These are the questions we are asked most often at Franco Jewellers. If something you want to know is not covered here, the most direct answer is always a conversation — call us on (03) 9564 7755 or book a complimentary consultation at our Collins Street boutique.
Visiting Franco Jewellers
Where are you located?
Franco Jewellers is located at Suite 904, Manchester Unity Building, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. We are on the 9th floor of the Manchester Unity Building — one of Melbourne’s most recognised heritage landmarks on Collins Street in the CBD.
To reach us, take the lifts inside the Manchester Unity Building to level 9. The building entry is on Collins Street between Swanston Street and Elizabeth Street.
How do I get there by public transport?
Collins Street is one of Melbourne’s most accessible streets. Trams run along Collins Street directly, and Flinders Street Station is approximately a five-minute walk. Melbourne Central Station is also within easy walking distance. There are multiple commercial car parks within a few blocks for those driving.
What are your opening hours?
We are open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 4pm for walk-ins. Sunday visits are by appointment only (11am–4pm). Evening appointments can be arranged on request — contact us to discuss.
Do I need an appointment?
Walk-ins are welcome Monday to Saturday between 11am and 4pm. However, booking an appointment is strongly recommended, particularly for engagement ring and custom design consultations. An appointment guarantees you dedicated, uninterrupted time with Silvana or Daniela — without the possibility of arriving when they are with another client.
Appointments are complimentary and carry no obligation to purchase.
Who will I be working with?
At Franco Jewellers, you will work directly with Silvana or Daniela Ceresiani — the second-generation owners of the business. There are no commissioned sales staff. All consultations are conducted personally by Silvana or Daniela, which means the person advising you is also the person accountable for the result.
Is there parking nearby?
Yes. Several commercial car parks are located within a few blocks of 220 Collins Street, including Wilson Parking and Secure Parking facilities. Street parking on Collins Street itself is metered and limited. We recommend using a nearby car park for consultations.
Engagement Rings
How long does it take to make a custom engagement ring?
The full process — from your first consultation through to collecting your finished ring — typically takes six to ten weeks. This includes the design development phase (usually one to three weeks, depending on how many rounds of refinement are needed) and the handcrafting phase (four to six weeks in our workshop).
If you have a specific date in mind — a planned proposal, a birthday, an anniversary — we will always work to meet it. We recommend contacting us as early as possible to allow adequate time. Rush timelines are sometimes possible; contact us to discuss your specific situation. For a full walkthrough of what to expect, visit our custom jewellery design process page.
How much does a custom engagement ring cost at Franco Jewellers?
Custom engagement rings at Franco Jewellers typically range from approximately $3,000 to $20,000 and above, depending on the metal, the diamond or gemstone chosen, and the complexity of the setting design.
The diamond accounts for the majority of the cost in most engagement rings. Metal and setting add to that base cost, with more intricate designs requiring more time from our master jeweller.
The first consultation is complimentary and obligation-free. During that meeting, we will discuss budget openly and help you understand what is achievable within your range — before any commitment is made.
Can I design a completely custom engagement ring, or do I have to choose from existing designs?
You can design a completely custom ring from scratch. You do not need to start from an existing design. Many clients arrive with nothing more than a general idea, photographs they have saved, or a sense of style — and our master jeweller develops a design through sketches and, for complex pieces, CAD renderings, working directly from the ideas that emerge in your consultation.
You can also start from one of our existing designs and modify it — changing the metal, adjusting the setting, choosing a different stone shape. Whatever approach works for you, we can accommodate it.
Can I use a diamond I already own?
Yes, in most cases. If you have an existing diamond — inherited, purchased elsewhere, or removed from another piece — our master jeweller will assess it before the design phase begins. The assessment looks at the stone’s condition, proportions, and suitability for the setting style you have in mind. Most diamonds in good condition can be set into a new piece; we will be transparent about any limitations before work begins.
What diamond shapes do you work with?
We work with all diamond shapes, including round brilliant, oval, cushion, emerald cut, pear, princess, marquise, radiant, and asscher. If you have a particular shape in mind, we can source it in both natural and lab-grown options.
Do you offer lab-grown diamonds?
Yes. We have offered lab-grown diamonds alongside natural mined diamonds since 2019. Both types are GIA certified and available across all our engagement ring styles and custom commissions. Lab-grown diamonds are chemically, physically, and optically identical to natural diamonds — the difference is origin, not quality. For more information, visit our lab-grown diamond engagement rings page.
What metals do you use for engagement rings?
We work primarily with 18ct gold in white, yellow, and rose, as well as platinum. We also offer 9ct gold. The right metal depends on your style preference, lifestyle, and budget — Silvana or Daniela will help you navigate the options at your consultation.
Wedding Rings
Can you make wedding rings that match or complement our engagement ring?
Yes. This is one of the most common requests we receive, and it is something we approach with particular care. If your engagement ring was made by Franco Jewellers, we have the original design specifications and can create a wedding band designed specifically to complement or flush-fit alongside it.
If your engagement ring was made elsewhere, bring it to your consultation — seeing the ring in person allows us to design the wedding band in direct reference to its profile, height, and style.
Can both partners come to the same consultation to choose their rings together?
Yes, and we encourage it. Choosing wedding rings together allows us to consider both pieces in relation to each other — ensuring the metals coordinate, the finishes complement, and the two rings feel connected without being identical. Book a joint consultation and we will work through both rings in the same appointment.
