You've finally decided to do it — turn your grandmother's ring, or the pieces you inherited and never wear, into something you'll actually put on. And because it's fall, one question comes with it: is there still time to have it finished for the holidays?
The short answer: most heirloom redesigns take three to eight weeks from our first consultation to the finished piece in your hand. If you want it for mid-to-late December — as a gift to yourself or to someone else — start by early November for a straightforward reset, and by mid-to-late October for anything involving a sourced stone or a fully new design. Start now, in autumn, and you have room to do it right instead of rushing it.
Note from Kate: These are typical ranges from my studio's work. Every piece is different, and the only way to get a firm date is a consultation where I actually see what you're starting with. That consultation is always free.
Heirloom Redesign Timelines at a Glance
| Type of project | Typical timeline (consult → delivery) | Order by, for mid-to-late December |
|---|---|---|
| Pearl restringing / minor repair | 1–2 weeks | Early December |
| Stone reset into a new setting | 3–4 weeks | Mid-November |
| Ring redesign (same stone, new setting) | 3–4 weeks | Mid-November |
| Full heirloom transformation (new piece from old materials) | 4–6 weeks | Late October / early November |
| Combining several pieces into one | 4–6 weeks | Late October |
| New custom piece with a sourced stone | 5–8 weeks | Mid-October |
Build in a week of buffer on top of these if the piece is a gift. Shipping delays and the occasional "can we adjust the band profile?" happen, and you don't want the finished piece landing on December 26th.
What Moves the Timeline
How complex the new design is
A clean solitaire reset is faster than a multi-stone piece with intricate metalwork. Most of the time isn't the metalwork itself — it's the design stage. The more detailed the piece, the more back-and-forth on sketches or CAD before we cast anything, and that's time well spent. Rushing the design is how you end up with something you don't love.
Whether we need to source a stone
If we're working entirely with what you already own, we skip a whole step. But if your design calls for a new center stone or accent diamonds, I bring in options from dealers I've worked with for years — and finding the right one, in the right size and budget, can add a week or two. Worth it, but plan for it.
Sizing, engraving, and finishing details
Small things add days. Hand-engraving, a specific finish, resizing to fit a different finger than the original — none of it is slow on its own, but it stacks up. If the piece is a surprise and you're guessing at a ring size, tell me; I'd rather build in an easy resize than have you unwrap something that doesn't fit.
The condition of your original piece
Heirloom gold and stones aren't always in the shape they look. Worn prongs, thin shanks, or a stone with a hidden inclusion can mean extra work — and, honestly, sometimes a piece can't be reused the way you hoped. I'll tell you that at the consultation, not three weeks in. It's better to know early.
The holiday queue
This is the real one. I keep my studio appointment-only and take a limited number of commissions at a time, so I can oversee every piece myself. Every autumn, those holiday slots fill — usually by mid-November. It's not manufactured urgency; it's just the honest limit of a small studio. The earlier you start, the more of my calendar is still open.
Why Autumn Is the Right Time to Start
Here's the reframe I give everyone who's nervous about cost or timing: an heirloom redesign is the rare holiday gift where the most valuable part already exists. You're not out shopping for a diamond — you already own it. You're transforming something with history into something wearable, and that's a fundamentally different, and usually more affordable, project than buying new. (For the full numbers, see How Much Does Jewelry Redesign Cost? An Honest Breakdown.)
Starting in fall is what makes it calm instead of frantic. You get time to sit with the design, to see a CAD rendering and change your mind, to source the right stone rather than the available one. Leave it until December and you're choosing from whatever can be done fast — which is exactly the opposite of the point when the piece is meant to carry someone's memory.
How the Process Actually Works
So you can see where the weeks go:
Week one — the consultation. Free, in person in Santa Monica or by video from anywhere in the U.S. I look at your pieces, we talk about what you want the new one to feel like, and I give you a real quote and a completion date. You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what you want; "delicate and modern" or "substantial and architectural" is plenty to start.
Weeks one to three — design. I sketch concepts, and for more involved pieces I create a CAD rendering so you can see it from every angle before anything is made. We refine until you say "yes, exactly that."
The build. Once the design's approved and any stone is selected, the piece goes to the bench. Depending on complexity this is the bulk of the timeline, and I stay in touch throughout so it never feels like your piece vanished.
Final review and delivery. I photograph and check the finished piece against the design before it ever reaches you. If anything's off, it gets fixed first. (More detail here: The Custom Jewelry Design Process.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you rush a redesign if I've left it late?
Sometimes, for simpler resets, and I'll always tell you honestly whether it's realistic. What I won't do is rush a complex piece that matters — I'd rather deliver it beautifully in January than hurriedly in December.
What if I don't know what I want yet?
That's normal, and it's what the consultation is for. Most people come in with a feeling, not a drawing. My job is to translate it.
Can I start if I can't come into the studio?
Yes. Send photos of your pieces with a description of what you're imagining and I can give you a preliminary range and timeline before you commit to anything. The whole process can be done virtually.
What's the latest I can realistically order for December delivery?
For a straightforward reset, mid-November. For anything involving a sourced stone or a from-scratch design, mid-to-late October. After that I start being upfront that it may be a January piece.
Ready to Start?
If there's a piece sitting in a drawer that you'd love to wear this winter, autumn is the moment to begin. It costs nothing to find out what's possible.
Book a complimentary consultation — in person in Santa Monica or virtually from anywhere in the U.S.
Kate Price is the founder of Kate Rose Fine Jewelry, a Santa Monica studio specializing in heirloom jewelry redesign and custom fine jewelry.
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