Productised commission services
Bespoke diamond jewellery, designed and made in Johannesburg.
Custom diamond jewellery in South Africa usually gets described in vague language, “custom work”, “bespoke design”, “in-house manufacturing”, and then quoted on a case-by-case email thread that takes three weeks to settle. We have productised the four kinds of bespoke work we do most, heirloom redesign, stone-you-own customs, bridal sets, and sourcing, all designed and manufactured on the Bedfordview bench, so the timelines, the price bands, and the deliverables are clear before you brief.
Heirloom Redesign
Inherited engagement rings, retired wedding bands, family stones in a drawer, restored, recut where it helps, remounted into something the next generation will wear. The original GIA-graded if it is not already; the metal returned to you if it cannot be reused.
Stone-You-Own Customs
You bring the centre stone, purchased elsewhere, inherited, traded back, or sourced through us. We design and manufacture the ring around it. Honest reading of the stone first; design after.
Bridal Set Design
Engagement ring and matching wedding band designed and made together so the two pieces sit, stack, and wear correctly across decades. Designed for the proposal, completed by the wedding.
Sourcing on Demand
Any shape, any cut, any colour, any clarity, 0.30 ct to 10 ct +. From De Beers DBCM viewings, the State Diamond Trader, SA tender houses, and twenty years of independent-digger relationships.
What every bespoke diamond jewellery commission has in common
- The director's hand on the brief. Every Prodiam commission, regardless of size, has Darren Etkind in the brief, the design review, and the hand-over. There is no commission-handler tier between you and the bench.
- GIA-graded centre stone, where applicable. New centre stones are graded by GIA before delivery; existing stones we are working with are graded if they are not already, at our cost.
- CAD or sketch before manufacture. No commission goes to the bench without a written design brief and a visual approval stage. Most go through 2D sketches and one or two CAD revisions; complex pieces add a resin or wax fit-prototype.
- Standard sizing included. One to two sizes of resizing on a finished piece is included in the price; meaningful sizing changes are quoted on the brief.
- Manufacturing-defect guarantee, 24 months. Bench work covered for two years against manufacturing defect (separate from the wearer's responsibility for accidental damage). Routine inspection, prong-check and clean is complimentary in the first year and at cost thereafter.
- Insured dispatch nationally and internationally. Brink’s / G4S overnight insured nationally; Ferrari Group / FedEx Custom Critical jewellery-grade insured internationally.
What we will not commission
- Lab-grown or moissanite centre stones. We are a natural-only house; we will refer you to specialists for these.
- Designs we cannot stand behind structurally, extreme cantilever settings, paper-thin metal in high-wear positions, mountings that put a vulnerable centre stone in a daily-knock zone. We will tell you why before declining.
- Replicas of branded designs. We will design from inspiration, not duplicate trademarked work. If you want a Cartier piece, buy a Cartier piece; we will design something that feels like it belongs to you.
How to brief us
For any productised service, the most useful brief is a single message containing: which service, the existing material if any (stone, ring, GIA report), the budget band, the deadline, and any reference imagery. We respond within 24 hours with a service-specific quote outline and the next step.
Brief us on a commission WhatsApp Darren →
Bespoke diamond jewellery, common questions
Does Prodiam make bespoke diamond jewellery in South Africa?
Yes. Prodiam is a Bedfordview, Johannesburg cutting house that designs and manufactures bespoke diamond jewellery in-house. The four productised services, heirloom redesign, stone-you-own customs, bridal set design, and sourcing on demand, cover the commission work we do most. Director Darren Etkind is in the brief, the design review and the hand-over on every commission, with no commission-handler tier between you and the bench.
How does a custom diamond jewellery commission work?
A single message starts it: which service, any existing material (stone, ring or GIA report), the budget band, the deadline, and reference imagery. We respond within 24 hours with a service-specific quote outline. No commission goes to the bench without a written brief and a visual approval stage, usually 2D sketches and one or two CAD revisions, with complex pieces adding a resin or wax fit-prototype.
Where is the jewellery designed and made?
Everything is designed and made under one roof at Suite F1W6B, The Paragon, in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, the same building as the Procut DCW cutting works. CAD, wax, casting, setting and polish all happen on the in-house bench. We do not outsource manufacturing, which is what keeps the chain between the rough diamond and the finished piece short.
Do you use natural diamonds for custom jewellery?
Yes, natural diamonds only. Prodiam is a natural-only house. New centre stones are GIA-graded before delivery and existing stones are graded if they are not already, at our cost. We do not commission lab-grown or moissanite centre stones and will refer you to specialists for those. Cut grade is enforced across the whole piece, not just the centre stone.
What does bespoke diamond jewellery cost, and is delivery insured?
Each fixed-scope service above shows a "from" price for the design and bench work; a full bespoke commission is quoted in writing after the brief, with the centre stone, setting and any bands shown as separate line items so you can adjust the balance. Every commission includes standard sizing, a 24-month manufacturing-defect guarantee, and a year-one complimentary inspection. Dispatch is jewellery-grade insured nationally via Brink’s or G4S, with international dispatch quoted on the brief.