Why does custom making my ring cost more?

Custom rings almost always cost more ~ but you get what you pay for! Custom designing a piece of quality jewellery is a very different process compared to buying a ready-made ring. Here’s what actually drives the higher cost:

1. Design & Expertise

With custom, you’re not picking something off a shelf and missing out on the EXACT ring you are looking for.  You’re working with a jeweller to design from scratch. That involves working with both a designer and a craftsman.  At Tompkins Jewellers in Lethbridge, Alberta we provide

• Hand drawn concept sketches
• CAD (computer-aided design) and renderings
• Revisions and consultations
• Skilled design time

2. One-Off Manufacturing

Mass produced rings are cheaper because they’re made in batches. Custom rings are:

• Made individually, either forged by hand, or cast as a single, unique piece.
• Not optimized for assembly-line efficiency
• Often require more bench time and precision

That extra labour significantly increases cost.

3. Higher Labour Intensity

Custom work can include:

·         Hand carving a wax that is lost during the process

·         Hand forging versus casting

·         Hand-setting stones

·         Hand cutting or hand engraving special details

A single custom piece can take many hours (or days) to create, compared to a standard ring.

4. Material Selection

Custom rings often use:

• Higher-quality diamonds or gemstones (because you choose them)
• Specific metals (like higher karat gold or platinum)
• Diamond and gem selection can take many parcels of gems to choose from, increasing time to complete the process.
• Custom designs are usually created with quality in mind, so the pieces usually use more metal to create a slightly heavier piece.  Massively hollowing out a piece to reduce weight is not advised – which we sometime see in mass production pieces

There’s less compromise compared to pre-set rings designed to hit a price point.

5. Prototyping & Adjustments

Sometimes a wax model or 3D print is created first. If changes are needed:

• More time
• More materials
• More cost

6. No Economies of Scale

Retail rings spread costs across hundreds or thousands of units. With custom:

• All design + production costs are tied to just one ring

7. Personalization Premium (Value, Not Just Cost)

You’re also paying for:

• A completely unique piece
• Emotional value (your story, your design)
• Control over every detail

When custom might not cost more

It can actually be similar or cheaper if:

• You choose a simple design
• You reuse an existing diamond or gold
• You avoid complex detailing

A great example of this is when we melt down existing gold to create a plain wedding band.

But in the end…custom costs more because it’s not just a product ~ it’s a bespoke manufacturing + design service.