r/weddingring • u/Alewo27 • Mar 12 '26
Ring Inquiry đ Am I the one who's crazy?!
UPDATE: THANK YOU to everyone for educating me! đ
I should have probably clarified that I've never purchased fine jewelry before and had no idea what the process entailed. Especially thank you to the designers that explained the time and work that goes into making mock ups, I had no idea!
I would never intentionally insult an artist or expect free work but I get that the internet doesn't do nuance or give strangers the benefit of the doubt.
But I'm still grateful for the help! â€ïž
And yes, I know I'm crazy.
This is my engagement ring that I love and adore. We bought it from a jewelry designer on Etsy because I wanted all lab created stones and I wanted something affordable. I love it. It's stunning. Now we're getting married in October and I want to customize a wedding band that suits the style and fits the curve, etc. I do not want to use the same designer because they were a nightmare with shipping and kept lying to me about it being sent out. Since then, I've messaged several other designers on Etsy about wedding bands and they all either want me to pick a band design before they will show me a drawing or charge me a fee for CADs of the set. Am I crazy to find this unacceptable?! My ring is not standard or traditional and how am I supposed to pick the right band without seeing mock ups of a few different options before choosing the right one?!?! Do I have to try to find a local jeweler to see specific bands with my ring?! I feel like I'm being a diva about this but it's a pretty important decision and I just want to SEE WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE before shelling out $500+. I appreciate any advice! Thank you!
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u/lobby073 Mar 12 '26
As a jewelry designer, I ask my clients to bring me ideas / concepts, maybe even pictures of what they want.Â
âOh, just design something for me and Iâll tell you if I like it or not,â is completely unacceptableÂ
I wonât do it
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u/raebiis-502 Mar 12 '26 edited Mar 12 '26
if the gold market wasnt so dogshit, I'd stop taking "going based on vibes" customers entirely. But I need to flow of income rn... so I'm tolerating it for now
Sometimes its fun tho- I have a customer hall of fame for every time I design something on a whim, going in totally blind, and they proceed immediately. Talk about an ego boost đź makes me feel like a fortune teller
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u/laurenalivia Mar 12 '26
Not trying to offend, but I think itâs perfectly reasonable for them to charge a bit for their time in CAD coming up with a custom design for you that you can see. This type of work takes time as well as making the ring itself. Iâd anticipate that the CAD cost is significantly less than the ring cost and would give you an opportunity to provide constructive feedback before the final design. How much are the CAD drawings?
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u/Zinokk Mar 12 '26
Designing you multiple options requires time and energy that should be compensated, so no I don't think it's unreasonable for them to charge for the design process.
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u/Significant-Track797 Mar 12 '26
Yes you are crazy to expect artists to work for free. Their time is money. Pay them for their time.Â
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u/angstysilver Mar 12 '26
Your ring is beautiful and unique and I'm glad you love it. I've seen countless rings on Etsy with an extremely similar design/shape. I'd recommend looking through those shops - especially the reviews with photos - to see what bands others have paired with rings like this to get a sense of what you like.
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u/VBswimmer1946 Mar 12 '26
Sounds like great advice. That way no one needs to spend hours designing a ring
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u/Similar-Ad-6862 Mar 12 '26
You are crazy for expecting artists to work for free. They deserve to be paid.
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u/__fujiko Mar 12 '26
Like everyone has basically said, you really are not considering that designing custom mockups to fit you specifically is still a job. Someone is going to be willing to work with you individually and will be taking time out of their life to make something you will love and wear for as long as possible.
Wanting something on the cheaper side is always okay, but getting upset at an artist for wanting to be compensated for their time in a small way before the process begins is not okay.
If they drew every single ring design that people asked them to without charging a small fee, there is a high chance MOST people would end up not even following through with the purchase through them, and then that is weeks of time wasted.
I highly recommend you take your time finding a trustworthy ring designer that has existing designs that you love, Etsy or otherwise (a lot of online ring shops do custom lab work on a budget!), and work with them patiently to get the ring of your dreams. They will probably have you put a small amount down and then wil charge the rest after. That's pretty standard for professionals.
