Designing Your Bespoke Piece

“It's a wonderful way to co-design with a client to create a piece that is 'Found Treasure' in essence and equally a reflection of their style.”

Naomi believes jewellery should be meaningful and loved for a lifetime. She brings to life not only her own designs, but cherishes working one-on-one with clients to create totally bespoke pieces. Below you’ll find out about the process, and what your custom journey could look like… 

How does the process begin?

N: It all starts with discussing a rough concept. We swap images, mood boards and sketches, which develop into a style that we are both happy with. I am a very visual person and starting out with imagery is a great way to communicate and understand what we are both working towards. We go over details like metals, stones, shape and any specifics that they want the ring or piece to represent.

What are the next steps in ordering a custom piece?

N: We discuss the logistics, like ideal dates to work towards and budget, as I can provide different options for different price ranges. Each ring is designed around the client's style, and with my knowledge of metals and stones I can help to guide my clients towards the best option for them.

Do you offer advice and inspiration?

N: I love this part of my job. I am always brimming with ideas and really enjoy working with clients to develop a design concept. I am constantly creating mood boards and have many styles that I would love to make, so if a client comes to me wanting guidance it's a very natural process. I really care about each piece, style-wise and durability-wise, so whichever design we end up going with I make sure that it will look timeless and fit comfortably.

What details do you need in order to make a custom ring or piece?

• Rough idea or concept

• Ideal date or month

• Budget

• Ring size (we offer free ring sizers)

Details we can figure out together:

• Design, including metals & details

• Stones and setting styles

• Engravings and placement

• Mirror or satin finish

How do you decide on the metal?

N: When designing wedding and engagement rings, 18ct gold or platinum is widely recommended due to its durability and inherent value. 18ct gold is a pleasure to work with and the richness of its tone is beautiful in yellow and white gold. Platinum is a dense metal with a gunmetal like shade, it is heavier than other options and is a rare and special metal to use. I love working with white gold as it has a beautiful golden sheen which glistens over a cool tone, which deepens as you go up the ct's. Lots of jewellers rhodium plate white gold so that it has a light and bright silver tone, although all of my clients so far have really liked the raw tone, which I also love, and means less upkeep. The budget does determine the metal we work with as there is quite a wide price range from 9ct to 22ct, for example. I tend to give a few options depending on each client's specifics.

Are there different ways to create a custom piece?

N: There are a few ways of creating a custom piece. It can be created by hand or designed in CAD, resulting in a mould made of the 3D printed shape. Some designs lean more towards CAD if a client would like a precise style, with lots of stones and geometric shapes, whereas handmade pieces come with a different kind of character and have more room for a wabi sabi style. I really enjoy wax carving which is a mixture of the two styles and is great for fluid shapes similar to the tidal ring, which has been a signature style for me. Understanding the shape helps determine the technique I’ll use and all pieces can be given a handmade look as I finish every piece by hand at my bench.

Why do you love making custom pieces?

N: Each piece is a new opportunity, a new avenue for creativity and a project with many possible outcomes. I love the attention to detail each piece encounters and how personal and meaningful it is. With a bank of styles I'd like to create, it's a wonderful way to co-design with a client to create a piece that is 'Found Treasure' in essence and equally a reflection of their style. I also design around my clients' lifestyle, for example if they are very active, in and out of the water, (sailors, surfers, fishermen/ women etc.) they may want a design that isn't likely to catch, so a bezel or bead setting is preferable over a claw setting. I only work with fine metals ensuring that each piece is high quality, meaning that it will last a lifetime.

How do you weave your customers' story and ideas into an item?

N: Creating a piece that reflects my client is really important and it's one of the reasons I believe people get custom pieces made, as you are designing around them, their preferences and lifestyle. For example, using lab-grown diamonds has been an interesting way to link into eco-conscious lifestyles. Recently I made some wedding bands that had nicknames engraved on the inside that were in each other's handwriting which I loved. Also, designing with stones that are from a particular country can be very important and symbolic. One client wanted a ring with 10 dots on it to symbolise how long they had been together, and being able to convey a special message in a piece is so rewarding.

Can you tell us more about lab-grown diamonds?

N: Using lab-grown diamonds has been an interesting way to link into eco-conscious lifestyles as they are still made from carbon but created in a lab rather than the earth. Therefore they are less expensive overall, you get a diamond that has no natural imperfections and is 100% conflict free.

Which stones are your go to’s?

Diamonds - Champagne, Salt and Pepper, Earth or Lab-grown 

Blues - Sapphires, Aquamarines

Greens - Sapphires, Emeralds

Do you prefer an open brief or a very specific idea?

N: I like to work with a concept, which can be anything from a ring with a geometric stone to designing with the idea of fluidity. Sometimes we even start with the colour of a stone, and design around this with complimenting metals and additional stones that will work well with the colour-ways. Having an idea to go off is a really nice way to work as it feels more collaborative, and the process starts to flow as we are working together from the beginning. 

How long does a custom piece take to create?

N: The process of developing the design can take a matter of days or it can take a month to finalise. Then, I move onto costing and sourcing in terms of stones. The whole process takes around 8-10 weeks in total depending on the design and my current waiting list. If a piece does need to be made sooner, I am always open to discussing options depending on what else I am working on. I also stay in contact with the client as the process unfolds and love hearing about the gifting moments, especially the engagements! There is nothing better!

What sets you apart from other jewellers or brands?

• Attention to detail and building a connection with my clients

• Minimalist style, with ocean elements in a fresh way

• Range of budgets and metals

• Working with a local refinery with recycled metals

• Providing quality in design and overall value  

If you’d like to discuss a design concept with Naomi, or find out more about bespoke pieces by Found Treasure you can get in touch by clicking here. Answer a few questions on an idea you’re curious about and Naomi will get back to you with a mood board and bespoke concept, click below to start your journey.

Q&A by Lottie & Naomi

Photography by Bri, Beatriz & Naomi