Frequently Ask Question (FAQ)
- About Us
- Catalogue
- Certification & Sustainability
- Confidentiality
- Cost
- Faulty Items/ Manufacturing Defect
- How do we start
- Meeting
- Our Client
- Payment
- Plating
- Policy
- Pricing
- Shipment
- Size Chart
We use electroplating, which involves passing an electric current through a solution containing metal ions to deposit metal onto the jewelry. For a more affordable option, we also offer flash plating, which applies a thinner metal layer quickly, followed by a ceramic coating. This ceramic layer adds extra protection against tarnishing while preserving the color of the plating.
We use English on a daily basis but as we are based in Bali, Indonesia, Indonesian is our mother tongue.
Our MOQ for sterling silver and base metals (bronze, white brass, and yellow brass) is 25 pieces per design per size, and 10 pieces per style per design for solid gold. Our MOQ is considered very reasonable within the jewelry manufacturing industry.
We source our material globally, at the quality and condition that we are able to work with.
We understand that signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is a standard practice for many, and we’re more than willing to do so to protect the intellectual property of the brands we engage with. However, in cases where we don’t fully understand the design or are unsure about working together, we may not be able to sign an NDA. This is because, in such situations, we wouldn’t have a clear understanding of the design we need to protect and can’t guarantee that it doesn’t resemble a design we’ve already developed for another client. Signing an NDA in this case might not be appropriate.
Yes, we do. However, please note we are ex works – meaning we are responsible for goods at our door and ship on the request of clients on their behalf. We do not take responsibility door to door – in saying this we can say we have not had a case of a lost package in our history. our client can also have their courier pick up from our studio.
Depends on the complexity of the design, material, and components needed. Please contact us for more info.
We can arrange a virtual meeting via Zoom with a committed schedule set in advance, as well as share a studio video tour with you. Since the majority of our clients are based overseas, Zoom meetings often take place in the studio, and we have no issue communicating by email, Zoom calls, and sending samples or products to our clients globally.
Yes, we work with clients in more than 22 countries.
We do understand that at the moment you’re not looking for a custom-made design and want to purchase designs that is readily available.
We focus on creating designs based on client’s request, creating a proper catalogue is not our main priority at the moment. However, we have a few designs that are readily available to be purchased, with a minimum quantity of 10 units per design and per size. We have the set up of these designs in-house, therefore feel free to request the material (sterling silver, bronze, brass, solid gold).
Please contact us for more details.
We take a look at faulty items case by case, depending on how it was broken – was it a fault of production or rough handling. You can send us photos for items that have any defects and/or faulty for us to review further.
If the issue was due to rough handling, you can send the item to us to be repaired, however it will be billed to the client’s account. If the issue was due to manufacturing defect such as weak solder points, etc we will take a look again and it will be repaired at our own cost. Again, we will need to take a look at it case by case, and we will discuss with you on the next steps.
Generally, our approach is to share like-minded or similar design set up and sample costs to share as a reference and only as an estimate to give some idea of the cost that may be incurred and as an estimate. As a design development and production producer, we can only actually calculate set up cost and actual sample price from actual design time used, printing costs or carving costs, etc as well as actual bench-created sample and data compiled in the process. How prepared the information, sketches, measurements, etc are in advance affects the actual costs involved. We generally select a few similar designs and share costs involved with our clients and global brands/designers fully understanding each piece and cost is inherent to that actual design thus we can only supply references to like-minded pieces to prepare the client for possible costs incurred.
We offer Gold, Rose Gold, Palladium, Rhutenium Black and White Rhodium, Silver, copper or decorative plating finishes. Please find the example of the shade that we have in our studio below.
We are a boutique jewelry studio producing pieces for brands globally, tailored to their unique designs, concepts, and requests. We work with a wide range of complexity and pricing. Although selling ready-made jewelry isn’t our primary focus, we have an internal collection of designs available for purchase, including stack rings, signet rings, chains, and earrings. These are our own original designs, curated and inventoried over the past two decades, for which we own the master molds. This allows us to cast them in any material you request without any setup expense.
*Unless a specific size is requested that isn’t available in our inventory.
Generally, it takes 2 weeks from the technical drawing to the sample. Please note, this excludes the time spent communicating and revising during the process, as well as sourcing any specific stones or findings needed to create the sample. Each design is considered on a case-by-case basis, and we will discuss the timeline with our team and the client.
