[Jewelry making - Article 00099] - Re: [Orchid] Wearing your jewelry creations

[David Phelps]

========[ Invite a Friend - http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm  ]========

Hi Terrie,

>     For whatever reasons, some men don't wear jewelry, it is time for
>     a rethink. 

    Early in my jewelry career, I read an article proclaiming this very
    thing. "Men's jewelry is getting ready to make a huge comeback. Get
    on the band wagon and watch your sales go crazy!" I then excitedly
    created a line of men's jewelry, convinced I had found the newest
    form of sliced bread. I ended up scrapping all but three or four
    pieces five years later. I'm still waiting for the men's jewelry
    craze to catch on. There's an article in the Dec 2007 National
    Jeweler (front page no less!) saying that men's jewelry is about to
    go crazy (again). Major designers have jumped on the bandwagon
    (again). If you don't get into it you're gonna lose out! (again) 

    Men just seem to be much more finicky about their jewelry than
    women. They are also much more likely to wear it out by never taking
    it off, when they find something they like. You can see the same
    phenomenon in shoes. Most men have four or five pairs to cover all of
    their needs, replacing them with exactly the same thing when they
    wear out, but most woman have more than twice that number and would
    never get exactly the same style twice. (My experience is with
    American men and women, this may be different elsewhere in the World,
    but I doubt it.) 

>     It is probably a cultural thing as well, Native American men are
>     proud to wear many pieces of jewelry at the same time. Not a
>     homophobe among them. 

    A good percentage of the jewelry I make for men now is for bikers. A
    lot of them wear four or five or more rings, most of them size twelve
    to sixteen, many are designed with skull themes, and virtually all
    reflect their love of the road and their motorcycle in some way. They
    want creativity and individuality in their jewelry as much as in
    their bikes, but they are very picky about it. They tend to view
    their jewelry in much the same way as they would view designing a
    tattoo or a custom paint job on their gas tank, with a sense of
    permanence and commitment. They intend to be buried with it. They
    also want a look-you-dead-in-the-eye assurance that there will be no
    mold made. They are among my most difficult, most appreciative and
    most loyal clients. I dare you to tell Ace or Andy they're not real
    men. Or better yet! I dare you to tell their "ol' ladies" they're not
    real men. That would stir up some stuff! 

    Personalized jewelry is the only thing I've found that men
    consistently like enough to spend money on. Hand engraved cufflinks
    is a category that is doing well with my professional male clients.
    Very highly personalized. Hand engraved, one-of-a-kind family crest
    rings are also popular. 

    When a woman (or a man for that matter) is designing a piece of
    jewelry for their male partner, I usually recommend that they include
    him in the design process or at the very least, really do their
    homework to make sure that the design is something that they know for
    a fact will be received well. Most women are very pleased with a gift
    of jewelry and the thought behind it, even if the design is not
    exactly what they would have done for themselves. Men on the other
    hand, are not quite so easily pleased, or possibly not quite as adept
    at hiding their emotions. I've heard more than one guy say "Wow,
    Honey! That's... uh... different! Was that your idea?" They seldom
    say anything like that when I get to work with them during the
    design phase. 

    If you are going to make men's jewelry, and you are not in the
    enviable position of being able to sit on lots of metal for a long
    time, try your best to talk with the intended recipient. The odds of
    you and your client getting a big smile from him will be greatly
    increased. 

Vive la difference!

Dave
____________________________________________________________________
T h e   O r c h i d   L i s t
Open Electronic Forum for Jewelry Manufacturing Methods and Procedures
____________________________________________________________________
Orchid FAQ:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/faq.htm
Orchid Archives:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive
Orchid Galleries:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm
Invite a Friend:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm
____________________________________________________________________
Tips From The Jeweler's Bench - Article Archive
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm
The Jeweler's Selected Bibliography List
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/jewelry-books
Buy Orchid Jewelry:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/shop
____________________________________________________________________
-Unsubscribe:
-Email: orchid-request AT ganoksin.com Body=unsubscribe subject=blank
____________________________________________________________________