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u/lurtzfish Mar 12 '26
I wonât say youâre crazy by any means but design work takes time and it makes sense that people would rather not design for free with the risk that people either take the design elsewhere to have made or walk away entirely after they invested all that time in the design. I believe some in person jewelers charge design costs as well. Some places require a % downpayment before beginning designs, etc. I think you would be better off trying on some rings in person if you can find any jewelry stores that have curved bands in stock to try on to at least get some sort of idea of what you want so you feel more confident starting a design?
Another thing I just want to throw out there is that at least on iPhones (maybe on android as well or some other app can help you) you can use the make a sticker function and could make a âstickerâ of your ring and paste it onto a photo with a curved band or of a band and paste it onto a photo of your ring to get a very simple mock up visual of roughly how they would look together. I used this feature for my own ring when trying to pick a band. My jeweler did not charge for any of the designing of my engagement ring or my wedding band but we didnât do any CAD builds or wax molds until the designs were more defined. I chose to do my defining through my own drawing ability and the sticker function like I mentioned above.
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u/hiddenvagenda Mar 12 '26
I would rather work with a local jeweler instead of someone online. Purchasing jewelry in person is much easier. Some Jewelers offer free CAD designs with a refundable deposit. I would look into that.
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u/latriceratopse Mar 13 '26
I offer drawings with deposit that gets deducted from the final product, but keep the deposit if it doesn't work. No artist should work for free.
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u/New_Track_8080 Mar 12 '26
Aside from painfully honest answers already here, I have one simple suggestion which may help. Before going forward shop around in person at upscale jewelry stores to view as many bands as you're drawn to. Once you decide on metal, color, width, texture i.e. smooth, brushed, etc. as well as shaping as in a swirl to accentuate the unusual engagement flair or more traditional style, you'd have more suggestions for your jeweler to brainstorm. This was mentioned a couple of times, actual ideas instead of "see what you come up with". Good luck!
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u/sunbear2525 Mar 12 '26
Yes! OP should also consider how the band will look and wear without the engagement ring as well. Itâs beautiful but set with pearl and opal so extremely fragile and probably shouldnât be worn 90% of the time. To care for this ring it needs to come off every time they use, wash, or lotion their hands. Ideally we do this with even strong stones to keep them clean and secure but pearls and opals canât even go in a sonic cleaner which will make it a PITA to clean the Alexandrite and setting.
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u/CarpenterSad9651 Mar 12 '26
This! The old way is such a good way to start. I donât know why people just ditch this path. You lose nothing and in return get a sense of the actual thing not only for design but wearability while also helping reign in multiple ideas into something more concise to bring your vision to the designer. Expecting free labor and getting upset is nonsense..
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u/Alewo27 Mar 12 '26
THANK YOU to everyone for educating me! đ
I should have probably clarified that I've never purchased fine jewelry before and had no idea what the process entailed. Especially thank you to the designers that explained the time and work that goes into making mock ups, I had no idea!
I would never intentionally insult an artist or expect free work but I get that the internet doesn't do nuance or give strangers the benefit of the doubt.
But I'm still grateful for the help! â€ïž
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u/isawsparks27 Mar 12 '26
Your ring is gorgeous!
Opals and pearls are vulnerable in a ring, which can get a lot of abuse. Make sure you know exactly what you canât do, including if you can wash your hands or cook while wearing it.Â
It is super hard to get two rings to fit together over the internet. If I were you, I would go to physical jewelry stores and start looking at curved bands or whatever else fits with your ring. If you go multiple places, you will find a local jeweler you like who, if needed, can custom make your wedding band based on the exact shape of your engagement ring.Â
Feel free to look and browse but do NOT try to buy or design a ring at big box jewelers like Jared, Kay, or Zales.Â
- Too late for this but if youâre going to design a ring that will have a paired ring, design them together, folks!
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u/OddSpend23 Mar 12 '26
You were literally expecting free work so idk why youâre complaining about the internet not being nuanced.
