A 15 Point Guide for the Independent Jewellery Art

by Damien Zielinski





Materials and Accounting

1. Keep your overhead low. You don't need a studio and can't afford to pay for one when you're just starting out your jewellery business. If your apartment has a spare room, or even a big dining room table, it should be enough to get you started.

2. Buy jewellery supplies from local wholesalers. Do not travel further than a bus token's distance for jewellery components. Time and cost are both important to consider.

3. Keep your jewellery inventory as low as possible. Jewellery stock is expensive; do not order too many jewellery components at first. Buy very low volumes while you test the market power of your jewellery designs. When you become more confident about demand for your accessories, order more, but remember to always keep as little inventory as you can. Try not to ever order more than you're sure you can sell.

4. Buy parts from a jewellery wholesaler who offers low minimums, and start with the lowest. If you buy quantities any smaller, you will have to get middle-manned by stores or jewellery businesses that cater to hobbyists. If you go bigger, you risk unsold stock, and may not break even with sales.

Design

5. Find out what retail stores are looking for, what they sell a lot of, and who's buying it. It is very important that you spend a lot of time on groundwork and preliminary research. The more you know about your intended market, the more informed your jewellery designs will be. Talk to people and develop a thorough understanding of what your design strong points are, how to build on them, and how to tailor them to the demands of your target customer base.

6. Keep up with the changing world of accessory fashion and be flexible. Staying informed about what people are wearing on the streets and the runways will inform and inspire your work. Quickly adapt to new trends and styles-- being able to do this is a major part of your advantage as a small scale jewellery manufacturer. Avoid ordering parts from far away or keeping old stock.

7. Think about the role of each jewellery design in your portfolio of accessory lines. If all of your jewellery is generic in style, then it will only be a matter of price for your potential customers, and as an independent you don't have a prayer competing with big companies who import cheap Asian materials. On the other hand, if all of your designs are show-stopping runway pieces, they will garner attention but not profits. Stores like to put showpieces in windows to attract curious shoppers, but the jewelry they actually sell a lot of is going to be the kind that people can wear in a variety of social situations with a variety of outfits. Try to incorporate a handful of distinctive showpieces, but make sure your lines have something for everyone, and aren't too fashion-forward that they scare off the majority of your would-be customers.

8. Be flexible and dynamic. Demonstrate a ready willingness to customize your designs for stores and individual clients. Make use of your advantage as a small manufacturer who can change production and redesign things at the drop of a hat. Cooperating with the customer's desires is important to developing a good working relationship, and leads to sustained repeat business.

9. Value people who give you constructive input, and learn from it. Treasure those who give you helpful ideas, and learn to take criticism with grace. Remember that you're running a business, and what you think is great might not be exactly what stores or people want. You're not trying to sell jewelry to yourself. Build on strengths, expand on what is well received, and get rid of unpopular or unsuccessful design ideas immediately.

10. Guard your designs. They are your most precious commodity and there is not much in place to protect them from copycats. Show them only to people you trust, customers, and potential customers.

Selling your Jewelry

11. Calculate your cost. It is crucial to figure out how much each jewelry accessory costs you to make, and how much time you spend making it. Your markup should be 2-3 times cost for wholesale or 4-6 times cost for retail.

12. Be opportunistic about sales prospects, and carefully weigh the pros and cons of each. Selling to people directly is great for profit margins, but is very time consuming and may not worth your while. Jewelry conventions, shows, festivals, and other gatherings might be good times to set up a booth and personally connect with each customer. Just remember that time is one of your most precious resources. If you manage to get your jewelry accessories into boutiques, they will sell your product for you on their time, and provide a venue for showcasing your jewelry on top of any events you may personally go to.

13. Avoid selling your jewelry on consignment at all costs. Consignment means that a store will not buy jewellery from you outright, but rather keep it at their store on a sort of 'loan.' If items are sold, the store will take a percentage of the sale price, and you will get the remainder. The store has little motivation to push your jewelry, and if they have other accessories bought on wholesale, they will almost definitely try to sell those pieces before yours. With wholesale the jewellery is actually purchased up front by the store, and the onus is on them to either sell the items through or incur losses. For more information on differences between consignment and wholesale, please see our more in-depth exploration of the topic.

14. Develop positive and lasting relationships with your jewellery customers. Retail stores will want to see that you are reliable, consistent, and responsive. Drop by fairly frequently to see how your jewellery is selling, and talk to the store owners and employees to get feedback on what they like about your jewellery designs, who's buying them, and how they might be improved upon. For the sake of following up easily, you'll want to avoid selling to stores that are inaccessible or far away.

