I chose a simple design, putting the diamond in a gold setting and making a halo using the diamond chips and then having them provide a few more to fill it all out.
The price they quoted me on the necklace with just my single diamond in a gold setting was $450. Adding the halo element, using my chips and a few additional (she said it's about $10 for each chip) would be $950, plus $100 to set my diamond into it (the labor cost).
I'll be going back this week and probably going forward with it, as well as asking for a bit more detail on the cost breakdown. My main "curiosity" is the cost breakdown of the additional $500, plus $100 for the diamond setting. Why not just say it's $1050? I'm not understanding why that cost of setting the diamond is broken out as a separate fee when it's totally integral to the necklace. Also, I know the diamond itself is the priciest part of the necklace, so why such a big jump from $450 to $1050 just by adding in the chips around it (the cost of the chips I'm paying for will probably be something like $150).
I realize I can possibly go somewhere else and get another quote but I'm very happy with the vibe of this jewelry store and the way they treated me. I also know they have a reputation for fair prices so my question here is really just to get a sense of whether this seems right, what questions I should be asking and whether I can maybe get some insight into custom jewelry costs.
As a gift to my fiancee on our wedding day, I'm planning on having a necklace made out of a diamond that is an heirloom. The diamond is a small pear shape (a little under half a carat) and is currently set in a ring, surrounded by several small diamond chips. I took it to a local jeweler that has a good reputation for being great to work with and fair on price.
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