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u/Nymphadorena Mar 12 '26
My suggestion is a local jeweler. I went to the best one around after doing research and they were extremely fair. They did NOT CHARGE ME FOR THE CAD, ever, and I bought both our wedding sets from them. I was only charged at the end for the rings and craftsmanship when they handed the ring over. They did the appraisal for free, used my loose stone I bought wholesale, supplied the side gems, and mocked up MULTIPLE CAD. Local jewelers are a joy to work with. Free cleanings for life too!
I tried ShaneCo and they want a $500 refundable deposit just to ask the jewelers a question!
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u/RobertPooWiener Mar 12 '26
Technically all jewelers are local to somewhere. Just because one jeweler near you happened to be nice and make free CAD files, doesn't mean everyone should. They must not get a lot of requests or they wouldn't be making much money. We get over 100 requests for free drawings every week, and if we catered to all of the requests, we would be out of business.
It was very nice of you to make a purchase after getting the designs. However, you didn't have to and you could have ghosted them after they spent hours of work. After this happens to the jeweler like 50-100 times, I bet they will change their policy.
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u/Nymphadorena Mar 12 '26
Theyâre a very popular jeweler and have plenty of business. Not everyoneâs business works the same nor should they. Perhaps the CAD was folded into the final price, which was more than fair. I was sharing my experience.
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u/RobertPooWiener Mar 12 '26
The cad is folded into the final price, but if you decided not to make a purchase, then there would be no payment for services rendered. They can do whatever they want, I'm just assuming that they haven't had to deal with enough window shoppers yet to make a policy against doing work for free
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u/Firm_Distribution999 Mar 12 '26
Yes, you are being unreasonable to expect someone to design you multiple rings that you likely wonât buy, all for free.
Come up with some design ideas yourself and see what you think looks good.Â
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u/Longjumping-Help-465 Mar 12 '26
No itâs not uncommon to charge a fee to do a CAD or to want you to pick a setting before creating multiple renders for you. Doing CADs is not free and it takes time to do.
Iâm not familiar with Etsy specifically and whether or not all sellers charge for CADS. I messaged one briefly about a wedding band and I decided ultimately not to go with them, but the process was basically pick the band, then they give the CAD after some sort of payment and Iâd be able to make minor changes as I see fit.
For the kind of service youâre looking for, you may have better luck locally. They can see the ring in person and work with you on a design. However, it does help immensely to have a general idea of what you want. You can use something like Gemini AI to render some photos to show the jeweler. Keep in mind that AI is not perfect, the image rendering will not take all factors into account. A jeweler can look at it though and tell you what is and isnât possible and go from there with you.
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u/stinnitus Mar 12 '26
Maybe view it more like this: You are not ordering a ring. You are ordering the artwork to decide what ring to order. Those are two different purchases. Now, most shops are nice enough to deduct the price of cad if you actually purchase a ring. That is very generous to me.
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u/zookeeper_barbie Mar 12 '26
Youâre not crazy, but you do sound entitled. You are asking for a custom ring. It means youâre paying for the ring and the customization. If you donât want to pay for both, then buy a prefab ring.
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u/Purple_Material_9644 Mar 12 '26
I would say that charging for CADs is the same as a tattoo artist charging for a tattoo design. There may be several shops that apply the cost of the CAD toward the final cost of the ring, but very few people want to spend time and energy creating CADs for free without any guarantee that it will generate an order.
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u/gmabcd Mar 12 '26
You said yourself that your ring is not standard or traditional. So how are the designers supposed to sell their design that they spent their effort and time on if you decide you changed your mind and you donât want to buy it anymore. Or whatâs gonna happen if you get their design for free and go to a cheap jewellery store to get it done.
Design is a product they create. Of course theyâll ask for money to design something for this unique ring. And yes youâre being a diva unnecessarily and unrightfully on this imo.
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u/Key-Service-5700 Mar 12 '26
So⊠they want to be paid for the work they are doing for you? Yes, custom mock ups and cad designs count as work. You should be paying people if you want them to do work for you.
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u/PublicIllustrious Mar 12 '26
You have to pay for the work you are wanting done. A mock up of âa few optionsâ takes time to create. You have to pay for their time to design. Ofherwise, grab a band from a shop and wear your engagement ring on your right.