15. Do not take jewellery orders from stores that are too big for you to handle. Mathematically, one order should never exceed 10% of your yearly sales. Put another way, the outstanding debt of one customer should never exceed an amount you are willing to lose. If you do take big orders then be incredibly careful and make sure you're going to get paid. Even large department stores can be very fickle and prone to changing their minds. If this happens you could be put under by one big order that falls through, leaving you in debt. This tip is part of an important guiding philosophy: build up slowly and don't bite off more than you can chew.

Create a Satin Finish on Sterling Silver

Then there is the satin finish. Simply take your existing component, and then you will be creating a lightly scratched surface. You can do this a couple of ways, very lightly brushed a fine S.O.S. pad – don't press to hard at first, and see the difference between the original finish, and what you have just created. If you prefer a deeper finish then press harder and continue until you like the finish you have created. When you’re satisfied with the new finish you’ve made, then proceed and complete the rest of the piece. If you have small crevices feel free to cut a small piece off and twist it, or wrap it around a cotton swab to get the recessed areas.


If you're looking to take a brushed finished surface down to high polish finish, you must use a lighter grade of emery paper to achieve a smoother look. You can even go all the way to a high polish finish and then perform your satin finish on the piece for a well finished look.





If you are going to satin finish from a high polish finish, you can mix up the finish by using some great tricks. This can put together a dynamic look, even if this is your first time trying out this method. By using a piece of masking tape, simply cut out a shape, or tape off an area that you do not want to give a satin finish and you will then create your finish that will have a fantastic contrast with in the metal itself. This method is perfect for mixing up a regular plain component and making it your own.




This finish can be mixed together with pieces that are a high polish and pieces that have a satin finish, and any other finish, like hammered that you've created for your components for your piece will have that extra stunning feature that makes your piece, truly a one of a kind.

Create Brushed Finish on Sterling Silver

The third is very similar to the satin finish , however you will use more aggressive means to obtain your new look. To create the brushed look, the finish will have more distinctive lines. You can use many things to create look. By hand you could use, and emery board or a file. Or you can use a course steel wool pad, a ball of aluminum foil or any other course metal or abrasive material.



With all of the above methods, I suggest either working at your bench, where you can clean up any metal shavings that may come off your piece. Otherwise working on a table with some newspaper down to catch the shavings is perfect. Take each piece you'd like to brush, and be sure to brush all sides, if it tends to slide, feel free to put a small amount of tape on your surface, in a loop, so it will stick to the surface and to the other side of your piece and stay still the entire time you’re brushing your component.




**Be careful with gold vermeille, as gold vermielle is sterling silver that is been plated with 14kt gold, so be wary of putting any aggressive finishing techniques as the gold may come off.

When creating your own brushed finish, it can be used in many different ways. If you're looking for a more defined look than satin, but not as rough as a hard brush with an emery board. You can complete a piece in full, and then run it through a steel wool pad, or a 3M pad. This will give it slight more edge than your regular satin finish. Or you can brush each individual piece and then put them all together. But, be sure to think of the small things, which will really bring the whole design together. Pieces that are often forgotten are components like jump rings , the clasp or the bail . These are parts that, if brushed, will complete the look. And remember, mix it up, and have fun with it!

Create a High Polish Finish on Sterling Silver

The high polish finish is often a standard finish, the reasoning is, is that this finish can be done a few different ways. A high polish finish can be used using a tumbling machine, be done by hand, or be done by a polishing wheel. A quick way to finish, and this is why it’s often a standard in so many components is that you are able to tumble these piece and in a few short A standard in jewellery components, they have often been tumbled to achieve this finish. You can use a rotary tumbler to polish jewelry and to remove burrs from jump rings or other metal components.

Materials List

• Small rotary tumbler and barrel.
  
• Soap (not detergent). Ivory soap flakes are recommended.
  
• Polished steel shot. You want enough to fill the barrel about halfway.

Procedure

• Pour the shot into a clean barrel to about the halfway mark.
  
• Add enough water to cover the shot plus about 3/4 inch.
  
• Add a tablespoon of soap flakes.
  
• Load the jewelry and/or components into the barrel. You want them to be able to tumble, so pack them loosely.
  
• Seal the barrel and let the tumbler rotate for 6-8 hours.
  
• When the pieces are sufficiently polished, remove them from the tumbler and rinse them well with water.
  
  
  

Helpful Tips*

Keep your steel shot covered with soap and water. All it takes is a few hours exposed to air for the shot to develop rust.

Don't polish more than one chain at a time unless you derive pleasure from untangling some serious knots. You can add other jewelry in with a chain (earrings, rings, components), just don't polish chains together.

