A guide to commissioning bespoke: what to expect, what it costs, how long it takes

A bespoke engagement ring commission is one of the more significant design purchases you will make. The process should not be opaque. Here is a plain account of what happens, when, and what it costs, from first message to delivery.

Before you make contact

You do not need to know what you want to enquire. Most clients who commission bespoke work arrive with a feeling — an aesthetic direction, a sense of what their partner gravitates toward, a budget — rather than a precise specification. That is the correct starting point. The design work is mine; your brief gives it direction.

What it helps to have before the first conversation: a rough budget range, some sense of your partner’s aesthetic, a ring size or a plan to obtain one, and a general timeline. You do not need a reference image, a CAD sketch, or a Pinterest board. Useful if you have one; not required.

Stage one: first conversation (week 1)

We will speak by video call — typically 30 to 45 minutes. I will ask questions about your partner, about what you want the ring to say, about your comfort level with the process. I will ask about budget not to challenge it but to be honest about what is possible within it.

By the end of this call, we will have a clear direction: stone type, stone shape (see my guide to shapes), approximate carat range, metal, and a sense of the design register.

There is no fee for this call. If we decide to proceed, I will issue a brief summary document and a project proposal.

Stage two: design development (weeks 1–3)

Once the commission is confirmed and a deposit received — typically 30% of the ring cost — I begin design work.

For a bespoke commission, this means developing the design from your brief: sketching concepts, working toward a direction you have not seen before, arriving at a proposal that is genuinely responsive to what we discussed. I typically present two or three direction sketches — enough to convey the aesthetic intent — and we discuss.

Revisions at this stage are part of the process. The second round of sketches is usually where the design settles. I have rarely needed more than three rounds to reach a design we are both confident in.

Once the design direction is approved, I produce technical drawings: precise engineering documents with every dimension specified, every angle defined. These go to the workshop, and you receive a copy.

Stage three: stone sourcing (weeks 2–3, overlapping)

Stone sourcing happens in parallel with the design process.

Based on your brief and agreed design direction, I contact my suppliers and request a selection of stones within your specification. I review them against the design and send you photographs and video of the shortlist — typically three to five stones — with my recommendation and a clear explanation of why.

You make the final selection. We then confirm the stone, at which point it is purchased and the stone cost is invoiced alongside the balance of the ring cost.

For unusual or rare stones — a very large natural oval, a specific fancy colour — this stage can take longer. I will tell you at the outset if your brief requires an extended search.

Stage four: production in Valenza (weeks 4–7)

The technical drawings and confirmed stone travel to my production partners in Valenza, Italy. This is where the ring is made.

Production at Valenza takes three to four weeks. The stages — casting, setting, finishing — are described in detail in Designed in Tallinn, finished in Valenza. I maintain contact with the workshop throughout, and receive progress photographs at key stages.

I do not rush this stage. The craftsmen in Valenza work to a standard, not a clock, and pressing them for speed produces worse work. If your timeline is tight, the best action is to start the process early.

Stage five: quality review and delivery (weeks 7–8)

The finished ring returns to me in Tallinn. I inspect it against the original drawings, assess the setting security, and evaluate the finishing. If anything falls short, it goes back to Valenza. This has occasionally added up to two weeks to a commission.

Once I am satisfied, the ring is dispatched by insured courier — FedEx or DHL, tracked, signature required. All shipments are insured at full replacement value during transit. For more on the shipping and insurance mechanics, see Insuring, shipping, and protecting an engagement ring you bought online.

Timeline summary

For a standard bespoke commission with a stone in the common range — 0.7ct to 1.5ct, common shapes — expect eight to ten weeks from deposit to delivery. Allow twelve weeks to be comfortable. If you need the ring in under six weeks, contact me first. It is sometimes possible depending on current workload, but I will tell you honestly if it is not.

What it costs

Bespoke commissions start from €5,000 for the ring, with the stone in addition. At the lower end of the range — an elegant solitaire in a considered design, with a 0.7ct to 0.8ct stone in a quality range appropriate to the setting — the total cost including stone is typically €7,000 to €9,000.

For rings with more complex settings, larger stones, or unusual design requirements, the range extends considerably. The design fee is included in the ring cost. There is no separate charge for sketches, drawings, or revisions within the normal process. The deposit is non-refundable after the technical drawings are complete, as this represents the substantive design work.

Questions I am asked

Can my partner be involved? Yes, if you want. Some commissions are a complete surprise; some are collaborative from the start. If you want to involve your partner, we adjust the process accordingly.

What if I don’t like the design? In nine years of bespoke commissions, this has not happened in a way that could not be resolved through iteration. The first sketches are direction-finding, not final. If at any point before the technical drawings are approved you want to stop, the design fee is charged for work done to that point; no ring cost is owed.

Can you match a ring I have seen? I can be inspired by references, and I welcome them. I will not copy another designer’s work directly. If you have a reference image, show me — what it usually tells me is something about your aesthetic register, and that is useful information.

If you are ready to begin, or want to discuss whether bespoke is the right approach for your situation, the enquiry form is on the Bespoke page.