Our Process

Express Yourself

The custom design process is a great way to express your inner artist. Finch Jewelers is the Susquehanna Valley’s local source for true custom jewelry. Our process is unlike any other. Every customized piece is created in-house. Nothing is shipped or outsourced to third-party vendors.

At Finch Jewelers, we will personally guide you through the process, step-by-step, from start to finish. We look forward to working with you to make your unique vision a reality.

1) Consultation

Every design begins with a conversation. Consult with our in-house designer by visiting our family-owned store or through our website. Whatever your preference, you can expect stellar customer service.

Express your ideas or let one of our artists guide you. We can creatively reinvent an older piece of jewelry into something new and more fitting of your personal style.

-OR-

We can design your piece from scratch, allowing you to browse and choose from our stunning selection of loose diamonds and gemstones to incorporate into your design.

2) Design

It all begins with pencil and paper. Our designs typically begin with a good old No. 2 pencil and a handful of PrismaColor pencils. Our skilled artists will sit down with you and sketch out your ideas as they ask questions to guide you through the process and depict your unique piece on paper.

Watch your design come to life. After a design has been chosen, the designer will start on the next step in the process using a program known as CAD/CAM technology (Computer-Aided Design & Computer-Aided Manufacturing). CAD allows us to make precise digital models and easily make adjustments in stone shapes and sizes with just a few clicks. The CAD program is also capable of generating photo-quality computer renderings so you can watch your vision come to life.

3) Wax Carving

Ensure a perfect fit. Along with a photo quality rendering, we will present you with a wax or resin model that was milled or grown right here in our store. We have 3 CNC mills along with a growing machine which is similar to a 3D printer that produces an exact replica of your custom piece. You’ll be able to try it on and even place stones in it to ensure we are creating exactly what you desire.

Casting

We Even Cast Here! The casting process begins with a powder investment that is measured and mixed with distilled water to form a plaster-like material. This investment is poured around the wax and will later harden. The wax is secured to the base of a casting flask and the plaster-like investment is poured in covering the wax mold. The flask is vacuumed to remove any air bubbles and placed in the oven overnight allowing the wax to melt and burn away leaving a cavity the shape of the wax for the liquid metal to fill. The raw casting grain of the metal chosen is measured and heated to 1850 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the metal reaches its peak temperature, it is poured into the top of the flask and fills the cavity. After sitting for approximately 30 minutes, the flask is dropped into a cooling bucket to dissolve the investment surrounding the raw metal.

4) Polishing

Adding some luster. After casting, the piece is filled and cleaned, pre-polished and buffed to perfection. Once the piece meets our high standards of quality, the cast is ready for stone setting. All our stones are carefully hand-set by our master jewelers.

Setting

All of our stones are ethically sourced and matched by our Graduate Gemologist. They are hand set by our jewelers who have studied at some of the most recognized trade schools in the United States. Our craftsman use traditional hand tools; each of their benches is outfitted with a microscope to assist in the precision setting.

Once the piece has received its final polish and has been double checked for quality assurance, it is ready for delivery to you.