[Jewelry making - Article 00400] - Re: [Orchid] Pricing those custom waxes

[John Donivan]

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Hi, Kevin.

    I was reluctant to reply to this at first, because I'm a little
    flabbergasted, I admit. I'm not sure where to start, but the good
    thing about Orchid is that you'll likely get a variety of replies. I
    carve waxes, at times, and I know a really excellent carver where
    that's all he does. This is in San Francisco, Ca. If I sell a wax
    (more often it's my own work), for a fairly simple ring I might get
    $40-$60. Maybe $125 if it's complicated. The wax carver I mentioned
    I know got something like $200 for what was basically a school ring,
    with carved lettering and stuff. What flabbergasts me is what you
    are doing for 18-20 hrs on a ring (I'm not dumping on you..) I made a
    wax yesterday with an oval center and a round diamond on either side,
    all 1/2 bezels, and it took me about 1 1/2 hrs. from wax tube to
    ring, at a normal pace. That's a basic job, yes. I would say that
    there are two possibilities here: Either you are even better than you
    admit, your work is truly superb, and that wax IS worth $600. That's
    a perfectly plausible thought - I haven't seen your work. The other
    possibility is that, if you expect to get paid, you need to speed up.
    If the going rate is $50, and it takes you 2 hrs., and me 1 hr.,
    that's how I make more money for my experience. Meaning that working
    faster isn't working FASTER, it's being confident and efficient. It's
    not rushing. I've known several jewelers like you - we call them
    "watchmakers" - methodical, precise, unhurried. One in particular was
    the finest craftsman I've ever known, which is a lot, and worth his
    weight in gold. If that's you, and your work is so superb, don't
    worry about prices, just give them a bill. If, instead, you are
    taking 20 hours to make something another can do in 2 or 3, then you
    both get $100, and he makes $50/hr. and you make $2/hr. The industry
    pays for results, not time - if a lot of time shows in the work, yes.
    If it just took you a long time to do it, no. 

http://www.donivanandmaggiora.com
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