What to ask before commissioning bespoke jewellery
The practical questions to raise in a first bespoke consultation, before any deposit is paid.
Understand what is actually customisable
Bespoke can mean anything from choosing a stone within a fixed setting range to a fully original design sketched from scratch. Ask directly which parts of the process are open to change and which are fixed by the studio's process — this affects both price and timeline expectations.
Ask how the process is structured
A useful studio can describe its process in stages: consultation, sketch or CAD review, a physical proof (wax or 3D print), casting, and final fitting. Ask which of your decisions are needed at each stage, and what happens if you want a change after a stage is approved.
Clarify approval points and cost of changes
Find out exactly which approvals are treated as final. Many studios treat a wax or CAD approval as the last point where the design can change without extra cost — ask specifically rather than assuming.
Confirm what happens if the design changes
Life circumstances change during an eight-to-twelve week commission. Ask what the studio's policy is if you need to pause, adjust a stone choice, or in rare cases cancel before casting.
Practical checklist
- Ask which parts of the design are open to change.
- Get the studio to describe its process stage by stage.
- Confirm which approval point is treated as final.
- Ask what happens if your circumstances or preferences change mid-process.