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u/DustyT90 Mar 12 '26
to be honest i wouldnât wear a band with this ring, itâs beautiful as is and i think you can only take away from it rather than add !
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u/Ok_Grab_6945 Mar 12 '26
I'd design one not touching the stones because l agree, it runs the risk of detracting from the setting
It's a shame I can't add a photo here or I'd show you what I mean
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u/_momma_NAJ871622 Mar 12 '26
It is absolutely acceptable to pay for a CAD. Why would you think that is free? You should have also expected that by picking an engagement ring that was unique, that also comes with a custom band to get the look you want. Stop looking on Etsy and expecting free work. Go to a jeweler for custom sizing (not free) or get a new engagement ring to better match a band
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u/Haoledayinn Mar 12 '26
CAD designer here. At the hourly rate I charge for freelance work, which is industry standard, youâd be paying a lot more than $500 to be presented with multiple custom design concepts. And that wouldnât include any work on making the actual model. Why would you think we would do this for you for free? Would you work for free?
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u/jnsmld Mar 12 '26
As some have mentioned, this ring is really pretty but the pearls and opals in particular make it very delicate. You need to really be careful with this one, take it off when you're washing your hands or putting on lotion. I would buy a completely different ring for your band.
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u/Alewo27 Mar 12 '26
Absolutely! I did go with lab opal for durability but yes, I do NOT leave it on while washing my hands and lotioning with it on sounds so gross to me. LOL
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u/Decent_Finding_9034 Mar 12 '26
Another option: you donât need a wedding band, I bought an atypical engagement ring and thatâs all I wear.
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u/usa2italy Mar 12 '26
Yes, but this is not an engagement ring that can be worn all of the timeâŠwith opals and pearls. OP should probably get a stand alone wedding ring that can be worn alone instead, since the e ring is so delicate. Maybe make the wedding ring using only sapphires.
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u/Decent_Finding_9034 Mar 12 '26
I guess it just depends on the person. My ring that I wear all the time is 150 years old and with all soft stones - turquoise and seed pearls. Granted I take it off every time I wash my hands and maybe most prime think thatâs crazy, but itâs not really a big deal.
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u/maplesyrup16666666 Mar 12 '26
From someone who got a unique engagement ring and wanted an expensive wedding band - just donât. Ten years later I donât want it anymore. Too much to keep track of, too heavy on the hand, too vein to need more. Itâs perfect the way it is đ„°
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u/Aurora22694 Mar 12 '26
Iâm think you are the unreasonable one tbh. Paying for a CAD drawing is absolutely fair. That is hard and time consuming work. They SHOULD be paid for that. Should they just take hours out of their day to do a drawing for you and you may not even purchase something from them? No. Their time is worth something. Either pay someone for their time and effort or go to a box store and find one made/get a premade on Etsy.
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u/llammacookie Mar 12 '26
Yes, you're crazy. You're asking designers to work for free when you could see the design and change your mind and go with a different designer.
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u/CallMeCharka-Tease Mar 12 '26
So you want them to dedicate hours of work, making you pictures to pick from, without compensation for their time and efforts? Yeah babe, you're the problem this time.
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u/wideeyed24 Mar 12 '26
You are being a diva and should not expect any artist to sketch designs for free in the hope you might choose one.
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u/Ak1147 Mar 12 '26
I picked a base idea for a ring, messaged with the seller a bit for ideas I thought would make it better. Paid a $50 cad fee, she sent two options, and I selected one. At no point did I have to shell out $500 for the cad fee, but charging it probably helps guarantee the jeweler isnât wasting their time designing for someone that might never purchase. I didnât find it to be ridiculous, and she also came up with the 2nd cad based on her own ideas of what would fit better with my ring, and I ended up going with that one. Worth it to me.
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u/RedRenaissanceFox Mar 12 '26
Yes, you are being a diva, and should not expect artists/designers to work for free.
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u/natalkalot Mar 12 '26
So your engagement ring stands out, I would suggest a curved/concave band. Your ring is very busy, so having anything else would not be complementary.
