Online Articles

Totally Tubular An alternative method for almost any tube setting situation By Joel McFadden Tube setting is a very modern looking setting style primarily used by hand fabricators. It’s a unique method because of the limited amount of metal wall with which you have to work. This means that traditional bezel setting techniques don’t usually […]

Back to Your Roots Behind the design of Tracey Beale’s family-tree–inspired Legacy Ring By Tina Snyder Most of designer Tracey Beale’s jewelry is story-based. Inspired by ancient Egyptian artifacts and articles of adornment, she strives to emulate their mystery in her modern relics. With the Legacy Ring, Beale sought to capture the essence of a […]

Conversation Starter How Greg Stopka adapted to offering his custom services online By Shawna Kulpa Last year, COVID-19 forced many businesses to temporarily close. Among them was JewelSmiths, a small design and service studio with locations in Pleasant Hill and San Ramon, California. President and Chief Designer Greg Stopka continued going to work every day, […]

Breaking down a custom piece, fee by fee Editor’s Note: Knowing how to price your work, especially when you’re just starting out, is never an easy feat. It’s a lesson that Cady Carlson Dill learned the hard way. Like many new designers, she faced the common combination of not being able to find information about […]

A Little Place for Your Stuff Jewelers share their favorite organizational aids By Shawna Kulpa To quote the late comedian George Carlin, “All you need in life is a little place for your stuff.” Of course, he used that line to kick off a five-minute routine about how people have too much stuff, but he […]

5 Design Inspirations with Geralyn Sheridan Airdate: October 12, 2021 Founder of a family-run studio in Chico, California, goldsmith and gemologist Geralyn Sheridan creates socially responsible jewelry that incorporates natural textures, sculptural curves, and flowing movement. She draws inspiration from her everyday life as well as from the memories of her childhood, and in this […]

Calla Gold on operating without a storefront Calla GoldCalla Gold JewelrySanta Barbara, California In this occasional column, we speak with custom jewelers operating without a storefront, exploring the different ways they run their business, the challenges they’ve faced, and how they deal with finding and marketing to new clients. Tell us about your studio.I came […]

August 10, 2019Guest: Llyn StrongLlyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry Jewelry artist and gallery owner Llyn Strong made her first piece of jewelry in 1972, igniting a passion that developed into a now 40-year career. During that time she’s built a reputation as an innovative, successful, and sought-after custom jewelry maker and business owner. With multiple design awards under […]

Creative freedom and some unusual pearls helped create Brenda Smith’s award-winning necklace By John Shanahan Let’s say you are given 27 of the largest freshwater, cultured, round pearls in the world, and told that you can make anything you want with them as long as it’s a necklace. Other than that, what you do with […]

Transparency and communication are key when transforming heirloom jewelry By Irina Missiuro A custom jeweler’s goal and the means of achieving it are similar to those of a psychologist’s: Both aim to get to the bottom of a client’s desires via subtle questioning. And that’s especially true when repurposing an heirloom. The memories in such […]

Custom jeweler Takayas Mizuno reflects on lessons in business and life EDITOR’S NOTE: In this occasional column, we’re asking experienced custom designers and makers to share a few of the things they wished they’d known when they were getting started. Takayas Mizuno, owner of Takayas Custom Jewelry in Los Angeles, talks about well-trained sales staff, […]

Platforms and tactics for custom jewelers By Irina Missiuro If you’re not on social media, you’re missing out on great opportunities to familiarize potential clients with your business, share a successful heirloom redesign with your fans, learn patrons’ opinions and preferences, and bring new customers to your store. To find out what networks make the […]

Custom jeweler Alex Gulko reflects on lessons in business and life EDITOR’S NOTE: In this occasional column, we’re asking experienced custom designers and makers to share a few of the things they wished they’d known when they were getting started. Alex Gulko, owner of Alex Gulko Custom Jewelry in Ann Arbor, Michigan, talks about finding […]

By Irina Missiuro Victor HararukVictor Hararuk Jewelry Designs, Kiev, UkraineCustom Design Distinction The ring that won the Custom Design Distinction in the 2018 MJSA Vision Awards conveys just that—an atmosphere of tranquility and peace. But, as we know all too well, the road to greatness is paved with grit. In this case, victory entailed some […]

How one custom jeweler stretched his skills—and a customer’s ring—to achieve a perfect fit By Lee Krombholz  Sometimes in business, the fates align. A few months ago, I noticed an uptick in interest in “stretchy” jewelry—pieces made with springs that allow them to stretch but then retract to their original shapes—and I was thinking about […]

Joel McFadden breaks down a custom piece, fee by fee This is one column in an occasional series focusing on how custom designers price their work to ensure they remain competitive, cover all costs, and (of course) make a profit. Here’s how the staff at Art of Jewelry by Joel McFadden arrived at the final […]

David Holloway turns a random comment into an everlasting heirloom Editor’s Note: Every custom jewelry designer has a memorable design or two in their portfolio, projects where opportunity, inspiration, and craft combine to create something that stands the test of time. In this profile, David Holloway shows how important listening is when discussing details with […]

How should custom jewelers charge for their design time? By Rich Youmans Ask any custom jeweler when he or she should charge for design work, and the answer will probably be, “As soon as possible!” After all, they need to protect themselves from spending valuable time on a design, only to have a client change […]

Nanz Aalund breaks down a custom piece, fee by fee Editor’s Note: For their fifth anniversary, a client’s husband purchased a pair of kite-cut diamonds with the intention of creating a shadow band with the kite cuts overhanging the shoulders of his wife’s halo-style engagement ring, which features a salt-and-pepper center stone. However, the client […]

Joel McFadden discusses memorable advice, mistakes, and more What is the most memorable advice you ever received?Everyone makes mistakes; the difference between winners and losers is how you deal with the mistakes. I received this advice from my martial arts coach, Olaf. He advised me to learn from my mistakes and losses. Instead of getting […]

