Our Design Process

The first step is to stop into Paul Medawar Jewelers and talk to our custom jewelry designers about your vision for the finished piece. We’ll take a look at any materials you’d like to bring, whether that be pictures of similar jewelry, drawings, existing jewelry you’d like to update, or a Pinterest board.

It’s okay if you don’t know exactly what you want right away. From pendants to engagement rings, we’ve made it all. We’ll be happy to show you examples from our showroom to get a better idea of what you’re looking for.

Once you’ve decided on the basics of your design, you’ll work with one of our custom jewelry designers to create a virtual 3D mockup of the finished piece using CAD software.

We’ll adjust the virtual model according to your suggestions, and you’ll have the ability to get a better idea of what the finished result will be.

By the end, you’ll have a photo-realistic look at what your custom jewelry design will look like once it’s brought to life.

After you sign off on the digital model, we use a wax printer to make a physical copy.

You’ll be able to see what your custom jewelry design looks like in person and even try it on.

Once you’ve seen the wax model, it’s time to cast the real thing.

First, we encase the wax model in plaster and bake it until the wax melts, leaving the plaster mold behind.

Then we pour your choice of metal into the plaster mold and allow it to cool. Once we remove the plaster, the finished metal piece is complete.

Once the metal portion is complete, it’s time to set the jewels.

Our custom jewelers take time to hand-set each stone using special microscopes that guarantee precision. We take this step seriously, because your jewelry is a lifetime investment.

We’ll also perform any engraving you’ve requested and give it a polish before showing you the final product.

At this stage, the last thing to do is to stop by and pick up your finished custom design. Our jewelry design process takes less than four weeks from inspiration to creation, so you won’t have to wait long to see the end result.

At Paul Medawar Fine Jewelry, our Grand Rapids, MI jewelers help customers just like you make their design dreams a reality. If you’re interested in learning more about custom jewelry design, give our team a call at 616-363-4902 today.