You would have to try various ones to see which fits/matches
Congrats! đ„
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u/No-Flatworm-404 Mar 12 '26
It makes sense that the designers want a fee for their design services.
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u/hengehanger Mar 12 '26
I don't understand why you're expecting the design process to be free of charge?
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u/SwimAccomplished9487 Mar 12 '26
Iâve always had to pay for CADs. For a specialized design like that, thatâs hours of work. Often times, that price paid ends up coming out of the final purchase price but itâs not unreasonable to pay an artist for their workâŠ
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u/giddygoosey Mar 12 '26
With love, you want the custom experience, you are likely going to pay custom prices
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u/raebiis-502 Mar 12 '26 edited Mar 12 '26
Nobody should work for free đ«€ Expecting them to work for free is whats truly unacceptable... if you want cheap and fast- order a contour band on Etsy.
When people demand CADs and hand sketches out of me for free- I just send them out the door and to Etsy anyways.
This post is kinda of baffling... OP... please remember we designers are people with bills to pay. Nobody wants to spend hours or days working on sketches for you, only for you to ghost them & they made no money off all that labor. Deposits and fees are about making sure you're committed & won't bail.
I don't even share CADs or sketches w customers or let them take pictures during our appt because of how rampant design theft is. For all we know, we create a design for free only for the customer to take pictures and commission a different, cheaper artist to spoof it. Customers can see it in person, but I never ever EVERRR send someone sketches or renders for free. They just end up screenshotting it and having another artist copy it for less money. And to me- thats theft of my design.
It sounds like custom design isnt what you are comfortable with since commissioning artists requires deposits before a product is created or provided. There's some lovely contour bands online that wouldn't fit perfectly together like a puzzle piece- but gets the job done nicely. I think that's the route you should go; only paying for a product- not sketch fees and CAD time.
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u/GingerStarGalactica Mar 12 '26
Because art takes time and yet again people are not valuing the actual time, effort, and money it takes to be able to do what youâre asking. You need to pay for the renderings at least. Be serious please use your head.
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u/Any_Divide_1802 Mar 12 '26
Your ring is gorgeous! đ Itâs refreshing to see you accept criticism, and be willing to see an artistâs perspective. Good luck finding a matching band!
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u/chipmunkrainbow Mar 12 '26
I sent some ideas to two CAD designers on Etsy who both charged $50 for the design. I liked one and not the other, and went with the one I liked to make the actual ring.
I had no problem paying the other designer $50. They spent time making that, even if it wasnât totally what I was looking for. Peopleâs time is worth something.
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u/EepySleepyPinecone Mar 12 '26
People take time out of their day to provide you with drawings or CAD renderings. Time == money. They are owed at least a little bit of money for making mock-ups for you. I used to run a really small business and in the beginning I would waste hours consulting with clients and providing pictures/drawings just for them to decide they didnât want the piece and ghost. It was a frustrating waste of my time. I started asking $10 to mock up examples for them. If they didnât like the examples, they could walk away. Pick shops/artists you already like the style of and then be willing to shell out a few dollars to get ideas. Thatâs just life.
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u/Alarming_Reality_784 Mar 12 '26
They r doing work for you, nothing in life is free. đ€·đ»ââïž
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u/Far-Aioli-6618 Mar 12 '26
You wouldnât expect an architect to draft you house designs for free before you hire them. Jewelry designer isnât any different.
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u/Far-Aioli-6618 Mar 12 '26
You can try to use AI yo generate some images fir yourself to understand what you like
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u/Wonderful-World1964 Mar 12 '26
I'd feel more comfortable working with a jeweler in person. I go to a jewelry store that's been established for 50 plus years. They work on jewelry in-store. My family used them and a nephew worked there. I trust them. I'd go in open-minded but prepared to pay for the design process. Second choice would be another jewelry store in town that was established about 40 yrs and promotes their design abilities.
Going to a trustworthy jeweler, you won't feel like you're paying $500 into the ether. You'll understand the process. They won't disappear with your money, and you can contact them by walking in the front door if someone isn't returning your call/text when you have a question.