Please share your design ideas with us, which can include a sketch you’ve drawn, a photo of jewelry you love, or a simple screenshot from the internet as a reference. It’s helpful if you have a basic understanding of the materials you’d like to use, along with any measurements and price range you have in mind, so we can assess whether it’s feasible within your budget.
Yes, ethical sourcing is a fundamental part of our production process. All materials processed in-house are ethical and sustainable. For items sourced from external suppliers, such as findings and chains, we source from reputable regions including Italy, Japan, Thailand, and Hong Kong. Stones present a more complex challenge due to difficulties in tracing their origins, and ethical sourcing of stones often incurs a higher cost. This detailed tracking does impact the final price.
For instance, some clients prefer Italian-made chains, understanding that these come at a higher cost compared to those made in Asian regions. Others are willing to pay a premium for ethically sourced stones, which are usually double to 5 times more expensive. Meanwhile, many clients are satisfied knowing that their jewelry is produced in a studio that treats its employees well, maintains ethical practices, and chooses to work with like-minded ethical suppliers.
Therefore, sharing your preference with the target price in mind would be very helpful for our discussion as to what is and isn’t possible within your budget.
All masters and molds are design-specific to the brand or client. We do not share these designs with other clients. They are the property of the brand. It is simply our ethics to protect your designs as we create, produce, and export for brands in more than 22 countries. Many of these relationships involve monthly production and have lasted for over a decade or more. Therefore, respect for our clients’ designs that we develop with and for them is of utmost importance.
We do not sell our clients’ designs to others, and all masters and setups are kept safely on behalf of our clients for production purposes. If requested, they will be returned without any issue.
Yes, we do. This is our Ring Size Chart.
We would be delighted to accommodate you if you are in Bali. A studio tour can be arranged with a committed schedule set in advance.
The majority of our clients are mainly based in Europe, Australia, The United Kingdom, and South America. However, we are open to working and collaborating with clients from other regions as well.
Micron refers to the thickness of the plating, determining how long the gold plating lasts before it begins to fade. There is no clear guidance on how long the plating will last, as it depends on factors such as the traffic level of the jewelry. Rings and bracelets are high-traffic pieces, necklaces are medium-traffic, and earrings are low-traffic. Higher traffic requires a thicker plating. Other factors include the wearer’s skin acidity and how they care for their jewelry, such as avoiding exposure to showers, beaches, or swimming pools.
For the lower-price market, clients often choose flash plating with a coating to extend durability while keeping costs affordable.
In the medium to high market, we recommend starting with a 2-micron thickness for rings. If the budget allows, 3 microns is ideal, as rings fade faster than other jewelry. A 3-micron thickness on a sterling silver base qualifies as Gold Vermeil, allowing you to market the ring as such.
Regarding costs, we charge clients for the ring plus the plating based on thickness. For example, if a ring costs $20 and plating is $5 per micron, plating it with 1 micron costs $25, 2 microns $30, and 3 microns $35.
We offer a full range of services in our studio, starting from the design concept, sketching, technical drawing, CAD drawing, 3D printing and/or wax carving by hand if better suited, casting, master detailing, creating rubber molds, producing samples, and production. For more detailed information about our services, please click here
Our production timeline is 45 to 60 days after the production deposit has been received in our account.
Yes, of course! Once the client settles the deposit, we will create an email thread for each design, where we will exclusively discuss design development. We will go through each step together, updating the client along the way, and will not proceed further without their confirmation on each step. This is done with updated technical drawings and clear communication.
We do work with recycled materials, but we don’t recycle in-house. Excess material from the casting tree, like the sprue and button, is shipped to a refining facility to be refined back into pure silver for future use. We also purchase from LBMA-certified precious metal facilities offering diverse recycling options.
We can only estimate the shipping cost once we know the address as well as the volume of the package.
Please access here to learn more about our shipping process.
Yes, we do. This is our Necklace Length Chart.
80% of our production uses sterling silver, and the bunch is a mix of base metals (brass, bronze, white brass) and/or solid gold in various karats and colors.
*Please ask for more details.
We suggest having 6 to 14 designs in one collection. This allows the brand to stay focused while still offering variety. Once a clear vision is established, more designs can be added, and some may be saved for a later date.
We adhere to a Monday-to-Friday work schedule. All our studio employees are equipped with a proper desk and safety equipment as needed, and receive comprehensive benefits, including full family health insurance, a pension plan, death benefits, paid holidays, allowances, paid overtime, and a clean and spacious environment.