If you use the same barrel for jewelry as you use to polish rocks, make certain that the barrel is absolutely clean. Otherwise, you may find yourself scratching your jewelry rather than polishing it!

Remove chemical 'antiquing' before polishing. Otherwise, a chemical reaction can cause green deposits to coat nooks and crannies.

Use extreme care if you are polishing plated or filled components (e.g., silver-plated or gold-filled). You run the risk of wearing or chipping the outer layer of metal.

Don't tumble components with stones, as they can become scratched or dislodged from their settings.

However you can take this to the next level, so it will be free of knick and scratches. If you have three different grades of emery or sand paper, and a rouge cloth you will be able to reach this yourself. A Rouge Polishing Cloth and it will really bring out that shine for your components.


When deciding on what finish to use, there's no need to only use just one. Be sure to mix up the finishes. Placing a high polish finish next to a brushed finish or even a satin finish can have a very beautiful effect and create a stunning and dynamic one of a kind piece.


*Credit to About.com for information about tumbling jewellery

Organizing Sterling Silver Findings

I really can't say enough about the importance of organizing one's supplies, like sterling silver findings. There are two different categories of organization: physical organization, and informational organization. And I'd like to touch on both and tell you a bit from personal experience, and invite you to send me your thoughts, personal solutions that you'd like to share with others, and tips on how to improve our system at Stones and Findings . Perhaps I'll write an update on our progress and some of your comments later on.


Sterling Silver Findings - Physical Organization

Physical organization mantra: a place for everything, and everything in its place . This is especially tricky with you have hundreds of different sterling silver findings, and some as small as 2mm. I'm not tidy by nature, but I will make the effort and when it takes me more than 3 minutes to find something on my desk, I take it as a higher sign that I need to do some cleaning. The worst organizer I met was a jewellery designer I had hired fresh from OCA (the prestigious Ontario College of Art). On her first full day of design work after orientation, she took jewellery findings out of bins and spread them all out on the large table. As I walked past many times throughout that day, I become increasingly alarmed by the build up of beads and sterling silver findings. When it came time for cleanup, company rule of 30 minutes before leaving for home, she had built up at least 2 litres in volume of tiny beads and pearls , all completely mixed. She asked if it was okay to leave it. The answer was a curt no, of course. She told me that one of her professors at the College was like this and that was how he functioned. She was young and so, I thought I'd do her the favour of not softening the edges of truth. I looked at her work for the day and I told her that she should try to emulate the professor's creative artistry and not just the mess. It wasn't long before I had to let her go. Jewellery really wasn't her forte, and her messiness was dragging everyone else down. Artistic talent is never a valid excuse for sloppy inefficiency.

On the other end of the mess meter was my experience on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship last Christmas. Occupancy was at its maximum, however, I never felt crowded, except in our cabin, with my kids' toys and clothes strewn everywhere. On the ship, every single wall panel had shallow shelving behind it, it seemed. These places held things like extra tea bags to napkins. Everything had a built-in place for it and the staff did a great job putting things back. I was really inspired and realized we have a long way to go and there are many exciting opportunities for improvement. Just remember that the time spent searching for things is money.

There are many simple things you can do to improve physical organization of your sterling silver components or jewellery business:

- For those designing with fewer sterling silver components , and jewellery beads or with lower budget, simple tackle boxes and food jars can go a long way. Food jars are bulky and you lose some room because they're round, but it's better than nothing and they usually come free. Canadian Tire has the best selection of tackle or sewing kit boxes

- Use Avery labels to label everything, including cost and supplier, if you don't mind others knowing

- If you're taking things out of their places to design, pour them out onto little saucers instead of building up a massive pool

- We've since made many strides in improving the organization of sterling silver findings in our shelves, with proper labelling and location. More can be done and I invite you to let us know how.

Feel free to click here and read on about Informational Organization of Sterling Silver Findings and Jewellery Supplies .

Designing with Sardonyx

In the Ancient Roman Empire, sardonyx was an especially treasured gemstone, and was often used by the elite for making wax seals. Its smooth texture didn't stick to the wax, so it was a natural fit in that role. Romans also used its wonderful visual personality for ornament and high fashion: the esteemed general Publius Cornelius Scipio was reported to frequently sport large quantities of the stone.

With such an eye-catching visual personality, it's easy to see why. Sardonyx is characterized by the brilliant deep red bands that distinguish it from normal black onyx. Both are members of the chalcedony family. Sardonyx is thought to help its wearer cultivate positive energies, while dispelling other negative or unwanted energies.

Click here to browse Sardonyx at Stones and Findings

Designing with Glass

In the modern world, glass has an interesting multiple personality, and is well known and used in almost all spheres of life, from art and architecture to optics and laboratory research. Naturally occurring in a pale green-blue, glassmakers manufacture colored glass by introducing mineral oxides and metallic compounds to the chemical makeup.

