A wholesale partner called us last week frustrated that a bespoke ring they sold was two weeks late. The CAD had been approved, then the client asked to widen the band by 0.4 mm. That one request ate ten days. The partner assumed a 0.4 mm tweak was a click in software. It was not. This piece breaks down how long each common revision actually takes, so the next commission can be quoted honestly and the customer expectations set on day one.
Why revisions are not free
Every bespoke commission has a pipeline: consultation, sketch, CAD, 3D print, wax, cast, set, finish, QC. A revision is not redoing the CAD. It is redoing every downstream step that already happened. If the CAD changes after casting has started, the new wax has to be printed, re-invested, cast, cleaned and set again. The FTC Jewelry Guides require that custom orders be described accurately at the point of sale, which means the revision policy has to be in writing before the deposit is taken, not discovered after the first change request.
The revision menu, priced in days
CAD-only change (before printing). Widening a band, moving a setting, changing a filigree pattern. Bench time: 20 to 60 minutes. Calendar time: 1 to 2 working days, because we batch revisions and re-render.
CAD change after the first wax print, before casting. We re-print the wax, the customer approves the new physical sample, and we cast once. Add 3 to 4 days. This is the cheapest moment to revise, because no gold has been poured yet.
CAD change after casting. The first casting is scrapped for metal value but the labor is sunk. New wax, new casting, new cleaning, new setting. Add 7 to 10 days. Most ateliers charge a re-casting fee of $180 to $350 at this stage, because the gold alloy and the stone setting labor are real costs.
Prong or head swap on an already-set ring. This is a repair, not a redesign. We lift the stone, swap the head, reset. 1 to 2 days. Cheap, fast, and the single most common post-delivery request.
Finish change. Moving from a high polish to a matte or sandblasted finish. 1 day. We can do this even on a delivered piece, usually for $40 to $80.
Resizing after delivery. A half size up or down: 1 day. Two sizes or more: 3 to 5 days, because the shank has to be rebuilt.
How to set expectations before the deposit
The cleanest atelier workflow gives the customer two free CAD rounds, then charges for further changes. We write that into the order form. Wholesale partners who skip this sentence end up mediating between an unhappy client and an atelier that has already cast twice. For the full pipeline timing, see realistic bespoke lead times, and the day-by-day breakdown in what to expect on a bespoke timeline. The CAD-to-wax step itself is detailed in CAD and wax for commissions.
Wholesale buyers: we include two CAD revision rounds and one free prong adjustment in every bespoke quote. Further CAD rounds after casting are quoted at $220 flat, and we document the day count so you can pass it straight to your customer.
One thing we have learned from tracking 1,200 commissions a year: 80 percent of third-round requests come from customers who saw the first CAD only on a phone screen. The CAD renders well on a monitor but loses detail on a 6-inch display. We now email a desktop-friendly PDF and ask the customer to review it on a screen at least 12 inches wide before approving. That one habit cut our third-round rate from 11 percent to 4 percent. It also cut delivery surprises, because the customer saw the proportions before the wax was poured.
How many revision rounds do most clients use?
Our tracking shows 1.4 CAD rounds per commission on average. Less than 10 percent of clients ask for a third round, and only 3 percent trigger a re-cast.
Can I make changes after the ring has been cast?
Yes, but it is expensive and slow. We recommend against any structural change after casting. Finish changes and prong tweaks are fine; geometry changes should happen in CAD.
Are revisions included in the quote?
Two CAD rounds and one post-delivery prong adjustment are included. Anything beyond that is quoted on the day of the change request.
Does a revision delay the delivery date by the full revision time?
Yes. The delivery estimate we give you assumes the CAD is approved on the first or second round. A third round pushes the date by the bench time we quote.
What is the cheapest moment to change the design?
During the CAD stage, before any wax is printed. After the wax is approved, every change costs at least a new print, and after casting, it costs a new metal pour.