We do not get involved in the import duties charged by client countries. You will need to check with your local government regulations regarding import charges from Indonesia to your country.
Yes, we do. This is our Cuff Size Chart.
It’s important to understand that all metals, including gold, are subject to tarnish once exposed to oxygen. Environmental or humidity levels also play a major role. For example, very humid climates cause metals to tarnish more quickly. Both silver and brass contain copper, which is a metal that tarnishes easily. In the case of 925 silver, the amount of copper is 7.5 percent, while brass generally contains around 77 percent copper, which is about 10 times the amount in silver, and thus tarnishes faster.
Brass is commonly used as a base material for fashion jewelry due to its cost-effectiveness, as it is much more affordable than sterling silver. However, the actual process of creating a plate in brass, silver, or gold is essentially identical.
Fashion jewelry made with brass often uses a nickel plating layer to protect the gold plating from migration or pooling due to the copper component. However, as a jewelry manufacturer, we do not use nickel.
Instead, we use palladium as a base metal, which creates a strong barrier between the base alloy and the gold plating. This helps improve the quality of the final plating and its resistance to copper migration and discoloration.
Flow uses Italian alloys in its silver that are not just pure copper but contain varied recipes designed to address issues like strength and anti-tarnish. This is more advanced and effective than the traditional use of pure copper in jewelry making.
How you care for your plated jewelry will always be the main factor in its longevity. Avoiding dishwashing, showering, or swimming, and lightly cleaning your plated jewelry with proper storage, are crucial to maintaining its appearance.
It should also be noted that some body types and compositions are more prone to acidic sweat and corrosion when it comes to metal contacting the skin. Therefore, care and light cleaning are especially important for maintaining plated jewelry.
We do not, nor will we, make any claims regarding the water resistance of gold plating. As mentioned above, we suggest avoiding activities such as dishwashing, showering, or swimming while wearing plated jewelry. Proper care, cleaning, and storage are always recommended.
Yes, we do. We work with both HTHP and CVD lab-grown diamonds, moissanite, and various types of stones, including CZ, glass stones, synthetic stones, semi-precious stones, precious stones like natural diamonds, pearls, and treated sapphires, etc. Basically, we can work with any stone that can be sourced and is suitable for jewelry creation.
We don’t produce these in-house, but we have a dedicated sourcing team that can assist you in finding the components needed for your jewelry needs.
Please find our previous work with stones here.
Yes, this is possible. We can work together so you can experience our process and see if the finished product and budget meet your standards and expectations.
We ensure that our team is fully insured, receives paid holidays, and has a pension plan. We believe that these internal values support and contribute positively to our community. We maintain a happy and harmonious environment, which can be testified to by any of our clients who have visited.
We don’t do dropshipping from our studio, as the cost of sending individual packages from Bali to overseas would be much higher than using a professional dropshipper in your country. However, for a fee, we can prepare individual shipments for some of our clients, so when they receive the goods, they are ready for direct shipping to their customers, without the need for repackaging. This is handled on a case-by-case basis.
Yes, we do. Please find our bangle size chart below.
Gold Vermeil is a term created in France for the standard level of high-end plating, which was stated to be 3 microns over Sterling Silver, thus no piece in brass can ever claim the term “Vermeil“. In the US it is standard or modified to suggest 2,5 microns is the level needed over Sterling Silver to be considered Vermeil.
We plate at any level requested by our clients, but in order for us to claim it as Vermeil, our standard is a minimum of 3 microns. Of course, if 6 microns are requested, it would be twice the gold thickness of 3 microns, which would be thicker and better for wear and longevity. However, this may increase the price, and at those costs, solid gold may be the preferred option.
Yes, we do. We don’t produce these in-house, but we have a dedicated sourcing team that can assist you in finding the components needed for your jewelry concept and designs, a certain amount of our stock is always on hand, but regardless we sourced based on the client’s need.
Yes, we do. We create the technical drawings, CAD or wax models, castings, and design the master. We then make the rubber mold and sample, followed by finalizing the finished good and costing for the client to review before moving to production
At present, we do not hold formal certifications. As a small boutique studio, we find that investing in certifications is costly. Instead, we concentrate on practical actions, such as selecting high-quality suppliers and maintaining ethical practices, like a good work environment and proper benefits for our team. This approach allows us to focus our resources on delivering high-quality, ethical products for our clients, as well as supporting our team effectively.