In the ancient world, the Phoenicians were the earliest to make use of found glass, and their discovery of it has been dated as far back as 5000 BC. The Egyptians would be the first real pioneers in glass manufacturing and by 1500 BC had developed a method of shaping it known as 'core forming'. Compressed sand would be dipped into molten glass, rolled to coat the surface, and removed. The object would then be shaped while still hot, and when sufficiently cooled the sand would be drained. For all our drinking bottles and other glass containers in widespread use today, we have the Ancient Egyptians to thank! From core-formed glass, Egyptians went further in 500 BC to invent 'cast' glass, which is the process of pouring molten glass into a shaping receptacle that would not adhere to the glass' surface.

Glass blowing would later be developed in the Mediterranean at the turn of the millennium, and in the Byzantium kingdom they would achieve the means to enamel, stain, and gild glass, thus exponentially expanding the medium's creative possibilities. The Roman Empire would be the first civilization to cultivate glass working for architectural purposes (windows), and through their extensive network of trade routes facilitated the transportation of glass and glass making techniques throughout Eurasia and North Africa. This, in turn, set in motion an explosion of glass enthusiasts and artisans.

With the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, mechanized glass manufacture was introduced, establishing the means of large-scale commercial glass production that have, since then, only been refined. To summarize the long history of one of mankind's most cherished materials, it can be said that modern day glass working can be traced back to a rich and illustrious lineage of innovative artisans. While improvements and innovations still continue to grow the glass industry, the methods of shaping, colouring, and treating glass have remained fundamentally the same. Nevertheless, the fresh minds of the design world will continue to use glass and galss beads in remarkably innovative ways, and the cutting edge of modern technology will inevitably produce new breakthroughs in the science of glass, contributing further to its wonderfully rich and time-honoured tradition.

Click here to browse Glass at Stones and Findings

Designing with Moonstone

Possessing the unearthly radiance of the moon, this stone is known worldwide as an absolute delight. It is especially famous for a distinctive and uncanny three-dimensional shimmering play of light called 'adularescence'. This process is scientifically explained by the reflection of light off of internal mineral inclusions, but anyone who has seen the trademark brilliance of moonstone's glimmering lustre knows that all words and explanations fall short of.

Still, to be impacted by the experience of moonstone's magic gleam is to gain some understanding of the rich mystique surrounding the gem. In classical Indian folklore, moonstone was thought to bring its bearer future premonitions and lucid dreams. The ancient Romans theorized that moonstone was actually made out of frozen moonlight.

Moonstone is frequently cut en cabochon to showcase its lighting effects, and requires a skilled lapidary to do the job properly. It is a relatively soft stone, so care should be taken when wearing and handling. Moonstone is believed to strengthen intuition, cultivate insight, aid fertility, nurture loving kindness, and balance yin and yang forces.

Click here to browse Moonstone at Stones and Findings

Attaching the Leather Bead Tip

If you can perform the Crimp, you can fix a bead tip to a leather necklace, bracelet, or anklet. Our example uses a Thin Round Leather Strand and two different kinds of Sterling Silver Leather Bead Tips, but it doesn't really matter as long as the leather fits snugly into the opening of the bead tip. You will also need some chain nose pliers.



Attaching the Leather Bead Tip

In the first example below, the leather is inserted into the bead tip as far as it will go. Since the bead tip is round to begin with, all you need to do is perform a crimp to flatten it out. Use the midsection of the pliers teeth to get more leverage in crushing the metal around the leather.




In the second example, the bead tip is slightly more challenging to attach because it is neither round nor closed to begin with. Slide the leather into the slot of the bead tip, and hold it there with your free hand. Crimp the bead tip slightly with the nose of your pliers to hold it onto the leather, allowing you to remove your supporting hand. Then, when you've accomplished all that you can with the tip of the pliers, it's time to crimp the bead tip to the point where both sides of the opening close in to the centre. Do this slowly and in stages. When crimping from one angle is too difficult, switch to another side, and eventually what started as a square slot turns into something totally round. Finished!

How to Tie a Leather Knot End

Finishing a leather necklace or bracelet with a knotted end is quite simple, but it produces a rustic and natural aesthetic that can be just what your accessory calls for. Our example uses a Thin Round Leather Strand and a 5mm Soldered Ring.

