[Jewelry making - Article 01318] - Re: [Orchid] Fair contract jeweler prices

[Dennis Loss]

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    What do you mean by fair? I am being somewhat tongue in cheek but
    really the question is how much money per hour do you need to make?
    If you were a bench jeweler for three years, then you should know how
    long it takes you to do things. It should be simple. If you want to
    make $25 an hour then figure it out. Add $ for your supplies and your
    tools. the last store I worked in charged the customer $75 and hour
    for labor. I heard recently that they were charging $150 an hour now.
    BUT they are charging themselves out of the market in our area, [they
    may be doing this on purpose so they don't have to deal with crap
    repairs, I don't know]. anyhow,... if you aren't careful you are
    going to end up working your butt off for pennies. 

    If this other store wants to hire you to do work on a contract basis
    it is because they don't want or need to hire a full time jeweler;
    they should pay a premium for your time. If you are in their area
    then they don't have to pay shipping and insurance to deliver their
    repairs to some repair house. 

    Are you working at the other store still? Do they know that you are
    going to contract work with their competition? 

    What is your liability to the future client is you break a stone or
    chip a diamond? what if the piece you are repairing turns into a can
    of worm's? Are you going to charge by the hour or by the job? Sorry
    to ask you questions when you are wanting answers, but you ought to
    think about these things before you jump into this. You might
    consider set prices for routine things such as soldering jump rings
    on charms bracelets or sizing brand new rings, but on the old grungy
    worn out stuff think hourly. Don't be afraid to say no to a job. You
    are not an employee to these new clients, you are a contractor. Don't
    get yourself into a pickle for a twenty dollar job that costs you
    $50. { I been there and done that.] I hope that others will add to
    this thread, this is a very difficult topic. I look forward to seeing
    what everyone has to say. 

Good luck, Dennis

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