Firstly, the pendants I have been making I have been using 16 inch silver snake chains for, but at £5 a chain it puts the cost up on the item
At the moment I am confining myself to solid silver celtic crosses with real gemstones in (none of your synthetic c**p) and as I only use a 2.5mm - 3mm stone in a central setting, it doesn't cost more than a pound for a stone ( with the exception of April's birthstone being a diamond).
The crosses weigh about 3 grammes without chains and are handmade and finished.
I really REALLY want to work with Kilkenny marble beads and cabochons but cannot find anywhere on the 'Net that sells them, connemara marble beads are two a penny but like I say, I want the Kilkenny stuff cos it's a nicer colour and rarer to see set in jewellery.
So basically, if any of you guys know where I can get it from, please let me know so I can start putting together some really cracking pieces ready for Christmas!
So far I've got a stack of orders, mainly for the crosses as they make perfect christening presents (so far I have sold one garnet, two emeralds, three sapphires and have orders for 10 more
) and I made a celtic trefoil brooch with a simulated emerald heart shaped stone as the shape of stone was requested and the way I set the stones requires them to be either heat resistant ( emerald cracks or goes cloudy) or the hole preset in the silver, which is hard to work out unless the stone is a symmetrical shape, as the silver shrinks by 10% when firing.What would you say is a fair price for a piece that is handmade?
I am considering making rosary bracelets in silver in the near future and also maybe some St, Christophers, the crosses are nice but I think a bit girlified.
It is possible for me to produce it in 22 carat gold but obviously for the same cross it would cost in the region of £120 for raw materials and I don't think many people would fork out that kind of price for a baby boy's christening!!
Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated, thanks.
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