Unless you know exactly what you want, you should save some favorites and note any special requests.

Our designer will look through your favorites, notes, and any images you bring, then will discuss your design ideas, help you choose a gemstone, determine a good time frame and budget, do quick sketches, and answer any questions that
you have. We provide price quotes before we start a job, and don't believe in upselling our clients.

When a design is settled, a firm, written estimate will be given for the project, a deposit taken and the creation begins.

Next, we begin more detailed drawings, CAD models, plastic models (for you to try on if you like!), casting, detailing, stone setting, and final touches like filigree, hand engraving, etc.

Our custom made pieces are the quality of a high end designer brand, but priced much more competitively.

Doing all our work in house allows us to control costs to make you a better piece of fine jewelry at a fair price.

Pricing is based on design complexity, metal, and gemstones, we have thousands
of items with sample pricing, and our price quotes are free.

Many custom shops are expensive, but we produce top quality original designs for less, simply because we sell direct to our clients, not through other stores.

Custom engagement rings start around $1,250, carved or engraved bands, pendants and
earrings all start around $750. Our most elaborate engagement rings, with lots of filigree, hand engraving and accent gems, can range up to $10,000 or so for
our most complex work.

We work hard to keep prices reasonable by doing all work in-house. Look through our galleries to get a feel for price ranges, as most of our designs show pricing to custom design a similar piece.

Have you found a favorite design, but wonder how to keep the price down? Live chat, click "Ask a Designer" or call 718.524.7006. We have all kinds of ideas to make your favorite design perfect for you and your budget.

We work at a pace that satisfies each client. Designing Custom Jewelry is fun and many people like to take their time and relish all the little details ... Other clients either don't have that luxury or just prefer to get on with it.

You have a lot of control of the timeline so let us know what suits you best. Some simpler custom designs can be completed within 2-3 weeks, but the design phase can extend that time frame.

We can meet most deadlines, but many people prefer a slower paced design process and so jobs without a "Rush" often take 4-6 weeks from "Thinking about it" to "Wearing it".

Most Experienced Bench Jewelers have made a gift for a loved one in one long day, so trust us! We can fit the schedule you need!

We begin with a conversation to discuss your design ideas, choose a gemstone, determine a good time frame and budget, do quick sketches, and answer any questions that you have. We provide price quotes before we start a job, and don't believe in upselling our clients.

When a design is settled, a firm, written estimate will be given for the project, a deposit taken and the creation begins.

Next, we begin more detailed drawings, CAD models, plastic models (for you to try on if you like!), casting, detailing, stone setting, and final touches like
filigree, hand engraving, etc.

We find that if price is not considered, platinum is almost always first choice for white metals. White gold is very popular, strong and whiter than ever.
Newer white gold alloys are less likely to cause irritation than they used to.

Rose gold, green gold and high karat gold are all great options as well. We cast in all alloys of gold, and even do exotic alloys like stainless steel and titanium for certain types of work.

We offer this as a service for sentimental reasons only, as it is rarely cost effective, for a fee of $350.00 (Yellow gold only).

In order to separate your ring from all others in the casting process, we actually need more gold than what you see in the ring to cast one item alone.
Even then, mixing your gold with our gold we cannot offer a guarantee of success as there is a possibility that the ring will have impurities which could show up later.

A better option is to trade in your metal towards the cost of your custom piece. Ask a designer for details.

We produce a large volume of custom rings every month and have a weekly casting schedule; grouping the same metal types into the same flask of metal.

We work very closely with each customer to ensure that the design is what they want. We promise that you will love your custom jewelry or tell us within 3 days of completion, and we will modify, re-design or start over one time for free! The only charge will be for the difference in price if the new design
would have cost more originally.

We will re-design and re-make one time for free, as long as the recipient is included in the design process all the way till the end. This is not for surprise designs. In the event a surprise design is not loved like you thought it might be, we will give a partial credit toward a new custom piece that will vary depending on many factors.

Ask us if you want to do a surprise design and we will work this out in advance. We also (rarely) reserve the right to exclude the custom promise on
designs using experimental materials or structural elements. Customers creating designs that are exempt from having the custom promise will be notified before a deposit is taken and the job has begun.

We do all our work right here in our own shop using the highest quality materials. Each piece is carefully inspected, and we guarantee workmanship for the life of the item.

If anything were ever to happen to your ring or other item that is clearly a manufacturing defect we will make it right. We do not cover against wear and
tear issues so over time you will need to Maintain your ring including prong retipping, re-engraving, etc.

In the event that there is ever a problem with your jewelry, it can be brought back to our store for inspection. If the problem is determined to be from a structural defect, we will repair or replace the item at no charge to you.

You may also bring your jewelry to our shop for free prong tightening, re-polishing, and cleaning for the life of your fine jewelry.

