Your vision. Our craft.
One-of-a-kind jewelry built around you: your stone, your setting, your story. Natural or lab-grown diamonds, colored gemstones, any karat of gold. You choose every material, and we make it entirely yours.
Jewelry that is only yours.
We bring the heritage of the Los Angeles diamond district together with CAD, 3D printing and CNC precision to turn your idea into an heirloom. An engagement ring you've been sketching for years, a pendant with meaning, a family piece reborn: we handle every detail from the first conversation to delivery.
No surprises and no pressure. You see your piece in 3D and hold a wax model of it before any gold is cast.
Your materials. Your call.
Natural diamonds
Mined diamonds sourced through our diamond district network, graded by our bench before they're set.
Lab-grown diamonds
Diamonds grown in a lab, not mined. More size for your budget, graded in-house with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Colored gemstones
Sapphire, emerald, ruby, morganite and more. Or bring a stone you already love and we'll design around it.
Any karat gold
10K, 14K, 18K or 22K in yellow, white or rose gold, plus platinum. Mix metals if you like.
From idea to heirloom.
Free consultation
Share sketches, screenshots or just the spark of an idea. We talk through style, stone and budget, in person in LA or by video, and send you a written quote.
3D design · from $250
We build a precise 3D model of your piece, with up to two rounds of changes. The design fee is $250 for most pieces; more detailed designs are quoted up front. It goes toward your total, and it's non-refundable if you decide not to go ahead.
Free wax model
Once you love the design, we 3D print it in wax at no charge, so you can see the real size, shape and texture before any gold is cast. We also show you a shortlist of stones matched to your design.
Master crafting
Approve the wax and pay 50% of the balance to begin. Your piece is cast, set and hand-finished on Hill Street, then polished and shipped insured to you.
Precision you can feel.
“Jewelry is the most personal art form. It carries our stories, our milestones and our legacy.”Don Key · Custom design studio
Everything you want to know.
How long does a custom piece take?
Most pieces take 2–4 weeks after you approve your wax model, depending on the project. We'll give you a realistic timeline with your quote.
What's the starting budget?
Custom work typically starts around $800 for simpler designs with lab-grown diamonds. Multi-stone settings, detailed metalwork and heirloom resets scale from there, with no hidden costs.
Is there a consultation fee?
No. Your first consultation and written quote are free. When you're ready for 3D design, there's a design fee, starting at $250.
How does the design fee work?
It covers building your 3D model, with up to two rounds of changes. It's $250 for most pieces, like pendants, studs and simple rings. More detailed designs, such as pavé or halo rings, multi-stone pieces or sculptural work, take more design time, so we quote that fee up front before you commit. If you go ahead, the full design fee goes toward your total. If you decide not to, it's non-refundable and covers the design work, and nothing more is owed.
Do I get to see it before it's made?
Yes, twice. First as a 3D model on screen, then as a wax model we 3D print for free, so you can see the real size, shape and texture before any gold is cast. In LA, come see it on Hill Street. Elsewhere, we send close-up photos and video.
What are the payment terms?
Your design fee (from $250) starts your 3D design and is credited toward your total. After you approve the wax model, 50% of the remaining balance starts production, and the rest is due before your piece ships. Because gold prices change daily, quotes hold for 7 days. Custom pieces are final sale once production begins; defects are still covered by our limited lifetime warranty.
Are custom diamonds certified?
Every stone 1 carat and up comes with its own IGI lab report, included in your price. Smaller stones are graded in-house and come with our Certificate of Authenticity. A GIA report, or a report on a smaller stone, is available for the lab's fee plus a handling fee. How we grade
Can you work to my budget?
Yes. The biggest levers are gold karat (14K costs less than 18K), size and thickness, and diamond type: lab-grown costs less than natural for the same look. On small stones, diamond quality makes only a small difference, so we usually suggest saving on gold first. We'll show you options side by side.
Can I choose natural diamonds instead of lab-grown?
Yes. Custom pieces can use natural or lab-grown diamonds, colored gemstones, or a mix. We'll show you options side by side so you can compare look and price.
Which golds can you work in?
Any karat you'd like: 10K, 14K, 18K or 22K, in yellow, white or rose gold. Platinum too. Our ready-to-ship pieces are 14K.
Can you use a stone I already own?
Yes. We love heirloom resets. Your stone is assessed and graded before we design a new setting around it.
Can I upgrade my Don Key diamond later?
Yes. Bring back your Don Key diamond and pay the price difference plus a $50 upgrade fee. A new setting, if your bigger stone needs one, is quoted separately at a discount. See how upgrades work.
Do I need to know exactly what I want?
Not at all. Many of our best pieces started as a saved screenshot or a feeling. A mood board is a perfect starting point.
Let's build something remarkable.
Tell us what you have in mind. A real person on Hill Street reads every request and replies within 48 hours.
