Process

A meeting with MLJ is a journey of discovery. In the relaxed and friendly atmosphere of our Burlington showroom, we listen to your wishes and desires. We encourage you to dive into our design library for deeper inspiration. Browse our vintage looks and contemporary designs. Discover how we have created scintillating engagement rings, beautiful wedding bands and special gifts with exquisitely coloured gemstones. This is your chance to conceive and dream. We take time to establish your budget and timeline. We make note of important measurements like chain lengths, band widths and ring sizes. Drawing on all our expert knowledge and guidance, only then do we offer you the best possible choices.

When it comes to sourcing gemstones, MLJ has a global reach. With complete respect for your budget, we are able to offer the magnificent stones and high-quality materials needed to realize your dream jewellery. We understand that much of the early stages of the bespoke custom process is educational, so we take time to carefully explain the options. We want you to be able to make the most informed decision possible. We marry our expertise and vast experience to your wishes and together we make the best selection.

At MLJ, we are committed to standards of excellence in all we do. We share our clients’ concerns about the ethical sourcing of stones and other materials used in jewellery. That is why we strive to work only with responsibly sourced or recycled precious metals such as platinum, gold, palladium and sterling silver. All of our gemstones are natural as are our diamonds, which are Canadian or conflict-free, and in addition we are able to offer laboratory-grown diamonds. Please inquire about MLJ’s different gemstone options.

Once you have selected your gemstones and metals, we proceed to sketch concepts. We prepare sketches for you based exactly on the stone you have chosen, the nature of the piece and the style you desire. You review the sketches and choose the one that speaks to you most strongly. If any adjustments or revisions need to be made, we can do so at this stage. Once the design concept is approved we go to CAD.

Based on your unique combination of materials, sketches and design discussion, along with some very precise measurements, we build a 3D CAD of your piece. We share that image with you, which is a final opportunity to review and make any minor adjustments necessary. (We are aware that sometimes CAD images can be a challenge to fully visualize, so we are on hand to provide any help—especially in terms of scale and detail.) Once the CAD is approved, we begin the wax model stage.

The wax model creation or “growing” process is one of great patience. Depending on the intricacies and size of the item, this magical 3D printing procedure can take several hours to accomplish. Once completed, it is an opportunity for you to view the life-size model of your piece for the first time. We can even drop stones in place to demonstrate what your jewellery will look like finished.

We carefully cast your 3D model in the precious metal of your choice. Once successfully cast, we clean up and assemble the jewellery piece, meticulously set the stones and would add hand engraving or vintage milgrain details at this time. Then your piece gets its final polish. Your gleaming, one-of-a-kind jewellery is nearly ready for collection.

Before MLJ delivers any custom jewellery, we ensure it is independently appraised by a third-party expert. This vital task is not done in-house, but by a qualified and completely independent appraisal lab. The appraiser supplies their assessment of your jewellery’s replacement value. This is essential for insurance purposes. MLJ gives you the appraisal documentation you will require to have your  bespoke jewellery covered under your policy. Whether you purchased the gemstones and metal directly from Modern Love Jewellery or we remodelled a family heirloom, you will know exactly what you have in your possession.

The dream you came to us with has manifested into beautifully set gemstones and hand polished precious metals. This is an expression of you and your unique vision. As we present your finished jewellery to you, it is the end of one journey and the beginning of another. It is a memorable moment between creator and client. A moment that we at MLJ look forward to sharing with you…