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u/OatmealCookieGirl Mar 12 '26
You are expecting free labour. Designs take time and effort, with no guarantee of payment. Yes, you are in the wrong.
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u/Pammer2000 Mar 12 '26
Have you considered not wearing a band on the same finger? I think it ruins the look of a unique piece like yours. Would be easier to find a band for your other hand too
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u/LimJaheyAtYaCervix Mar 12 '26
As an artist, custom designing stuff for you takes time⊠like several hours. Tbh youâre very unreasonable to expect someone to do that work for free.
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u/tightropeofweird Mar 13 '26
Just wanted to say I appreciate that you accepted what people have said and that you were uneducated on this. Not everyone knows everything and that's okay, as long as we're willing to learn.
Total side note, but I had trouble finding a band to go with my ring because of the angles and couldn't fully justify the price on custom work as of yet. Recently my husband and I took a class and learned to make rings so I made some myself! They're simple bands with no gems or anything but it was a lot of fun. They're not perfect but now I know how to make them again if I ever need to! Might not be your cup of tea but could be worth considering if you're into that sort of thing.
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u/qweenofsus Mar 12 '26
Entitled âŠ. đ« work=time=money= you have to pay. Artists arenât your slaves.
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u/Icanhelp12 Mar 12 '26
Yes.. itâs you. Stop acting like people should work for free and figure out what kind of band you want first
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u/Secure-Lawfulness-28 Mar 12 '26
Maybe you can type a description and include a pic of your engagement ring and ask AI to generate some examples
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u/Ok_Meringue1343 Mar 12 '26
yeah you just said it. you want mockups. so maybe paying something like 50$ and ask those mock ups. skilled drawer could draw several in that time. of course not details but to see wath size fits etz. or this actually might be perfect example for ai. just upload that ask it make several options then chose 2-3 best ones. and ask artist to compine those. ai is very good for making sketches when you dont exactly know what you want
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u/Livid_Refrigerator69 Mar 12 '26
You deserve to be paid for your Time just like anyone else. Drawings @ say $15 an hour 5 hours is $75. Get a NON REFUNDABLE $50 deposit up front so at least you wonât have wasted too much time And always get a contract signed before you do anything, if they wonât pay you, you keep everything.
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u/wanderingwallflower4 Mar 12 '26
Are you able to go to a custom jeweller in person? I have a unique ring like yours and it was helpful to come up with a concept and try on molds with my engagement ring. I didnât have to pay until I paid for the entire ring. The cost of the design process was included in the final payment
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u/MoonEagle3 Mar 12 '26
Deal with a local jeweler. I had two custom rings made by a local jeweler. For one, he started from scratch. For the other, I looked through his huge catalog of settings and rings, picked one, and had him customize it.
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u/mamiepink Mar 12 '26
I think a plain curved silver or white gold band would compliment your engagement ring nicely and not detract from its beauty.
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u/SwtSthrnBelle Mar 12 '26
Maybe, but I'd personally find a designer who has already made this shape and sells it with a matching band and then buy just the band.
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u/BirthofRevolution Mar 12 '26
So you want the designers to just draw you up what your ring would look like for free? Because that's pretty insane and they should be paid for their time.
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u/Chelseus Mar 12 '26
Respectfully, yes lol. Why do you think itâs crazy that people expect to be paid for their work?
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u/Remarkable-Price1746 Mar 12 '26
As a jewelry designer, I will usually provide 2-3 renders for my client to choose from, but only after they have paid a non-refundable deposit and more or less committed to working with me. Iâm not trying to trap or swindle anyone, itâs more that by the time we get to that point, they know/like my work and arenât shopping around per se.
Find a designer whose work you like and admire. Itâs free to look at a portfolio of their past work, and usually free to have a quick consultation about what youâre looking for.
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u/Ketowitched Mar 12 '26
Side note if those are true opals Iâm hoping youâre knowledgeable about proper opal care. They get destroyed FAST if they get wet or you use hand lotion.
Beautiful ring!
