Designing a piece of bespoke jewellery isn’t necessarily about owning something that no one else has. Instead, it’s about creating a piece that reflects your personal story and celebrates life’s most meaningful moments.
Whether it’s redesigning a family heirloom into a contemporary, wearable piece, or producing a unique engagement ring from the very beginning, the bespoke process with Banks Lyon is designed to be enjoyable, collaborative and completely centred around you.
Our specialists are trained to design unique pieces of jewellery, taking any sense of overwhelm away from the process and making sure it is an enjoyable experience. We will guide you through various considerations and incorporate the essence of what you’re wanting to achieve, so that your final piece is one that will be cherished for years to come.
Below you will find a step-by-step guide to demystify how our bespoke jewellery design process works and demonstrate that it is not an intimidating process or one reserved solely for luxury collectors.
When To Use Our Bespoke Jewellery Service
Some clients wish to craft a piece entirely from scratch. Perhaps they are wanting to propose with a custom engagement ring, or create something to commemorate a significant milestone.
Others may have inherited a ring or another piece that’s not to their personal taste. Rather than leaving these memories unworn, remodelling old jewellery into something new allows their emotional significance to continue whilst creating jewellery you'll genuinely love wearing. Original diamonds and gemstones can often be incorporated into an entirely new design, preserving family history whilst reflecting your own personality.
Ultimately, there’s no hard and fast rule about when to create a bespoke piece of jewellery but the result is guaranteed to be something deeply meaningful.
Most bespoke commissions are completed within approximately 4 to 8 weeks, although more intricate designs may occasionally require longer depending on complexity and gemstone sourcing.
Furthermore, because every design is created specifically for you, budgets can often be tailored around your requirements and costs can be spread into manageable monthly payments using a range of finance options, including 0% finance. Using existing heirloom diamonds or gemstones can also make remodelling an excellent value option.
Step 1: The Consultation – Turning Ideas into Inspiration
Every exceptional piece begins with a conversation. At Banks Lyon, your journey starts with a private, no-obligation design consultation. This relaxed appointment is designed to understand your ideas, inspirations and aspirations and to collaborate on possible ways to bring your vision to life.
You may plan on remodelling old jewellery into a new design, or you may want to create something new entirely. Whatever your aim, you don’t need to arrive with a fully formed design or idea as our specialists are on hand to guide you with this.
If you do have a solid idea of what you’re wanting to create, you may decide to bring a Pinterest mood board, photograph, sketches, or even other pieces of jewellery that will complement the design you’re wanting to create. For those with less tangible ideas, you may simply wish to describe your relationship with the recipient or the feeling you’re wanting your bespoke piece to evoke.
At this initial appointment, there’s no obligation to commit and our experienced design team will transform your thoughts into initial concepts that reflect your personality and story.
Step 2: Refining the Design Together
One of the biggest misconceptions about the bespoke jewellery design process is that the first sketch becomes the finished piece. In reality, the design stage is highly collaborative and can undergo multiple revisions.
After your consultation, we will begin by hand-drawing a few concepts and decide what best suits your vision and taste. Once we have made any adjustments to the hand drawn design, we will then turn those initial concepts into detailed digital renders and visualisations. By doing this, you’re able to see your jewellery from every angle without having to go through a costly and time-consuming process of creating and recreating physical moulds of what you want your piece to look like.
At this stage, you are able to refine every detail, including:
- Stone size and setting
- Band profile and width
- Metal choice
- Diamond or coloured gemstone selection
- Fine design details and finishing touches
You can make multiple revisions at this point and it is not until you’re completely content with every aspect of the design that we will begin creating your piece.
Step 3: Bringing Your Jewellery to Life
Once your design is approved, the craftsmanship begins. This is where our many decades of experience meets our exceptional attention to detail to ensure that your bespoke jewellery piece exceeds your expectations.
Our master goldsmiths combine traditional techniques with modern precision technology to carefully handcraft your jewellery. Every setting is expertly mounted, every surface meticulously polished and every detail inspected to ensure the finished piece is exactly how you envisioned it.
Furthermore, each completed piece is independently assessed and hallmarked through the Birmingham Assay Office. This provides you with the reassurance of its authenticity, quality and precious metal content.
It's this combination of traditional craftsmanship and rigorous quality standards that transforms an idea into a piece designed to last for generations.
Your Story Deserves Something Truly Unique
Whether you're dreaming of a one-of-a-kind engagement ring, transforming inherited jewellery into something contemporary or celebrating a personal milestone, the bespoke process is designed to be enjoyable, collaborative and completely centred around you.
If you'd like to see what's possible, get in touch to book your no-obligation, complimentary consultation.