Hi all, it’s been a while since my last confession here on Orchid,
but the listserv remains an excellent place for learning. I am
currently studying - after having stumbled into jewelry with the
tutorship of several individuals and some good old book-learnin’ for
3 years. The truth is that I am stuck on a project which involves a
live customer. It is an assignment, with the professor being the
’messenger’. We don’t get to talk to the customer. The (tall) order
is for: a ring which is colorful and ostentatious, TRANSFORMABLE,
elegant and feminine, with some volume to the form (on the higher
side) and would be attention grabbing but wearable on a daily basis.
FINALLY —> a small budget. (I had thought of gluing together some
boutique beer ring-pulls).
I came with 3 options: A solitaire with synthetic sapphire, the
mounting can be unscrewed and another layer added - eg a flower form
($)A 3 ring hinged chain which can be a ring or pendant, and lobster
clasp type charms could be added (for color etc)A solitaire with a
long stem on which several (plexiglass) components which can be
interchanged or added to No go…
If you have the time and inclination, I would love your 10 second
(gotta keep the overheads down) direction-pointing or laughter
It sounds like the customer that wants everything for nothing. Your
ideas are good.
Think what they are going to cost to make, treble it and quote that
to go with each of the 3 rings you describe in detail…
Dont get involved in changing the design. your decision has to be
final. Then request half the cost up front, whichever the "imaginary"
customer decides.
On reciept of the money proceed to make it, when complete request
the balance and deliver.
Nothing less is worth your time.
Otherwise your being used.
Okay, a small budget means no gold. Sterling should be still in the
budget?
Transformable, could mean a colour changing stone, a synthetic
alexandrite would be perfect, and there’s always a wow factor when
you demonstrate the colour change with candle light. They’re
relatively cheap too.
If you make the shank with recessed cells (small triangles maybe) in
the you could add more colour with some glass enamel mixes of colours
Thanks for your replies! I am still going (we have two weeks to
design, make and finish the piece, including the packaging and
renderings. It is a good exercise in that we have to take into
account the cost of our labour, materials and overheads while making
a piece that will be right for the client (and allow us to pay the
rent - thanks for underscoring this Ted).
I realise that I have really become stuck on the 'low bugdet’
aspect, but anything below $X is where I need to send her to Mandees
or H&M (and that is not knocking those places, just reality).
Still…I’m not there yet. Your advice has been very useful though