Jim Tuttle of Green Lake Jewelry Works on surviving a pandemic By Shawna Kulpa A forward thinker, Jim Tuttle has long embraced the work-from-home concept. “We’ve always had a small crew working from home,” says the owner of Green Lake Jewelry Works, a custom studio with two locations in Washington State (Seattle and Bellevue). At […]

Maintaining control of custom designs In this occasional column, we talk to custom jewelers about the steps they’ve taken to protect their designs from customers looking to shop them around. This month, we speak with Dawn Muscio of D. Muscio Designs in Atlanta about how the deposits she requires at every stage of the custom […]

Encouraging sales of loose gems can lead to custom commissions Nancy Schuring of Devon Fine Jewelry in Wyckoff, New Jersey, is well known in her affluent market for her extensive, 100-plus variety gemstone inventory, as well as for her custom designs. Though she sells diamonds (because that’s what customers initially know about), it’s clear that […]

How custom jewelers manage the rush without getting crushed By John Shanahan  (Orignally Published in MJSA Custom Jeweler 7.4, November 2016) When the holiday season rolls around, many custom jewelers probably wish they had a Santa-like workshop loaded with magical elves to help handle the workload and the inevitable rush jobs. Sadly, with the jewelry […]

Tips for creating a custom design area that inspires customers Just as writer Virginia Wolff once wrote about a woman’s need for “a room of her own,” so custom designers and their clients deserve a space to call their own, too. Think of your custom design space as your theater set, where you set the […]

Kristy Ford on operating without a storefront In this occasional column, we speak with custom jewelers operating without a storefront and explore the different ways they run their business, the challenges they face, and how they deal with finding and marketing to new clients. Tell us about your studio.I love my studio, though it is […]

Mark Loren on Marketing and Promoting Custom Jewelry By Shawna Kulpa Editor’s Note: For consumers used to shopping for jewelry out of a retail case, the concept of custom jewelry (and the near endless possibilities it offers) can seem pretty abstract. And for jewelers, communicating that concept—and getting customers to understand it and buy in—can […]

Mark Grosser breaks down a custom piece, fee by fee Editor’s Note: When a customer had some leftover diamonds after selling her gold and having some larger gemstones re-mounted, custom jeweler Mark Grosser was only too happy to put those diamonds to use in a new bracelet for her. Here’s how Grosser of M. Grosser […]

Elichai Fowler on transitioning from retail to custom By Shawna Kulpa Elichai Fowler admits that he never wanted to be in the retail jewelry business. That’s why it was nearly a no-brainer when, a little more than a year ago, he considered shuttering his two retail stores and meeting with custom clients by appointment only. […]

The design seemed simple enough—until the work actually began By Deborah A. Yonick Designer: Joel McFadden, JMD Jewelry, Red Bank, New Jersey At first glance, the ring created by designer Joel McFadden looks simple: a half-gold, half-platinum band that spirals around the finger and is trimmed with 1 mm pavé diamond. It was, McFadden says, […]

Greg Stopka focuses on transforming heirlooms into opportunities By Shawna Kulpa When customers walk into one of JewelSmiths’ two studio locations in northern California, they typically do so bearing jewelry they want repaired or refurbished—a specialty the company actively promotes. And when JewelSmiths’ owner, Greg Stopka, or one of his team sits down with those […]

Dawn Muscio on operating without a storefront In this occasional column, we speak with custom jewelers operating without a storefront and explore the different ways they run their business, the challenges they’ve faced, and how they deal with finding and marketing to new clients. Tell us about your studio.I have two studios. I have my […]

Jewelry custom made for a king—and his entire court Designers: Pav & Broome Diamond Jewelers Today, most Americans think New Orleans when they think about Mardi Gras, the bacchanalian celebration just before the Christian season of Lent. But Mattew Pav—an owner of Pav & Broome Diamond Jewelers in Gulfport, Mississippi—and his wife, Gail, like to […]

Greg Stopka prefers the challenge of custom redesigns By Shawna Kulpa For Greg Stopka of Jewelsmiths in Pleasant Hill, California, the true sweet spot of his business is not custom design. It’s custom redesign. “Custom redesign is a lot more personally satisfying because people get jazzed,” Stopka explains. He notes that such projects usually involve […]

Learning when (and how) to say no to custom design projects By Irina Missiuro They say that the customer is always right. So if a customer chooses you to create their one-of-kind, custom engagement ring, you must be the best jeweler for the job, right? Maybe not. Although it may seem counterintuitive, you may want […]

A systematic approach to discovering a client’s style By Rich Youmans One of the hardest tasks in creating custom jewelry is not necessarily the designing, but the deciphering—learning to read a customer so that the final piece reflects her tastes. To do this, designers must often become part psychologist and part curator. They’ll start with […]

Communication is the key to customer satisfaction By Shawna Kulpa Shopping for jewelry used to be an easy and straightforward process: A customer walked into a jewelry store, picked something out of a case, and if satisfied with the look and fit of the piece, purchased it and walked away happy. However, custom jewelry design […]

Kelly Williams breaks down a custom piece, fee by fee Editor’s Note: When the friend of a friend of custom jeweler Kelly Williams wanted to surprise her fiancé with a two-tone, Celtic-inspired wedding band featuring dragons, Williams was more than happy to take on the challenge. Here’s how Williams of KW Goldsmith in Minneapolis arrived […]

Wendy Brandes breaks down a custom piece, fee by fee EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in an occasional series focusing on how custom designers price their work to ensure they remain competitive, cover all costs, and (of course) make a profit. Here’s how Wendy Brandes of Wendy Brandes Fine Jewelry in New York City arrived […]