Catholic Craftsmen. I Need Your Help.

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Why don’t you ask your parish priest to help you find out? If he doesn’t have the answer he should be able to find it.

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The short answer is:
No, a Catholic is generally not required to use an "official Vatican-approved" image of a saint on a rosary. A craftsman can design and cast his own saint medals, crucifixes, and centerpieces as long as they respectfully depict the saint and do not contain doctrinal errors.

A few points:
Is there an official Vatican version?
Not usually.
The Catholic Church generally does not maintain a single official image for most saints. Throughout history, saints have been depicted in many different artistic styles and cultures.
For example, Saint Francis of Assisi has been portrayed by hundreds of artists over centuries. The common identifying symbols (animals, birds, brown habit, stigmata, etc.) help people recognize him, but there is no single required image.

Likewise, Saint Patrick might be shown with a shamrock, bishop's vestments, or snakes, depending on the artist.
What about rosary centerpieces and medals?

Most commercial rosary parts are simply produced by manufacturers. A company such as Sisters of Carmel or another supplier is generally selling a design they chose to use, not "the Vatican's official version."

The Church blesses rosaries, but it does not normally dictate the exact artwork on every medal.

Could you carve and cast your own?
Absolutely.
Historically, many Catholic artisans, monks, nuns, goldsmiths, and woodworkers created their own religious art.

The important considerations would be:
The depiction should be reverent.
The saint should be identifiable.
The symbolism should not contradict Catholic teaching.
Any inscriptions should be accurate.

Any restrictions at all?

The main area where approval sometimes matters is when something claims a special spiritual status, such as:
an officially approved apparition image,
certain sacramentals with specific promises attached,
official diocesan or Vatican seals.

For ordinary saint medals on a rosary, there is generally considerable artistic freedom.
If the rosary is blessed later
A priest can bless a rosary regardless of whether the medals were commercially purchased or handcrafted, provided the item is suitable as a devotional object.

So if this gentleman carves a medal of Saint Michael the Archangel or Saint Benedict from scratch and casts it in silver, that would ordinarily be viewed as a work of religious craftsmanship, not a violation of Church rules.

The one exception I'd mention is the Saint Benedict medal specifically. That medal traditionally contains particular letters and inscriptions associated with its blessing and symbolism. An artistic rendering of St. Benedict is fine, but if you're trying to make an actual "St. Benedict Medal," you'd want the traditional inscriptions to be correct.

So my answer would be: Yes, you can create your own saint images and cast your own rosary components. There is generally no requirement to use a Vatican-approved mold or the exact artwork sold by a particular supplier.

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