Daily Wire Tip: Ideas for Inexpensive Jewelry
Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
Question:
I live in an area that doesn’t seem to want to pay more than $20.00 for anything so I’ve been using silver-plate and gold-plate to make my items…What kind of items could I sell in that price range using sterling silver?
Answer:
When planning a project in sterling silver, that can be sold for about $20, my advice is to choose materials that do not total more than $10 per project, such as any of the many free patterns found on our website here: Free Wire Jewelry Patterns Other ideas would be headpin earrings made with your own handcrafted ear wires and simple single or 3-bead rings. Once your customers get addicted to your style, they will become interested in the items you have for $25 to $40 as well.
Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong
Have a question? Submit your question here
affordable jewelry, cheap, free patterns, gold plate, silver plate, sterling silve
Filed under:Daily Wire Jewelry Tips‚ Sales, Marketing, Shows, & Display
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
I just started using little crystal drops (briolettes) with two 24 gauge wires sculpted around them. They’re inexpensive to make and are beautiful! I’m also sculpting found items such as interesting old clip or pierced earrings. Cost is low, each item is unique and they get lots of oooohs and ahs!
They sound really pretty. You said that you sculpt the wire around the stone. Do you mean like in a cage?
10-4 on the cheapskates, but don’t scrimp by using plated metals – when the finish wears off, you’ll lose those few customers that actually bought from you.
Amen, Fitz!
It’s amazing how people remember anything negative when it comes to jewelry. I keep information sheets available as hand-outs that explain the differences between plate, rolled gold and .925 silver. I also have samples of what base metal and plate looks like after it’s been worn awhile. Works like a charm.
I completely agree with both comments. I have found that with my disability income, it’s irrelevant that some customers here would pay much more for some of my items — I cannot afford to purchase the sterling silver or gold filled much of the time, and have learned that if I substitute cz or Swarovski for genuine gemstone focals or beads, I can then afford to use the more expensive wire, hence allaying any fears of the finish wearing off (as is often a deterrence to purchasing something which is deemed inexpensive). It’s easier to convince a potential client that the stone won’t turn, than it is to convince the same of the wire. This makes both people happy; the artist by being able to still create beautiful pieces, not ruin their reputation and still be able to make a profit; and your customer is happy because they will trust you (while enjoying and showing off your creations to others) and they’ll come back, hopefully bringing friends along!
Happy Wrapping!
I agree with Fitz. Using plated materials will only hurt you later on. You can cut your cost by purchasing wholesale or purchasing in slightly larger quantities to get a price break. There are places that only require a business license and no minimum purchase.
I have the same problem with the church group at Quarter Auctions. They don’t seem to understand the quality, love, care, and time that we as jewelry designers put into every piece we make. I overheard comments, as did my 14 year old grand daughter, which upset her, that they don’t understand why I would think my jewelry would be worth so much even if it is pretty. In this type of auction it is the price range which tells each bidder how many qtrs they pay, EX: $1-$25 is 1 qtrs; $26-$50 is 2 qtrs, etc. Naturally I try to go for the price range of $76-$100 so the bid is 3 or 4 qtrs. I use semi-precious, Swarovski and other crystals, stainless steel, and SS to make my pieces so they will last and not tarnish, easy to care for. I practically gave away some of my best pieces in the last 2 auctions. Maybe I will just quit entering them. These folks don’t understand the value I’m giving them, even when I explain it to them. If I use plated and glass or inexpensive stones, I agree with you all that it would cheapen my products and eventually I’d lose more customers than I gained, but this seems to be what they want. How can I possibly win with odds like this? I don’t want to sell inferior jewelry I wouldn’t want to wear. Advice anyone????
Krister, I am not really sure that I understand this ‘quarter’ auction. Are you saying that if you put a price of $75 on a piece that someone could purchase it for as little as the lowest bid of 75 cents?!
No matter for my opinion though, I would either A. enter lower priced items (to see if that is really what these particular customers desire); B. offer to hold a ‘fund raiser’ home style party for the church (so you would have a captive audience to explain and maybe even do a short demo of, your work) to see if there is any real interest; or C. Find another venue! (like your own home show/open house).
I agree that using plated wire will hurt you in the long run. We inform our customers that we use only quality beads (crystal or gemstone), and either sterling silver or gold-filled wire and findings. Our customers seem to be willing to pay a little more when they know they are buying quality that will last for a long time. We have also started using some of the new silver-filled findings, but have not used them long enough to know how well they hold up.
All are good answers. Like Dale, I don’t understand Krister and the church auction thing either. I also use a variety of different metals when I work. I mix copper with silver, silver with gold-filled, etc. Bread and butter pieces are earrings, of course, and by using Swarovski crystals the bling is added and the cost remains low. Doing bulk buys with fellow jewelry artists can help keep the price of your supplies down. Krister, you may just have to bite the bullet and find another understanding venue as Dale recommended.
Scrimshaw Mary
I have found that a lot of customers just want a little trinket to make them happy for a little while. I make earrings (plated) and sell them for as little as $4-$8. In just about every show, I manage to sell more of the $4 earrings and even have repeat customers. No one has ever complained that the wires have tarnished because the price is low enough that most people don’t care. Sometimes I end up making more money in some shows than those who are selling higher priced items.
Are you making any money for your time, Patricia? For those of us who make and sell jewelry for a living, it is impossible to make and sell a pair of earrings for any less than $15!
This is an issue I’ve been struggling with a lot lately. I’ve figured out some good ways to make some low priced items using resin, stainless steel, bronze etc. This works well for me at shows, but I’m stuck when it comes to work I sell through shops. Where I live shops and galleries typically take 40% of the retail price, but they still want items they can sell for $20-$25. Even if my material costs are very low, I want to make something for the time I spend! So far, I can’t seem to get my retail prices under about $40, so I’m losing sales to cheaper artists. Suggestions?!
Rhonda, the only items I sell to gift shops that they can price at $20 to $25 are sterling silver headpin earrings! Personally, any galleries I show/sell at, usually want items that are from $250 and up (at a 35 to 40% commission).
i love the church i go to. someimes i offer a piece of my jewlery as a fund raiser for a charity.they will take a chance to win, and prhaps after 3wks or so of selling tickets we will have a drawing.Im happy with that, because my work gets seen, and the church gets money for their charity.
That is a great way to get your work ‘out there’!
I find myself in the same quandry: lack of funds!! I just cannot afford to buy the siver or gold-filled wires, so have to ciontent myself with the gold and silver craft wires. I do use a lot of swarovski crystals (4 mm), turquoise chips, amethyst beads, other gemstone chips, tibetan silver spacers, fresh water pearls, shell pendants and beads some gemtone beads and pendants like aventurine, jasper, agate etc., I use pretty ribbon, leather, and rubber necklaces or make my own “beads” and chain. For earwires I use mainly the hypoallergenic surgical SS and sometimes maybe silver or gold plated. I will be offering what I make as handmade costume jewelry so there should be no problems…I pray!! Do you think that would be appropriate Dale? I try to make sure that what goes into the ear lobe won’t cause a reaction (like mine, they get weepy, hot, and swollen!!)I also want to thank your site for the great free videos and tutorials you have, it has helped me learn a lot. Now I want to learn how to wrap a stone.
Actually Daniella, I do not recommend using plated wire for ear wires, because due to a person’s body chemistry, the plating can come off too easily. Check out this post on Jewelry Wire for Earring Wires. Wrapping a “stone” can be easy, just find the directions for the style you wish to learn, follow the formulas for whatever stone you have and you’re off!