Custom versus Customize

A prototype, or one-off, is part of the very early stages in the design process, allowing the designer an opportunity to correct any problems that have arisen. In jewellery, this is a very important step as jewellery must be not only beautifully designed but also wearable. The designer then continues experimenting and developing until the design has been perfected. “Custom” work is defined as “made to customer’s specifications” and “not repeated or reproduced”. In other words, a custom piece is a prototype, imperfect and half-baked.

Commonly, references to “custom” work are really intended to be references to “customizing” – changing the colour of the metal or the gemstone of a piece of jewellery to suit the customer’s desires, also known as “user-end design”. While custom work is obviously unfinished and immature, even “customizing” often compromises a superior design. Our designs incorporate the whole, not just bits and pieces and, for us, the design process is “use-end” focused, as jewellery is both an amulet and a wearable work of art.

The only designs that are not repeated are bad designs.