The first question a wholesale buyer asks about a custom program is also the one most likely to be answered with a guess: how long does it take? A factory that says two weeks for a first custom order is either omitting stone sourcing, skipping a CAD approval loop, or planning to cast your design next to someone else's. A realistic timeline is a sequence of gates, each of which depends on a decision from the buyer. Understanding that sequence is what lets you plan a seasonal order without losing the season.

The stage-by-stage first-order timeline

For a new design in sterling or 14k, with calibrated stones in stock, the typical path looks like this:

  • CAD design and revision loop: 1-2 weeks. The first 3D render is usually not the final one. Each revision round is 2-4 days. Buyers who approve the first render and then request tweaks after tooling pay for that choice twice.
  • Pattern printing and mold making: 3-5 days. A 3D printed wax for the sample, and for repeat orders a silicone or rubber mold taken from the approved sample.
  • Casting: 2-3 days. Burnout, pour, flask break-out, and initial QC.
  • Hand finishing: 1-2 weeks. The longest single block. Filing, sanding, buffing, truing, and the hand work that turns the casting into a wearable piece.
  • Stone setting: 3-5 days. Depends on complexity; pavé rows add time.
  • Plating: 2-3 days. Includes the underplate and the rhodium flash.
  • Final QC and packaging: 2-3 days.

Add it up and the first custom run lands around four to six weeks from CAD approval to delivery. That is the number to plan around, not the marketing number on the contact page.

Reorders are a different story

Once the rubber mold exists and stones are on file, the second order skips the CAD loop and the mold-making step. A reorder on the same tool typically takes two to three weeks, and it is usually more consistent than the first run because the process bugs have already been found and fixed. This is why factories ask buyers to commit to a mold fee: the mold is the asset that makes future orders fast. A well-made silicone mold survives fifty to one hundred casts before detail starts to soften.

What blows the schedule up

Three things destroy lead times in practice, and none of them are mysterious:

  • Rare or uncalibrated stones. A tsavorite in a non-standard size, a matched pair of fancy-color sapphires, or a pear-shaped diamond that has to be hand-picked can add two to four weeks on its own. Sourcing stones first, before CAD is locked, is the single best schedule insurance a buyer can buy.
  • CAD revision loops after approval. Once the mold is cut, a design change means a new mold. Lock the render in writing before tooling.
  • Plating and finishing queue position. Plating job shops run in batches. A piece that arrives on a Tuesday might wait until Friday's batch. Factories that hold plating as a weekly batch rather than a daily step will not tell you this upfront, but it is real calendar time.

Peak season and capacity windows

Lead times lengthen predictably in the eight weeks before Valentine's Day and in the six weeks before December. Factories book capacity in advance during those windows, and a new RFQ that arrives in mid-November is unlikely to ship before January. Experienced buyers place their peak-season orders in August and September, when the line has open capacity and the factory is still willing to quote standard turnaround. A rush order placed in a peak window usually costs a premium of 20-40% on top of the unit price, and even then may not make the date. If a date is immovable, the right move is to start earlier, not to pay more. Factories that promise rush delivery inside a peak window are usually overbooking themselves, and a missed date in December costs more than a discounted date in October ever saved.

How buyers plan around the timeline

Seasonal wholesale programs - Valentine's, Mother's Day, holiday - should be initiated eight to ten weeks before delivery, not four. That leaves room for one CAD revision and a small stone sourcing delay without missing the season. Confirm the CAD render in writing, pay the tooling fee promptly, and ask for weekly photo updates during the finishing stage. A factory that will not send a photo at week three is usually a factory that has not started yet.

What to put on the PO

A purchase order for custom work should name the approval gate (CAD render sign-off), the mold retention term, the expected ship week, and the stone sourcing plan. Vague custom order POs are the ones that slip. Our own custom process lays these gates out in the quote itself - see our custom casting service for how the stages line up before you commit.

The Wikipedia article on rhodium explains why rhodium plating is applied to white gold and silver jewellery.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the custom OEM process work?

Send a reference, sketch or CAD file. We quote, produce a 3D render, then a wax or resin model for approval before casting. Nothing goes to bulk without written sign-off.

How long does a custom sample take?

About 20 days for a new CAD model, including one revision round. Repeat designs reuse the existing mold and ship in 3–5 days.

What is the custom MOQ?

100–300 pieces per design depending on the mold and stone setting complexity.

Do you sign NDAs for private label?

Yes. Private-label clients get an NDA and exclusive mold use for the agreed term.