Is custom jewelry expensive? These and other frequently asked questions to the goldsmith
More and more people are choosing to have a piece of jewelry made especially for themselves, or as a meaningful gift. Yet there are still many questions surrounding customization. Is having a piece of jewelry made more expensive than simply buying one? And what can you actually do with old gold or a gold tooth? In this blog I would like to give you clear answers.
Is having custom jewelry made expensive?
Custom jewelry does not have to be prohibitively expensive at all. The price depends on several factors: the material, the design, the size, the number of hours of work and whether, for example, diamonds or other gemstones are incorporated. Sometimes, but by no means always, the price is slightly higher than a ready-made piece of jewelry, but in return you get something unique. No mass production, but a piece of jewelry designed and handmade especially for you.
Is a goldsmith more expensive than a jeweler?
Not necessarily. A jeweler often sells jewelry from well-known brands, and there you also pay for the brand, the marketing and the brokering. As a goldsmith, I design and make my own, without any intermediate steps. Therefore, in many cases I can offer a comparable or even more competitive price. You pay purely for the material, craftsmanship and creation, not for a name on a label.
Is it cheaper to have a piece of jewelry made than to buy one?
Sometimes we do. Especially if you have old gold that we can reuse. Then you don't pay for the gold again, just the design and labor. Plus, you get something that fits your exact needs. No concessions, no compromises.
Can I have jewelry made from old gold?
Yes, absolutely. Many customers bring in old gold: an heirloom that is no longer worn, broken necklaces or loose rings. I can melt this down and turn it into something new, completely to your taste. Not only durable, but often full of emotional value.
Can I also have something made of dental gold?
Yes, you can. Many people still have a gold crown or an old tooth with a gold cap lying around in a box. Tooth gold usually consists of an alloy with a high gold content (often between 60% and 85%), so it is perfectly usable as a base material. I start by testing the alloy and see if the gold is suitable for reuse. Usually it is melted, purified and - if necessary - supplemented to the right ratio for a new piece of jewelry.
Some people find the idea of tooth gold in a piece of jewelry a bit uncomfortable at first, but once it's melted, you won't recognize any of it. What remains is pure gold with emotional value. This can be a beautiful way to wear something of a loved one close to you, in a completely new and stylish design.
Can all the old gold be melted down?
Not always. Sometimes the gold supplied is too contaminated or of such an alloy that it cannot be worked beautifully or reliably. Consider gold that has been mixed with unusual metals, or old dental material that is difficult to get pure. In those cases, I advise against melting it down because the risk of breakage or irregularities in the end result is too great.
But that doesn't mean you can't do anything with it. If the material is not usable, I offer the option of trading in the gold. The purchase value of the old gold is then offset against the cost of a piece of jewelry from my collection, or a custom design. This way the gold still gets value and you can invest in something new, beautiful and wearable.
What happens to that old gold?
If it is suitable for processing, I start by determining the alloy: exactly what percentage of gold is in the metal supplied? I test that in my workshop. Then the gold can be purified or supplemented to the correct ratio, for example 14 carat yellow gold. This way you can be sure that the end result is of high quality and beautiful.
What about gold or silver coins?
Gold or silver coins are also regularly offered with the question of whether they can be incorporated into a piece of jewelry. This is sometimes quite possible, but not always advisable. Many coins (especially silver coins) have a different alloy than that used for jewelry. For example, they can be too brittle, or just too soft. When melted down, this can lead to an unreliable quality, and thus a piece of jewelry that is not durable or wearable.
In addition, some coins have collector's value or historical significance, which makes them valuable in other ways. In such cases, it can be a waste to melt them down. Would you still like to have something made from a coin that has emotional value to you? Then together we will see if it is possible to incorporate the coin as a whole into a design, for example as a pendant or part of a pair of cufflinks.
If the material itself is not usable, here too you can opt for trade-in: I determine the current gold or silver value of the coin and offset it against the cost of a jewel from my collection or a commissioned design. In this way, the original material remains meaningful and you invest in something new, with the same personal charge.
Would you like to know what is possible with your old jewelry, crown or gold tooth? Or would you like free advice on a custom design? Feel free to contact me. I like to think with you, whether it's a symbolic ring, an heirloom in a new look, or just a unique jewel that suits you.
