Dazzling Paws Jewelry can create custom design pendants, earrings, tie tacks or other jewelry pieces in Sterling Silver, Bronze or 14K Gold.
If you are interested in having a breed design custom made- consider the following:
- Please be ready to submit at least 2-3 clear, detailed, colored photographs.
- One should be a full, side profile of the dog standing on a flat surface (not grass)
- One should be a front view head shot, showing facial features and characteristics
Photo submission tips:
Photos should be taken at eye level with the dog in a standing position. The dog should be close-up in the photo and take up at least 80% – 85% of the photograph. Include the whole dog in the photo unless the custom piece is going to be a head study. Please submit only 1 dog in a photo (no people), it is easier to distinguish the details with one dog as the main focus. Choose a solid, contrasting background that is not busy or distracting. The dog should not be in a costume or wearing anything additional (no backpacks, bandanas, harnesses or other clothing). For best results have someone position the dog while the photo is being taken.
The Custom Design process includes:
A consultation to understand your goals and what you want to accomplish, the design (which includes a non-refundable design fee), and the production phase. Designing a custom piece is very involved, time consuming, can be demanding, and can be expensive but it can also be extremely rewarding. We strive to be your partner, every step of the way! Please be certain that you are willing to see the process through to completion. Only serious inquiries will be accepted and developed for custom pieces. We do enjoy the challenge of creating custom jewelry pieces yet it takes a substantial commitment of our time and resources to insure that the finished product meets or exceeds our highest quality standards and that the customer is 100% satisfied and proud of their custom jewelry statement! Custom jewelry pieces can range from $300.00 - $500.00 just for the set-up, which does not include the cost of the piece itself.
Stage 1: Consultation
We begin with a conversation (by phone, video chat or email) about your vision - the type of jewelry piece, precious metal, quantity, and design. If you are choosing one of our existing pieces, a firm quote can be provided at this stage. For a custom piece, a rough quote would be provided at this stage with a final quote being given once a CAD (computer-aided design) prototype is created and a weight can be determined.
Stage 2: Design
Once we have an understanding of your piece(s), we begin the design stage. At this point, a 50% down payment (non-refundable) of your quote is required to begin the process. The remaining 50% is due before your custom piece leaves our shop. Our designer will then work with one of our craftsman to create a detailed production drawing of your piece using our CAD software. You will review the CAD drawing and work closely with us on any modifications until the design meets with your approval. At this point, we will provide you with a final price for your piece.
Stage 3: Production
Once you have signed off on the final design and payment has been received, we move to the production stage. Most pieces are cast using the lost wax casting process. If you are ordering a quantity of pieces, we can create a production sample in sterling silver and mail it to you for approval before we produce the remainder of the pieces to complete your ordered in the precious metal of your choosing.
Some Additional Notes
1. The custom/modification process will typically take from two to four weeks for our existing pieces to change the design, and four to eight weeks for new custom designs. New custom designs are dependent on the complexity of the design and the length of the modification through approval stage. The manufacturing timetable takes from six to eight weeks to receive the first piece, once your CAD design is approved. Additional reorders will require about five to six weeks.
2. It is important to understand that a significant portion of the cost in creating custom jewelry is the time-intensive design and manufacturing costs that can only be spread across this single piece. That is quite a contrast to a jewelry manufacturer who mass produces a piece and can then spread the cost over the large quantity produced overall. Metals available for casting include: Sterling Silver, White Bronze, Gold Bronze, Rose Bronze, 10K Gold, 14K Gold, 14K White Gold, 14K Rose Gold. All precious stones available for setting such as Diamonds, Emeralds, Sapphires, Ruby and the list is endless...
3. Another issue that can come up with custom jewelry is that of trademarked and copyrighted images and designs. Unless you own the rights to an image, design or logo, we cannot reproduce it on a piece of custom jewelry. As a creator of original designs ourselves, we are very supportive of an artist's or company's intellectual property rights.