TL;DR
A custom engagement ring at Bijouterie Jamil takes 4 to 8 weeks from your first consultation to the finished ring on your finger. Expect eight steps: consultation, sketch, 3D CAD model, approval, wax or resin print, casting, stone setting, and final finishing. Budgets typically run $2,500 to $25,000+ CAD, depending on the centre stone and metal. You can bring your own diamond or family stones, you get two to three rounds of revisions on the CAD before casting, and yes, we work in person at our Montréal store or virtually if you live outside Québec.
Table of contents
- What "custom" actually means at Bijouterie Jamil
- Step 1 — The consultation (in person or virtual)
- Step 2 — Sketches and design direction
- Step 3 — The 3D CAD model
- Step 4 — Approval and the moment of no return
- Step 5 — Wax or resin print
- Step 6 — Casting the metal
- Step 7 — Stone setting
- Step 8 — Finishing, polishing, rhodium
- Realistic timelines and what makes them slip
- Pricing: what drives the number
- FAQ
What "custom" actually means at Bijouterie Jamil
A custom engagement ring is a one-of-one piece designed for one person. We don't pull a mounting from a catalogue and swap a stone. We start from your idea — a Pinterest screenshot, a hand-drawn doodle, a memory of your grandmother's ring — and we build the entire piece around it.
Most of our custom clients fall into three buckets. Some bring a loose diamond they bought elsewhere (or inherited) and need a setting built around it. Some bring an old family ring they want reborn in a modern shape. And some show up with nothing but a budget and a feeling, and we figure out the rest together.
Whichever bucket you're in, the process is the same eight steps. The only thing that changes is where we start.
Step 1 — The consultation (in person or virtual)
This is a 45 to 60 minute conversation. Free, no commitment. Book it at our Montréal store or over Zoom if you're outside the city — we've delivered custom rings to clients in Toronto, Calgary, New York, and Paris using the virtual flow.
What to bring (or have ready on screen):
- Reference photos. Three to ten images of rings you love, and one or two you hate. The "no" pile is just as useful as the "yes" pile.
- Your budget range. A real number, not a ceiling. We design to the budget, not against it.
- The wearer's ring size if you know it. If you don't, we'll cover that — see our complete ring sizing guide for tricks to measure discreetly.
- Any stones you already own. Loose diamonds, an heirloom ring, coloured gemstones — bring them. We weigh, measure, and inspect them on the spot.
- A sense of the wearer's daily life. A nurse, a gardener, and a graphic designer all need different ring profiles. This matters more than people expect.
By the end of the consultation we'll have agreed on a centre stone direction (lab-grown vs natural, shape, rough carat range), a metal (14K, 18K, white, yellow, rose, or platinum), a setting style (solitaire, halo, three-stone, hidden halo, bezel, etc.), and a working budget. We'll also agree on a target date — for a proposal, an anniversary, a wedding. That date drives everything that follows.
Step 2 — Sketches and design direction
Within 3 to 5 business days of your consultation, you'll get hand sketches and a written quote. The sketches are deliberately rough — pencil on paper or a quick digital drawing. The point is to lock in the silhouette and proportions before we spend hours in CAD.
You give feedback in plain English (or French): "I want the band thinner," "the basket is too tall," "can the side stones go further down the shank." We iterate once or twice at this stage. It's fast and cheap. Big design pivots that happen here cost nothing. Big design pivots that happen after CAD cost time and sometimes money.
Step 3 — The 3D CAD model
Once the sketch is approved, we build the ring in 3D CAD software. This takes 5 to 10 business days depending on complexity. A clean solitaire is fast. A pavé halo with a hidden surprise stone under the gallery is slower.
You'll receive rendered images from multiple angles — top, side, three-quarter, and a hand-on-finger render so you can see the proportions on a real hand. For complex pieces we'll send a short rotating video. Everything is to-scale: the millimetre measurements you see on screen are the millimetre measurements of the finished ring.
This is the most important review of the entire process. The CAD is your ring. Once it goes to print, what you see is what you get.
Step 4 — Approval and the moment of no return
You get two to three rounds of CAD revisions included in the standard quote. Most clients use one or two. Common revision requests: thicker shank, shorter prongs, side stones moved closer to the centre, basket lowered, gallery simplified.
When you're happy, you sign off in writing — usually a quick email reply that says "approved as shown." That's the green light. We collect a 50% deposit at this point if we haven't already, and the file moves to production. Changes after approval are still possible up until casting, but they may add time and cost.
Step 5 — Wax or resin print
We print the ring in castable resin (or carve wax, for older-school pieces) directly from the approved CAD file. 1 to 2 business days. You're welcome to come to the store and see the print in person — many clients do, and it's the first time the ring exists as a physical object you can hold. It's still the wrong colour and weighs nothing, but the shape is exact.
This is your last realistic chance to catch something that feels off in person versus on screen. Once we cast, we cast.
Step 6 — Casting the metal
The resin print goes into a plaster investment, the resin is burned out (lost-wax casting), and molten gold or platinum is poured into the cavity. We cast in 14K, 18K, and platinum in-house. 2 to 4 business days for casting plus initial cleanup.
A note on metal choice: 18K white gold is whiter and softer; 14K white gold is more durable for daily wear; platinum is the heaviest, hardest-wearing, and most expensive. For Québec winters and gym lifestyles, 14K white gold or platinum hold up best. We'll have walked through this in the consultation.
