THE BESPOKE PROCESS Q&A’S

  • Remodelling and commissions start from £430.

  • From the date a 50% deposit is paid, it usually takes approximately 15 weeks for a bespoke or remodelled piece of jewellery to be handcrafted by Erin. Wedding bands & more simple designs without stones, may be completed in as little as 6 weeks.

    Should you wish for an express lead time we have two options.

    Option 1: For an additional 10% of the cost of your piece of jewellery we will bring your due date for completion to 10 weeks rather than 15.

    Option 2: For an additional 20% of the cost of your piece of jewellery we will bring your due date for completion to 6 weeks rather than 15.

    This would need to be discussed at the point of placing your order and paying your deposit.

    If you would like something made for a particular date, do contact us. We will always try to accommodate your needs.

  • Erin welcomes commissions within her style. Erin is happy to take inspiration from pieces you love but, due to copyright & appreciation/respect for other designer’s work, does not copy or replicate the work of other designers.

    If you like Erin’s distinctive style but want something personal to you, we’d love to hear from you!

    We have curated our favourite bespoke design options for those hoping to remodel their own jewellery.

  • Erin welcomes remodels & commissions in gold & platinum.

    Erin’s focus is now solely on crafting fine jewellery, so no longer takes on commissions in silver.

    Erin works with recycled gold as standard but can also take commissions in Fairtrade Gold upon request.

    Erin does not make jewellery with any other metals (such as iron, steel, pewter, titanium, brass or bronze).

  • Erin can source a plethora of varied and intriguing gemstones from trusted suppliers. From mega diamonds, to tiny multi-coloured sapphires to unusual pearls and rare garnets! We house a collection of fabulous gemstones in our boutique, simply pop in if you wish to view our selection. If one takes your fancy we can showcase it in a bespoke piece just for you!

  • Erin can melt down & remodel customer’s own old gold and platinum. She no longer works with (or remodels) silver.

    Erin offers a wide range of design options to those wanting to remodel their own 18ct gold or platinum.

    Erin offers select design options to those wanting to remodel their own 9ct gold. Due to the higher/unknown alloy contents of customer’s own 9ct gold we have H&S concerns with regards to melting it down. Melting 9ct gold can give off some unpleasant fumes, so, for a safer workshop environment we solely offers designs that can be cast in your own 9ct gold from a select moulds.

    Erin can combine multiple items together if they are the same carat/metal. She can melt & combine 18ct & 22ct items together but does not melt or combine 9ct & 18ct items. This is due to the way in which gold of different carats melt.

    Gold items brought in for remodelling without a UK traditional hallmark will be tested prior to remodelling.

    Any remodelled gold or platinum will be sent to the London assay office for hallmarking/re-hallmarking. Although uncommon, in some cases remodelled metals may fail to meet the requirements when re-assayed. If an item fails to meet the threshold it will be stamped at the next grade down (unless it fails to meet 9ct requirements and then it will be returned without a hallmark).

    Learn more about the process of transforming old gold into one of Erin’s molten rings here.

  • We recommend remodelling old jewellery when…

    -Piece(s) are sentimental. Why have grandma’s ring in a jewellery box when it can be treasured again?!

    - You like the material(s) of your piece(s) but not the design(s). Perhaps you have a stunning diamond that is not being made the most of in its current dated setting?

    -You are reusing heavier weight or higher carat/value precious metal(s) or gemstones. If you have approx 15g+ of 18ct gold you could have a bangle made for a few hundred pounds that would be worth a few thousand if made with new! Why not combine your old pieces to create something you could wear everyday?!

    -Your pieces are worn, damaged or require notable re-sizing. Sadly, most jewellery has a lifespan. Rings can be worn too thin, claws can break, stones can wear, chip or fall out and rings may need to be resized beyond what their design will allow. In these cases why not remodel the salvageable materials, adding in new as necessary to add durability and life to the pieces?

    In contrast, we don’t recommend remodelling your own 9ct gold into very light weight designs unless it is sentimental as it can be more costly than buying new. This is due to the labour intensive and costly nature of working with a customer’s own gold.

  • Erin can work with your own gemstones subject to review.

    Erin has many years of stone setting experience and will take every care with your own precious gemstones. That said, there is always an element of risk when unsetting and re-setting stones, so use of your own gemstones is always at your own risk. Erin can review your own stones under magnification prior to working with them and can advise you of her findings as necessary.

    Whist Erin has over 20 years of experience within the jewellery industry, she is not a gemologist. As such, she does not offer gemstone certification, identification or valuation services for customer’s own gemstones. We may be able to recommend our Jewellery industry friends for these services should you require them.

