Beyond the ring finger

Custom jewelry in San Diego: the pendant, the earrings, the piece you can't find.

Engagement rings are most of my work, and the mechanics are the same for everything else: find the stone, judge it by eye, build the piece around the person who will wear it. That works just as well for a pendant built around one good stone, a pair of studs that actually match, or a ring somebody wants for no reason other than wanting it. No inventory, no showroom, made to order, priced in writing first.

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What I’ll want to know

A screenshot of anything she's saved, borrowed, or pointed at in a window.
Whether it's a gift with a date, or a piece for yourself with no occasion at all.
A range you're comfortable with. I design to it, not past it.

What gets decided

Start with the person, not the occasion.

What gets decided: the stone, the metal, the scale that suits the person, and how the piece will be worn, then the number in writing before anything is made.

What else gets built here

The GIA training covers colored stones as well as diamonds, and the sourcing covers both, so the range is wider than people expect from someone known for engagement rings. The mechanics never change: the stone gets found and judged by eye, the design gets built around the person wearing it, and the number goes in writing before anything is made.

Earrings and studs, with the stones properly matched to each other.
Pendants built around one good stone.
Anniversary, birthday, and milestone pieces, priced in writing first.
Right-hand rings and bracelets with no occasion attached.

Loose diamonds and colored stones on a jeweler's tray — AI-generated inspiration imagery.

How a custom piece is priced, honestly

Three things drive the cost of a custom piece: the stones, the metal weight, and the labor, including CAD if the design needs it. I'll tell you where your number goes before anything is made, and which of those three to adjust if the first plan runs over. What you're not paying for is a showroom, a case of inventory, or a sales floor.

Stones picked one at a time for your piece, never pulled from bulk stock.
The number in writing before any deposit.

Jeweler's hands setting stones in a custom piece — AI-generated inspiration imagery.

Buying something for yourself is normal here

A real share of the people at this desk are women designing something for themselves. A right-hand ring, a first serious piece, a stone they have wanted since long before anyone else had an opinion about it. Nobody needs a proposal or a reason.

Honestly those appointments go faster. The person who has to love it is already in the room, and nobody has to keep a secret.

A finished custom ring worn on the hand — AI-generated inspiration imagery.

Gifts that land

The best starting point I can get is screenshots. Her saved photos, the piece she keeps borrowing, the earrings she pointed at in a window once. Bring me that and a budget range and I can turn it into something that reads like you knew exactly what you were doing.

If there's a date, tell me first and we plan backward from it. You'll get a realistic schedule before any deposit, not after.

A gift-ready jewelry box waiting for the moment — AI-generated inspiration imagery.

Inspiration, not inventory

Design directions to customize

View all directions

East-West

A center stone set horizontally for a lower, modern line across the finger.

Customize this direction

Toi et Moi

Two complementary center stones set together for a personal, sculptural ring with strong custom-design potential.

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Marquise

A dramatic elongated shape with pointed ends, strong finger coverage, and a rare editorial feel.

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Oval Solitaire

A graceful oval center stone with clean metal, generous light, and a shape that feels romantic without becoming ornate.

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Classic round solitaire engagement ring on a woman's left hand ring finger in a warm jeweler's studio

Classic Solitaire

A focused, minimal ring that lets the diamond carry the emotion, proportions, and light.

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Round Bezel

A round brilliant diamond set in a slim bezel for a clean, modern ring with soft protection and quiet presence.

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Elongated Cushion

A soft rectangular center with a plush outline, generous sparkle, and a less expected profile than a round brilliant.

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Emerald Bezel

A sleek step-cut diamond secured in a clean bezel for an architectural, understated profile.

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Three-Stone

A center diamond framed by two supporting stones for presence, meaning, and beautiful side views.

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Pear Pavé

A pear-shaped center with a fine pavé band for movement, shimmer, and a soft directional silhouette.

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Radiant Hidden Halo

A rectangular brilliant center with hidden detail under the crown for sparkle that feels discovered up close.

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Vintage Step-Cut

Asscher, emerald, baguette, and antique-inspired geometry with warm detail and measured restraint.

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Guides for this decision

A jeweler's hands working on a custom piece

How Much Does Custom Jewelry Cost?

What actually drives the price of a custom ring, band, pendant, or earrings, why quotes differ so much, and how a private jeweler's number is built.

Read guide

An emerald cut bezel ring bought for oneself

Buying Jewelry for Yourself: You Do Not Need an Occasion

Women buying fine jewelry for themselves is the quiet norm at my desk. How a self-purchase commission works, from right-hand rings to a first serious piece.

Read guide

A radiant cut ring built from a saved inspiration photo

Can You Make an Engagement Ring From a Photo?

Yes, a jeweler can build a ring from a photo. What a picture tells us, what it hides, and how a screenshot becomes a ring made for her hand.

Read guide

In their words

“My husband worked with Andrew on earrings for our twentieth. When one design was going to run over budget, Andrew just said so and showed us a smarter way to get the same look. They are the nicest thing I own.”

Veronica · Twentieth-anniversary earrings

Questions couples ask before the first appointment

What kinds of custom jewelry do you make?

Earrings, pendants, bracelets, right-hand rings, and milestone pieces. Engagement rings are the core of the work and everything else gets held to the same standard.

What does custom jewelry cost?

The piece gets designed to your number rather than the other way around. The stones, the metal weight, and the labor are what you're paying for; a showroom isn't. You get the price in writing before anything is made.

Can I design a piece for myself?

Yes, and plenty of people do. A real share of my clients are women designing for themselves. No occasion required and no explanation needed, just your taste and a number you are comfortable with.

Can you work from a screenshot or a Pinterest board?

That is the best starting point there is. A saved photo shows me proportion, mood, and detail. I will tell you what translates straight across and what should change so you can actually wear it every day.

Do you work with colored stones?

Yes. The GIA Applied Jewelry Professional training covers colored stones as well as diamonds, and the same rule applies: the stone gets looked at in person before it is yours.

Do you make pieces for people outside San Diego?

Yes. Most of a custom piece gets planned by text, phone, and video; I send photos of the stones and the work at every stage. Being local means you can also see the stones in person.

Related custom jewelry services

Close-up custom engagement ring on a woman's left hand ring finger in a private jeweler's studio

Text Andrew

Text Andrew the ring style you keep coming back to.

A photo, sketch, or even a rough idea is enough to start. I can usually tell you whether the smartest path is a sourced diamond, a modified setting, a CAD build, or a short call to compare options.

GIA Applied Jewelry Professional: Trained to judge a diamond by eye, not just by its report.
30+ years in jewelry: Buying and selling diamonds and gold wholesale every week.
Most rings in 14 to 30 days: CAD builds can run longer. You know which yours is up front.
The price in writing first: A written plan and a real number before any deposit.

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Custom jewelry in San Diego: the pendant, the earrings, the piece you can't find.