- Free consult and written quote, no pressure
- Video call, phone, or in person on Hill Street
- Bring sketches, screenshots or just an idea
2 to 4 weeks, start to finish
Most custom pieces take 2 to 4 weeks after you approve your wax model, depending on the project.
- 1Free consult and written quote
- 23D design and a free wax model
- 3Made by hand on Hill Street
Independent lab reports
IGI certified at 1 carat and up
Custom pieces with stones of 1 carat and up come with an IGI lab report for each of those stones, included in your price. Want a GIA report, or a report on a smaller stone? It's the lab's fee plus a handling fee ($50 for IGI, $75 for GIA), and it can add 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the piece. You can look up a report at IGI or GIA. Don Key is not affiliated with or endorsed by either lab.
Text the benchStart with the stone
Pick your diamond first
Choose a loose IGI-certified stone, 1 to 3.5 carats, and we'll design the ring, pendant or studs around it.
The Archive
From the founder's bench
Showpieces made by hand by Don Key's founder: the New Seven Wonders in 14K gold and natural diamonds, and custom eyewear set stone by stone. If we can build the Taj Mahal, we can build your idea.
The Seven Wonders
14K gold · natural diamonds
Taj Mahal
Every dome and minaret paved by hand.
14K gold · natural diamondsColosseum
Three tiers of arches, set stone by stone.
14K gold · natural diamondsGreat Wall of China
Watchtower to stairway, with polished gold ramparts.
14K gold · natural diamondsChichén Itzá
The stepped temple in white and yellow gold.
14K gold · natural diamondsMachu Picchu
Terraces, stairways and the peak, all in pavé.
14K gold · natural diamondsChrist the Redeemer
Arms open, robe paved, face in polished gold.
14K gold · natural diamondsPetra Treasury
The carved facade, columns and statues in gold.
14K gold · natural diamondsCustom eyewear
Hand-set hinges, bridges and temples
Rimless, gold and diamonds
Pavé arms with a gradient yellow lens.
Custom eyewear · hand-setDiamond hinge, wood temples
Hand-set hinge on natural wood.
Custom eyewear · hand-setRuby bridge
Gold bridge paved with rubies.
Custom eyewear · hand-setWhite gold bridge
Two rows of diamonds across the bridge.
Custom eyewear · hand-setPavé temple tip
Diamond hinge cover on horn-look temples.
Custom eyewear · hand-setYellow and white gold
Matching pavé hinges in both golds.
Custom eyewear · hand-setWhite gold pavé
Diamonds from the lens to the temple.
Custom eyewear · hand-setCommission a piece
Have something in mind?
Sculptures, eyewear, rings, pendants or something nobody has made before. Book a free consult and we'll sketch it with you.
Commission a pieceAny shape, made to order
Find your shape
Tap a shape to see its real size at your carat, how big it looks next to a round, and who it suits.
Read the text guide
Every Don Key piece can be made in any diamond shape. Here is how the main shapes compare:
- Round brilliant: the most sparkle of any shape and the classic choice for studs and solitaires.
- Oval: a brilliant cut that looks larger than a round of the same carat and lengthens the finger or earlobe.
- Princess: a square brilliant cut with a modern look; best held in corner-guarding V-prongs.
- Cushion: a square or rectangle with soft rounded corners and a vintage feel.
- Emerald: a rectangular step cut with long, clean flashes of light; it shows clarity more than brilliant cuts.
- Asscher: a square step cut with an Art Deco look.
- Radiant: a rectangular or square cut with trimmed corners and brilliant-style sparkle.
- Pear: a teardrop shape that elongates and works well in pendants and drop earrings.
- Marquise: a long, pointed shape that looks the largest per carat.
- Heart: a romantic statement shape that reads best at about 1 carat and up.
Don Key's standard is VS clarity and F–G color, graded in-house. Ask about a custom shape.
Ring size finder
Find your ring size
Making a custom ring? Match a ring you own on screen, measure your finger, or print a sizer. Takes under a minute.
Use a method on the left.
Full size chart
| US | UK | EU | Diameter mm | Circ. mm |
|---|
Between sizes? Go up half a size. Wide bands fit snugger, so size up for bands over 6 mm.
Read the text guide
To find your ring size: measure the inside diameter of a ring that fits, or wrap a strip of paper around the base of your finger and measure the length in millimeters. Match it to the chart below. Between sizes, go up half a size; wide bands over 6 mm fit snugger, so size up.
| US size | Inside diameter | Circumference |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 14.9 mm | 46.8 mm |
| 5 | 15.7 mm | 49.3 mm |
| 6 | 16.5 mm | 51.9 mm |
| 7 | 17.3 mm | 54.4 mm |
| 8 | 18.1 mm | 57.0 mm |
| 9 | 19.0 mm | 59.5 mm |
| 10 | 19.8 mm | 62.1 mm |
| 11 | 20.6 mm | 64.6 mm |
| 12 | 21.4 mm | 67.2 mm |
| 13 | 22.2 mm | 69.7 mm |
