Every year around early October, I start getting the same question: “Is there still time to have something made before the holidays?” The honest answer, as of today, is yes — but the window narrows every week, and by mid-November it closes for anything built from scratch. So let me tell you exactly how long each kind of project actually takes, instead of making you book a call to find out.
The short answer: here's the timeline
These are the lead times I plan around for holiday delivery. They assume we start the consultation now and you're reasonably decisive at the approval stages.
- A fully custom piece from scratch: 6–8 weeks. Design, CAD, your approval, casting, stone setting, finishing. Book the consultation by early November at the latest.
- An heirloom redesign: 4–6 weeks, depending on whether we're reusing your stones as-is or recutting. Book by mid-November.
- Resetting a stone into an existing-style setting: 2–4 weeks. Book by late November.
- A finished piece from the collection, resized: about 1–2 weeks for sizing. Possible into early December.
If you're reading this after those dates have passed, skip to the last section — there are still good options.
Why custom takes six to eight weeks (and can't really be rushed)
I'm not padding the calendar. A custom piece moves through real, sequential steps, and most of them can't overlap. We design together and I turn that into a CAD model you approve. Only then does it get cast in your metal. Then a setter places the stones by hand, and finally it's polished and finished. Casting and setting are done by specialists on their own schedules, and in November everyone's queue is full.
The part people underestimate is their own decision time. The revisions stage is where weeks quietly disappear — not because I'm slow, but because choosing is hard and the holidays are busy. If you want December delivery, the kindest thing you can do for yourself is start the conversation while there's still slack in the schedule.
Redesign is faster than you'd think
If you've inherited a ring you never wear, or you have a diamond sitting in a drawer, a redesign is often the smartest holiday project — and usually quicker than a from-scratch custom piece, because the main stone is already in hand. We're not sourcing a center stone or waiting on a gem to arrive; we're reimagining the setting around something you already own. I wrote a full breakdown of what this costs in How Much Does Jewelry Redesign Cost? if you want the numbers before you call.
One honest caveat: not every heirloom can be turned around in four weeks, and not every old stone is in good enough shape to reset without repair. Occasionally I have to tell someone a stone needs work first, which adds time. I'd rather say that in October than surprise you in December.
If there isn't time for custom: finished pieces that ship sooner
Sometimes the calendar just wins, and that's fine. A few pieces from the collection make genuinely lovely gifts and need only sizing, not weeks of fabrication. A couple I reach for this time of year:
- The Oval Cut Pale Blue Sapphire Dome Ring ($2,500) — a soft, sky-blue sapphire on a curved gold dome. It sits up off the finger and reads as special without being fussy.
- The Round Cut Pink Sapphire and Diamond Dome Ring ($2,500) — a hot-pink center haloed in diamonds. Flirty, but not sweet.
- The Diamond Initial Necklace (from $1,350) — their letter in diamonds on a fine chain. Personal, easy to wear every day, and the gift people reach for first.
These let you give something considered even when there's no runway left for custom work.
The reframe: the most meaningful gift is usually already in the family
If you're choosing between buying something new and redesigning a piece someone left behind, I'll almost always point you toward the redesign. The most expensive material is already in your jewelry box — the gold, the stones, and the history. Turning a grandmother's cocktail ring into something your partner will actually wear is a far better gift than anything I could sell you off the shelf, and the holidays are the natural moment to do it.
How the process works
It starts with a free consultation — in person at my Santa Monica studio or virtually from anywhere in the U.S. We talk through what you have, what you want, and your budget. From there I send sketches, then a CAD rendering, with revisions until it's right. Once you approve, it's fabricated and delivered. You can read more about what we offer on the heirloom redesign and custom design pages.
A few quick questions I always get
Can you really do this virtually? Yes. Most of my out-of-state clients never set foot in the studio. We handle everything over video and secure shipping.
What if I'm not sure what I want yet? That's what the consultation is for. Bring the stone, bring a Pinterest board, or bring nothing but a feeling — we'll figure it out together.
What if it won't be ready in time? I'll tell you honestly before you commit, and we'll either find a finished piece for the holiday and build the custom one after, or plan it as a January project with a card under the tree.
Book while there's still time
If you want something made or redesigned for the holidays, now is the moment to start. Book a complimentary consultation — in person in Santa Monica or virtually from anywhere in the U.S. — and I'll tell you straight whether your timeline is realistic.
Kate Price is the founder of Kate Rose Fine Jewelry, a Santa Monica studio specializing in heirloom redesign and custom fine jewelry.
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