Custom Jewelry Inspiration Gallery | Jewelsmith Durham NC
Galleries of Custom Jewelry
Discover jewelry that’s thoughtfully designed and carefully handcrafted, one piece at a time. Each creation is made with precision and passion, offering personalized custom designed jewelry you'll cherish for years to come.
Use these examples to inspire your own custom jewelry project.
Are you looking for a special gift for a loved one or a special piece for yourself? Our experienced jewelry makers can create the perfect design tailored to your desires and bring your vision to life.
Every piece in these galleries was designed by our AGS-certified designers and handcrafted by our goldsmiths in our Durham, NC workshop using recycled metals and ethically sourced gemstones. What you see here is what we do, every day, for clients in the Triangle area and across the country.
Before and After
Find inspiration for your jewelry makeover.
See examples of how we have reset clients' diamonds and gemstones and repurposed old jewelry or family heirlooms. Our mission is to create beautiful, meaningful pieces of jewelry that will be cherished for generations to come.
Cool Makeover Ideas
Find inspiration for your custom jewelry makeover project.
Some of these custom jewelry designs repurpose wedding rings. This a great way to honor the memories of loved ones in a tangible way. Many designs reset and reuse family diamonds and gemstones in innovative and beautiful ways.
Engagement Rings
From solitaires to nature-inspired designs, bezel settings to east-west orientations and from classic diamonds to Montana sapphires, lab-grown stones, and colored gems of every kind. Browse our custom engagement ring gallery and bring whatever inspires you to your free consultation.
Bands
Fitted contour bands, eternity bands, stackable sets, hand-engraved designs, and everything in between. Start from scratch or bring your own gold — our Same Molecule Refining service can turn your sentimental family gold into any karat or color for your new band.
Rings
Bezel, prong, flush, channel, pavé — and designs you won't find anywhere else. Browse our custom ring gallery for ideas, then bring your own diamonds, gemstones, or gold, or start fresh. Your designer will help you find the right direction.
Earrings
Studs, hoops, dangles, threaders, drops, huggies, and sculptural one-of-a-kind designs. Browse our custom earring gallery — from understated everyday pieces to statement earrings worthy of a special occasion. If you can dream it, we can make it.
Pendants
Nature-inspired designs, geometric forms, portrait pendants, memorial pieces, and everything in between. Many of our most meaningful pendant projects start with a stone or a story, bring us either and we'll design around it. Your own gold and gems are always welcome.
Necklaces
Gemstone bead strands, Montana sapphires, tourmalines, and pearls. Station necklaces. Classic Jewelsmith Parts designs. And fully custom creations built around a stone, a theme, or a memory. Browse our necklace gallery to find your starting point.
Bracelets
From delicate bangles to substantial cuffs, pearl bracelets to bead strands and hinged designs, bracelets are one of the best ways to give a collection of smaller diamonds or gems a beautiful new life together. Browse our custom bracelet gallery for ideas.
Brooches, Cufflinks and More
Find inspiration for your perfect custom brooch, cufflink, tie tac, keychain and more
Parts Collection
The Parts series is one of Jewelsmith's most iconic and enduring designs. The original 1998 Platinum Guild International award-winning Parts necklace was designed by founder Linda McGill and the series has been carried forward by our team ever since. Modular by nature, each Parts piece is built from individual geometric elements that combine into something entirely your own. Browse the gallery and bring your gemstones and ideas or let our team find the perfect stones for you.
Kissing Rings
Jewelsmith's iconic Kissing Ring series are all handmade and unique. The defining feature that they share is two gems that are tilted towards each other but are not quite touching, much like that magical moment just before a kiss.
Cone and Sheet Rings
The Cone and Sheet design is one of Jewelsmith's most iconic, original and long-running series. Phillip Dismuke has been designing and creating each ring individually by hand for decades. The Cone and Sheet ring series may have elements in common, but each ring is unique. The evolution of the design continues with each iteration of this popular design.
Unusual Custom Project Inspiration
We've immortalized a first dollar bill in sterling silver, mapped a round-the-world trip on a golden globe, sculpted the Eno River into a custom North Carolina pendant, and created pieces that tell stories no one else could tell. Bring us your wildest idea and we'll create a one-of-a-kind work of art just for you.
Sketches to Finished
Every custom piece starts as a conversation and ends as something you'll wear for a lifetime. Here's the part in between — see hand-drawn sketches and CAD renderings beside the finished jewelry they became. A glimpse into how ideas turn into heirlooms in our Durham, NC workshop.
Contact Us
Start Your Custom Jewelry Project
FAQ
We're here to answer any questions you may have about your custom jewelry project.
Are the pieces in these galleries available for purchase?
No — everything in these galleries is past custom work we've made for our clients. Each piece was designed and handcrafted specifically for the person who commissioned it and is not for sale. These galleries exist purely to inspire your own custom project. See something that excites you? Bring it to your free consultation and we'll design something just for you.
Can I use these gallery images as inspiration for my own custom design?
Absolutely — that's exactly what they're here for. Screenshot anything that catches your eye, mix ideas from multiple galleries, or bring in inspiration from anywhere else. Our AGS-certified designers love working from a mood board or a single image. You don't need to know exactly what you want. That's what the design conversation is for.
Can I bring my own diamonds, gemstones, or gold to use in a custom piece?
Yes, and we encourage it. Many of the pieces in these galleries were made using our clients' own diamonds, gemstones, and gold from jewelry they no longer wore. We can reset your stones into a completely new design, and our Same Molecule Refining process can turn your sentimental family gold into any karat or color for your new piece — yellow, white, or rose gold.
How do I get started with a custom jewelry project?
Start with a free consultation at our Durham, NC workshop — in person or virtually. Browse these galleries first and screenshot anything that speaks to you. At your appointment, one of our designers will talk through your ideas, your budget, and any materials you'd like to bring. From there we'll sketch concepts, produce a CAD rendering for your approval, and handcraft your piece on-site. The full process typically takes 6–8 weeks.
Do you work with clients outside of Durham, NC?
Yes. While most of our clients are in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Triangle area, we work with clients across the country virtually. We can conduct your design consultation by video, share CAD renderings digitally for your approval, and ship wax models to try on and ship finished pieces within the USA. If you're local, you're always welcome to come in and see the work being made in our shop.
What types of custom jewelry do you make?
Essentially anything in precious metal — engagement rings, wedding bands, fashion rings, earrings, pendants, necklaces, bracelets, brooches, cufflinks, tie bars, and more unusual one-of-a-kind pieces. If you have an idea that doesn't fit neatly into a category, bring it anyway. Jewelsmith has been creating one-of-a-kind custom jewelry in Durham, NC since 1976.
