Category: Jewelry

What’s better than making jewelry? How about saving money while you’re doing it? Beads, wire, stones and tools can add up to a mighty sum. Jewelry tools and jewelry supplies can add up to a small fortune if you let it. Here are some great ideas for saving money on beads and such.

1. Shop Around and Do Some Research.

It’s good to shop around and see where the deals are. Us creative folks tend to be quite loyal, but there is nothing wrong with looking outside your usual supplier for your beading needs. There are a lot of great sources online, and be sure to sign up for newsletters to get those money saving email notices.

2. Buy in Bulk When You Can.

Buying in bulk can save you a bundle. This doesn’t only apply to rice and toilet paper. You’d be amazed of how much you can save by buying a certain amount of beads, wire, chain… My favorite supplier has deals at certain price points for beads, and if you are buying sterling silver or gold sheet or wire, I don’t have to tell you about the bulk price breaks there, do I? You’ll need this stuff eventually, so in the long run, you save time too!

3. Watch for Garage Sales.

Other people’s junk can be a jewelry maker’s treasure. Don’t necessarily look at an item “as is”. Remember that everything can be taken apart and used for its spareparts.
Old costume jewelry necklaces for example can be taken apart and components can be reused. What about old watches? The Steampunk movement has made watch parts a hot commodity. Even if you don’t do the Steampunk thing yourself, you can barter watch parts with another crafter to get stuff she doesn’t need, but you do!

4. Check out Thrift stores.

Other than bell-bottoms and romance novels, there are other great finds in those mothball-smelling treasure troves. They are one of the best places to find old costume jewelry, and I’m talking CHEAP! And if you’re really lucky and determined, you might even find some actual vintage pieces.

5. Think Outside of the Bead Box.

As my 6-yewar-old daughter says, we need to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle more. Jewelry can literally be made out of anything, so look around. Bits of ribbon, bottle caps, game pieces, and those old watches once again… getting creative will save you money and result in a truly one-of-a-kind piece.

6. Shop at the Hardware Store instead of the Bead Store.

If you need wire, chains, links and the like, head to the source! Amid countless racks, rolls and hardware bins you will find jewelry fixings at rock-bottom prices. My favorite hardware store jewelry supply is black annealed steel wire in 18 gauge. There’s usually a good supply of copper wire in different gauges at my local harware store too. You will also find other things you can’t live without, such as storage bins and baskets, small hand tools, and soldering equipment.

7. Barter and Trade.

Don’t forget the best way to get stuff for free – by trading your worthless junk for someone else’s treasure. Of course what’s worthless to one isn’t to another, so those beads and wire that you hate might be just the ticket for someone else. There are many jewelry making forums online that have a “barter board”. See if you can’t find someone to trade with there.

8. Group Buys

Another ways to save money is to buy in bulk with others. If you don’t need 5 troy ounces of sterling silver wire but still want that price break, see if you can find someone to go in with you. If you are part of a Bead Society that is a great place to inquire. You can also post classified ads, look on jewelry making forums, or post the request on twitter to see if you can find some thrifty buying partners.

9. Ask for Supplies for Christmas or Your Birthday

Have you ever gotten a birthday gift that just wasn’t all that useful to you? What about that ugly vase or those Halloween seasonal towels that you never remember to take out during the Halloween season. People often hate trying to find the “perfect gift” and would love to have you tell them what you’d like. Don’t be shy with friends and family. They would rather get you something you love and enjoy than buy you another Santa mug at Christmas. Once they know you want bead store gift cards, they’ll be thrilled to not have to think about what to get you.

As you can see, there are tons of ways to save money if you are resourceful. Don’t get stuck thinking you can’t afford the good stuff, because you can if you take some extra effort.

People in the jewelry business know that there is tough competition especially now that online stores are providing customers with a more convenient way of buying their precious gems. It is a known fact that the jewelry industry is catered to the affluent and the well-to-do because of the prohibitive prices of the jewelry pieces. Diamonds, gold, silver and other precious gem stones cost a fortune and a sizeable amount of investment for those who are in the business of selling jewelries. Very few are able to sustain the operations of a jewelry store because of competition and a rather selective market. Its for A and B market and not likely to extend to C and D crowds.

