Q: How does the custom-made process work?

Customers bring in their jewellery sketches, Pinterest boards or images they have collected along with any pieces of jewellery they want to add to the piece. 

We prefer customers to book an appointment for this stage of the process to make sure one of our senior sales consultants, or myself Jenni or John Franich are available and in-store to discuss your requirements. 

We have a lovely desk area where we can sit for as long as you need to discuss your ideas.

We created a blog that details each step of the custom-made process here.

Q: Will I be able to see examples of gemstones, diamond cuts and how the ring could look?

"Definitely!" says Jenni. We have a wide range of gemstone samples for you to view and examples of the diamond cuts and carat sizes for you to take a look at.

At this point we can take you through all the qualities of gemstones that are important for you to consider - such as cut, clarity and carat - as well as give you an indication of the cost structures behind this.

We also have a wide range of jewellery available to view in-store, and online before you come. You will be able to try jewellery on and get an idea of the sizing of gemstones and how they may look on your hand or your person.

And we have plenty of mirrors in-store for you to check out the look!

That's important.

 

Q: Can I bring in jewellery I already own to be melted down or repurposed for my new jewellery ideas?

"Of course" says Jenni. Many customers do this. You may have collected jewellery over the years that are out of style or you no longer like to use. This jewellery can contain precious diamonds, gemstones and metals like gold and platinum that can be melted down and reused.

"However" says Jenni, "there are a few things to consider in this process, such as the percentage of precious metals in your jewellery, as 9k for example, contains less reusable gold than 18k or 24k, and some gemstones may be damaged or cracked.

Bill Palmer assessing a piece of jewellery at one of our in-store events where customers could bring heirloom pieces in to discuss their potential value and history.

Look out for our next event by following us on Facebook.

Q: What's the value in reusing a gemstone

Jenni advises that "most diamonds and gemstones are difficult to sell for their true value on the resale market as most valuers look first at the price they can get for the gold used in the jewellery and often there is little to no real value placed on the stone itself, unless you sell it privately or on auction. Each stone has a story - not just how and where it was created and who found it and cut it, but also the story of who wore it. So it absolutely makes sense to reuse a stone you have."

From here, however, there are some costs involved. The gemstones will need to be extracted from the heirloom piece to be polished and restored. It may need to be recut due to chips or cracks and possibly resized depending on the design of the new jewellery piece, so it is important to note that the stone that you supply is not completely offset in the final cost of the commissioned piece.

Q: Will you be able to use my precious metals?

"Absolutely!" says Jenni, "but there are some considerations." There are many varieties of gold used in jewellery and techniques for making the jewellery. Typically we work with jewellery ranging from 9k to 24k, but the gold is not always a solid piece. 

When we consider reusing a piece of gold, we will offset the price of that gold, based on the weight and percentage of pure gold that can be extracted from the jewellery. Sometimes we will only know the true value once we have melted and separated the metals. From here, the process is the same whether the gold is sourced new or reused, it still needs to now be recreated into a new piece, which often requires additional gold or metals to be added.

Read more about the merits of investing in good quality gold and or platinum as a form of "currency" within your investment portfolio.

Q: What are the main benefits of coming to John Franich Jewellers for custom-made orders?

"Well, we've been doing this for over 40 years!" Says Jenni, "you just need to read some of our reviews and testimonials on our website and on Google to see how our customers have valued the personal care, attention and service they have received from John Franich during a custom-made design process"

Our team of designers, creators and crafters are all local, so each piece is made right here in New Zealand using the finest materials and craftsmaship.

"We value integrity, our craft and our service, ensuring every customer leaves ecstatic and with a sense of trust and surety that they can return to us at any time for resizing, remodelling, and cleaning and polishing - or their next custom-made piece" says Jenni.

John Franich takes pride in its beautiful range Fine Jewellery comprising of over 300 natural, mined, diamond jewellery pieces.  All our diamonds are sourced through strict ethical trading and certification processes managed by the premium diamond capital of the world, Antwerp, under the governance of The Kimberley Process to ensure all diamonds are conflict free. 

View this video to find out more - Video 

At John Franich we also believe that the look of diamonds and luxe jewellery should be accessible to all our Zealand, and particularly those close to our store in West Auckland. In January 2025 we introduced a range of Lab Grown Diamonds to satisfy both growing customer demand and offer a more affordable alternative as New Zealand has dragged its way through a tough economic climate.

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