Keep reading for Heidi’s story...
“I graduated high school in 1993, and I think I wore my high school ring for like a week, and then it went into a jewelry box, and it's now been there for like 28 years.”
The story of Heidi’s “fancy” high school ring was all too familiar. When she graduated, she thought the ring was something she would wear for years, but instead, it got tucked away in her jewelry box, gathering dust.
When Heidi and I first met, we found that we had many mutual friends, which is often the case when you live in Alexandria, VA. She’d first seen my work on Facebook and loved seeing how I transformed hidden jewelry box treasures into something new and distinctive.
The custom design process can be scary at first.
It’s not uncommon for my clients to feel a little anxious about the custom design process. There are many questions and sometimes fears, especially when it involves taking apart and redesigning their sentimental jewelry or family heirlooms. But Heidi had no reservation at all,
“I had seen a lot of your previous work that you post on Facebook and social media. I've always been impressed with your creativity and all the things that you produce. It doesn't look like the standard jewelry you see in the malls or at jewelry stores. I loved your sense of creativity.”
Commissioning a custom piece of jewelry.
This was Heidi’s first experience having a custom piece of jewelry made for her. We started her piece just as everything was shutting down due to COVID shutdowns. So even though Heidi was local, we worked together virtually through calls, email, and video conferencing.
“I remember it was crazy down in Old Town, Virginia. It was right at the peak of craziness. You kept me aware of every stage along the way, and it was cool to see that progression.”
Heidi’s situation was somewhat unique. I often have clients in other parts of the country that I work with virtually, but not when they’re local. So that was a whole new thing, but we didn’t let the pandemic stop our progress!
Designing a unique and meaningful ring.
In addition to the high school ring, Heidi also had a ring she’d purchased in the Bahamas many years ago, with her birthstone, Peridot. She shared that she wanted something to symbolize her New Orleans roots.
“Our colors back at home are purple, green, and gold. And so the green is my birthstone, Peridot, and the purple was my high school stone.”
The rings had the colors we needed to represent Lousiana, but Heidi had no vision of what she wanted. She just knew, “I wanted something neat, and I knew I wanted something made by you. And I knew that if it was going to be made by you, it was going to be cool and amazing.”
The unboxing experience.
One of my favorite parts of the custom redesign experience is when I get to deliver the finished ring and see my client’s reaction. This never gets old, as each piece and each client is unique and special to me.
Heidi described the experience as “Awesome! It's so different to see it virtually and then obviously get it in person. And it was ten times more beautiful than what you see along the way in the process. I have gotten so many compliments on it every time I wear it.” She loves that everywhere she goes, people comment on it and ask, "Where'd you get that?"
She shared how important it was to her not to just go into a typical jewelry store and buy something like everyone else might have, and she loves when she gets to tell people, "Oh, well, it was made for me. It's an original design."
Would she do it again?
Yes! Heidi is already thinking about redesigning her wedding set at some point in the future. While she likes her set, she recognizes that her style has
Cchanged since she got married in her thirties. This is pretty common and completely understandable. When the time is right, we’ll redesign her wedding set, “I see a lot of my friends getting their sets done, and I'm like, oh, maybe that's something I'll tackle later on.”
Who should take the leap?
Heidi has nothing but encouragement for anyone wanting a custom redesign.
“I would tell them to trust the process. Because I came into this with no knowledge and no real idea of what I wanted, you took over that, and I had full trust in you. So I would tell someone on the fence to trust the process because anything from you is unique, very special, very eclectic, and they wouldn't be disappointed. So I would tell them to go for it.”
Take the leap! That sentimental piece hiding in your jewelry box would love a fresh new life! Let’s chat about your custom redesign today!
