It usually starts with a sentence someone says at the counter almost in passing: I would like something that is not in the display case. Sometimes it is about a stone inherited from a grandmother, sometimes about a form someone has been carrying in their head for months, sometimes about a pair of earrings exactly like these, only in a different alloy and with a different texture. Most of our gold commissions begin with that sentence.
Below we describe what can genuinely be designed in gold from scratch, what sets the price of such an order and how long the road from conversation to finished jewelry takes.
What can you order in gold?
In gold we make to order everything we make in our collections: rings, wedding bands, earrings, necklaces, pendants and bracelets. The starting point can be an existing design or a blank page, and formally we run such commissions through the Your Way service, which means full personalization from the first sketch. The Your Way selection available today holds nine rings priced from 2 450 zł to 13 500 zł, and each of them grew out of exactly this kind of conversation.
Details of the service itself are gathered on our jewelry made to order page. If you are thinking about silver, we covered it separately in the piece on custom silver jewelry, because working in that metal follows different rules.
What does the road from conversation to finished jewelry look like?
The road has four stages: a meeting, a design, a visualization and the making. At the meeting we settle the form, the alloy, the color of the gold and the stone, looking at pieces of similar mass and proportion in the display case so the conversation stays concrete rather than imagined. You approve the visualization before any work in metal begins, so nothing is made on a guess.
The design then goes to our own workshop in Warsaw, where every element is created by hand. We described the same process from the Kraków boutique in our text about custom jewelry in Kraków.
585 or 750 gold in a piece made to measure?
Both alloys are available in every commission and they differ in character, not in class. Gold 585, or 14K, is harder, so it takes daily knocks better in thin bands and delicate elements. Gold 750, or 18K, has a warmer, deeper color and leans towards jewelry worn on special occasions.
Choosing one of them also changes the mass and the price of the same form, which is why we always give two quotes before anything begins.
Can different colors of gold meet in one design?
Yes, and it is one of the things that turn out most interesting in an individual commission. We work in yellow, white and rose gold, and two of them can meet in a single design, for example a white setting for the stone on a yellow band, or alternating elements in a necklace. You choose the color separately for each part of the design rather than for the whole piece in advance.
On top of color comes the surface finish: high polish, matte, satin or a hammered texture. Each reflects light differently and ages differently on the hand, which we took apart in our text about gold jewelry finishes.
Which stones do we set in gold?
We set natural stones only, diamonds of D to E color and VVS1 clarity, and in colored stones the AAA class with a stated origin. Every piece comes with a certificate carrying a unique number, and diamonds above 0.3 ct additionally carry a GIA certificate. We source the stones ourselves and set them ourselves, so the brilliance depends on how the stone sits in its setting rather than on a name on a label.
The scale of choice is easiest to see in what has already been made in the Your Way line:
- green sapphire in a princess cut, 0.20 CT, Montana, ring at 3 050 zł
- orange garnet, 0.20 CT, Madagascar, ring at 2 850 zł
- tanzanite, 0.30 CT, Tanzania, with side diamonds, ring at 4 150 zł
- diamond of 0.40 CT, D color and VVS1 clarity, with side diamonds, ring at 13 500 zł
How much does gold jewelry weigh and how does that show in the price?
The price of a gold commission is set first of all by the mass of the metal, because everything we make is solid gold, with no hollow profiles. It is easiest to show on finished examples from the catalog, where the same line grows together with its size:
- Raw N°1 earrings, 5 mm across, about 0.88 g, 1 450 zł
- Raw N°3 earrings, 10 mm across, about 1.79 g, 2 250 zł
- Raw N°8 earrings, up to 25 mm long, about 5.46 g, 4 750 zł
- Angle N°1 necklace, element 30 x 8 mm, about 6.97 g, 8 650 zł
- Angle N°2 necklace, element 30 x 5 mm, about 11.64 g, 11 950 zł
That is why, when quoting an individual design, we talk about dimensions and thickness first and about stones second.
Can you change an existing design instead of starting from scratch?
You can, and that is what most commissions look like. In the Raw N°2 earrings you choose the surface texture, in Raw N°7 the two independent elements of the pair, in the Soulmate N°4 wedding band a split in the band or a finish that is half satin and half polished. Add to that the alloy, the color of the gold, the size and free engraving.
That road is shorter and the result can be just as personal as a design from scratch. You can also bring your own gold, since we run a recycling program and old elements often return in a new form.
How long does it take, and where can you see the gold first?
A ring or a pair of wedding bands normally takes 3 to 5 working days, and never longer than 7 working days from the confirmation of the order. More complex designs need more time at the design stage, and we say so straight away at the meeting. We also take express orders and can help when the calendar is tight, once the date has been agreed with the workshop.
One thing is worth knowing: jewelry personalized within Your Way is excluded from returns, because it is made for you alone. That is exactly why we suggest starting with a visit. Come to Mokotowska 71 in Warsaw or to Szczepańska 9 in Kraków, hold a few pieces of different mass and different finish, and the conversation about your own design starts from something concrete. Book a meeting or simply drop in, both our Warsaw atelier and Kraków atelier are open Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 19:00.
Frequently asked questions about custom gold jewelry
Can I order jewelry designed from scratch?
Yes. The Your Way service covers a meeting, the design, a visualization and the making, and you choose the gold alloy, the color of the metal and the stone.
How much does custom gold jewelry cost?
The price is set mainly by the mass of the gold and then by the stones. For comparison, gold earrings weighing 0.88 g cost 1 450 zł and a necklace weighing 11.64 g costs 11 950 zł.
Which gold alloy should I choose for an individual design?
Both are equal. Gold 585 is harder and takes daily wear better, gold 750 has a warmer color and the character of jewelry worn on special occasions.
Can I combine two colors of gold in one design?
Yes, we work in yellow, white and rose gold, and two colors can meet in one design, for example a white setting for the stone on a yellow band.
How long does a gold commission take?
Normally 3 to 5 working days, at most 7 working days from confirmation. Express orders are possible once the date has been agreed with the workshop.