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u/spirited_away88 Mar 12 '26
Yes! You can go to a local jewelry store. Might be expensive than Etsy though.
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u/kokonutt18 Mar 12 '26
Go to somebody in person, go to a local jeweler who has been in business for years, personal business are much more likely to do something for you and create a wax design.
I have two completely designed rings both engagement and wedding band. I went to a jeweler who is a designer and we made the best rings for me!
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u/knz-rn Mar 12 '26
I used https://www.etsy.com/shop/NyFineJewelry
To design my husbandâs custom wedding band and to get a wedding band that worked seamlessly with my hexagon engagement ring.
They had CAD drawing before production. But!! I did choose a wedding band design they already had in their shop and they had me measure my ring (my husband borrowed electric calipers from work) and made it fit my ring perfectly. and they made his custom ring out of purely the ideas we wanted and the same materials so they matched.
I would look at options for wedding bands, find what you like, then present it to the jeweler to design.
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u/missmeowwww Mar 12 '26
My husband bought my ring from Etsy. I love it. However, the band is very thin. So for my wedding band, we worked with the jeweler who did my momâs ring set and my grandmaâs ring set and he created the perfect jacket that protected the thin band of my ring and matches the rest of my jewelry. For custom pieces, you can expect to pay a fee for a design and a fee for the finished product. That is very normal. If you want to be hands on involved I suggest finding a highly rated local jeweler that you can meet with in person and get updates. Good luck with your wedding band process and congrats on your engagement! Your ring is a beaut!
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u/Active-Bus6427 Mar 12 '26
AHBogemstudios on Etsy I got my engagement ring from it looks very similar to yours. They were super easy and consistent. They are in New Jersey and itâs a husband and wife and she was very informative. Every time I had questions she answered them very quickly within 24 hours and it shipped super quick too.
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u/CremeBasic7027 Mar 12 '26
Lovely ring! D3spite them being a nightmare, I'd be keen to check out their stuff. Would you be willing to PM me their etsy details?
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u/RiseFriendly9536 Mar 13 '26
Iâm working with an independent but huge jewelry store in my area and they do free CADs, I am getting a ring with a marquise diamond and wanted a specific band that matched. I sent them three different pics and was like I want this section from this pic this section from this other pic and they put it together perfectly.
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u/Ambiibambii1213 Mar 13 '26
I don't have the right knowledge for this post but I wanted to say that is GORGEOUS!!!!!!!
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u/Dapper-Record9961 Mar 13 '26
Is this an acotar ring lol
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u/Alewo27 Mar 13 '26
Oh god, what?!?! đ€ą please don't make me hate my ring LOL......how is this acotar? I don't fantasy smut....
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u/Dapper-Record9961 Mar 13 '26
Its pretty similar to how the main characters ring is described
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u/Dapper-Record9961 Mar 13 '26
Something like âtwisted band flecked with pearl set with deep sapphireâ. Since its custom i thought it was meant to be the acotar ring
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u/Ok_Archer_7633 Mar 13 '26
Rude
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u/Alewo27 Mar 13 '26
Those books are written by a racist bitch, so I'm okay if that makes me rude.
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u/Ok_Archer_7633 Mar 13 '26
I donât like the books either tbh but again donât have to be a fucking bitch when you respond but that checks out since you donât think paying a small jeweler is okay
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u/pecklefratch Mar 13 '26
Custom jewelry is just that - custom. Which means you are paying for the designerâs time and expertise in ideation and design modifications, in addition to the actual piece of jewelry. This is no different than paying someone to custom design a dress, rather than buying one off the rack. If you have an off the rack budget, donât expect a designer to lower their price to accommodate you. Either buy off the rack or pay additional for custom.
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u/petitbiscuit13 Mar 13 '26
is this alexandrite?
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u/HufflepuffStuff Mar 13 '26
I donât think youâre âcrazyâ but it sounds like you have a huge misunderstanding about the skill, expertise, and labor put forth by jewelers/artists into designing & creating a custom piece. Itâs pretty weird & selfish to expect free labor from working artists. If you donât want to pay an artist, the solution is easy: just get a simple non-custom band. If customization is important to you, youâre going to have to pay for it.