Performing the Leather Knot End

Slide the leather strand through the ring, and then fold a length of it back with the rest of the leather. Don't be afraid to give yourself a generous amount of slack to work with, because you'll always be able to trim the excess. Now, making sure to keep the two side-by-side strands of leather close to each other, form a loop and slide the ring through it. Do not finish the knot immediately; take your time and edge the knot as close to the ring as possible. If you do this when the knot is still a little bit loose than you will still have room to make adjustments- once you finish the knot tightly it will be difficult to undo. Finally, when you're satisfied that the knot is neat and looks good, pull it taught to secure the ring. Finished!

Jewellery Sales in an Economic Downturn

Recently, I've been asked by a number of customers about how our sales have been at Stones and Findings. They've wondered if the economic downturn has affected the sales of our jewellery components. Some have mentioned that their sales have been affected, and a number of component suppliers have also seen their sales plummet. Stones and Findings' year over year monthly and tradeshow sales have, in fact, increased dramatically. It is an interesting, and a happy, situation and I've spent a bit more time looking into the reasons behind this. I want to do more of what we're doing right, and if there are any formulae or secrets that can be transferred from the jewellery component wholesale business to jewellery designing and sales business, I'd like to share them with our customers.

credit: InAccessories.com


I realize the economy has been tough recently, and may continue to be so for a while. Jewellery purchase is a discretionary spending for the most part. However, historically, when the economy has been poor, we find that sales of certain things that beautify our world increases. They are pick-me-ups, and help remind us that we're still going to be okay. I do believe that jewellery is one of these things, and I know some people who swear by it. I've spoken to many boutique owners and chain store buyers, some of whom carry other categories of merchandise such as clothing and giftware. They are finding that instead of buying entire wardrobes, customers are buying pieces of jewellery that accent and update their current wardrobe. It is less expensive and more fun.


credit: InAccesories.com

However, if you look at it more closely, the items that get squeezed out are mainly the very low end, disposable pieces, and the very expensive. Customers are buying fewer jewellery pieces than before. However, they're buying items that represent something, that resonate with sense of well being. As a result, boutiques that are carrying the unique, locally made (representing Canadian jobs), and pretty things are faring better than chain stores that import the mass production jewellery designs. People already have the mundane. They're certainly not going to spend further limited dollars on buying what they already have. They will, however, spend on jewellery pieces that are different and make them feel good about themselves and about wearing them. They are still cautious about prices, and they won't stock up huge quantities, but they will purchase the right things. This said, as jewellery designers, our customers are right to monitor the situation carefully, and make their selections wisely. Their designs must be unique, and priced well. The components they choose must be different and also priced competitively. And I think that is why our jewellery component wholesale business has been almost doubling.



New customers do test orders with us even though they don't want to bother switching from their current suppliers for a few cents less. However, they have never seen many of our jewellery components elsewhere. We create a number of our own jewellery findings, and we are making more and more of these because of how popular they've proven to be. Customers come back and place ever increasing orders because they realize how easy it is to make different and elegant jewellery designs when they have the right components to begin with. We are finding more and more customers switching a greater percentage, if not entirely, to Stones and Findings. And this is very satisfying. We know we have unique components that are well made and well priced. Our quickly expanding

Sterling Silver Chains Buying Decision Making

There are many things to consider when buying sterling silver chains , or any chains for that matter: unit cost, estimated possible uses, conduciveness to either short or long designs, my total budget, where we are in the season sales cycle, ease of reorder.

Unit cost of the Sterling Silver Chain

This is pretty basic. If the sterling silver chain is inexpensive, I can afford to buy more. Chances are, shipping or travel cost to get more will cost more than the sterling silver chain itself. I buy more just in case. If it is more expensive, then I defer the decision to other considerations.

Estimated Possible Uses

The more possible designs you can think of on the spot for the sterling silver chain , the more you should buy. However, as we all know, design ideas come to you after you've worked with bits of it. Sometimes ideas evolve. Some people say they can create designs in their head and then go back to buy the component. This ability, if it really exists to the extent some give themselves credit for, is rare. Most designers, like me, are tactile. They need to handle the sterling silver chain , and even link it up in different places. There is no perfect estimate. You don't want to go overboard, but there are some guidelines. If it is a staple like a sterling silver cable extension chain , you know you’ll use it up. Buy more. If the sterling silver chain can be used for obviously many things, like the sterling silver beading chain , buy more. If thesterling silver chain is more expensive, but you think you can cut it into sections for earrings, blend with cheaper chain for something long, works well as bracelet, like the hammered link buy more. You should always estimate your possible uses and then multiply with some rule of thumb, which I'll share later.

Short Chain or Long Chain

If the sterling silver chain looks like it would best be, or can be, used for a long necklace, I always buy more. One metre of sterling silver chain will just be long enough for one long necklace. There are some sterling silver chains that are obvious candidates for long designs such as this long oval sterling silver chain. Others aren't as obvious. If the sterling silver chain selection is in the grey area, buy slightly more you would otherwise.

