How to commission a unique piece of jewellery
Just for you
Have you always thought that commissioning a piece of jewellery is something only other people do? Well think again - here are the answers to all those questions you’ve not yet been brave enough to ask about ordering a truly unique piece of jewellery.
Why is a jewellery commission so special?
The most important thing you need to know about a jewellery commission is that making a special custom-ordered item is what most jewellers enjoy most of all. It’s such a wonderful feeling knowing that a piece of jewellery has someone’s name on it from the very start (metaphorically speaking!) and that this will be a completely unique handmade piece.
What is a bespoke order?
Bespoke orders come about in a range of different ways. Some are requests to tweak or alter an aspect of the design of a piece that is already available. For instance, changing a gemstone, or the size of a pendant. Others arise from a customer having a quite specific design in their head that they would like realising. But in the main, my commissions come from a less formulated idea which is characterised by some kind of emotional significance rather than by design. A pendant to celebrate a milestone birthday, for example, or a replacement wedding ring for a finger with swollen knuckles, and of course the jewellery that means someone can wear a piece of their wedding dress again after decades of it sleeping in a box in the loft.
How do you find the right jeweller that will make something you love?
On the face of it, this might be quite tricky - there are so many wonderful jewellers around to choose from arent’t there?! My advice is to follow your instinct. Look at the kinds of pieces that the jeweller makes - is there a distinctive style that you like? Is there a certain piece, or texture, or design that particularly speaks to you? Of course, you might also need to be considering the potential cost of a piece. You can get a good idea about the likely price bracket of a bespoke order by looking at the standard prices for pieces being sold. Bespoke orders will be a little more expensive than this (see below), but you should be able to make a guess about a ball-park figure, by looking at the price of pieces already made.
How do you ensure that you make an ethical choice?
Of course before making a decision there might be other things you want to consider too..I would suggest you find out about the maker’s eco-credentials. Is the precious metal that is going to be used recycled, or freshly mined? The latter has a much greater impact on the environment. If you’re considering a piece made from silver, then recycled silver is a must, as far as I am concerned. You might also ask about the source of other precious metals, or gemstones. Again, I would advise prioritising fairtrade, or fair-mined. Buying this kind of sustainable jewellery is an ethical choice, and in my mind is unnegotiable.
So, what about the cost of a commission?
A bespoke order does not necessarily mean great expense. If you are looking for a variation of something that a jeweller already makes, then the cost is likely to be the same as advertised, unless the alteration itself demands more precious metal, or a more expensive stone – in which case, this additional cost will be added to the price.
If you would like something completely different, then the price will be calculated based on the cost of the materials, and the time spent designing and making. Remember, however, that you are paying for something that has been designed and hand-crafted by a skilled artist who is responding to your commission with passion and a commitment to make something for you that is completely unique. It’s difficult to place a value on this, isn’t it?!
How does the process work when you commission me to make you a piece of sustainable jewellery?
An early conversation, often done by email or over the phone, establishes the kind of bespoke item you are interested in. There is no cost for this initial consultation. This first step involves a discussion about your ideas, possible design considerations, your budget and likely timeframes for making. If we decide that you are looking for something completely unique, then the outcome of this discussion is that I send you some early design sketches setting out several options for you to consider.
If you choose to go ahead at this point (and there is absolutely no obligation!), I send you a full quote and an anticipated completion date. Where the quote comes to more than £100 then I require 50% of the cost prior to starting to make the jewellery.
Once the piece is finished, I let you know and send you the final invoice before packaging it up and sending it on its way to you!
How would the jewellery arrive?
I use Royal Mail Special Delivery to send all my jewellery to customers, as this provides some insurance were it to go missing or get damaged on its way to you. The jewellery will be hand-wrapped using sustainable packaging – this means recycled cardboard boxes and wraps made from bamboo, or hemp, or sometimes recycled sari-silks which have been put together by a women’s cooperative in India. I tend to vary my gift-wrapping according to the season, and depending on our latest understanding of sustainable and ethical materials. If you had any special requests, then I’d be happy to discuss these with you.
What happens next?
All that remains next is for you to wear, or gift your unique piece of jewellery. Each time it is worn, it is celebrating all that is wonderful about handmade – you are keeping traditional skills alive, supporting more sustainable and ethical ways of doing business, and you own something as completely unique as you are.
What’s not to love?