Noel... I agree. However, much as I love Reactive Metals, (I
live 10 minutes from them!), Hauser & Miller in St. Louis sells the
22k/silver bimetal for less. They also carry gold/siver bimetal in
lesser karats. Mary
True enough. But on the ethical side, be aware that Reactive’s
source, Phil Baldwin of Shining wave metals, came up with the idea and
the product first, and worked out it’s production and created much of
the market. Then along came a well known jewelry teacher and designer
whom I won’t mention, who got irritated at a backlog situation with an
order, and contacted Houser and Miller and asked them to copy the
product. Now, H&M only did as asked, and being who they are, are in a
position to make such things easier and cheaper than Phil who is
after all, working with just a small studio. But it was a cheap shot
on the part of said unnamed designer, has damaged Phil’s business and
income, and I, for one, prefer to still give Phil the business on
those occasions when I need such things. It was his idea, after all.
Our industry is rampant with folks who assume it’s just fine to rip
off everyone elses ideas. And then they fume and spit when someone
has the audacity to rip off one of the occasional and few original
ideas such people now and then come up with in spite of themselves.
I’d like to think that orchid readers have the integrity to be
willing to pay a little more, if needed, to go to the true source of
an idea once they know of such a situation.
Peter Rowe –