Our Bespoke Process
How we turn an idea into your dream piece, step by step.
Step 1 - Consultation
We start with a personal consultation at our Shoreditch Showroom.
We don’t charge for these and we are also very happy to arrange Zoom or phone meetings upon request. Here we will talk through your vision for the piece, thoughts, ideas, timings and begin to define a brief.
We welcome anyone no matter how much or little you know about what you may want.
We have a treasure trove of inspiration to draw from, from past bespoke projects, Bear Brooksbank signature pieces and vintage items, many of which can be viewed physically in the studio which is always a big help.
We love this part of the process as it gives us a glimpse into the lives of our clients and their loved ones. Creating bespoke jewellery is a great privilege for us, bringing to life something that will be treasured and often mark a highly significant moment in our clients lives.
Contact us by email, Whatsapp or call us Monday to Friday to arrange a consultation.
Step 2 - Design
We start to form your ideas into a design draft and fine tune the ideas and direction, teasing out all the tiny details. This may be sketches or reference imagery so you can see a strong visual of the direction.
Once we are confident we have a design direction we begin sourcing gemstones, be that diamonds or coloured stones or indeed both. We have access to the very best diamond and stone dealers in the UK and every stone is handpicked and painstakingly chosen to meet all of your criteria. Please note we do not work with lab grown diamonds or stones from other suppliers. We are delighted to work with family stones or heirlooms, please see our remodelling guide here.
We then invite you back into the studio to review the stones or do this remotely if you are an out of town client.
At this stage we provide an accurate cost for the bespoke piece alongside the costs of the stones and agree the timeline. If a stone is chosen at this stage we take payment for the stone itself in full to secure it.
Step 3 - CAD
The next stage in the process is CAD (computer aided design).
Here we show you a digital mock-up of your design and create a 3D print so you are able to try it on and get a true sense of proportions and feel. We can make any adjustments to the design before moving on to the next stage.
At this stage we request a 50% deposit for the bespoke piece. Once funds are received we can get started making it for you.
Step 4 - Workshop
We pride ourselves on our invaluable connections with hand-picked, trusted goldsmiths, lapidaries, engravers, pearl stringers and watchmakers, all of whom we look upon as an extension of our own team. Every item of Bear Brooksbank bespoke jewellery is either made or restored to the highest standard in Hatton Garden, London’s world famous jewellery quarter. We have worked with the same highly skilled goldsmiths since the brand launched in 2012.
We usually ask for 4-8 weeks for the actual making of your piece, and the whole process from start to finish takes approx 3 months. For a shorter timeline please do ask as we will always do our best to accommodate where possible.
Step 5 - your finished piece
The really exciting bit when all the hard work comes together.
Once we’ve checked every part of your piece and made sure everything is perfect, we will invite you to come and collect from our showroom.
On collection we make sure you are 100% happy with everything, and we will explain and provide care instructions to keep your piece looking its best. This is when the outstanding balance is settled. For out of town clients, shipping is arranged.
Sometimes it’s tricky to get the size 100% right, especially if it’s a surprise proposal so we offer one free of charge re-size within the first 6 months.