Placing a Custom Jewelry Order

I’ve never had custom jewelry made before. What is the process and how do I start?

Upon placing your deposit for a custom order, we start with a design. We can custom piece based on almost any design, but we prefer that it be provided by you. However, if you don’t have a specific design in mind, you can leave it to the design team at IF & Co. to handle for a fee.

When you have settled on an idea for your custom piece, we will handcraft a wax mold based on your design. After the wax creation process, we’ll proceed to the gold casting process. Once the piece has been casted to gold, we’ll apply our signature hand detailing, smoothing, and diamond setting processes until your piece meets our standards of quality. Finally, we will apply finishing touch-ups and ship the custom piece directly to you.

If you would like to inquire about a custom piece, including a quote for how much your piece will cost, please fill out the custom work inquiry form and we will be in touch.

What is the usual turnaround time for a custom order?

The usual turnaround time for a custom order depends on what we’re making for you and our current queue list of orders at the given time. Our usual turnaround time is 2 weeks, but it can take much longer during the holiday seasons. To give you an idea, our average turnaround time per order in Winter 2016 was 4 weeks.

What are the sizes available for custom made jewelry?

Whatever the specifications, we can make it. A request for a 1″ x 1.5″ custom pendant with VS diamonds, or a 100+ gram solid 14k gold pendant at 3″ x 3″ is fine. We kindly request you to be realistic with your custom jewelry design.

Shipping Information

Are most items in stock and ready to ship?

All items are made to order. It may take our team from 3-21 days to create your piece before shipping. Please note that turnaround time can be drastically higher during any holiday seasons.

Please read and understand our Shipping Policy before placing your order.

When can I expect to receive my order?

After we finish your piece, we will ship out your order via FedEx Express. You should receive it within 1-3 business days, depending on your location.

How much is shipping?

For all domestic orders, we add $39 for shipping to the cost of your order. For all international orders, we add $69 for shipping to the cost of your order.

Returns and Exchanges

If I don’t like something ordered from IF & Co., can I get a refund?

Depending on your case, you may or may not be eligible for a refund and/or store credit. Please read and understand our Returns and Exchange policy before placing your order.

Payment Options

Do you finance? Can I make payments?

We now offer financing options through Affirm. For custom orders, we accept a maximum of 2 payments before releasing the order: One 50% deposit to start on the order, and another 50% payment upon completion of the order before shipping out.

Jewelry Education

What quality of diamonds do you offer?

Our signature mix of diamonds is a standard mix VS and SI diamonds, which we label the “VS-SI” Diamonds Mix. All products made by IF & Co. have this mix of VS-SI by default, unless requested otherwise. Diamond upgrade options are available for a fee upon request.

For those who want a higher quality in their diamonds, we offer “VS+”, our premium mix including diamonds of VS qualities or better. For those who demand the best of their diamond qualities, our Prestige “VVS+” Diamond Mix is also available, which contain strictly VVS diamonds in the mix.

What is the difference between carat and karat?

They roll off our tongues in the same way but they hold different meanings. The term “carat” is the unit of measuring weight used to measure the weight of diamonds (e.g., a 1/2 carat diamond or a 1 carat diamond). The term “karat” is used to measure the purity of gold (e.g., 14k gold or 18k gold).

What are the differences among 10k, 14k, 18k, and other karats of gold?

The number preceding the letter “k” represents the number of parts of gold, out of 24. For example, “10k gold” represents 10 parts of pure gold out of 24 (10/24 or ~41.7%), with the remaining 14 parts being a mix of alloys. “14k gold” represents 14 parts of gold out of 24 (14/24 or ~58.5%) with the remaining 10 parts being a mix of alloys. 24k gold is the closest to what is accepted worldwide as pure gold (99.9% purity).

There are several differences among the different gold contents. Here are some you may notice:

Visual

Gold with a higher content of gold will give off a stronger tint in color. 14k yellow gold will give off a stronger tint of yellow compared to 10k yellow gold, but won’t be as strong in color as 18k yellow gold.

Feel

Gold of higher karat content will be heavier overall when compared to an identical piece of jewelry with lower karat content. This is due to the density of pure gold. Gold of higher karat content is also softer and more malleable, so gold such as 18k or 22k will be softer and more delicate than 10k and 14k.

Durability

Golds of lower karat will generally be harder. As the karat goes up, the gold material becomes softer. For example, 18k gold is softer than 10k gold. 24k gold is considered the softest and the highest valued gold karat. For the best balance of price, shine and practicality, 14k and 18k are both recommended.

Price

The higher the level of gold purity, the more expensive it will generally be. Simply put, higher gold karats will cost more and lower karat golds will cost less.

For any other questions please email us at info@ifandco.com