About Goldfinch Grillz

A set that didn't fit

I got into grillz because I wanted something that was mine. My mates all wore the same chains and rings you can buy anywhere, and I wanted a piece made for me, something unique.

So I ordered a silver 2-piece from overseas. Communication was poor, when I chased an update, they didn't seem to remember who I was.
I'd told them about the retaining wire behind my teeth and had been assured it would be worked around. It wasn't. The dental stone came back with the wire cut away entirely, like it wasn't supposed to be there. I ended up having to buy tools just to carve out the space myself and wear something I'd already paid for.

What stayed with me was how few options there were, If you wanted grillz in Aotearoa that was pretty much the deal, there was no point complaining unless someone was willing to do it differently. So I set out to learn properly, and that turned out to be two jobs. The first was learning to make a set that fits. The second was simpler and somehow rarer: replying to messages, knowing whose set is on the bench, and telling you what's happening with your order before you have to ask.

That's the whole business. Something made to fit only you, by people who know your name.

Who are we?

I'm Finch. I make gold grillz. That's the entire story behind the name, and I wish I had something wilder for you, but that's it.

I design and craft every set myself. My partner Sophie works alongside me, handling sketches and design mockups, marketing, and looking after customers. So the two people you deal with are the two people making your set. Nothing gets handed off to a third party.

Learning the craft

I spent close to a year and a half teaching myself, almost entirely through trial and error and a lot of money spent on pieces that got scrapped. Once I was consistent with my craft, I still didn't start selling. I spent several months being tutored by a professional grillz artist in Japan to sharpen the design side of things. Only once all of that was in place did the store open.

That's a slower start than many, and deliberately so. There's a difference between being able to make grillz and being able to make grillz that fit properly, every time, for someone who is trusting you with their money and their mouth.

How your grillz are made

Once your impressions reach us, they're cast in dental stone to create an exact model of your teeth. That model is scanned and brought into CAD, where your set is designed digitally. Working this way gives far tighter control over the things that decide whether a set actually works: fit, thickness, and consistency across every tooth. It also opens up detail that would be impractical by hand.

From there the digital design is turned into a castable wax, which is used to cast your set in solid sterling silver or solid gold. The raw casting is then polished by hand to a mirror finish before it's packed and sent to you.

This isn't a shortcut. Complex designs take real time to get right. It's the way I learned and the way I get the most consistent results, so it's the way I work.

What we won't do

We won't leave you with a set you're not happy with: If something isn't right, we'll work through it with you until it is. That's what the Fit Guarantee exists for.

We won't be dishonest with you: If we don't think a design will work, we'll say so before taking your money rather than after.

We won't design your set without you: Discussion and back and forth are a vital part of the process. You'll see it before it's made.

We won't sell anything we're not confident is safe: It's why we've held off on gold plating despite being asked about it regularly. Plating wears through, and your mouth is about the worst environment for it. It's also why we have a minimum age for customers, and why we won't make a set for anyone under it no matter how the request is framed.

We won't cut corners on quality or price unreasonably: Solid metal, every piece, every time.

Where we work

Everything is made in our private workshop in Christchurch. Most customers never need to visit, since the impression kit handles everything from home anywhere in New Zealand or Australia. If you'd rather have your impressions taken in person, we do offer appointments in Christchurch. Get in touch to arrange one.