For larger types of chains, like Cuban links that can be cast, we can produce them. However, for fine chains and findings, these are better suited to dedicated chain and/or finding-making facilities due to the specialized processes involved. These specialists typically focus solely on producing chains or findings, rather than full jewelry production.
Yes, we can. Although we are a full-equipped studio, we do not force our client to do everything with us. If the client has existing design and mold, the client can ship it to our studio and we will reproduce it.
Most of our machines are imported from Europe, the US, and Japan. We use Orotig (Italy) for our laser welder and marking, Indutherm (Germany) for our casting machine, Solidscape 3D printers from the US, Riace wax injection machines from Italy, as well as various machines from Master X and St.Louis.
We work with more than 60 different brands globally, and each of our clients has its own design aesthetic, ranging from fine stack rings and small, cute charms to statement pieces, organic and natural designs, or diamond and semi-precious stone-focused jewelry. We can provide design references similar to the ideas you share with us, along with examples of pieces we’ve created for past clients.
Please understand that many of our clients are engaged with NDA agreements, which restrict us from disclosing their identities directly. For more inspiration, kindly access here to view our references and explore our Instagram page @flowjewelrystudio.
Please reach out for client or brand references.
We do not work with stainless steel as it requires a different setup and machinery from silver, gold, and base metals.
Since all facilities are in-house, except for findings and machine-made chains, we are able to offer the following services individually: technical drawing (TD), CAD design, carving, plating, and photography. However, please note that we generally work from paper (concept) to finished product and production with our clients.
Please discuss with our team for further information.
Unfortunately, we do not offer gold-filled options.
While gold-filled jewelry provides a more affordable option than solid gold and is more durable than gold-plated jewelry, there are many misconceptions in the market about which products can actually be created in gold-filled.
Similar to gold-plated jewelry, many manufacturers claim that they plate with 1 micron of gold when, in reality, it may only be a fraction of that. The misconception with gold-filled items is often similar, where clients and brands may think that any pieces can be produced in gold-filled.
As you may know, most of the production we do in-house is done through the lost wax casting method, where molds are injected and then cast into the desired metals (sterling silver, base metals, and solid gold). However, for gold-filled items, the base metal and solid gold sheets are fused and bonded using heat and pressure around the outer body of the piece.
Because of this, the pieces cannot actually be cast. The gold-filled process is generally more suitable for flat, square pieces where the gold sheet can be applied to the outside. In some cases, we can order gold-filled chains, but we cannot create an entire design in gold-filled.
Yes, although it is not our main focus, being based in Bali, we are often approached for custom one-off projects for weddings or special events, such as engagement rings, wedding bands, family crest jewelry, and gifts. Please note that these projects are priced as custom pieces, which means they differ from our standard production prices.
Yes, we offer professional product photography and videography services. You are welcome to use our services, which typically include product shoots on a white or black background. Kindly access here to view some of our product photography and videography work.
There are almost no limitations to what we can create in the studio, from intricate skulls to cute charms or diamond rings. We do our best to accommodate our clients’ requests. Please note that limitations may arise with stones, chains, and findings, as these depend on what is available to source. Rest assured, we have a dedicated international sourcing team that will assist and do our best to find any components needed for your design.
*Please note, if a design is not suitable for our studio, we will be sure to explain why.
With a team of around 60 people, our capacity varies depending on the style and item currently being produced at the bench. At any given time, we will assess your needs and clarify what is possible and the time available.
We perform quality control by inspecting and measuring every single step to ensure they meet the exact specifications and quality standards of the studio, as well as those outlined in the technical drawing and signed off by the client.
With a team of around 60 people, our capacity varies depending on the style and item currently being produced at the bench. At any given time, we will assess your needs and clarify what is possible and the time available.
The packaging we provide is a standard delivery box wrapped with bubble wrap. We also offer paper-based packaging, but additional costs may apply. If you have any packaging preferences, please feel free to share them with us so we can discuss further. Please note, this is not commercial packaging, such as drawstring bags or jewelry boxes, as we do not create that sort of item in-house. The brands we work with have their commercial packaging produced by a specialist business separate from us.
Yes, we do offer repairs, but it will be on a case-by-case basis. Generally, if the repair request comes from outside Indonesia, it may not be feasible due to import duties and regulations. However, for repairs within Indonesia, you can send us a photo of the jewelry along with a description of the issue, and we will assess the situation and provide you with the applicable options.
Please note that we will require clear information about the jewelry, such as the material and type of stone.