About product
Q: Where is the jewelry made?
A: All of our jewelry is handcrafted in our NYC studio by Ayaka Nishi and her staff.
Q: Where does all the materials come from?
A: All materials come from our trustworthy jewelry supply stores with long standing relationships in New York.Our fine metal is high quality recycled and ethical metal from United Precious Metal Refining.
Q: Can I order from another country?
A: Yes, we have many foreign clients and we can communicate remotely by email, facetime, zoom.
We can ship to another country with insurance and tracking numbers.
Production Term
Q: How long does it take to custom-make a ring?
A: When the customer decided to place order and finalizing design, we can estimate production terms.Since all items are handcrafted and made to order in our studio by Ayaka and her assistants, production time depends on the design complication and other order status.(normally 6 weeks to 12 weeks)All orders are equally important to us.We fill orders on a first come first serve basis.We want to provide the best quality product, so please give us enough time for production.If you require the jewelry by a certain date, we recommend you order in advance.It depends on design and other order congestion.Normally before the holiday season(November-December) we get many orders for holiday gift so it tend to take longer than usual.
Cost
Q: How much would it normally cost to custom-make a wedding ring at Ayaka Nishi?
A: The cost of a wedding ring depends on your choice of stone, materials, item weight and design. Please click here to check the price estimates for stones. When it comes to fine metal, since it will be charged by weight, changing the width of the band may cause a big change in the price.
Design
Q: How much does it cost for design?
We charge an initial $250 non-refundable design fee for all custom orders, which will be applied toward the final purchase. This initial phase includes a consultation meeting(45 minutes online or in-person or some email exchange conversations) and 1-2 rounds of design-ideas sketch. This design fee must be paid in advance before starting design.If design couldn't be finalized in 2 rounds of design-idea sketch, we have to charge each design sketch fee $100 for after next each round, so please provide us your idea and information clearly as you can at the consultation and first round design. It helps to provide the right direction. At the end of this phase, when we agree to the design, we will collect a 60% deposit payment (which includes the $250 design fee) based on the estimate provided for the final piece of jewelry. With this payment, the client agrees to let me begin production of the custom piece.
Q: I have a design idea for my wedding ring. Can you make it for me?
A: Yes. We are more than happy to help you and bring your idea to life.We are good at organic design and detail oriented as you see our jewelry collection but please share your idea firs so we can start discussing.
Q: I like your ***ring in your *** collection. Can you make a wedding ring based on that design but make it thinner and add a diamond?
A: Yes. We can adjust our existing design for you as long as it is technically possible. Please be aware that additional fees may apply for some adjustments requiring some special techniques such as 3D printing etc.
Q: Can I engrave letters in the wedding band?
A: Yes.Most of ring design is possible to engrave letters but if the ring design is sculptural and has texture inside of the band or too narrow design without enough space for engraving, we can’t do it.If you plan to engrave letters, please tell us in advance for design process.
Materials
Q: Can I use the metal from my old jewelry to create a new one?
A: It is possible but not recommended. Re-using your old metals is a complicated work since it is impossible to know the metals alloyed in your old piece and may cause quality problems in your new jewelry.
Q: Can I use my own stone for my wedding ring?
A: Yes. We will be happy to work with diamonds or gemstones of your own.
If a client would like to use a pre-owned stone, they must first fill out our stone intake form, send photos of the stones (or schedule an in-person meeting with Ayaka), and provide detailed information about stone type, carat weight, any certifications (GIA, etc) and current mounting. Stone requests are approved on a case by case basis, and an additional fee will be charged (price determined with client depending on the stone).
The client agrees that there is reasonable risk involved in removing stones from mountings and resetting stones. It is the responsibility of Ayaka Nishi to assess any risk regarding your stone, and advise the client on any foreseeable issues before moving forward with stone resetting. By providing consent for Ayaka Nishi to reset a pre-existing gemstone, the customer holds harmless Ayaka Nishi against any stone damage due to stone flaws or existing stone cracks, chipping, flaws, or inclusions.
If a client chooses to use their own stones and ships them directly to Ayaka Nishi, the customer will select its own shipping carrier, negotiate rates, shipping terms, and remit payment directly to the shipping provider. The customer will be encouraged to purchase shipping insurance, and understands that Ayaka Nishi will not purchase shipping insurance on the customer's behalf. The customer assumes all liability associated with this shipment, and hereby holds harmless Ayaka Nishi and all of their deemed agents against any claims for loss or damage. Any claims that need to be made for lost or damaged shipments will be by the customer's responsibility.
Q: Can you look for stone for the customer order?
Finding a trustworthy stone dealer is very difficult in Diamond District. We have long standing relationships with some trustworthy stone dealers. We can source good quality stones with better pricing through these relationships.
Process
Q: How to start?
A: We request to fill out custom order sheet first to get more idea from the customer’s request.
You can see more detail about custom order process from this page.
Payment & Shipping
Q: What payment options do I have?
A: We accept credit card, cash, wire transfer, check, venmo.
Q: Do you ship the ring with insurance?
A: We ship via USPS Express Mail with tracking # and shipping insurance provided by the carrier.
Q: Can I pick up the ring at your studio?
A: Sure.Our store is located, East Village, Manhattan, New York. Please just let us know in advance when you can come pick up.
Size
Q: How can I find out the right ring size?
A: You can get the size at our studio in East Village, New York or a local jeweler. Also, we can send a ring sizer kit and mail it to you.
Q: Can I adjust the size of my wedding ring after it’s completed?
A: it is the customer's responsibility to provide an accurate ring size prior to production. Pieces will be resized on a case-by-case basis, and come with a flat resizing fee of $50 [platinum pieces require a $110 resizing fee]. Please allow 1-2 weeks for resizing. Pieces such as eternity bands, intricate settings, or pieces featuring certain gemstones cannot be resized.