    We do not recommend or use customer’s own stones that are broken, have chips or large scratches, although, in some cases we may be able to arrange for these to be re-cut or polished. We may advise you to avoid using particular stones due to their quality or if they aren’t suitable for a particular design or lifestyle.

    We often suggest avoiding old tiny (>2mm) diamonds/gemstones. They can be difficult to safely remove & reset. From our experience, they are often uncalibrated, not perfectly round/cut and/or lack quality/clarity. Inclusion of these types of stones can not only cause technical setting issues but aesthetic ones too. For a reasonable price we can provide alternative excellent quality tiny sapphires, rubies or G VS diamonds to enhance & bring your designs to life!

    Erin can work with customer’s own softer or more fragile stones, such as pearls, emeralds & opals, but advises that they are more at risk when being unset, re-set & worn. These stones should be worn with more care and consideration than their harder counterparts.

  • The short answer is no!

    You don’t require a design appointment to commission something bespoke. If the design you are after is based on a piece Erin has already created this makes things simpler and quicker. For example, if you see a ring you like in the shop and you would like something similar made using your own gold and gemstones this can be discussed, quoted and arranged with Erin’s staff. It speeds up the process up as you won’t need to wait for a design appointment with Erin. Erin’s staff members know Erin’s designs well & will be happy to discuss design options with you anytime Wednesday - Saturday 10-5. The boutique is often quieter in the mornings, but you can pop in whenever convenient to get advice on your options. You can even book in for a design appointment with Jasmine any Thursday-Saturday 10-5pm if you would prefer a set time to discuss your options. Just contact us with a day and time that suits you and we will try our best to accommodate you!

    You can even arrange a bespoke commission via email or phone if this is more convenient.

  • In most cases, Erin’s staff can help arrange bespoke commissions. However, we recommend sit down design appointments with Erin for…

    -Particularly complex/alternative design(s) commissions. Perhaps you have a design idea featuring numerous stones or a design which is unlike something Erin has made before?

    -Those seeking the full bespoke experience of a one-to-one sit down design appointment directly with Erin

    -Those with flexible deadlines. Erin offers bespoke design appointments once a week, so they can get booked up fast!

    Erin’s one-to-one design appointments are usually booked at 10.30am on a Friday (other days and times can be available upon request).

    Weekly design appointments help Erin to manage her workload so she can keep our boutique full of beautiful things, engage in the day-to-day demands of running a business & give each of her bespoke remodels and commissions the time & attention they deserve. We thank our valued customer’s for their patience; please contact us for the next available design appointment.

  • Whether you book a design appointment with Erin or one of her staff, design appointments usually take between 30 minutes and 1 hour.

    During this time we can discuss your lifestyle, design vision, your expectations, requirements, budget & deadline. We can offer expert guidance and suggestions to help you decide on a design you’ll love!

    Sometimes sketching is part of the process. We may also need to take measurements, weigh and/or photograph items as well as size you for the perfect fit!

    If we are remodelling items we may need to keep hold of them while quoting, in this case, we will provide a record for any items left in our care.

    Find out more information on preparing for a design appointment here.

  • Yes!

    We offer design appointments over the phone or via zoom.

    We can also communicate via email & post jewellery internationally. You don’t have to be local to commission something bespoke!

  • To get an accurate quote we first need to determine the desired design via a design appointment or via discussion in person, over the phone or by email.

    Once a design is settled, we can work out an accurate quote. We aim to send quotes to you via email 1-2 weeks after confirming a design. We honour quotes for 14 days due to fluctuating metal prices.

    We will send you a quote via an email with a PDF attachment (keep your eyes peeled as these emails can ends up in your junk folder).

    Once you have received the quote you can accept or decline it. To book the work into Erin’s schedule we kindly ask for a 50% deposit.

  • Once you have received a quote, if you would like to proceed, we kindly ask for a 50% deposit to book the work into Erin’s schedule. The final balance will be due on completion/collection of the work.

    Any deposit or payment can be paid…

    -Over the phone via card

    -Via bank transfer. Upon request we can email you an invoice which details our bank details. Please note if you choose this form of payment we kindly ask that you inform us when your payment has been arranged, so we can keep an eye out for it depositing into our accounts and update your invoice accordingly.

    -In person in our boutique via card or cash

    Alternatively you can choose to pay for commissions (up to the value of £2500) via the OwnArt scheme. This credit agreement allows you to break commission or purchase costs down into 10 monthly payments, interest free! Further information on this scheme is available here. Simply contact us if you wish to arrange payment using the OwnArt scheme.

  • We do not currently engrave in house but collaborate with a brilliant hand engraver based in Somerset. He is trained in the traditional art of hand engraving…no computers in sight! We can offer bespoke engraving on many items. Prices for engraving start at £85.

    If you would like to add engraving to your order you may need to factor in additional time for this charming addition.