Custom Jewelry Design in Altus, OK
A loose marquise diamond. A handful of worn wedding bands. A pencil sketch on the back of a receipt. Custom work at Crown Jewelry can begin with any of these, and the goal is always the same: a finished piece that looks the way you pictured it and fits the way you wear jewelry. Debra Borders, who co-founded the store in 1984, is the lead designer on custom pieces and still guides each project from the first conversation.
How a Custom Piece Comes Together
The process is built around your approval at each stage, so nothing gets made until you are happy with what you see.
Start With a Conversation
Bring in whatever you have: stones from older jewelry, photos of rings you like, or just a description. We will talk about how you plan to wear the piece, which finger, how often, and what metal color you prefer. Those details shape the design as much as the stones do.
Try Shapes on Your Hand
Before anything is drawn, we look at proportions on your actual hand. A ring that looks balanced in a photo can feel too narrow or too bulky once it is on, so this step saves revisions later.
Review CAD Mockups
The store creates computer-aided design mockups of your piece. You can study the design, ask for changes, and see a revised version. If none of the mockups feel right, you can sketch the idea yourself and we will work from your drawing.
Approve and Finish
Once the design is approved, the piece is made, and you return to pick up something that did not exist before you walked in.
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Two Projects, Start to Finish
The first started with one larger marquise diamond and a collection of old wedding rings, both men's and women's. We removed the diamonds from those rings to use in the new piece. The customer preferred to wear rings on her middle finger, so the band needed to be wide across the front and taper toward the back for comfort. After seeing the early design, she decided she wanted a halo too. The final ring was refined in CAD before it was made.
The second came from a couple celebrating their fifth anniversary. The husband told his wife she could have whatever she wanted, and she knew: a rose gold ring with a ruby center stone, a diamond halo, and a diamond band. She already had a size and color in mind for the ruby, so five stones were brought in for her to choose from. Five CAD versions followed, and none were quite right. In the end she drew exactly what she wanted, and the ring was made from her drawing. The whole project took about two to three months, and she felt it was worth the wait.
Reworking Jewelry You Already Own
Plenty of good jewelry sits unworn because the style no longer suits the person who owns it. Diamonds and colored stones can be remounted into a new setting, which keeps the stones you value while changing everything else. An anniversary ring that never gets worn, a grandmother's ring that is too delicate for daily use, or a pair of earrings missing its mate can all become something new.
If a piece only needs work on its current setting, such as a resizing or new prongs, our jewelry repair and services may be the simpler route. For older heirlooms, it can help to have the piece appraised first so you know what you are working with; see jewelry appraisals.
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Why Work With a Local Designer
Designing in person means you can hold the stones, see mockups side by side, and talk through changes face to face. Darren Cramer, the jeweler at Crown Jewelry, works on site, so questions about settings and construction get answered by someone who handles the work. Special orders follow the same approach: describe what you are after, and we will start looking.
Custom pieces can also be paid over time with five-month layaway or financing. To learn more about everything else the store offers, visit the Crown Jewelry home page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a custom ring take?
It depends on the design and how many revisions you request. One recent custom ring, with a ruby center stone and several rounds of CAD changes, took about two to three months from first visit to finished piece.
Can you use diamonds from my old rings?
Yes. In one project, diamonds were removed from several old men's and women's wedding rings and combined with a larger marquise diamond in a single new ring.
What happens if I don't like the CAD design?
You ask for changes. One customer reviewed five CAD versions before drawing her own design, and the final ring was made from her sketch.
Can I choose my own center stone?
Yes. If you know the size and color you want, stones can be brought in for you to compare. For one ruby ring, five stones were brought in so the customer could pick hers.
Can I pay for a custom piece over time?
Yes. Crown Jewelry offers five-month layaway and financing services on purchases, including custom work.
Can a custom piece be engraved?
Yes. Jewelry engraving can add initials, dates, or a phrase, and fingerprint and signature engraving are also available.