[Jewelry making - Article 00216] - Re: [Orchid] Pricing your cabochons

[Rick Copeland]

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>     I was hoping that someone who cuts their own cabs might be able to
>     lend some advice on how to price them to sell.

    I start by tracking what I paid for the rough stone. Decide what
    unit of measurement you are going to weigh your finished cabs and
    allowance for waste. 

    For example Turquoise that sells for $250.00 a pound. Unit of
    measurement is carat and 2265 carats to a pound.  And 50% waste
    allowance puts your finished cost at 22 cents a carat. Now that 22
    cents does not allow for overhead, abrasives, wear and tear on your
    equipment, and cost of labor. For turquoise I buy at $250 to $350 a
    pound I price my cabochons at $1 to $2 dollars a carat or whatever
    the traffic will bear for exceptional stones.  

    I don't sell a lot of cabs so I use this model in figuring the cost
    of my finished jewelry. You won't be able to compete in the market
    for calibrated cabs cut overseas and using machines. Cut cabs from
    material that is unique and provide exceptional quality.

Rick Copeland
Silversmith and Lapidary Artisan
Colorado Springs, Colorado
http://home.covad.net/~rcopeland/

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