"Can you have it by Christmas?" is the question we hear in October. The honest answer depends on which Christmas, and on what the client actually wants. A catalogue piece shipped in three days is not bespoke. A piece drawn, carved, cast, set, and polished by hand has a clock that starts at the first sketch and cannot be compressed past a point without visible shortcuts. Here is the real timeline.
The week-by-week clock
A straightforward bespoke ring (solitaire, one stone, plain band) takes four to six weeks from approved sketch to delivery. Week one is design: two sketch rounds and a written quote. Week two is wax or CAD proof, approved by the client. Weeks three and four are casting, rough fitting, and stone seat cutting. Week five is stone setting and first polish. Week six is final polish, hallmarking, photographs, and packing. Compare that with our sketch-to-setting process guide, which maps the same gates in pictures.
What adds time, and by how much
Hand engraving adds one to two weeks. A custom-cut or sourced loose stone adds one to three weeks because we wait on the supplier. A pave setting with more than 20 melee stones adds roughly one week over a solitaire. A platinum casting is slightly slower than gold because the alloy needs a longer burnout cycle. If the client changes the design after the wax is approved, the clock restarts, which is why we insist on a signed proof. Our notes on what to bring to a consultation cut the first round of revision by half.
Why rush orders cost real money
We can compress a commission from six weeks to ten working days, but that means pulling a jeweller off another job, running the furnace twice, and inspecting the polish at 11 pm. The surcharge is typically 30 to 50 percent on the labour, and some steps (stone sourcing, hallmarking) cannot be rushed at all. We quote rush timelines in writing so there are no surprises. The FTC jewelry guides are also clear that advertised delivery estimates must be honest, so we never promise a date we cannot hold.
Remote commissions take the same time
Clients often assume a video-led commission is faster. It is not. The wax or resin proof still has to be couriered or photographed, and size confirmations by video call still require a printed ring sizer. A remote commission usually adds three to five working days for shipping the proof and the final piece, which we build into the quote. Our piece on working with an atelier remotely by video covers the tools and the ring-sizing tricks.
Planning backward from a date
The trick is to plan backward. For a December 25 proposal, lock the design by November 1. For a June wedding, lock the bands by April 15. Engraving on the inside of the band is the last step, so the date or coordinates do not need to be decided until week five. Trade and retail partners: our OEM programme runs on a 25 to 35 day production cycle, and we publish cut-off dates for peak seasons so your store can plan inventory without holding finished stock.
The silent time sink clients forget is sizing. A first ring rarely fits on the first try, and a sizing change after the band is cast adds three to five working days because the shank has to be cut, stretched, and re-polished. We send a printed ring sizer with the design proof and ask clients to measure on the hand they actually wear, at the end of the day when fingers are warm. That single step removes most of the post-cast sizing iterations. If you are ordering remotely, our notes on 3D printing and what customers see cover the same measurement discipline.
FAQ
Can I get a bespoke ring in under two weeks?
Only if the design is simple and the stone is already in our stock. A full custom design with a sourced stone cannot be compressed below three weeks without visible shortcuts.
What if I change my mind after the wax proof?
Small changes (band width, bail size) are free. Structural changes (new stone seat, new silhouette) restart the clock because the wax must be re-carved and re-approved.
Do you ship internationally on the same timeline?
Production is the same; shipping adds two to five working days depending on destination and customs. We send tracked, insured parcels and photograph the packing before it leaves.
Why is platinum slower than gold?
Platinum 950 needs a longer burnout in the casting furnace and a slower cooling cycle to avoid porosity. The extra two or three days are built into the quote, not a surprise.
Working backward from a proposal, wedding, or anniversary? Tell us the date and the piece. We will map the week-by-week clock in writing, flag the steps that cannot be rushed, and quote the rush surcharge up front if you need it. Retail and wholesale partners: ask for our seasonal production calendar for private-label orders.