Please contact us if you have questions or would like to bring your item for any of our free warranty services.

We are super picky about our diamonds:

* Every diamond is chosen for maximum sparkle and value.

* Webuy direct from sight holders, not middle men.

* We pay cash and pass the savings on to our clients.

* We reject 20-50 stones for each one we buy.

* Extensive diamond inventory, not just a feed from overseas.

* Our diamond professionals are simply choosier than most.

* A custom ring deserves a better diamond.

All our diamonds are conflict-free, sourced from mines, countries and cutters with the highest environmental, societal and workplace standards.

Yes!

We are early adopters of blockchain enabled provenance and other technologies to go above and beyond industry standards.

Our Conflict-free diamonds are mined, cut, polished and distributed in ethical ways, do not fund wars, terrorism, the drug trade, or other criminal activity.

The Kimberly process was set up to guide and monitor the Diamond industry and is conformed to by almost all governments of the world and by all the important diamond producing, cutting and distribution companies of the world.

We care about the earth, so we make our jewelry in the most carefully and responsible way. We hand-select fine gemstones that are conflict free; we choose suppliers who care and who make sure that these precious gems are mined responsibly too. We use recycled and responsibly mined metals to make your fine jewelry too.

Yes, you can, as long as your stones are in good condition, they can be reset into a new piece. 

We have all shapes and cut styles of diamonds, as well as vintage cuts like old Euro and mine cut diamonds.

Yes! We have a full-scale shop with highly experienced repair and restoration specialist who repair items every month.

* All work done on premises.

* Extraordinary attention to detail.

* The same level of craftsmanship we give to our custom pieces.

* Our jewelers have laser welders, microscopes, etc.

* Extensive parts and gem inventory.

* All jewelry insured when in our possession.

Platinum vs White Gold

Wedding rings are worn daily and need to withstand a great deal
of wear and tear over the years. Platinum is your best choice as it is malleable and forgiving and doesn't wear down nearly as fast as white gold over time. The fine scratches that appear in platinum are completely normal.

Any precious metal soft enough to set a gemstone or engrave will show dings and scratches, but Platinum doesn't lose material like gold alloys, so the fine scratches stay visible. The dings and scratches can be burnished and polished out, but that will remove a little material each time, whereas white gold alloys will wear away (slowly) with everyday wear and therefore appear more polished.

Platinum is also your best option for a hypoallergenic family heirloom quality material that will last for generations. It is a true silver color where 14k white gold has a light yellow color to it because it is yellow gold mixed with Nickel and Zinc to make it white. Most people are allergic to Nickel or can develop an allergy to it while wearing the ring over time.

The only metal used for jewelry that is guaranteed not to scratch is Tungsten. This is an industrial grade material which is a ceramic powder heated to form in a metal mold. However, it cannot be customized, engraved, or sized and is subject to breaking or cracking if dropped on a ceramic tile floor. It is essentially too hard which is why we don't work with it.

Most precious metals and gemstones will need very little care to keep them looking fresh and new. A few pointers:

* We suggest having your piece inspected every 6 months for wear and gemstone security.

* To keep your piece looking great, try to avoid wearing in the shower or the ocean and put your jewelry on last to avoid getting cosmetics or perfumes on them.

* You can clean most gemstones in commercial jewelry cleaning solution, but don't submerge pearls, emeralds, opals or anything glued in or inlaid.

* We also do not suggest regular polishing as microscopic amounts of metal are removed each time.

* Many of our matte finishes
can be restored with a very soft rub using a Scotch-Brite pad (again, be careful not to scuff softer gemstones).

* You can expect to need your prongs and shanks built up every 5-15 years for gold alloys, every 10-2 years for palladium and once or twice in a lifetime for platinum. Pendants and earrings don't get the same wear and should last a lifetime without these issues, but pendant bails may need to be built up on occasion.

* The only gemstones we
recommend for engagement and wedding rings, where they will be worn daily for decades, are diamonds, sapphires and rubies. Since even these gemstones can
scratch or chip, all other gemstones are likely to be damaged much sooner, so be careful when choosing lesser gems for everyday jewelry.

Jewelry appraisals should be kept up to date reflecting the current value. Diamond, gemstone and precious metal prices fluctuate. It is important to appraise your items every 2-3 years.

Most insurance companies do not cover jewelry items over $1,000 without an appraisal. The items must also be specifically listed in the policy. Many insurance companies do not insure loose diamonds or gemstones. Contact your insurance provider to discuss your policy.

Jewelry stores sometimes offer a “free appraisal” with the purchase of an item. NAGL strongly advises that you obtain a second, independent opinion to confirm the value and quality of the diamonds, gemstones and precious metals.