Total Budget Considerations

I always have to think about this, though I don't always follow it when I am at a show or if I find some very exciting things. However, if I'm tight on budget, I defer this to the following two considerations below.

Position in the Season Sales Cycle

If it is at the beginning, I use up my budget on variety, but keeping in mind the number of samples and designs I will need to make. Also, I have to see if I am willing to take reorders for my work, and the lead time. So, if you have sale representatives or are sending samples out to boutiques, you will have to see how many simultaneous sets you need at the beginning of the season. If the lead time is small, you have to take into consideration of possible orders and accommodate. At the beginning of the season, buy more to accommodate the above and also note what possible designs you can make left over sterling silver chains into if your initial designs don't fly off the shelves. If it is at the end of the cycle and you are just filling in orders, buy less, keeping in mind how fast your delivery needs to be for your customers and from suppliers. If it is short for customers, but your supplier is far away or has a long lead time, you will have to buy more and hold stock.

Ease of Reorder

credit: http://www.tradeeasy.com/supplier/526636/selling-leads/1014557/ball-chain-on-spool-colored-ball-chain-brass-ball-chain.html

I always ask the supplier if they are carrying certain components forward. If yes, I can buy less. If no, or it is a close-out item, I buy a lot more, or will buy everything and if the quantity is high, I will see if I can get further discount if I buy everything. If you like something and it is being discontinued, you can shift your budget a little. The item can be used later. If it is being carried forward by the supplier, but they are far, hold more stock. Again, sometimes shipping is more costly than the merchandise.

Some Rules of Thumb

There are some things you should keep in mind:

Short necklaces are about 18" (can make 2/m of chain), bracelets are about 7", long necklaces that you can wrap 2x around the neck are at least 34", if you want to wrap 3x you need min of 44"

If you’re a small designer, remember you need to make and wear pieces yourself. Some customers don’t like to buy items worn by someone else, or you might become attached to it. Always buy enough for make, at the very least, 2 sets.

A good designer knows colour variations are a great way to increase sales. Ideal colour selection is 3 to 4 colours. This is usually the case for clothing designers.

I bought components for samples in 6's when I was a smaller designer. This gives you 3 pairs of earrings or 2 complete necklace and earring sets. I’ve graduated to 48's when I started doing other colours. For single colour items, I buy 24 if the lead time is less than 3 weeks for delivery to my customers. For chains, I buy expensive samples in 5 metres, and inexpensive in 10 metres. If it is less than $5/m, much cheaper just to do 25m spools.

For items that go to my sales representatives, I take the above and multiply each by 1.5.

How to Take Care of Freshwater Pearls

Most pearls today are cultured pearls. Stones and Findings carries a large variety of freshwater pearls , in many sizes, shapes and colours. To ensure that the high quality luster, and colour of the pearl remains unchanged, you should be aware of the risks in cleaning freshwater pearls. Below, you will find some tips on how to safely and gently clean, polish and take care of your freshwater pearl jewelry, to ensure durability and longevity.

First, it is important to remember that unlike semi-precious stones, freshwater pearls are organic. Freshwater pearls are created when one inserts a bead into a clam or oyster. Since the clam or oyster sees this as a foreign object, it proceeds to coat it with nacre. This nacre is the patina that gives the freshwater pearl its beautiful luster. To maintain it you make sure you follow these guidelines:

credit: http://members.graphicsfactory.com/Clip_Art/Clothing/Cosmetic/nailpolish002_137303.html

Maintaining your Pearls

Put your freshwater pearls on after you apply your makeup and perfume. This will ensure that no foreign substance will deposit on the pearls, dulling the shine.

Always remove any freshwater pearl jewellery before applying body or hand lotion

Always store your freshwater pearls individually in a soft cloth or pouch. This will ensure that they will not rub against each other, thus scratching the surface. If this is not possible, at least ensure they are not stored together with other gemstones or jewellery pieces, as these will definitely scratch your freshwater pearls.

credit:http://www.ehow.com/how_4595190_clean-store-holiday-ornaments.html

Cleaning your Pearls

Before you store your freshwater pearls, make sure you wipe them with a soft cloth. You should try to do this as soon as you remove them for the day.

For dirtier pearls, try cleaning with a damp cloth. If that is ineffective, feel free to apply some mild soap in lukewarm water, and try cleaning with a soft cloth. Make sure you let them dry thoroughly before storing.

Pearl Cleaning Don'ts

Do notput any of your freshwater pearl jewellery in ultrasonic cleaners. While this method will likely clean any sterling silver metal on your jewellery piece, it will damage the luster of the pearl completely.

