In jewellery design 'custom', 'bespoke', or 'made to order' are phrases quite often misinterpreted. This leads to confusion in the nature of the piece considered, its uniqueness and manufacture lead times. With this article, Agata Karwowska unveils the fair semblance between these different levels of design.
Made to order
While all bespoke, custom and made to order terms refer to pieces that are not yet created and not visible prior to the purchase, jewellery made to order is available to view and often to try in person before placing an order. These are sample pieces from existing or past collections offered online, and the finished piece is an accurate reflection of presented design.
Made to order jewellery is often available with very limited personalisation options, it serves as a starting point for further customisations.
Uniqueness through design
While each design is thoughtfully unique, it is possible to replicate it, for example, in a different ring size. Due to the organic nature of hand fabrication, each piece will display minor differences in texture or stone colour from the original.
Placing an order
Currently, most Agata Karwowska pieces are made to order. Every design has its individual availability and lead times listed in the details dection under description. After placing an order, Agata will contact you to confirm necessary features like ring size and scale, or stone clarity. During the manufacturing process, you will be consulted and gradually updated on design progress, and, prior to dispatch, Agata will seek your approval of the finished piece to ensure it fully meets your expectations.
ENQUIRE about made to order pieces
Custom
Custom made or personalised pieces are, like made to order, created from an existing design, but with small modifications that form its uniqueness. These could be simple, like opting for alternative stone colour or type of setting, or stone placement.
In customisation, modification options are limited to altering specific parts of the design while its architecture remains unchanged. These adjustments can be accomodated either within the given timescale, or slightly prolong the completion. When it comes to pricing, some modifications are possible to maneouvre within the original cost, while others, depending on the scope, may generate additional costs.
Bespoke
This design process is particluarily laborious especially when designing tailored jewellery pieces. Here, a client's vision is the source of inspiration - the designer interprets and visualises it starting from a blank canvas. During the process that may take several weeks to complete, client has almost full control over the design up to the smallest detail. The result is entirely unique, unprecedented and unreplicable piece.
Visit the BESPOKE page to learn more about the commissioning process and start your bespoke journey.
Summary
Whether choosing an existing design, adding some personality to it or ordering fully tailored piece, the journey starts with a conversation. There are many ways to customise the design to your personality. During a free, 30 minute video call, you will explore possible customisation options and learn more about the design features.