Step 7 — Stone setting
The cast ring comes back rough — sprues attached, surface dull, stones not yet set. We file, pre-polish, then set the stones. Setting style depends on the design: prong, bezel, channel, pavé, micro-pavé, bead, flush. 3 to 7 business days depending on stone count.
If you brought your own diamond, this is where we set it. We inspect the stone first under the loupe — checking for chips, weak girdles, or inclusions near the surface that could fracture during setting. In 19 years of doing this I've turned away maybe a dozen stones because the risk was too high. We'll always tell you before we touch it.
For pavé and halo work, we set under a microscope. Each small diamond is hand-placed and the prongs raised one at a time. There is no machine that does this well.
Step 8 — Finishing, polishing, rhodium
Final polish, any engraving (inside the band — date, initials, coordinates, a fingerprint), rhodium plating if it's white gold, and a final QC under the loupe. 2 to 3 business days.
Then we photograph it, box it, and you come pick it up. Or for virtual clients, we ship insured (we use Brinks or Malca-Amit for high-value pieces) with signature required.
Realistic timelines and what makes them slip
Standard timeline: 4 to 6 weeks for a clean solitaire or three-stone, 6 to 8 weeks for halos, hidden halos, or anything with heavy pavé. We've delivered rings in 3 weeks when the proposal date was non-negotiable, but that requires an immediate yes on the CAD and zero revisions.
What makes timelines slip, honestly:
- Slow approvals. If a CAD sits in your inbox for two weeks, the ring is two weeks late. Half our delays are this.
- Stone sourcing. A specific 1.8 ct emerald-cut F VS1 might take a week to find. A fancy yellow cushion might take three.
- Mid-process pivots. Switching from a halo to a solitaire after CAD = restart CAD. Switching metals after casting = recast.
- Holiday seasons. December and Mother's Day weeks compress everything. Build in a buffer.
If your target date is tight, tell us at the consultation. We'll be honest about whether we can hit it.
Pricing: what drives the number
Custom engagement rings at Bijouterie Jamil typically run $2,500 to $25,000+ CAD. The spread is wide because the centre stone is usually 60 to 80% of the total. Here's the rough breakdown:
- Under $5,000 CAD — lab-grown centre, 14K gold, simpler setting
- $5,000 to $10,000 CAD — small natural diamond or larger lab-grown, 14K or 18K, halo or three-stone
- $10,000 to $20,000 CAD — 1 to 2 ct natural diamond, 18K or platinum, intricate setting
- $20,000 to $25,000+ CAD — 2 ct+ natural diamond with strong colour and clarity, platinum, custom hand work
The labour and CAD work itself is usually $800 to $2,500 CAD, depending on complexity. That covers consultation, sketches, CAD, revisions, casting, setting, and finishing. Stones and metal are quoted separately so you can see exactly where your money goes.
Yes, you can bring your own stones. We'll re-weigh and verify them, then quote the setting work alone. For a single centre stone setting in 14K, expect roughly $1,200 to $2,200 CAD for the mounting, casting, and setting. More for complex designs.
For a deeper look at where the dollars go, see our engagement ring budget guide for Quebec couples and our 4Cs without the marketing breakdown.
FAQ
How long does a custom engagement ring take from start to finish?
4 to 8 weeks is the realistic range. Simple solitaires can be done in 4 weeks; complex halos and pavé work usually need 6 to 8. Rush jobs are possible if you approve quickly and don't change your mind.
Can I bring my own diamond?
Yes. We inspect any stone you bring before quoting, then build the setting around it. We'll tell you upfront if a stone has a flaw that makes setting risky.
How much does a custom engagement ring cost in Montréal?
Typical range is $2,500 to $25,000+ CAD. Most of our clients land between $5,000 and $12,000. The centre stone is the biggest variable — labour and CAD usually add $800 to $2,500.
How does the 3D CAD design process work?
After we agree on a sketch, we build the ring in 3D software and send you rendered images from multiple angles. You get 2 to 3 rounds of revisions before approval. Once you sign off, we print, cast, set, and finish.
How many revisions do I get?
Two to three rounds of CAD revisions are included. Most clients use one or two. Big design pivots after approval (changing from a solitaire to a halo, for example) may add time and cost.
Can we do this remotely if I don't live in Montréal?
Yes. We run consultations on Zoom, share renders by email, and ship the finished ring fully insured with signature required. We've worked with clients in Toronto, Calgary, New York, and France this way.
How do I check the status of my custom order?
Just call or email us. We give updates at each milestone — sketch approved, CAD ready, approved, cast, set, polished. If you haven't heard from us in over a week, please reach out — we'd rather over-communicate.
What deposit do you take?
50% on CAD approval, balance on pickup. Card, debit, e-transfer, or wire all work.
Come visit, or send us your idea
If you want to start, the easiest path is to book a free 45-minute consultation at our Montréal store, or request a virtual one if you're outside Québec. Bring (or send) your reference photos, your budget, and any stones you already own. We'll take it from there.
Nader Khazzoum is co-owner and master jeweller at Bijouterie Jamil, the family-run jewellery house Bijouterie Jamil has operated in Montréal for over 60 years. He specializes in custom fabrication, stone setting, and laser welding.
