The word bespoke gets used loosely in jewellery. Sometimes it means choosing a stone from a pre-set menu. Sometimes it means picking a metal colour. At Authentic Chalcedony, bespoke means we design the piece from a blank page, with your stone, your brief, and your approval at each stage. Here is what that process actually looks like.
The first conversation ¶
Most commissions start with an email or a visit to the atelier. You do not need a finished idea. We have had people arrive with a stone wrapped in a handkerchief, a photograph of a piece they saw once and cannot find again, and a colour they remember from a holiday. All of that is enough. The first conversation is about understanding what the piece needs to do: everyday wear or occasional, ring or pendant, a stone you already own or one we source together.
The design stage ¶
After the first conversation, we draw three concept directions. These are hand sketches, not digital renders, because we find that hand drawings communicate proportion and weight more honestly than a computer image. You choose one direction, or elements from two, and we refine it into a final drawing that you approve before any metal is touched. This stage usually takes one to two weeks.
Stone sourcing, if needed ¶
If you do not have a stone, or if the brief calls for something specific, we source it. We have direct relationships with lapidaries in Minas Gerais and Alentejo, and we can access a wider network for less common stones. We send you photographs and measurements of any stone before we commit to buying it. Stone sourcing adds two to four weeks to the timeline if we need to order from Brazil.
The making ¶
Once the design is approved and the stone is in hand, making takes three to five weeks depending on complexity. We send photographs at two points during the process: when the setting is formed but before the stone is set, and when the piece is finished but before final polish. These are not just progress updates. They are genuine checkpoints where you can ask us to adjust something.
Collection and aftercare ¶
You collect the piece at the atelier, or we ship it tracked and insured. Every bespoke piece comes with a hallmark certificate, a description of the stone and its source, and a note of the design specification so we can work on it in future. The lifetime repair policy applies from the day you collect it.
We take a maximum of six bespoke commissions per quarter. If you are thinking about a commission for a specific occasion, the earlier you get in touch the better. Email us at hello@authenticchalcedony.com or use the enquiry form.