When people think of custom jewelry, they often imagine designing something entirely new. While that is certainly possible, many of the pieces I create begin with something old. An heirloom, a memory, or a stone carrying a history of its own. For me, custom jewelry has never been solely about creating an object. It is about carrying a story forward.
Long before Shelton Metal expanded into sculptural homeware and objects for the table, custom jewelry was the foundation of my work. After studying architecture, art, and design, and later continuing my education under metalsmiths in Italy, I returned home with a deep appreciation for craftsmanship and the stories that objects can carry through generations. That belief remains at the heart of every custom commission today.
The sea continues to inspire much of my work. The movement of water, weathered textures, shells collected from the shoreline, and treasures uncovered after years beneath the surface all find their way into the pieces I create. Many designs begin as hand-carved wax models before being cast into precious metal, allowing each piece to retain an organic quality that feels shaped by time rather than manufactured.
What I enjoy most, however, is the conversation that begins each project.
Some clients arrive with detailed sketches and a clear vision. Others arrive with only a photograph, a family heirloom, or a feeling they hope to capture. Both approaches are equally exciting. Together we explore materials, gemstones, proportions, textures, and details until a design begins to emerge.
I always encourage clients to bring heirloom jewelry, inherited gemstones, or precious metals if they have them. One of my favorite materials to work with is recycled gold. There is something incredibly meaningful about transforming an unworn piece into a new treasure that can continue its journey for generations to come. Whenever possible, existing materials are incorporated into the design, preserving the history while creating something entirely new.
Shelton Metal also sources ethical diamonds and gemstones in a wide range of cuts, colors, and budgets. Whether a client is searching for a traditional white diamond, a sea-colored sapphire, an antique-cut stone, or something completely unexpected, sourcing the perfect gemstone is one of the most enjoyable parts of the process.
Over the years I have designed engagement rings, wedding bands, anniversary gifts, signet rings, heirloom redesigns, and one-of-a-kind commissions that defy categories altogether. Some become daily companions worn for decades. Others mark life's most important milestones. What connects them all is the story behind them.
If you are interested in creating a custom piece, I invite you to begin by completing the Custom Jewelry Request Form.
Whether you have a fully realized vision or simply the beginning of an idea, the more information you can provide, the better. Inspiration images, heirloom pieces, gemstone preferences, desired materials, budget, and timeline all help me understand the treasure you hope to create.
Projects may include engagement rings, wedding bands, heirloom redesigns, signet rings, necklaces, earrings, anniversary pieces, and one-of-a-kind commissions.
I am currently accepting a limited number of new custom jewelry commissions.
The custom process typically requires 6–8 weeks from design approval to completion, although more complex projects may require additional time depending on stone sourcing, fabrication, and setting requirements.
Whether you are looking to create an engagement ring, redesign a family heirloom, celebrate a milestone, source a special gemstone, or simply bring an idea to life, I would love to hear your story.
Some of my favorite treasures have never existed before, while others have existed for generations.
Custom Jewelry Request Form
The most rewarding aspect of custom jewelry is not simply the finished piece. It is the opportunity to preserve memories, celebrate milestones, and create objects that become part of a family's story.
The heirloom passed from generation to generation. The engagement ring marking a new chapter. The forgotten stone rediscovered after years tucked away in a drawer.
Those stories become part of the object itself, and in many ways that is what Shelton Metal has always been about: creating treasures with integrity, meaning, and stories worth carrying forward.
X, Colby