How long do wedding rings take to make?
The timeline for wedding rings is similar to engagement rings — four to six weeks from design approval, with the full process from first consultation usually taking six to ten weeks. Plain bands can sometimes be completed more quickly; more complex diamond-set designs may take longer. We will always give you a realistic timeline at the design stage.
Do you make men’s wedding rings?
Yes. We have a full range of men’s wedding ring options including plain bands in gold and platinum, titanium designs, two-tone and mixed metal bands, and diamond-set styles. Custom men’s wedding rings — designed to your exact specifications — are also available through the same bespoke design process.
Diamonds and Gemstones
What is GIA certification and why does it matter?
GIA (Gemological Institute of America) is the world’s most respected independent diamond grading authority. A GIA certificate documents a diamond’s cut, colour, clarity, and carat weight — the four characteristics that determine its quality and value — assessed by trained gemologists with no commercial interest in the result.
At Franco Jewellers, every diamond we sell — whether natural or lab-grown — comes with GIA certification. This means you know exactly what you are purchasing, you can compare stones with genuine information, and you have internationally recognised documentation of your stone’s quality.
What are the 4Cs and how do they affect price?
The 4Cs are the four characteristics used to grade and value diamonds.
Cut refers to how well the diamond’s facets interact with light — the most important of the four Cs for determining a diamond’s brilliance and visual beauty. A well-cut diamond of modest colour and clarity will outshine a poorly cut diamond with superior grades.
Colour refers to the absence of colour in a white diamond, graded on a scale from D (colourless) to Z (visibly yellow). Diamonds in the D–F range are considered colourless; G–J are near-colourless and represent excellent value.
Clarity refers to the presence of inclusions (internal) and blemishes (external). Most inclusions are invisible to the naked eye. VS1 and VS2 grades are typically eye-clean and offer excellent value compared to higher clarity grades.
Carat weight refers to the diamond’s size. Larger diamonds are rarer and more expensive per carat, but cut quality has a more significant effect on visual size than carat weight alone.
We will explain the 4Cs in detail at your consultation and help you understand how different combinations affect both appearance and price within your budget.
Do you offer coloured gemstones for engagement rings?
Yes. We work with sapphires, emeralds, rubies, and a range of other coloured gemstones for centre stones and accent settings. Sapphire engagement rings in particular have become increasingly popular — the blue sapphire has a long association with fidelity and its durability (9 on the Mohs scale) makes it an excellent choice for daily wear alongside a diamond. We can source coloured gemstones to your specification.
Jewellery Services
Do you offer jewellery repairs?
Yes. Our in-house master jeweller handles a range of jewellery repairs including stone resetting, clasp repair, chain repair, ring resizing, rhodium plating, and general restoration work. Repairs are assessed on an individual basis — bring your piece into the boutique for an assessment and we will advise on what is involved and the likely timeline and cost.
Do you offer jewellery remodelling?
Yes. Jewellery remodelling — transforming an existing piece into a new design while retaining the original materials — is one of the services we are most proud of. We work with clients who have inherited jewellery they love but cannot wear, engagement rings from previous relationships, or collections of smaller pieces that they would like reimagined as a single, wearable item.
The process begins with a conversation about the piece, what it means to you, and what you would like it to become. There is no obligation to proceed beyond that initial discussion. For more detail, visit our jewellery remodelling Melbourne page.
Can you resize my ring?
Yes. Ring resizing is available for most gold and platinum rings. Some ring styles — particularly full eternity rings where stones are set continuously around the band — cannot be resized without removing stones, which we will always explain clearly before proceeding. Titanium rings are more difficult to resize due to the properties of the metal.
Do you offer watch repairs?
Yes. Franco Jewellers has a dedicated in-house watchmaker who services and repairs a range of luxury timepieces. We work with Swiss watch brands including Rolex, Omega, TAG Heuer, Breitling, IWC, Longines, Tissot, Seiko, Citizen, and Rado, among others. Bring your watch into the boutique for an initial assessment.
Do you offer jewellery valuations?
Yes. Jewellery valuations are available for insurance purposes and for pieces being considered for remodelling. Contact us to arrange a valuation appointment.
Pricing and Process
Are consultations free?
Yes. All initial consultations at Franco Jewellers are complimentary and carry no obligation to purchase or proceed. We will always tell you what is involved and what it is likely to cost before any commitment is made.
Do you offer payment plans?
We are happy to discuss payment arrangements for larger custom commissions. This is best discussed directly at your consultation, where we can talk through what works for your situation.
Do you offer free shipping?
Yes. Franco Jewellers offers free shipping Australia-wide for online purchases.
What is your warranty policy?
All pieces made by Franco Jewellers carry a lifetime craftsmanship warranty covering manufacturing defects under normal wear conditions. This does not cover damage from accidents, improper care, or repairs carried out by other jewellers. We ask clients to bring their pieces in periodically so we can check stone settings and general condition — this is the best way to ensure your piece is protected long-term.
Still Have a Question?
If your question is not answered here, we are happy to help. The quickest route is a conversation.
Call us on (03) 9564 7755, email franco@franco.com.au, or book a complimentary consultation online. Walk-ins are welcome Monday to Saturday between 11am and 4pm at Suite 904, Manchester Unity Building, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne.
Contact Information:
📍 Manchester Unity Building, Suite 904 / 220 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
📞 Call: (03) 9564 7755
📧 Email: enquiries@franco.com.au