Do not use any solutions that contain ammonia or other harsh chemicals around pearls.

Do not use abrasive cleaners on your freshwater pearls or rub any of your freshwater pearl jewellery with an abrasive cloth. This will rub and scratch the pearl, leaving it lackluster.

To view the wide selection of freshwater pearls that Stones and Findings carries, please click here .

Gold Vermeille

Gold vermeil (pronounced 'vermay') refers to metal that has been plated with a thin layer of gold. Usually the base metal is sterling silver, and if the item is to qualify as gold vermeil, it must have at least 10 karat layer of gold 1.5 micrometres thick. Stones and Findings carry gold vermeille chain and jewellery components with a plating of 22 to 24 karat gold.

Gold vermeil was originally produced in France in the mid-18th century through a process called fire gilding. However, a key component of the fire gilding process was mercury, and so much of it was needed to plate the base metal (about twice as much as gold, by weight), that it was an incredibly dangerous process, frequently resulting in blindness or other injuries. Unsurprisingly, fire gilding of this sort was eventually banned by the French government.

A century later in England, George and Henry Elkington were able to develop and patent a new way of plating metals known as electroplating. Electroplating is an electrochemical process that applies positive and negative charges to metals, causing them to associate favourably. The process is, thankfully, totally safe and mercury free. As a result, we have continued using the same process pioneered by the brothers Elkington up until the present day, with only minor modifications and refinements.

Modern electroplating deposits some 120 layers of gold onto the base metal, creating affordable, tarnish-resistant gold vermeil jewellery that can last for decades with proper care.

To look at various examples of brushed and shiny gold vermeille, click here.

For other examples of gold vermeille,click here.

Sterling Silver Wire Hardness

Silver Wire is generally available in 4 grades of hardness: hard, half hard, soft, dead soft.

When to use Harder vs Softer Silver Wire

With thicker Silver Wire, it is better to work with soft or dead soft wire. Hard Silver Wire, in thicker gauges is very difficult to manipulate. For thinner Silver Wire, you have more flexibility. Depending on your project, you should select Silver Wire hardness accordingly. If you wire wrapping many little light weight pearls or beads, you should use soft or dead soft if the beads are very small. The harder the Silver Wire, the more difficult it is to manipulate, so if you're making many wraps, it will get tiring if the Silver Wire is hard. If what you're wrapping is heavier, and you need it to be more secure, use harder Silver Wire. It won't bend or unwind as easily. If the holes in the beads are larger, then you can use thicker Silver Wire that is soft. However, the Silver Wire will cost more.

How to make Silver Wire Harder or Softer

The process of making Silver Wire harder is called Tempering. You can do this yourself by hammering, or tumbling. The more you manipulate Silver Wire, the stiffer it becomes.

The process of making Silver Wire softer is called Annealing. This would be done by exposing the Silver Wire to high heat, such as a flame. This will re-align the molecules of the Silver Wire. Annealing is one of the basic techniques learned in a silver-smith class. It is essential to working with silver, and it is not as easy as tempering, and requires a lot more equipment. Fortunately, Silver Wirecan be ordered already soft.

Creating your Own Hammered Finish

Creating your own hammered finish on sterling silver, gold filled or gold vermeille components is easy.


For the following , I will be using sterling silver as examples. Since there are many different types of hammer heads, this leads to an endless list of possibilities! Some tools you can consider to change the look are: a ball peen hammer, a flat nose hammer, a rawhide hammer, or a wooden hammer. Each hammer will give your sterling silver, gold filled or gold vermeille component a different result. When you are hammering your metal, try out a couple different bases underneath. You could use a piece of wood, which is a soft base, and this will provide some give to the metal, and it can bend. Depending on where you hammer your sterling silver, it can move the metal in small amounts. Try it out on a test piece to see what type of hammer dent will provide what you're looking for.

Another base is a steel block. When hammering on the steel block you will not only be creating a finish on the side you are hammering, but you will also be creating another finish on the side of the sterling silver component that is facing the steel.



*TIP* if you do not want to dent your hammer or your anvil's finish, put some masking tape on the surface you will be using, it will lessen the likelihood of you damaging your tools.

There are many bases that will give different looks pending on the hammer and the amount of resistance your surface will give. I've used a hockey puck as a base once, so I was able to easily give a hammered effect to one side of the sterling silver component, yet the other side was not affected and did not dent the same way as if it was on a harder surface like a steel block.

*TIP*Keep in mind when holding your hammer, do not point out your index finger, since this can result in injury. You want to hold the hammer at the end of the handle for the most effective hit. And be sure to use your whole arm and elbow. Misuse of a hammer can often result in wrist injuries as well.




