Custom jewelry: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering custom jewelry
Clients commission custom jewelry for meaningful pieces that will be worn for years. Your design process, your metal and stone documentation and your model stage are what win commissions and referrals.
What customers ask
- Can you design a ring from my sketch or my photo?
- What metal do you use, and how is it marked?
- Can you set my family stone in a new design?
- How many revisions do I get before the metal is cut?
- How long will the custom piece take?
How to win the job
- On the first call, ask for the design idea, the metal preference, any stone the client has and the occasion date.
- Show photos of custom pieces from several angles, including the inside of the setting, with the client's permission.
- Make a wax or model before casting, and review it with the client in person or by photo.
- Explain the metal, the karat or purity and the stone details in the written quote.
- Set a clear revision limit and say what changes after casting will involve.
- Give a care sheet for the metal and stones, with cleaning steps and what to avoid.
What to put on your profile
- Photos of custom jewelry from several angles, shown with consent
- A list of your custom services, such as rings, pendants, engagement pieces and stone resetting
- The metals and stone sources you use, described in plain words
- Your design process, including sketches, models and revisions
- Your business registration and any local permit that applies to your studio
Follow-up that helps the customer
- Offer an anniversary or birthday design for a client who came in for a first piece
- Suggest a matching band or companion piece for an engagement or wedding
- Offer a cleaning and inspection visit one year after the first piece
Licenses and permits
A license is often not required for custom jewelry design, but rules differ by state and city. Keep your business registration, any local business license your city requires, and sales tax registration where your state requires it, and list your registrations on your profile.
Questions
Do I need a license to make custom jewelry for pay?
A license is often not required for custom jewelry design, but rules differ by state and city. Check your local city or county rules for business licensing, and confirm any state tax registration that applies to your sales.
How do I document the metal and stones for a client?
Write the metal type, karat or purity and the stone details in the quote and on the invoice. Keep any certificates or markings with the job record.
Should I take a deposit for custom pieces?
A deposit is common for custom work. Write the deposit amount, what it covers and what happens if the client cancels in the quote.
About this guide
This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
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