The cost of real diamond or real gold jewelries is exorbitantly high. The value of diamonds and gold materials keeps an upward trend always. Thats why they are good investment. With their market value continuously increasing, you are likely to make good profit the longer your good pieces of jewelry stay with you. Jewelry prices appreciate and that will increase their profitability. The secret is getting authentic jewelry pieces that can command good selling price in the market. And most of the time, you can only source good quality and authentic jewelries from stores that have direct links or business tie-ups with wholesale jewelry factory because that would mean that the stores will be able to order jewelries with customized design for customers easily and quicker. Having direct access to silver jewelry factory will ensure that your silver jewelry is genuine and of the highest possible quality.

Buying your jewelries from wholesale jewelry factory provides you with the opportunity to have special designs made for you for your selected and preferred materials. It also gives you access to better prices. And most importantly, you know exactly who to run after if you dont get the specified design and quality of the jewelry that you ordered or purchased from them. And while the internet has brought about a lot of enterprising business people in the forefronts of the jewelry industry, care should be taken in identifying genuine manufacturers from those who are just posing as middlemen buying from the source manufacturers or factory. A lot of companies or businesses like this manage to keep their online visibility high in an effort to lure customers to buy from them instead.

Whenever you deal with silver jewelry factory, you should make sure about the quality of their raw materials and the level of craftsmanship employed on the jewelry piece. The demand for silver jewelry is continuously increasing, and in no time, the price for silver jewelries will significantly rise as well. For investment purposes, it will be the better time to make your purchase now while the price has not appreciated yet.

Anyone can make jewelry but not everyone can make genuinely quality jewelry. It is an art that requires skillful creativity and a great deal of fine craftsmanship. Quality crafted jewelry speaks elegance, class and refinement that is easily distinguishable from imitations or replicas. The jewelry factory should be able to deliver uniquely designed pieces and not the mass-produced types. Market value is lost if the jewelry has too many produced pieces.

Silver jewelry has become the excellent term in fashion standards. Currently new styles have incorporated larger pendants on sterling chains leading to a hot trend. It suits with every outfit and can be worn in different occasions from weddings, business lunches and a day of shopping with friends to evening dates.

In Sterling silver chain jewelry fashion we have various new classic styles like Sterling silver chains for pendants, sterling silver bead chain, silk cord, sterling silver chain necklaces, silver anklets, silver bead chain, snake chain, box chain, italian silver chains, gold plated chain. Designing of Silver chain necklace for men has been given a warm welcome around them. This Sterling silver chain jewelry is an investment in quality that stands time to time. Choosing selected pieces can accessorize the wardrobe beautifully.

As we already know silver is a very soft metal, scratches may occur in a very short period of time. If scratches already exist in the silver jewelry, clean it soon before you carry out with your work so that any dirt in the scratches will be removed. To make your silver jewelry look new again, start the process with polishing and cleaning. Polishing is a process of removing the surrounding metal from the core metals. Polishing the silver will make the scratch less noticeable.

Sterling silver omega necklace, long silver chain, bulk sterling silver chain, silver omega necklace, rings, bracelets, etc will be subjected to get bumped or rubbed or will be in contact with other surfaces such that scratches cannot be avoided. If bracelets happens to have any enameled work on it they can be effectively shielded with the help of bare silver plated.

The alternative way is to choose any polishing materials. If you are not satisfied with the silver polish, use common household products such as baking soda or toothpaste to polish the scratches present in them. Be careful in selecting the toothpaste such that it must be a paste, not gel, and must not have any whitening options. If baking soda is used mix it up with hot water.

The other way is to use the cream that can be purchased from the malls to make the Sterling silver chain jewelry accessories shine brighter and remain them with less number of scratches. Give it a try and remember to work in circular motion, it definitely works.

The best way to prevent more scratches for a longer term is to store them in a case or some type of storage boxes. All pieces should be completely dried before being stored. Wrap the silver in flannel or tissue paper before placing the sterling silver chain jewelry accessories in the storage container.

