[Jewelry making - Article 00024] - Re: [Orchid] Starting a Production Line

[Amanda Linn]

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Hello all,

    Thank you so much for your feedback--this is exactly the kind of
    input that I was hoping for! 

    I am in the process of trying to flesh out what the practical
    reality of my bare-bones idea should look like.  I have been doing
    my jewelry business for about 5 years now, and it has been full time
    for the last year or so. 

    My stuff sells fairly well (about 70% of it w/in 6 months) in the
    two galleries that I am represented in, but I am not able to make
    things quickly enough to have adequate inventory at large in the
    world to make enough money to survive.  I am doing 22k one-of-a-kind
    stuff ENTIRELY by hand (alloyed and fabricated by me alone), and it
    just takes FOREVER to make a piece.  My average necklace takes about
    1 week of my time (and I work 6 days a week, 7-10 hours per day). 
    So it takes about 3 months for me to get a solid collection together
    and, just when I hope to get it placed in a third store, one of my
    first two comes up empty and I need to place it there. 

    So what it comes down to is, I need more stuff than I am able to
    make on my own.  And I figure that if I am going to go the
    production route, I want the stuff that I am producing to be even
    BETTER than the stuff that I can do on my own--I am good at ancient
    jewelry techniques--fabrication, granulation, bezel-setting--but I'd
    like to incorporate sculptural components done with carved wax,
    enamel work, gypsy and pave settings, etc...  into my offerings. 

    I know that I have the vision to do something really unique and very
    cool.  Marketing yourself is always a challenge, and I know it might
    be tough to get represented in one of the stores that I have
    envisioned, but I am confident that I will ultimately get it done. 

    What I need to understand is HOW to get all of this done.  I have
    very basic questions, like, do I hire "assistants" to make the
    models, carve the stones, do the casting, assembly, etc...?  Or do I
    bring my ideas to a contract manufacturer?  Do I buy all of the
    stones that I will need for each piece, or just a few to get a
    sample done?  Is it essential that each replica have exactly the
    same stone, or can I vary the stones and sort of customize each
    production piece?  Then I also need to find some great people to
    work with... 

    Anyway, thank you again for your input thus far and, if you have ANY
    further thoughts/isights/advice/contacts etc... I would LOVE to hear
    about it. 

Warmly,
Amanda

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