4 min read

When is the last day to order a bespoke Christmas gift?

For a simple piece, the very latest is about Friday 11 December. Our quickest bespoke work takes 2 weeks, and Christmas Day falls on Friday 25 December. A ring with a special stone or a detailed design can take up to 6 months, so start those as soon as you can.

Christmas jewellery present from The Diamond Setter

Ordering a week or so earlier gives you time to collect it and wrap it. Christmas isn’t a busy season for our workshop, so the usual lead times still apply. Bring a rough idea of what you’d like, and we’ll tell you honestly what there’s time for.

How long does bespoke jewellery take?

Every piece goes through the same three stages: finding the right stone, agreeing the design and making it in our workshop. The time left before Christmas decides which kind of piece we can make for you.

A simple solitaire engagement ring, with a diamond that’s easy to find, sits at the quicker end. A rare gemstone, a wedding band made to match another piece or lots of fine detail all need more time, because the stone and the design both need extra care.

If you’re reading this in the autumn, there’s time to enjoy the process. You can explore ideas and see your design on screen before we start making it.

What helps your gift get made in time?

A bespoke engagement ring, or any bespoke piece, comes together fastest when you can help us with these five things early on:

White gold engagement ring with a round diamond and accent stones

• Know roughly what you’d like. A photo of a style they love, or a piece they already wear, gives us a clear starting point.
• Be open on the stone. If you’re happy with a few diamond or gemstone options, we can find the right one sooner.
• Say yes to the design quickly. CAD, which stands for computer-aided design, lets you see the piece on screen before we make it.
• Keep changes small. A small tweak is quick. A bigger change to the first design needs more workshop time.
• Find their ring size. For a surprise proposal, bring a ring they already wear on the right finger, and we’ll work out the safest plan with you.

Don’t worry if you don’t have all the answers yet. Working them out together is what the first appointment is for.

Made in our own workshop

At The Diamond Setter, we make and repair jewellery in our own workshop at The Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells. Your piece is never sent away to another company, so the people telling you what’s possible before Christmas are the same people making it.

We start by asking about the person you’re buying for: the jewellery they wear every day, the colours they love and the moment you’re planning. Then we design around your budget. A bespoke engagement ring starts from £2,000, with the final price set by the stone, the metal and the design.

You can meet us face to face in our showroom or over a video call, and every appointment is no obligation. We’re Hatton Garden trained and GIA certified, so we can talk you through diamonds and gemstones in plain English. Every piece also comes with a lifetime service guarantee.

Gift ideas when time is tight

Even with only a few weeks to go, there’s still time to give something truly special. Picture their face on Christmas morning when they open a piece made just for them!

Jewellery from The Diamond Setter in Tunbridge Wells

If you’re planning a Christmas proposal and the ring won’t be ready in time, you can propose with a simple stand-in ring and design the real one together in the new year. Choosing the final ring side by side can be part of the fun.

Old or inherited jewellery makes a lovely jewellery gift too. Remodelling can keep the family story in a new piece, such as a grandmother’s ring reset as a pendant. We check what can be reused first, and remodelling starts from £500, with the final price set by the stone, the metal and the design.

Questions we get asked about Christmas jewellery orders

Can I bring photos of jewellery they already wear?

Yes. Photos show us the shapes, stones and metals they already love, which gives the design a clear starting point. Screenshots from social media work well too.

Can a repair be ready for Christmas?

Yes, as long as there’s enough time for the work it needs. We do every repair in our own workshop, so we can look at the piece and give you a clear time.

Can you make a wedding band to match an engagement ring?

Yes. We can make a wedding band that sits neatly beside an engagement ring. Wedding bands start from £1,000, with the final price set by the stone, the metal and the design.

Which metals can you use for a Christmas gift?

We work in yellow, white and rose gold, and in platinum. The metal you choose sits alongside the stone and the design when we plan the piece.