Custom Design 103: The CAD Review Process
A very special and often unexpected part of working with Alx&Co. for your design is our extremely thorough CAD review process. This is another integral way that we are very different from most fine jewelers: our clients see their designed piece before production, with nearly every element clearly articulated in the design. This involves sharing drafts of designs with clients so that they can envision the piece its ultimate form and make edits according to their own taste. A lot of jewelers who say that they offer custom design services don’t actually engage this process with their clients because they would rather not endure what can be a multiple-iteration back-and-forth conversation of a piece, but we find that when clients have the opportunity to edit their own ideas, the pieces turns out better 100% of the time…
Custom Design 102: Sourcing Your Gemstone
If you are lucky enough to have an heirloom gemstone that you are happy to use in your custom design, you can skip this step. Most people, though, will start their custom engagement design process empty handed and in need of an anchor gemstone to tie their design together. At Alx&Co., we provide full gemstone sourcing services for our clients and are happy to walk you through purchasing the perfect center stone for your design. That being said, we do our gemstone sourcing a little differently than most jewelers, so here is a helpful primer on how we do it…
Custom Design 101: What We Cover in Your First Design Appointment
So, you booked your first design appointment with Alexandria & Company - congratulations! You just made a huge step in moving your design idea forward. We know it can take a lot of research, referrals, and thinking to get here so first, allow us to say thank you for considering us for your project. We are very different from the traditional fine jewelry story experience, so you may be wondering what to expect from the process at this point. While every job is different, here are some basic elements we will hope to cover during your first consultation…
Tips to Help You Get the Ring You Want (and Still Be Surprised!)
Picture this: you’re sitting with your partner, enjoying a beautiful scenic overlook after a long hike on one of your favorite trails. The weather is perfect, and the view is stunning. You lean over to rifle through your backpack for a bottle of water, and when you look up you see your partner bent on one knee, holding open a small ring box. You are stunned: you had no idea they were planning this! You peek in the box and the ring is…