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Customise Your Own or Buy Ready-Made? The Real Cost Rule for Gold Devices
Leronza gives you two routes to a gold-finished device: buy a ready-made piece, or send in the one you already own. The two are priced in completely different ways, which makes casual comparison misleading. This guide lines them up family by family with live prices, explains what each figure actually includes, and gives you the one rule that decides which route costs less.
What Each Price Actually Includes
Customise Your Own
- The price covers the finishing work only
- You supply the device — it is not included
- It returns with the serial number it left with
- A 2-year warranty applies to the customisation itself
Buy Ready-Made
- The price includes a brand-new device
- It is finished to order in Dubai
- It ships with a Certificate of Authenticity
- Nothing for you to source, back up, or ship in
The Break-Even Rule
If you already own the device, its cost is sunk and customising is almost always the lower number. If you’d have to buy the device first, add that purchase to the customisation fee before comparing. The gap between the two columns below is therefore roughly what you’re paying Leronza to supply a new device — if buying the same device elsewhere would cost more than that gap, ready-made is the cheaper route overall.
Live Prices, Family by Family
| Device Family | Customise Your Own (fee) | Ready-Made (device included) |
|---|---|---|
| Phones | $ 1,190–$ 14,790 | iPhone Air from $ 2,390; iPhone 18 Pro from $ 2,990; Duo from $ 2,799 |
| Watches | $ 1,390–$ 2,390 | Apple Watch $ 1,950–$ 3,950; Samsung $ 2,480–$ 3,650 |
| iPads | $ 3,690 (one price, any model) | $ 4,290–$ 6,190 |
| Macs | $ 1,050–$ 21,090 | $ 1,150–$ 67,990 |
| AirPods | $ 690–$ 1,590 | Swarovski AirPods Pro 3 at $ 999; AirPods Max 2 at $ 2,250 |
Reading the Gap
The phone fee starts well below the ready-made entry price for the same class of device, which is the clearest case for sending in a phone you already love. The iPad is the simplest to read: customising costs one flat figure whichever model you own, while the ready-made range starts higher and climbs by model. Watches and AirPods follow the same pattern. Macs are the outlier: the customisation fee and the ready-made price both span a very wide range, because the family runs from a Magic Mouse up to the largest desktops, so compare the specific model you care about rather than the family range. The matching guides cover each in detail — customising a watch, iPad, Mac or AirPods, the ready-made iPad range, and the gold Mac lineup.
Which Route Fits You
Send In Your Own If…
You already own and love the device, want to keep its serial number and your setup, and are comfortable being without it while it’s finished.
Buy Ready-Made If…
You were about to buy a new device anyway, want one transaction with nothing to ship, or want a specific design from the catalog.
Add a Case If…
You want gold without touching the phone at all — the gold iPhone case range leaves your device exactly as Apple made it.
Go Bespoke If…
Your idea isn’t on the list. One-off commissions are quoted individually rather than priced from a table.
What Doesn’t Change Between the Two
Both routes use the same plating (5–7 microns), both are made to order in Dubai, both take roughly 1–2 weeks of customisation, and neither can be returned once ordered — so the written quote and visual mockup matter equally on either path. Both are also subject to the usual caveat for plated electronics: Apple’s own warranty and water resistance shouldn’t be assumed to carry over, and a customised Apple Watch is not waterproof. Payment options and the 50% deposit work the same either way — see how to pay at Leronza, and why orders settle in USD or AED if you’re ordering from abroad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is customising my own device cheaper than buying ready-made?
If you already own the device, usually yes — you pay only the finishing fee. If you’d need to buy the device first, add its cost to the fee before comparing.
Does the customisation price include the device?
No. It covers the finishing work on a device you supply. Ready-made prices include a new device.
Do I keep my serial number if I send my device in?
Yes. A customised device returns with the same serial number it left with.
Does the metal I choose change the price on either route?
No. 24K gold, rose gold, and platinum cost the same within any given option.
Can I return either a customised or a ready-made device?
No. Both are made to order for one customer, so returns aren’t offered; a written quote and visual mockup are agreed first.
Gold-Plate Your Own iPhone
Customise Watch, iPad, Mac or AirPods
Leronza iPhone Collections
The honest comparison isn’t one price against another — it’s one fee against one all-in price, with the device in the middle. Work out what the device costs you, and the right route usually becomes obvious.
Not Sure Which Route Is Cheaper for You?
Send your exact model and a photo — WhatsApp +971 4 330 9600 — and get a firm quote before deciding.
