I've been back and forth with my local jewellers about creating a new signet ring since November. I want to model it on my late husband's. His is too big to alter and very sentimental to me so I've decided create a new one from my own 14k gold.
How much would you expect to pay? The job is to create an oval signet ring (slightly larger face than women would normally wear), tiny ring size D, a deep seal engraved family shield and laser inscription of two words (the ring size is too small to use hand inscription). All of this will use mostly my 14k gold but they also need to use new 14k grain to make it pure 14k hallmark so some new gold will be used.
This is jewellers in East Midlands. They just called me, after 5 months of finalising and dragging out the process. The quote is £3,100. I nearly fainted. Is it (un)reasonable to call it quits? I'm 35, widowed and wanted something of my husband's to wear every day. But it seems like I'm not in the right 'salary band' for it.