A ball peen hammerhead will create metal divots, and pending on the size of your hammerhead, you can have something similar to pointillism or even something large like a creator and everything in between. With this you can create many unique and diversified looks on your sterling silver components.



A flat nose hammerhead will create a line. This type of simple mark can be used for a wide range of designs. For example you can fan out the pattern on your sterling silver component, or you can crisscross it like a pile of sticks.




Feel free to try out this technique, I guarantee you will have a lot of fun with it, and it can also be a great stress reliever!

Cost Saving Tips using Silver Chain

Silver is a precious metal, and it is important when using sterling silver chains, to be cost effective in your designs. Here are some cost saving tips:

1. Choose silver chains where large loops are connected with smaller soldered rings, so that you lose less when you cut the chain.




2. Choose silver chains that have a combination of different sized links. This creates an illusion of movement. The links look almost as thick as a thicker silver chain with consistently sized links, but will weigh less.



3. Cut a section of thicker silver chain for the front, and use a thinner chain for the back 40%. You don't see much of the thinner chain, and while lying flat on display, the thinner silver chain will just look a bit more tapered.

For the Back:


4. When creating a long necklace using silver chains, select a variety of weight and widths. Cut 4" sections and connect them. This creates interest and movement. The effect is bulking the look of the entire necklace, while cutting cost using lighter silver chains.



5. Save the cut loops from silver chains. You can reuse them as jumprings. Use them to connect sections of silver chain. They will blend perfectly. If the metal is soft, hammer lightly, and it will harden. For larger loops, you can use the silver chain loop as a split ring by turning them with a pair of round nose plyers.

How to Create your own Jewellery Pins

There are three standard jewellery pins; head pins, ball pins, and eye pins. And then, there are always unique jewellery pins that provide a cap with in the in pin itself. Stones and Findings a wide variety of pins, including ball pins , eye pins , head pins as well as fancy pins in sterling silver, gold filled and gold vermeille.



However there are times when all you need in your design is just the bead. If your design requires nothing fancy on the end of your pin, then there is a great way to create your own pin head. This works especially well with pearls. Often basic pins are a little too thick for your standard drill hole on a pearl, too. The examples below demonstrate how you can make the different types of pins, using Sterling Silver Wire. You can however, just as easily use Gold Vermeille or Gold Filled wire.



Head Pin

Simply take a section of your sterling silver 22 Gauge wire, and cut off the desired length for your pin. Then put this section of sterling silver wire, into your parallel pliers, leaving a millimeter peeking out at the end. With a flat nose hammer, hammer the exposed bit of your sterling silver wire with a few strikes. Hammer in one direction, and then take out the pin and rotate it a quarter of the way. Then continue to strike the sterling silver tip. This will expand the metal just enough to stop your bead from sliding off the end of the wire. By rotating your piece ofsterling silver wire, you will ensure that the end of the pin is equally fanned out. And there you have it; you've created your own sterling silver head pin.



Now to the naked eye, it may not seem like you've created something that will stop the pearl, but by creating a small flat end on your sterling silver wire you will essentially stop it from sliding off.

*TIP* - to get a professional finish, use an old pair of parallel pliers, or wrap masking tape around your pliers ends to ensure that you do not leave any hammer marks on your sterling silverpins.

Eye Pin




Start by taking the end of your sterling silver 22 Gauge wire, and using your round tip pliers, bend into a small circle at the end of your wire piece. Then, depending on the length you need for your project cut about 1cm or more from your sterling silver wire. This will allow you to have extra room to wire wrap once you've put your stones or beads onto the finished sterling silver eye pin.



Ball Pin

For this project, it would be ideal to have access to a torch. With it you can heat up the end of your sterling silver wire, applying a small amount of heat and the metal will ball at 1640f/893c. Once your sterling silver wire has started to ball, take the heat away, quench and polish the piece and then you will have your home made sterling silver ball pin.



*TIP* - if you are using soft sterling silver wire and find it too soft for your project, take the section needed and hold it from end to end with your two parallel pliers. Then twist the piece of sterling silver wire in opposite directions and it will harden a bit. Twist it a lot and you'll have your soft sterling silver wire to harden in no time!

Tutorials, Videos on Earring Making and Wire Wrap

Just wanted to say that Stones and Findings have some great videos on the simple techniques in jewellery making.

If you are interested, here are some examples of the Jewellery making techniques they have on their Youtube Channel!

Creating your Own Beading Hoop --



Making an Earring Hoop with Wire


Side Drilled Stone -- How to Wire Wrap



Link to More Videos!

http://www.stonesandfindings.com/jewelry-making-articles/articles/how-to-make-a-matching-necklace-and-earring-set