Skip to content

Custom Jewelry in Orange County Laguna Hills

Bring Your Gold. Pay Labor Only.

Turn Your Own Gold Into a Custom Piece in Laguna Hills.

Gold Standard buys gold, watches, and jewelry across Orange County. That is what we do every day. But not every piece should be sold. If the gold means something to you, bring it in and we will design and craft it into something you will actually wear. You supply the metal, so you pay for the labor only.

You BringYour gold or stones
You PayLabor only
StudioLaguna Hills, Orange County
A custom designed engagement ring being finished at the Gold Standard bench in Laguna Hills, Orange County
Your gold, remade. Designed and finished in Laguna Hills by Ford Swift, GIA Graduate Gemologist.
Ford Swift, GIA Graduate Gemologist, designing a custom jewelry piece in Laguna Hills

How This Works

We are buyers first. That is exactly why this costs less.

Buying gold, watches, and jewelry is our specialty. We handle precious metal all day, we know what it is worth to the gram, and we have the bench and the equipment already in house. So when you bring your own gold, there is no metal markup to pay. There is only the work.

A retail jeweler sells you the gold and the labor together, with a margin on both. Here the gold is already yours. That single difference is why a custom piece made from metal you already own costs a fraction of the same piece bought off a showroom floor.

  • You pay labor only, because you supplied the metal. No markup on gold you already own.
  • Your metal is weighed and tested in front of you on an XRF analyzer, so you know exactly what you brought in before anything is melted.
  • Designed by a GIA Graduate Gemologist, the same person qualified to evaluate every stone that goes into it.
  • You approve every stage, from the first sketch to the 3D render to the finished piece.

The Process

From your old gold to a finished piece.

Nothing is melted until you have seen the design and agreed the price. You know what your metal weighs, what the labor costs, and what you are getting, before any work starts.

  1. Bring In Your Gold

    Old chains, broken rings, single earrings, a piece you inherited, or scrap you were going to sell. It is weighed and tested on an XRF analyzer while you watch, so you know exactly what you have before anything happens to it.

  2. Design and Labor Quote

    Tell us what you want made. We talk through style, stones, and what your metal will realistically cover, then give you a firm labor price. If you need more gold than you brought, we tell you upfront rather than at the end.

  3. 3D Render and Approval

    Your piece is modelled in 3D so you can see it from every angle before a single thing is cast. Adjust the proportions, the setting, the band width, whatever you want. Nothing is melted until you say yes.

  4. Crafting and Pickup

    Your gold is refined, cast, set, and hand finished. You collect the piece here in Laguna Hills, try it on, and pay the labor price you were quoted at the start.

What We Make

What your old gold can become.

Most people are surprised how far a drawer of unworn gold actually goes. A few broken chains and a couple of rings are often enough for a substantial piece.

Engagement Rings and Bands

Family gold made into a ring for the next generation. Use an inherited diamond or choose a new stone, and let the metal you already own cover the setting.

Heirloom Redesign

A dated brooch, a ring that no longer fits, a piece nobody wears. The gold and the stones stay in the family, the design becomes something you will actually put on.

Pendants, Signets, and Bracelets

Turn a pile of broken chains into one piece worth wearing. Initial pendants, signet rings, cuffs, and one of a kind designs in your own gold.

What You Can Bring

Almost any gold works.

Condition does not matter. Broken, tangled, bent, or mismatched gold is refined down anyway, so bring the whole drawer rather than only the pieces that still look presentable.

  • 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K Gold
  • Broken Chains
  • Single Earrings
  • Old Rings and Bands
  • Inherited Pieces
  • Gold Coins
  • Dental Gold
  • Platinum
  • Your Own Diamonds
  • Loose Gemstones
The Gold Standard custom jewelry studio on Avenida De La Carlota in Laguna Hills, California

Visit the Studio

In Laguna Hills, minutes from anywhere in south Orange County.

Bring your gold in and we will weigh it, test it, and tell you honestly what it can become. Consultations are free and private, and there is no obligation either way. Some people leave with a design, some leave having decided to sell instead, and both are fine.

Address
23046 Avenida De La Carlota, Suite 580, Laguna Hills, CA 92653
Phone
(949) 779-1940
Consultations
Free. Bring your gold and we will weigh and test it while you watch.
Rather Sell It
If the gold does not carry meaning, selling is often the better call. We buy gold, diamonds, and watches and pay the same day.

Areas We Serve

Serving Orange County from Laguna Hills.

Clients travel to the Laguna Hills studio from across the county. If you are within a reasonable drive, the consultation is worth the trip.

  • Laguna Hills
  • Laguna Niguel
  • Laguna Beach
  • Mission Viejo
  • Aliso Viejo
  • Lake Forest
  • Irvine
  • Newport Beach
  • Costa Mesa
  • San Juan Capistrano
  • Dana Point
  • Rancho Santa Margarita

Get Started

Find out what your gold can become.

Consultations and labor quotes are free. Come with a clear idea or come with a bag of broken chains and no plan at all, both work.

Online

Tell us what you have and what you want made.

Start Online

Frequently Asked

Questions about bringing your own gold.

What exactly am I paying for?

Labor only. You supply the metal, so there is no charge for the gold and no markup on it. The price covers design, CAD work, casting, setting, and finishing. If you want a stone we supply, that is quoted separately and clearly. You get the labor number before any work starts and it does not move.

What if I do not have enough gold for what I want?

We tell you at the quote, not at the end. If your metal falls short, you can add more gold, scale the design down, or buy the difference from us at cost plus refining. What we will not do is start the work and surprise you with it later.

How do I know you are using my actual gold?

Your metal is weighed and tested on an XRF analyzer in front of you before anything happens to it, so you have the exact weight and purity in writing from the start. That number is what the design is built around, and you can check the finished piece against it.

Can I use a diamond or stones I already own?

Yes, and this is some of the most rewarding work we do. Inherited stones, a diamond from a ring nobody wears, or gemstones you have collected can all be reset. Every stone is examined by a GIA Graduate Gemologist first so you know its condition before it is reset.

Will I see the design before my gold is melted?

Always. Your piece is modelled in 3D and rendered so you can see it from every angle. Adjust the proportions, the setting, the band width, anything. Nothing is melted or cast until you approve the render.

How long does it take?

Most pieces take three to six weeks from approved design to finished jewelry. Simpler work moves faster, and complex settings or sourcing a particular stone take longer. If you are working toward a date, say so at the consultation and we will tell you straight whether it is realistic.

Should I sell my gold instead?

Sometimes, yes, and we will say so. If the gold carries no sentimental weight and you simply want the value, selling is usually the better decision and we buy it the same day. Making sense of that choice is part of the free consultation, and we are not going to talk you into custom work you do not want.

 

Â