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HOW LONG DOES THE CUSTOM DESIGN PROCESS TAKE?
From start to finish, the entire custom design process takes approximately four to five weeks. Once we have an understanding of your vision, we will provide you with a quote within 24 hours. The CAD takes two to three business days to design. Once the CAD is approved, your custom piece will take approximately three to four weeks to create.
I’M NOT SURE WHAT DESIGN I WANT, HOW DO I PICK A JEWELRY STYLE?
Baguette Atelier’s personal design consultants are trained to help you with this! These talented jewelry experts will work with you as your personal shopper and share designs that fit your lifestyle and your personal style.
WHAT DO I DO WITH MY LEFTOVER STONES IF I DON’T USE THEM ALL?
We are happy to take a look at your stones and see if we can trade them in for you, but we are usually unable to do so. Alternatively, our Baguette Atelier consultants can make suggestions to create a cost effective small piece of jewelry with your leftover stones. Small pieces make great self purchases or gifts!
CAN YOU REUSE MY GOLD?
Yes, we can use your gold when creating your new piece. We combine old gold with new gold to ensure strength and limit porosity. Baguette Atelier also offers credit for the gold value if you want to start fresh.
WHAT IS AN APPRAISAL?
An appraisal is a document describing your piece of jewelry in extreme detail. Appraisals include: measurements, grading, weights, and replacement value in case of loss or theft. Most insurance companies require this document to insure a piece of jewelry.
WHY DOES IT COST “$X” WHEN I HAVE SUPPLIED THE MAJORITY OF THE GOLD AND MATERIALS?
The cost of your custom jewelry piece depends on the amount of labor required. Our Baguette Atelier personal consultants and master artisans work diligently to help you create and design your new piece of jewelry. We build a CAD of your design and once the CAD is approved, the piece of jewelry is printed in wax, cast, polished and any stones are set.
WHAT METAL IS BEST? GOLD OR PLATINUM?
There are certainly perks to both! Platinum is a more pure and dense metal. It is great for people with metal allergies. Platinum is also preferred for rings with small pave, as the prongs are small and platinum is more dense. Platinum is so close to being pure, the color will always be grey. If you prefer a colored metal, gold is for you! Baguette Atelier can mix it with different alloys to adjust the color to your liking. Gold is naturally yellow and is mixed with alloy to strengthen it and to change the color. Gold is desired for its high luster and brightness.
DOES WHITE GOLD TURN YELLOW?
Pure gold is naturally yellow and soft, so we add alloys to strengthen the metal and change the color. If you cut a piece of white gold in half, it is white all the way through, it is not a plating. Over time, white gold tends to get a “creamy” tint to it. Everyone’s body chemicals and wear and tear to your jewelry can contribute to this happening at a different pace. White gold will never completely revert back to yellow, however if the color change starts to bother you, a rhodium plating can be done. The jewelry is plated in a rhodium bath, which is a metal in the platinum family. The jewelry will then look brand new!
CAN BAGUETTE ATELIER MAKE A WEDDING BAND SIT FLUSH NEXT TO MY ENGAGEMENT RING?
Definitely. Baguette Atelier specializes in creating a custom and tailored fit that will nestle perfectly next to your engagement ring.
I’M WORRIED ABOUT MAILING MY JEWELRY, HOW DOES IT WORK?
Baguette Atelier takes extreme care when mailing jewelry. Everything is packaged meticulously, using double and triple boxes for added security. We insure every package for its full value and ship quickly with careful tracking.
WHAT’S THE VALUE BEFORE AND AFTER I REDESIGN? IS IT WORTH IT TO MAKE A NEW DESIGN?
You can’t put a number on sentimentality, but we will help you make an informed decision on designing your piece. The Baguette Atelier team will assess the approximate value of your jewelry and make suggestions to maintain or increase its value. Jewelry isn’t meant to sit in a box - if you will wear it afterwards, the cost associated is certainly worth it!
WHAT IS A CAD?
CAD stands for computer-aided design. We print a wax model using the CAD file that is then used to cast your new jewelry. Our BA consultant will present the CAD for you to approve or make changes to, and this allows you to see our interpretation of your vision before production.
I HAVE A SPECIFIC BUDGET IN MIND, HOW MUCH WILL THIS COST?
Baguette Atelier offers free quotes for your jewelry design before any work begins. We want you to be comfortable with your budget, so please communicate with us the amount you’d like to spend. We can help make suggestions to stay as close to that amount as possible. Custom jewelry starts at $750.
DO I HAVE TO COMMIT TO BUYING A PIECE OF JEWELRY BEFORE I HAVE A CAD MADE?
Baguette Atelier will provide a complementary quote for your jewelry before any design work is started - there are no surprises! We do require a deposit before CAD is created, as our BA consultants and designers spend hours on each design.
CAN I TRADE IN THE GOLD I’M NOT USING?
Yes, we will weigh your gold and offer you the value of your gold content.
HOW DO I INSURE MY JEWELRY?
Normal wear and any manufacturer’s defect (prongs, polishing, basic repair based on regular wear) on your jewelry is covered by Baguette Atelier, but excessive wear, loss of stones, loss of jewelry or robbery is not. You can add your jewelry to your homeowners/renters insurance, or check out jewelry specific insurance companies like Gemshield or Jeweler’s Mutual. If your insurance requires an appraisal on your jewelry, we can provide one prepared by our GIA Graduate Gemologist.
HOW DOES BAGUETTE ATELIER MATCH GEMSTONES OR DIAMONDS TO ADD TO MY CUSTOM JEWELRY DESIGN?
The Baguette Atelier team is highly skilled and trained to match your stones. Located in the heart of the Los Angeles jewelry district, we have access to the best materials. We will find the perfect match. Specialty cut? No problem, our Baguette Atelier artisans can cut stones match.
WHY IS PLATINUM MORE EXPENSIVE THAN GOLD?
Platinum is more pure and dense than gold. The same piece of jewelry in platinum, requires more of the metal.
CAN I USE MY GOLD JEWELRY AND MAKE A PLATINUM PIECE?
No. Platinum is 99-percent pure, so we can’t use your gold and mix it with platinum. However, we can give you a credit towards your purchase for the value of your gold.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 14 AND 18 KARAT GOLD?
24 karat is gold in its pure form. If we used 24 karat gold in all jewelry, it would be yellow and soft. We add alloys to change the color and strengthen the metal. 14 karat gold is 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloy, while 18 karat gold is 18 parts gold and 6 parts alloy. 18 karat gold has a higher gold content and is often referred to as “designer gold.” In yellow gold, the 18 karat tends to be a bit brassier and have stronger yellow color versus 14 karat.
WHAT IS RHODIUM PLATING?
Rhodium is a rare metal in the platinum family. Rhodium can be electroplated onto white gold to increase the luster and scratch resistance. This process is done on new pieces of jewelry. While it is a plating that will eventually wear off, it can be redone at any point if white gold dulls or yellows. This process is often done for cosmetic reasons and can help with skin allergies as rhodium is nickel free.
WHAT IF I DON’T KNOW THE CORRECT FINGER SIZE FOR A CUSTOM RING?
No worries, the ring can be sized after you present it. Try to estimate as close as possible and always guess on the larger size better to be too big than too small when you present the gift!