[Jewelry making - Article 00447] - Re: [Orchid] Bench jewellers working for the trade

[John Donivan]

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>     I would expect to pay more for a repair or sizing of my $20,000
>     ring than I would my $50 bracelet. But does that mean you should
>     charge proportionately 

    I would like to drive this point home, at least for myself. If you
    bring me a $20,000 gold ring, and a $100 gold ring, I will charge the
    same amount to size them - maybe a bit more for polish. ($20 instead
    of $15). If you ask me to make a ring for a $500 stone, and a ring 
for
    a $60,000 stone, the larger ring will cost double, maybe. The reason
    is NOT because of the value of the stone, exactly. It is because of
    the higher standard of craftsmanship that is needed and, more
    importantly, expected. In short, finer work costs more money. If you
    are in business, you need to pretend you are paying yourself - you
    get paid as a goldsmith, and you make a profit as a business. Why?
    Because you MIGHT have to pay another goldsmith to do the work. You
    could say it's just a coincidence that you are both. So, I will have
    to pay a 5 year jeweler to make the $500 ring, and a 20 year jeweler
    to make the $60,000 ring. The fact that I am both is really beside 
the
    point, because it could be that I'd need to farm it out for some
    reason, and it WOULD be out of pocket. But I absolutely do not charge
    more the stone is worth more - that's picking the customer's pocket. 

http://www.donivanandmaggiora.com
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