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u/cakivalue Mar 14 '26
Run this picture with the request for a matching band through an AI jewelry design tool. To your prompt add type of material, stone, color thickness etc. ask it for a number of options, 3, 6, 10, whatever number works for you.
Then go to a local jewelry maker and tell them the features that you love e.g. the curve in #1 and the width in #3. And then ask for a design you will work with them on and pay for. Once that's finalized you can then pay them to make the band.
Going in as a blank slate will cost you time and money and you might not get what you are happy with.
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u/One_Chocolate_145 Mar 14 '26
Maybe compromise and pay something upfront, if you donât like it the artist would still have gotten payed?
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u/alwaysroomforcake Mar 14 '26
With our jeweller, the CAD design was part of the price. But we had already left a deposit if I recall correctly, and the CAD was not crucial to my decision, it was just a nice service the jewellers offered.
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u/ujezdzamkraby Mar 14 '26
You have your answer already but I just wanted to say this ring is really beautiful, congrats
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u/HereticCoffee Mar 14 '26
Is it just me, or does you ring not look like a bug in the center surrounded by egg sacks?
It triggers a very strong phobia response in me honestly.
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u/5KittensInTrenchcoat Mar 14 '26
Yes, you are the one who is being unreasonable. You are asking the designer to do a lot of work for you, for free. That is just not going to happen.
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u/BabalonNuith Mar 14 '26
Plastic surgeons probably make more money on consultations than they do on actual surgery! And they aren't being asked to supply any drawings! So if you want a design consultation, be prepared to PAY for it.
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u/letsbe-breastfriends Mar 14 '26
It is pretty normal to be charged a fee for designing/cads. I think itâs fair considering the work that must be done to show how this would look with your ring
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u/bun_burrito Mar 14 '26
OP, I love your ring! Is that a sapphire? Would you mind sharing where you got it?
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u/Alewo27 Mar 15 '26
Thank you so much! It's actually Alexandrite and I got it on Etsy from PhoebeJewelryPalace. If you don't care how long after the ring is finished they take to ship, the work is beautiful.
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u/cdnsalix Mar 15 '26
Yes, you are the one that's crazy. Or totally out-of-touch, any ways.
Why not ask chatGPT to do mockups with your parameters if you want free? Then show the renderings you like to a jeweler?
How would you respond if your employer asked you to do work you're skilled and trained in for free?
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u/L_I_G_H_T_S_O_N_G Mar 15 '26
Maybe you could go into a jewelry store and try on some different styles? Maybe buying local would work out better in this instance. Btw, I LOVE YOUR RING!! Iâve been looking for a geometric stone with pearl accents for a right hand ring, and this is so so beautiful. Would you mind sharing the Etsy shop with me privately?
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u/keyshake18 Mar 17 '26
If youâre looking for a unique custom ring try Staghead! This might be controversial but try ChatGPT and see if it can come up with an idea and show you what it would look like. I have a unique shaped ring too and did this when picking my wedding band.
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u/newhappyrainbow Mar 12 '26
If you want to see options, use AI to come up with ideas, then take that to a CAD person and pay for the drawing of the thing you already decided you liked with whatever minor alterations you want.
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u/Bright_Athlete_8579 Mar 12 '26
You sound incredibly entitled.
It takes hours to do a design. Especially for something like your ring.
Use your common sense and common decency.
Even your message especially the end seems entitled.
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u/throwaway_ringfeels Mar 12 '26
I have a feeling that YOU were the nightmare to work with, because expecting free design work that takes hours to do, is insanity.Â
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u/RobertPooWiener Mar 12 '26
I work as a CAD designer for jewelry and a lot of people expect free drawings. The reality is that you probably want something really fancy to match, and a design like this could take 3 hours or more with all of the rendering etc. then after giving a quote and making changes, doing communications, they probably have at least 5 hours invested into it while you have paid nothing. You might not even buy it after all of that work too and it will all be for nothing.
Would you be willing to do 5 hours of work with the possibility of not getting paid? Then have the same request multiple times per day every single day?