Custom Goldsmith in Chicagoland
For over 30 years, Christopher Duquet has brought outstanding craftsmanship to Evanston and the greater Chicago area, backed by in-house expertise in goldsmithing and design. With every piece designed and hand-forged in our own workshop, we bring endless customization options with the utmost attention to detail.
Custom Jewelry, Made by Hand
Our team of goldsmiths, designers, and Graduate Gemologists are ready to guide you through your custom design. We’ll start with a sketching session to bring your vision to life. Our team offers expert guidance along the way to ensure the quality and durability of each piece. The full process includes:
- Sketching Session:Â Together, we’ll draw up your vision.
- Gemstone Sourcing:Â We use our industry connections and expertise to curate the perfect stone or stones.
- CAD Illustrations:Â We create photorealistic renderings so you can fully picture the final piece and make any final adjustments.
- Casting:Â We 3D print a wax model, cast it in metal, and precisely set each stone by hand.
- Final Details: We polish and thoroughly clean the piece, followed by a rigorous quality check
Flexible, Personal Service
Whether you’re creating a custom engagement ring, redesigning an heirloom, or bringing another jewelry idea to life, founder and master goldsmith Christopher Duquet approaches every project with a passion for craftsmanship. Because every piece is handcrafted from scratch in our workshop, you’ll enjoy exceptional quality, greater design flexibility, and more personal, responsive service for adjustments. You’re also welcome to browse our showroom, which showcases over 1,000 of our handcrafted pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions
A jeweler is a broad term that can refer to anyone in the jewelry trade, whether they own a store, focus on retail and sourcing, or offer custom design services. A goldsmith, on the other hand, is a specialist with hands-on expertise in handcrafting pieces from gold. Goldsmiths undergo apprenticeships to learn advanced techniques like cutting, shaping, soldering, and polishing metal to create or repair jewelry.
Definitely, fine jewelry and gold have been recycled for generations. We have been restyling customers’ jewelry for many years and are experts in evaluating and guiding them through the process. From hand-engraving pieces to recycling gold and stones, we’re happy to help you reclaim the value and beauty of your heirlooms in need.
Yes, we will. We love collaborating with our customers and find inspiration from their ideas and energy. Along the way, we’ll also offer honest guidance on the practical side of custom design. For example, we might suggest swapping soft metals for gold or platinum to ensure durability, or help you rework sharp edges or delicate details that could snag or wear down over time. We strive to make sure the final piece looks exactly as you imagined and holds up for a lifetime of wear.
On average, a custom project takes 3 to 5 weeks from start to finish — from initial concept and design approval through casting, stone setting, finishing, and final quality inspection. Every piece we create is unique, and timelines vary depending on the complexity of the design. Simpler, more straightforward pieces can come together relatively quickly, while intricate or highly detailed designs naturally require more time and care. We’ll always give you a clear timeline upfront so you know exactly what to expect throughout the process.