Test Drive Your Jewelry
February 16, 2006 by Tammy Powley
Filed under Basics - Getting Started, Jewelry Design Careers
You would be amazed at how many times I get emails or read on various forums (including my own) about jewelry makers who have strung a few beads and minutes later seem to be in business. Granted, to a certain extend I did this myself, but I have to admit that while I didn’t concentrate on jewelry making until the early 1990s, I had dabbled in it and many other craft forms before then, so I wasn’t totally new to it. In fact, I still have some of my early pieces and they are still very wearable, not real attractive, but they are intact.
If you are new to jewelry making and hope to one day sell your work, my best advice to you is to test drive all your jewelry designs. Don’t wear jewelry? Well, then I have to ask if you just hope to make money at it or if you actually like jewelry to begin with. I think this is crucial because you’ll never really understand your market (your customers) if you don’t have an appreciation for your own work. If you can’t wear it yourself (for example if you are a guy or you’re allergic to certain metals), then find a friend of family member to be your jewelry test dummy.
Wearing what you make will give you a huge understanding of jewelry construction:
Is it comfortable?
Does it stay in position or flip or what?
Does it fall apart?
Can it handle everyday use or is it too fragile?
You can learn all of this by just wearing your own jewelry.
Tammy, I don’t think there is any excuse other than an allergy for not test driving your own jewelry! Even if you’re a guy, it’s the wrong colors or style, etc…you can still wear it inside your own home and at least make sure there are no sharp edges or obvious design flaws. It is so embarrassing to have someone contact you with a piece that has fallen apart. Even if it’s from rough handling, I want to know that I did everything in my power to prevent it.
Mistakes happen and sometimes crimps fail, but we can at least do the road test!
Thanks for the admonition
That’s one of my peeves. Wear your jewelry – learn your craft – *then* sell it! I’m always amazed at how many people think they are going to “get rich” selling jewelry they make and they don’t even know how to make it – let alone the fact that it’s not a get rich fast kind of business. Thanks for the support, Cyndi!