Scratches are almost unavoidable. If you get it re- polished soon enough it will get scratched again. If you keep trying to polish it often it will be a vicious cycle. But the best advice to live without scratches is the only way that can be re-polished now and then.

Having just the jewelry making tool can always set things straight for you. Here is some of the nitty-gritty about the jewelry making tools which could be used:

Round nose pliers- Round-nosed pliers are probably one of the most important tools for wire and metal workers. Learn what to look for when purchasing round-nosed pliers and what they are best used for when making jewelry.

Wire cutters- If you plan to use a wire, then wire cutters are going to be one of your most important tools. Find out what you need to know about selecting the best wire cutter for your needs.

Bend nosed pliers- Bend-Nosed Pliers have a lot in common with chain-nosed pliers. They are versatile and used for all kinds of jewelry making techniques. Work in smaller areas or hard-to-reach places with bent-nose pliers. Choose a pair with a smooth finish on the inside where you will place the wire.

Chain nosed pliers- Chain-nosed pliers are a useful hand-tool used for a variety of jewelry techniques, from wire work to beading. Grip wire or pry jump rings apart with chain-nose pliers. These pliers are rounded on the outside with a flat surface on the inside.

Diagonal cutting pliers- Cut your wire with diagonal-cutting pliers. These pliers allow you to cut your wire flush just work wonders.

Measuring tape- Use a seamstress measuring tape to measure the length of wire or chain for jewelry.

Do some initial research sit a large crafts supplies site to get a fair knowledge or patterns for your jewelry projects like a necklace making project, a beaded earring making project so that you can clearly follow the use of tools needed for it.

You may also want to invest in a book with information on a particular type of jewelry making and find books on making jewelry at crafts supplies sites.

Make a list of the basic jewelry making tools you will need based on the design or pattern you have selected. This list should include tools, such as pliers and glue, as well as supplies, like beads or clasps, and miscellaneous items, like containers for supplies or bead boards.

Visit several local or online crafts stores so that you can browse and compare prices of tools. Using your supplies list, do price comparisons on basic tools. For decorative items, such as beads, visit a number of stores if possible, so that you can browse a wide selection. Consider purchasing a jewelry making tools kit. Aside from relieving you of the worry that you may have forgotten some supplies, these kits come in a wide price range, cover many types of popular jewelry making tools and usually come with a booklet and patterns to try.

Select and purchase your supplies based on price, attractiveness and suitability for your project. Remember to factor in the cost of shipping when you purchase online.

Make a loop by placing wire in the tool’s jaws and twisting your wrist and the pliers to wrap the wire around the jaws and form the loop. Vary the size of the loop by using the smaller tips of the pliers for a small loop and the larger area toward the base of the pliers for a larger loop.

Turquoise stones have been used in jewelry making for thousands of years. The soft green blue semiprecious gemstone is found around the world and has been associated with good luck, fertility and religious artifacts as well as for personal adornment. Here in the Southwest you will find that the Native American silver jewelry trade had it’s roots from Spain and South America. As you stroll the jewelry shops in Phoenix, Tucson, Santa Fe and Albuquerque do take notice of the beautiful craftsmanship that is evident in the turquoise studded creations. Also notice the combinations of color from not only turquoise stones but many other types of stones being used in the pieces you see displayed. Local native american tribes have their own distinct styles which are readily identifiable if you care to notice and I am sure you will.

Here is something else I bet you did not know. Some of the best quality
turquoise today comes from other countries besides the USA, also more importing of lower quality jewelry is occurring from outside of the USA, so do be careful when shopping and try to inquire as to the origin of products you are shopping for. If you want a more expensive sterling silver jewelry items then look for a stamp mark or some clarification of the product. You should be prepared to see your jewelry tarnish, because this is a natural occurring event as the silver is exposed to oxygen. When the silver ore is mined it comes out black and you would never think that it could be the same shiny metal that you see in the stores. Well, hope you learned something from my article which will be of benefit to you on your next visit to the jewelry store or when you browse the net for those last minute Christmas gifts. These are just a few of the interesting facts that you can learn about when you visit our web site.