3: Schedule a Consultation at Cecil’s Custom Jewelry
This is what you’ve been waiting for! At a consultation, you’ll have the chance to present your proposed design, research, budget, and timeline to our experts. We will work with you to create what you’re wanting and can start designing sketches for you to look over. You can also consider bringing a list of things you DO NOT want in your jewelry, so we know what to avoid. After this initial meeting, our experts can give you a more accurate timeline and budget based on your needs.
Step 4: Receive Your Piece and Celebrate!
Once your jewelry is ready, you can relish this heirloom that will no doubt be a treasure for generations. Congratulations!
We know you’re excited to get started and that’s the easy part. You can learn more about our work and book an appointment at http://cecilsfinejewelry.com/about/ or call us at 501-225-5068.
Incorporating jewelry into your wardrobe is a great way to add some glamour and sophistication to your look. But pairing jewelry with clothes can be rather tricky at times. Luckily, the experts at our Redwood City jewelry store are here to provide you with all the dos and don’ts of pairing jewelry with clothes. Follow these tips to create a flawless look that even professional fashion consultants would be jealous of.
Creating a fashion-forward look is somewhat of an art form. Like most things in art, mixing and matching is generally a good thing. Don’t think that the color of your outfit must match the color of your jewelry (although it can). Play around with your look by wearing gold and silver pieces together, combining long and short necklaces and displaying custom designs with more generic pieces. If you’re wary about mixing your jewelry together, wearing a matching set is never a bad choice, either.
It’s easy to get caught up in the beauty of jewelry and think that more is better. But, unless you want the focal point of your outfit to be your jewelry, it’s best to follow the less is more rule of thumb, especially if you’re wearing a more extravagant outfit. If you do wear a fancy outfit, it should be accented with classic pieces such as diamond studs or an understated gold or silver necklace rather than a statement piece. Too much glitz can sometimes be a bad thing.
Think about what impression your outfit is going to give. Extra large hoop earrings paired with business attire doesn’t say “powerful professional,” instead it screams “hot mess.” Make sure your jewelry matches in terms of the level of sophistication and appropriateness. Don’t wear an outfit meant for a glamorous event with jewelry meant for a relaxed evening with friends. While pairing chic and casual can be done, it only works if done right. Use your judgment and ask yourself if your jewelry and clothes send the statement you’re hoping for.
No matter how amazing your outfit is, if you wear jewelry that’s dirty or in need of repair, your look won’t dazzle the way you want it to. Instead of enhancing your outfit, dirty jewelry will actually distract from the overall intent of the clothes. Keep your jewelry clean to make the most of your designer duds.
Remember, when pairing jewelry with clothes it’s best to pick pieces that you love and that match your overall wardrobe style. Bohemian jewelry paired with a preppy outfit just doesn’t mix well. Take time to think about your style of clothes and pick jewelry that will compliment the outfit rather than distract from it.
To find jewelry pieces that will never go out of style, visit our Redwood City jewelry store. We guarantee we have jewelry that will pair perfectly with your individual style.