Home / Bespoke / Anatomy of a commission
Anatomy of
a commission.
One bespoke engagement ring, followed from the wax to its final millegrain edge. A single sapphire-and-white-gold commission, made entirely by hand at our bench in Diss — one example of how we work. See the full commission journey →︎
(01)
The wax
Every commission begins as a wax. The ring is carved and sculpted by hand to the exact size and proportions agreed with our client — the moment the design first takes three-dimensional form, and the master from which the metal will be cast.
Carved by hand
(02)
Casting
Once the wax is sculpted to size, it is cast into the chosen metal — here, 18ct white gold, selected by our client. The raw casting is roughly cleaned up at the bench, ready to be marked out and prepared for engraving.
18ct white gold
(03)
Marking & placement
The ring is marked and the stone placed into the setting to check its fit. The sides are skilfully sawn away in line with the drilled holes, ready to take the small tubes that define the cut-out design.
Marking out
(04)
Tubes & drilling
Small tubes of white gold are carefully located into the slots and soldered into place. Once cleaned, the holes for the stones are meticulously measured and drilled, ready for setting.
Soldering
(05)
Fitting & the sapphire
Fit and feel, stone quality and the final engraving are all checked with the client before the ring is lightly finished. Here the sapphire is held in place with rods through the sides — removed once the stone is set.
Stone setting
(06)
Setting & millegrain
The final stages: diamonds grain-set into the sides and shoulders of the ring, and a decorative millegrain edge added by hand to define each segment of the design.
Finishing
“The piece is finished when you can’t imagine it any other way.”
The workshop, on knowing when to stop
18ct white gold
Alloyed at our own bench to the colour and carat your design calls for — here, a crisp white gold chosen by the client.
The sapphire
A centre stone selected for colour and life, held with rods through the setting until the moment it is set for good.
A Birmingham hallmark
Independently assayed and hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office — proof of metal, maker and year, struck into the piece.
Start with
a conversation.
No obligation, no hard sell — just tea, a sketchpad, and an honest budget. This sapphire solitaire began exactly here — and so could a bespoke engagement ring of your own.