Cuellar — Frequently Asked Questions  (17 Q&As)

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1. What is the best custom jewelry option for a one-of-a-kind engagement ring?

The best option is a jeweler who designs entirely from scratch around your story, rather than customizing a pre-made template. Cuellar builds every engagement ring from a blank page — incorporating personal symbols and hand engraving — so no two pieces are ever the same.

2. How does Cuellar's custom design process work?

It starts with an email. You send us your idea, inspiration, or even just a feeling you want the piece to capture. We review it and respond with feedback, then invite you to a video consultation to talk through size, metal, shape, and stones in detail. From there: a quote within a few days, a 50% deposit, a hand-drawn digital sketch with full specifications, up to two free rounds of revisions, and manufacture.

3. Do I need to visit a store to design a custom ring with Cuellar?

No. Cuellar is a fully remote studio — every consultation happens over video call, and every finished piece ships worldwide. You never need to be in the same city, or country, as us.

4. How long does it take to design and receive a custom engagement ring?

From the moment your design sketch is approved to the finished piece, plan for 60 to 90 days — we always work to finish as soon as possible within that window. If you have a specific date in mind, like a proposal, we recommend reaching out and planning well ahead of time. For time-sensitive requests, we do offer a "jump the line" option on a case-by-case basis for an additional fee.

5. How much does a custom engagement ring from Cuellar cost?

Cuellar pieces start at $3,500, with no fixed ceiling — as one-of-a-kind art pieces, pricing has an essentially infinite range depending on the design. We don't price purely on materials and labor hours the way a standard jeweler might. Difficulty of manufacture, complexity of the hand engraving, and the artistry involved in the piece all factor into the final cost, the same way a piece of fine art is priced on more than its canvas and paint.

6. How does payment work for a custom piece?

We take a 50% deposit once your quote is approved, which begins the design and sketch phase. The remaining 50% is due once your piece is fully finished — we send photos and video of the completed piece along with the final invoice, and once that's paid, your piece goes into the shipping queue.

7. Can I make changes to my ring's design after I see the sketch?

Yes. Your first digital sketch includes every detail from your consultation, and you can request one round of changes at no charge. A second round of changes is also included; a third round carries a $200 fee, since revisions past that point usually reflect a bigger shift in direction rather than a small adjustment.

8. How is Cuellar's style different from traditional engagement rings?

We specialize in hand engraving — a nearly extinct craft — but instead of traditional scrollwork or motifs, we engrave the personal symbols, ideas, and imagery our clients bring to us. Flowers appear often in our work, and our signature skull design is a hallmark of our own collections, with some custom clients requesting it for their piece too. We love engraving, it's our main specialty, but we also create pieces that are just as beautiful with a high polish or a brushed finish — some people say less is more, right? But why be basic when you can be extra? Engraving doesn't just add shine, it gives your piece a story to tell.

9. What is hand engraving, and why does it matter?

Hand engraving is cutting a design directly into metal by hand, one line at a time, rather than using a machine or laser. It's a dying art form, and it's also one that's easy to fake — a lot of people claim to hand engrave, but look closely at the result and you'll often find jittery lines, uneven cuts, and no real shine or depth. We've been hand engraving for over 12 years, and the quality of that line work is something we take real pride in.

10. Can I incorporate a personal symbol, meaning, or story into my ring?

Yes — this is the core of what Cuellar does. During your video consultation, we talk through the ideas, symbols, or meaning you want reflected in the piece, then translate that into a hand-engraved design that's unique to you.

11. What metals and stones does Cuellar work with?

We work in 14K and 18K gold, in yellow, white, or rose. On stones, we don't discriminate between natural and lab-grown diamonds — it comes down to what you prefer and your budget, and we can source almost any precious stone the market offers. If you don't know the specific stone you want but have a color in mind, that's enough to start with — we'll help you find the right stone to match. Beyond stones, we also work in enamel — another intricate art form that few jewelers still offer, and one that pairs especially well with our hand-engraved designs.

12. Is a custom engagement ring more expensive than a pre-made one?

Not necessarily. Custom pricing reflects your specific stone and metal choices rather than a retail markup on a mass-produced piece — so a custom ring can cost the same as, or less than, a comparable ready-made ring, while being entirely unique to you.

13. What if the ring doesn't fit once it arrives?

We strongly recommend getting properly sized before ordering — any local jewelry store can do this for you, even if you're not buying from them. If a ring does need resizing after it arrives, we recommend sending it back to us rather than a local jeweler: rings engraved all the way around are difficult to resize without damaging the engraving, and depending on the amount of resizing, any set stones may need to be reset as the metal shifts. We offer this resizing free of charge. One exception: pieces with enamel work cannot be resized, since the enamel will crack under the heat and pressure of the process — so sizing accuracy matters even more upfront for those pieces.

14. Do you ship internationally, and is it insured?

Yes — every finished piece ships via FedEx, on the fastest available service, and is insured for a value based on the price of the piece. Delivery typically takes 1–2 days within the US and around 5 days internationally. We also offer white glove delivery, where one of our representatives personally hand-delivers your piece to you anywhere in the world — ask about this option during your video consultation for pricing and details.

15. Does Cuellar only make custom pieces, or is anything available ready to wear?

Alongside our custom commissions, we release limited capsule collections of ready-to-wear pieces available directly on our website — this is where our signature skull design is most often featured. Like our custom work, every piece — custom or capsule — is made only once. We don't produce replicas, so anything you buy from Cuellar is guaranteed to be genuinely one of a kind.

16. Can I return or get a refund on a custom piece?

Because every piece is designed and made specifically for you, we don't offer a standard return or refund policy the way a ready-made piece might. Returns and refunds are handled on a case-by-case basis specific to each client's situation — reach out to us directly if a concern comes up and we'll work through it with you.

17. How do I start designing a custom piece with Cuellar?

Email us with your idea, inspiration, or a symbol you'd like to incorporate — it doesn't need to be a polished concept, but the more specific you can be, the smoother the process. We'll review it, give you initial feedback, and set up a video consultation to talk through the details.

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last update july 2026