Custom-Made Jewellery in Cape Town
Custom-made jewellery pieces are the epitome of personalised gifts. Whether you are looking for a custom engagement ring, a thoughtful birthday gift or a retirement gift, our talented Jewellery Designers and Goldsmiths are ready to transform your vision into a reality.
With possibly one of the largest selections of coloured gemstones and diamonds to choose from in South Africa, the custom-made jewellery possibilities are endless. Read on to learn more about our custom-made jewellery process and what you can expect when designing a bespoke jewellery piece for yourself or a loved one at Mark Solomon Jewellers.
If you aren’t based in Cape Town and are unable to visit our showroom, don’t worry. We are able to liaise with both our international and local clientele online via WhatsApp and email, or by any other means you might feel comfortable using.
Our Jewellery Designer in the process of sketching a bespoke 3 Stone Diamond ring.
The Consultation
During the custom-made jewellery process, our designers will collaborate with you to ensure that the custom jewellery piece you envisaged comes to life. We aim to always ensure the final piece is as beautiful and special as you imagined and hoped it would be.
Step 1 of the custom-made jewellery process begins with either an online consultation or an obligation-free consultation in-store where we’ll go through your ideas and offer suggestions when needed. Our Jewellery Designers will use this opportunity to get to know you and advise you on your design inspiration. At this point, we will start discussing which precious metals you’d prefer to have your piece crafted in and what sort of sparkling gemstones you’d like to incorporate in your bespoke design.
Designing a Custom Engagement Ring
Custom engagement rings are one of our most popular bespoke requests. And even though custom designing an engagement ring can feel daunting due to the sheer variety of options available, it is a beautiful way to create a meaningful experience where your love comes to life and is declared through the piece.
A custom design for a special client: An Oval Diamond & Tanzanite engagement ring with a beautiful hand-engraved band.
Our Jewellery Designers are here to keep you from feeling overwhelmed by the vast amount of options and to help you navigate the creative possibilities that come with designing an engagement ring. Contrary to popular belief, custom designing an engagement ring isn’t automatically more expensive than choosing a ready-to-wear engagement ring, and can actually help you get more out of your budget if you choose wisely. For example, if you’ve chosen a diamond to be the main feature of your custom engagement ring and you would like it to be a larger carat weight, you can opt for a slightly lower diamond colour to help you stay within your budget.
Perhaps the love of your life has always dreamt of wearing a gemstone other than a diamond in their engagement ring. Designers provide expert guidance on gemstone durability, which depends on three distinct gemological factors: Mohs hardness (scratch resistance), toughness (resistance to chipping and fracturing along cleavage planes), and environmental stability. We help you choose stones suited to daily wear or design protective mountings (such as bezel or halo settings) for more delicate gemstones.
Our Jewellery Designers are also happy to help you determine which precious metals are better suited to different lifestyles and even personalities when designing a custom engagement ring for your partner. Read this great resource from the GIA if you’d like to know more about what to keep in mind when purchasing a diamond engagement ring.
Desired Price Range:
As one of Cape Town’s premier manufacturing jewellers, we aim to make your dreams come true with custom-manufactured items that suit your price range.
If you don’t have a desired price range in mind, we’ll guide you through this process too. Prices can vary tremendously depending on the desired design, preferred manufacturing process, precious metal types, gemstones and diamond sizes, cut, clarity, and colour. The custom-made jewellery process can often seem overwhelming, but it certainly doesn’t have to be. Our Designers will ensure you’re equipped with all the knowledge you need to make informed decisions tailored to the budget you have in mind.
Behind the scenes of bespoke creation: an unfinished cluster halo ring mounting positioned over its original technical design drawing and precise measurements.
Finalising the Design:
After discussing your vision, our Designers will start hand sketching or creating CAD (computer-aided design) renderings. Designs may evolve through several iterations before the final design is reached. Once we’ve narrowed down the design, discussed any modifications you might want to make, and decided on metal type and stone specifications, our Designers will begin drawing up your quote. At this point, we encourage our clients to visit our studio in person to view the extensive collection of diamonds and/or gemstones we have in stock. If your design requires very specific gemstones, our Designers will begin sourcing different options for you.
We are fully equipped to deliver directly to your door, fully insured! And please remember, if you are unable to visit our showroom, don’t worry. We’re able to liaise with both our international and local clientele online via WhatsApp, email consultations or by any other means you might feel comfortable using.
Deposit:
Once you’ve approved the design and quote, our Goldsmiths are ready to bring your piece to life. To start manufacturing or reserve your chosen diamond or gemstone, we simply require a deposit to get underway.
Custom Manufacturing Begins:
Once your design is finalised, your dream jewellery piece will be custom crafted in precious metals by our team of Goldsmiths.
Our traditionally handcrafted jewellery is not only a sought-after addition to any collection but also a testament to our high standards of quality. The Designers and workshop are in constant communication to complete the creative cycle from the initial design to the final piece. We take great pride in being one of the most established and celebrated diamond manufacturing jewellers Cape Town has to offer.
Our MS Signature Solitaire Ring – Manufactured in our workshop by our Goldsmiths.
Depending on the design and the availability of your chosen materials and gemstones, your custom-made jewellery piece could be ready to collect within just a few days.
Depending on your bespoke design, our master goldsmiths utilize either traditional hand-forging—which work-hardens the metal to provide maximum density and tensile strength for daily-wear mountings—or precision lost-wax investment casting from 3D CAD models to achieve intricate, highly sculptural geometries.
Commission Complete
The commission is complete once your custom-made jewellery piece is ready and the balance is paid. You can then pick up your jewellery in person from our Sea Point showroom. For our clients outside Cape Town, we use tracked and insured courier services.
Contact our highly qualified Jewellery Designers today should you wish to design your own custom-made jewellery piece.
