A client received a bespoke quote, paid the deposit, and then three weeks later received a balance invoice that was $320 higher than the quote she had approved. She was annoyed. The arithmetic was correct, but the explanation was not, and that is on us. The bespoke invoice is not a single number; it is a structure. The deposit books the project, the balance reflects the stone as actually sourced and the change orders as actually made, and the two numbers are rarely identical. Understanding the structure before you sign is the single best way to avoid the moment that client had.
How a commission invoice is structured
A typical bespoke commission splits into four line items: design and CAD, metal, stones, and setting and finishing. The quote you approve at the sitting is an estimate of all four, built on the stone size you described and the alloy you chose. The deposit, usually 30-50% of the estimate, books the studio time and places the stone order.
The balance, invoiced at casting, reflects what was actually bought. The stone we sourced to spec may weigh 1.04 ct instead of the estimated 1.00 ct, which moves the stone line by about 4%. The alloy price may have moved between booking and casting. The client may have approved one or two change orders in CAD. The balance is therefore a real number, not a copy of the estimate. We walk through the line-item split in the cost factors breakdown and what affects a bespoke quote.
What the deposit covers (and what it does not)
The deposit covers three things: the design and CAD work to that point, the reservation of studio time in the casting queue, and the non-refundable stone order. It does not lock the final price, because the stone is sourced to spec after booking and the final weight is unknown until the supplier ships it.
It also does not cover change orders after the second CAD round. A change order that restarts the design (different stone shape, different alloy, different layout) is billed separately, usually at $120-250 per round, and that amount lands on the balance invoice. We explain that boundary in how revisions actually work. The deposit is refundable only if the project is cancelled before the stone is ordered; once the stone is on its way, the deposit converts to the stone cost and is no longer refundable, because the stone is now cut to the client's spec and cannot be resold to another commission.
Change orders and price adjustments
The most common balance surprises are not hidden fees. They are three predictable adjustments. First, stone weight: a 1.00 ct estimate often becomes a 1.05-1.10 ct actual, because suppliers ship stones in the nearest available weight and we source to the client's color and clarity grade, not to a decimal weight. Second, alloy movement: gold prices move, and the per-gram metal cost on the balance reflects the price on the day we cast, not the day we quoted. Third, the change order: a client who upgrades the band width or adds pave shoulders in CAD sees that on the balance.
The 16 CFR Part 23 marking rules require that the finished piece carry the correct quality mark and manufacturer mark, and the FTC Jewelry Guides require that any disclosure about treatment, origin or lab-grown status be made before the sale. We put both on the invoice and on the delivery certificate, so the client (and any downstream retailer) has the disclosure in writing. We cover the price-on-first-commission question in how much bespoke jewelry costs, and what is included in what bespoke pricing includes.
FAQ
How much is the typical deposit?
30-50% of the estimate, with the balance invoiced at casting. The deposit books the CAD work and the stone order; it is not a fixed-price contract.
Can the balance be higher than the original quote?
By about 3-8%, typically, from stone weight rounding and metal price movement. We flag any adjustment over 5% in writing before we cast, so the client sees it before the invoice rather than after.
What happens if I cancel after the deposit?
If the stone has not been ordered, the deposit is refundable minus the CAD time already spent. If the stone is on its way, the deposit converts to the stone cost, because the stone is cut to your spec and cannot be resold. We state this on the booking form.
Do you offer payment plans on the balance?
Yes, in two installments: half at casting, half at polishing, before delivery. We do not release the piece until the balance is settled, and we photograph the piece at each stage so the client sees the work in progress.
Starting a commission and want to see the invoice structure before you book? Book a 20-minute sitting with our pricing lead. We will walk through the four line items, show you a sample balance invoice from a recent commission, and explain where the 3-8% adjustment typically comes from. We will quote the estimate and the likely balance range in writing before you pay anything. Trade retail partners: our white-label deposit-and-balance one-pager gives your sales team the same invoice-structure language we use with clients.
