Ethics & Knockoffs & Casters

Hi Jill, I was inspired by your horror stories of unscrupulous
manufacturers. I have heard these stories from my customers. As a
caster for many Art Jewelers, I am VERY cautious with their molds,
models and pieces. I have had a couple of designers ask me to sign
a contract stating that I would not copy or sell their designs to
other people. I freely sign such an agreement. It is a good idea
to see if your caster will sign an agreement like this. A copy cat
manufacturer is looking for the hottest new thing to make a fast
buck on. The world is full of them! Many jewelry designs are
similar, but inovative designs from the creative few should be
protected. I have a customer that has won several law suits (with
quite handsome returns I might add) because he protected himself
with the copyrights. I return any models that are signed or
copyrighted by anyone else than the customer. I have done this
many times over the years and lost some customers and business. I
have also gained the confidence of others because of my stand.
J.A.