For Jewellery By Design’s Business Manager Bevan Hill and Design Manager Angelo Catalano, there is no sweeter reward than helping their customers design and create the perfect piece.
The team at JBD has recently shaved weeks off the process of designing and manufacturing custom pieces of jewellery, by increasing their in-house team. Angelo says the process always begins with the customer and their own dream design.
“Usually people will show us their ideas and then it’s our job here to expand on that,” he says.
“I might translate their initial concept into a couple of old-fashioned sketches, so they can then pick and choose whatever one they’d like to make their piece.
“From there, our jewellers will create a 3D image so we can show people our designs on the computer, and now – if the customer really wants to touch it and feel it – we can print the design into a plastic, so they can see where the stones go in and how it feels,” says Angelo.
“At this point, they usually get pretty excited because they can see how it all sits together, and then they trust me to make the best piece for them.”
Bevan, Angelo and the team always hope their custom pieces will be passed through generations of clients; and they treat their customers’ sentimental jewellery with the same love and respect.
Bevan says the JBD team is honoured when asked to restore or redesign family heirlooms.
“When you see that kind of jewellery, it’s the emotional value, not the dollar value, that’s important,” he says.
“Generally there are two options with those kinds of heirloom pieces – we can restore the item for occasional wear; or, if you want to wear it every day, it might be time for us to remodel or redesign it. If you want it to be redesigned exactly as it was, Angelo and the team can do that.”
A big part of ensuring your jewellery is kept in good condition, is having it regularly inspected for signs of wear and tear.
“Jewellery is just like a car in that we need to service your pieces regularly to keep them in good condition,” Bevan says.
“Many people put their jewellery on and never take it off, but if they just visit us in-store once a month, we can inspect their items and advise them of any little concerns before they become a problem.”
That is the ethos that the JBD team tries to instil in all their clients – that once they’ve purchased a piece, they are part of the JBD family for life.
“Our dream is that when anybody thinks of jewellery – whether it’s a custom design, restoration, watch repair, or a quick gift – they think Jewellery By Design,” says Angelo.
“We want to see our customers, more than less.”
Jewellery By Design
Castletown
www.jbd.net.au