The Gold Bracelet Clasp Is the Part That Fails First

A clasp does not fail into a repair, it fails into a loss. Why the spring goes before the gold does, and which karat we put on the part that moves.
Hollow Gold Hoop Earrings: What We Can Hollow, and What We Cannot

Every few weeks a client sends a design and asks whether we can hollow it out to bring the price down. It is usually a wide bangle, a heavy chain, or a pair of hoops. Hollow gold hoop earrings come up most often of all, because a hoop carries its metal in one curved section […]
Is 9k Gold Worth It? What a Factory Can and Cannot Make in It

Every few weeks a client asks whether we can produce their piece in 9k to bring the price down. The honest answer has three parts: sometimes we can, sometimes the supply chain will not allow it, and in a few cases we will advise against it even when it is technically possible. Most writing about […]
What You Are Actually Paying For in a Custom Diamond Ring

Almost every article about engagement ring budgets is written from the retail side. This one is written from the bench. We are a custom fine jewelry manufacturer in Shenzhen. We cast, set, and finish the pieces ourselves, which means we know exactly where the money in a ring goes. Below is that breakdown, with real […]