Shop Talk: Scott’s Custom Jewelers

Beth Cevasco refers to Scott’s Custom Jewelers as Build-A-Bear for big girls, and I couldn’t agree more.

Located at 3536 W. Dublin-Granville Rd., Scott’s Custom Jewelers specializes in made-to-order fine jewelry. Using a combination of computers and highly skilled jewelers, the design studio works one-on-one with customers to help them create unique pieces− pendants, brooches, bracelets, earrings, rings, wedding bands, whatever their heart desires.

Customers can create completely new designs or repurpose stones and gold from pieces they already own. (In fact, the studio once helped a customer fashion a belly ring from her grandmother’s wedding ring.)

“We get the stories behind the pieces they’re creating,” said Cevasco, who co-owns Scott’s Custom Jewelers with her husband, Scott. “We know where they got their gems and we work to make a new story together.”

The Cevascos opened their first jewelry store in Akron in October 2000. About seven years ago, they decided to offer custom pieces because, frankly, they were discouraged with the quality of goods supplied to independent jewelers.

“We felt obligated to our customers to guarantee their purchases, but they were falling apart,” Cevasco said. “So we invested in Computer Aided Design technology that mainly manufacturers used, and designed a process that would let us easily work with the customers.”

When the Cevascos oldest son began attending The Ohio State University, they fell in love with Columbus. And after two years of market research, they concluded that no one was offering custom designs here, so they set up shop.

The 900-square-foot store opened in January 2011 and was profitable from the start.

“We have three cases of jewelry in the Columbus store− all original designs or samples,” Cevasco said.

One of the shop’s more memorable pieces was made with wedding rings and an engagement ring that belonged to a customer’s recently deceased parents, as well as blue diamonds that matched the ones in her husband’s wedding ring.

“We resized the original engagement ring to act as the bail −the part where the chain goes through− and kept Dad’s wedding band intact, complete with engraving on the inside,” Cevasco said. “We then bezel set the blue diamonds, as well as Mom’s white diamond, in a chain, to make a stunning pendant. We all cried when it was done! The customer wanted something close to her heart to remember her parents, and this did the trick.”

Those interested in creating a custom piece are encouraged to make an appointment, which usually takes about an hour.

“During that time, we’ll go through the customer’s box of jewelry goodies and see what we have to work with or, if they don’t have gems they want to redesign with, we go straight to the design process,” she said. ” We use pictures, other items they’ve admired, and themes to get the ball rolling.”

Lifestyle, physical limitations, and personal style are also taken into consideration.

The production process, from start to finish, ranges from one to four weeks depending on the number of changes that are necessary. Existing pieces can be customized for as little as $59; new designs begin at $699.

A small deposit is required and sometimes the gold scrap is worth more than enough, she said.

Photos by Adam Slane Photography.