Off The Shelf Bespoke Vs True Bespoke
So what’s the difference?
Well, as far as bespoke goes, if you’ve had a hand in designing it, which could simply be choosing the style and/or picking the gemstone/diamond, you have technically received a bespoke piece of jewellery.
However, as a true bespoke jewellery designer, I felt it necessary to explain the nuances of off the shelf and true bespoke for all those looking for unique pieces.
So what is true bespoke?A true bespoke item of jewellery has been fully thought through and uniquely designed to you, to make it easier to identify when you pop into jewellery stores or chat to people online, I’ll give you my bullet point list:
It’s a piece of jewellery that is unique, it has been designed especially for you and your needs.
The design has elements of your personality and style.
It’s designed to your budget.
All diamonds/gemstones have either been repurposed OR ethically sourced. If sourced, you have also personally chosen what colour, cut, carat and clarity you prefer.
Design options have been presented to you in sketch and/or CAD form for you to choose from.
Lastly and I believe most importantly!
Your design is the only one being made and will never be replicated/mass produced.
This leads onto, what is ‘Off the shelf’ bespoke?‘Off the shelf’ bespoke is a piece of jewellery whose design has been replicated en masse and sold via multiple retailers.
These pieces will be presented to you in a few forms, whether this be from a catalogue, in a tray where you can physically pick up pieces to try on OR (and don’t be fooled by the computerised element!) on a screen in computerised format.
All of these pieces will allow you to swap out stones for different colours and sizes, sometimes you can even change the style of how the stones are set.
There are a lot of designers/retailers that offer this as their bespoke service, whether they class this as true bespoke or off the shelf bespoke is down to them.
Personally, from a value point of view, I wholeheartedly believe that bespoke should be a one-off piece, one that is unique to you and a design you won’t find Tom or Sally down the road wearing. For that reason, I don’t offer ‘off the shelf’ as standard and always try where I can to avoid it. In all honesty, over the years I think I may have purchased off the shelf 3 or 4 times, but if I have, I am very transparent about where this design has come from.
Now, I’m not saying it’s wrong AT ALL or there isn’t a place for it in the market, these pieces are more commercially viable thus offer a more bespoke ‘budget’ friendly option.
‘Off the shelf’ bespoke, that comes in trays, also has the added value that you can try on pieces to really get a feel for what style suits your style and personality.
These pieces are still made especially for you, and will still be beautiful and packed with every bit of sentiment. It’s just the design will have been mass produced, thus not personal to you.
Why am I so passionate about true bespoke?I believe the service, design and craftsmanship you get with a true bespoke will outshine any off the shelf pieces.
Your jewellery piece is a very personal journey, one that tells your story, they are heirloom pieces that get passed to future generations time and time again.
With every piece I design, I make sure I truly listen. I find out who the bespoke design is for and what their/your lifestyle is like. Information such as how you will be wearing your jewellery, whether it be occasional or for every day, is an integral part of the process; from there I can advise on topics such as metal, gemstone hardness, diamond quality and whether you should go for a claw setting or a rub over.
The design itself; well, it’s SO important you LOVE it (not just like it), the piece we design symbolises your personality and style, a true bespoke piece can also be tweaked/changed until it is perfect. I personally offer realistic 3-Dimensional designs where you can really check out all the little details AND a resin sample if visualising is easier in a tactile form. Once the design has been signed off by you, my talented workshop crafts your jewellery piece to the highest standard, where it is made to last a lifetime.
Yes, true bespoke comes with a slightly different budget (I say slightly as my remodelling service can be very sustainable and an affordable option), but the attention to detail throughout your bespoke journey is worth every penny. Not only that, your jewellery piece will be unique, one of a kind and no other person out there will be wearing your design - I truly believe that nothing can compare with how unbelievably special that is to you and a loved one.