You placed an order, saw "dispatch in 2 to 5 working days" and wondered why a ring is not already sitting in a box. The answer is that made to order jewellery is made after you order it, not pulled from a warehouse shelf. At Smith Jewels most of our pieces are made this way, in our own workshop in Jaipur.
This page explains, plainly, what that means for you: what happens at the bench, how long it usually takes, why personalised pieces take longer and have no cash on delivery, and what to do if you need something by a particular date. No mystery, no vague "processing" status.
In short
- Most Smith Jewels pieces are made to order in 925 sterling silver, and dispatch usually takes 2 to 5 working days (Sundays and public holidays excluded).
- Some detailed pieces need longer for crafting and finishing.
- Personalised name pieces, such as the name ring, name bracelet and name ear cuff, take 15 to 20 days of processing, and there is no COD on customised orders.
- If you need a piece by a specific date, message us before you order, not after.
What does made to order jewellery mean?
Made to order jewellery is jewellery that is crafted, or finished, only after a customer places an order, rather than mass-produced in advance and stored as finished stock. Manufacturers call this approach build to order or make to order: nothing is built until a confirmed order arrives.
It does not always mean one of a kind. A made to order ring can follow the same design as a hundred others. What changes is when it is made, and the fact that a person at a bench is making it for an order that has your name on the slip.
Here is something this industry rarely admits: we have been trained to read speed as quality. Next-day delivery tells you a warehouse exists. It tells you nothing about the metal, the finish or who made the piece.
Made to order jewellery at Smith Jewels: the real timelines
| Type of piece | What happens after you order | Usual time before dispatch | Cash on delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most catalogue pieces | Made and finished for your order | 2 to 5 working days, excluding Sundays and public holidays | Available across India (handling charges apply) |
| Some detailed or complex designs | Extra time for crafting and finishing | Longer than 5 working days; ask us before ordering | Check at checkout |
| Personalised name pieces | Your name or word cut, shaped and finished by hand | 15 to 20 days of processing | Not available on customised orders |
Delivery time is on top of these figures, because the clock above stops when the parcel leaves Jaipur. Shipping within India is free above ₹1,500, and we ship prepaid orders internationally.
What happens at the bench
Every design is different, but most pieces pass through the same broad stages before they reach you. None of them can be rushed without showing in the finish.
- Forming. Some designs are cast, others are shaped by hand from silver wire and sheet. Casting itself is ancient: the oldest known lost-wax castings are around 6,500 years old.
- Filing. Rough edges and casting marks are filed away so nothing catches on skin or fabric.
- Soldering. Joints, jump rings, earring posts and clasps are soldered so they hold through daily wear.
- Stamping. The piece is stamped 925, so you can check the purity mark yourself.
- Polishing. Surfaces are polished to the finish the design calls for.
- Oxidising, where designed. Some pieces are deliberately darkened in the recesses to bring out the pattern.
- Quality check. Clasps, posts, finish and, for personalised pieces, the spelling are checked against your order.
- Packing. Your piece goes into its pouch, which is also where it should live when you are not wearing it.
If you want to see these steps in more depth, I have written about how silver jewellery is made, from raw metal to your hands.
Why personalised pieces take 15 to 20 days
A name piece is not picked from a tray of letters. On our Personalised Name Ring, your chosen name or word is shaped into a silver script along the band, in Hindi, English or other languages. The Handcrafted Personalised Name Bracelet is made to order by hand with the lettering worked into the piece, and on the Personalised Name Earcuff each letter is individually cut and finished, and the cuff is curved to follow the contour of the ear.
Each of those product pages says the same thing: processing time is 15 to 20 days, and there is no COD on customised orders. Price varies with the number of letters and the language. A piece with your name on it is made for one person, so please check the spelling twice before you pay.
For more on choosing one, read our guide to personalised silver name necklaces.
Ordering for a date: what I ask you to do
If you need a piece for a wedding, a birthday or Karwa Chauth, message us through our contact page before you order. Tell us the piece and the date, and we will tell you honestly whether it is realistic. That conversation is much easier before the order than after it.
For personalised pieces, count backwards: 15 to 20 days of processing, then delivery. If a date is close, a ready design from the catalogue is the safer gift, and you can order the name piece for the next occasion.
Before you order a personalised or made-to-order piece, read our shipping and refund policy for the return and exchange conditions that apply to it. I would rather you read it now than be surprised later.
Why I would rather make it for you
My family has worked with silver since 1985, and our karigars learnt this craft from the generation before them. Making to order suits a workshop like ours. It lets us put our time into the piece you chose instead of into shelves of stock.
It also means your piece leaves Jaipur freshly polished, with the cool, solid feel of new silver. It will still tarnish over time, because it is real silver and silver reacts with sulphur in the air. That is chemistry, not a fault, and a soft cloth takes care of it.
If you want to know what that handwork costs and why, read handcrafted vs machine-made jewellery. And if you are curious how all of this started, here is my story.
Frequently asked questions
What does made to order mean in jewellery?
It means the piece is crafted or finished after you place your order, instead of being mass-produced in advance and stored as stock. It is not always one of a kind, since the design may be a standard one, but it is made for your order. At Smith Jewels, most pieces are made this way in Jaipur.
How long does made to order jewellery take?
At Smith Jewels, most pieces are dispatched within 2 to 5 working days, excluding Sundays and public holidays, and some detailed designs need longer. Personalised name pieces take 15 to 20 days of processing. Delivery time is extra, so contact us before ordering if you need a piece by a fixed date.
Can I pay cash on delivery for a personalised piece?
No. The product pages for our personalised name pieces state that there is no COD on customised orders, so they are prepaid. Cash on delivery is available across India on other orders, with handling charges. Check the spelling and the language you chose carefully before you pay, because the piece is made for you.
Can I return a made to order or personalised piece?
Check our shipping and refund policy page before you order, because it sets out exactly which conditions apply to personalised and made-to-order items. If anything is unclear, message our support team first. We would much rather answer a question before you order than sort out a disappointment after the parcel arrives.
Made to order jewellery: worth the wait
Made to order jewellery takes a few working days longer because someone in our Jaipur workshop is making it for your order, from forming and soldering to stamping, polishing and packing. Plan around the timelines above, message us if you have a date, and you will get a piece made for you, not pulled off a shelf. Real Silver. Made to be worn every day.
