Category: Jewelry

What’s better than making jewelry? How about saving money while you’re doing it? Beads, wire, stones and tools can add up to a mighty sum. Jewelry tools and jewelry supplies can add up to a small fortune if you let it. Here are some great ideas for saving money on beads and such.

1. Shop Around and Do Some Research.

It’s good to shop around and see where the deals are. Us creative folks tend to be quite loyal, but there is nothing wrong with looking outside your usual supplier for your beading needs. There are a lot of great sources online, and be sure to sign up for newsletters to get those money saving email notices.

2. Buy in Bulk When You Can.

Buying in bulk can save you a bundle. This doesn’t only apply to rice and toilet paper. You’d be amazed of how much you can save by buying a certain amount of beads, wire, chain… My favorite supplier has deals at certain price points for beads, and if you are buying sterling silver or gold sheet or wire, I don’t have to tell you about the bulk price breaks there, do I? You’ll need this stuff eventually, so in the long run, you save time too!

3. Watch for Garage Sales.

Other people’s junk can be a jewelry maker’s treasure. Don’t necessarily look at an item “as is”. Remember that everything can be taken apart and used for its spareparts.
Old costume jewelry necklaces for example can be taken apart and components can be reused. What about old watches? The Steampunk movement has made watch parts a hot commodity. Even if you don’t do the Steampunk thing yourself, you can barter watch parts with another crafter to get stuff she doesn’t need, but you do!

4. Check out Thrift stores.

Other than bell-bottoms and romance novels, there are other great finds in those mothball-smelling treasure troves. They are one of the best places to find old costume jewelry, and I’m talking CHEAP! And if you’re really lucky and determined, you might even find some actual vintage pieces.

5. Think Outside of the Bead Box.

As my 6-yewar-old daughter says, we need to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle more. Jewelry can literally be made out of anything, so look around. Bits of ribbon, bottle caps, game pieces, and those old watches once again… getting creative will save you money and result in a truly one-of-a-kind piece.

6. Shop at the Hardware Store instead of the Bead Store.

If you need wire, chains, links and the like, head to the source! Amid countless racks, rolls and hardware bins you will find jewelry fixings at rock-bottom prices. My favorite hardware store jewelry supply is black annealed steel wire in 18 gauge. There’s usually a good supply of copper wire in different gauges at my local harware store too. You will also find other things you can’t live without, such as storage bins and baskets, small hand tools, and soldering equipment.

7. Barter and Trade.

Don’t forget the best way to get stuff for free – by trading your worthless junk for someone else’s treasure. Of course what’s worthless to one isn’t to another, so those beads and wire that you hate might be just the ticket for someone else. There are many jewelry making forums online that have a “barter board”. See if you can’t find someone to trade with there.

8. Group Buys

Another ways to save money is to buy in bulk with others. If you don’t need 5 troy ounces of sterling silver wire but still want that price break, see if you can find someone to go in with you. If you are part of a Bead Society that is a great place to inquire. You can also post classified ads, look on jewelry making forums, or post the request on twitter to see if you can find some thrifty buying partners.

9. Ask for Supplies for Christmas or Your Birthday

Have you ever gotten a birthday gift that just wasn’t all that useful to you? What about that ugly vase or those Halloween seasonal towels that you never remember to take out during the Halloween season. People often hate trying to find the “perfect gift” and would love to have you tell them what you’d like. Don’t be shy with friends and family. They would rather get you something you love and enjoy than buy you another Santa mug at Christmas. Once they know you want bead store gift cards, they’ll be thrilled to not have to think about what to get you.

As you can see, there are tons of ways to save money if you are resourceful. Don’t get stuck thinking you can’t afford the good stuff, because you can if you take some extra effort.

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Jewelry that is currently on trend runs the gamut as jewelry fashion takes on a bolder statement than ever before. Geometric shapes, oversized pieces, tribal fashion and even disco diva looks are certainly in now but what about the woman who wants to update her jewelry case with something trendy yet classy that won’t go out of style once the current trends have? That’s where an online jewelry retailer can help. You can peruse their online catalog at your leisure (without a pushy salesperson looking over your shoulder) and see what pieces are available that can give a nod to what is in fashion but can also stand the test of time. To make it easy, I’ve compiled a list of six jewelry trends to look for that are a little less bold but still can freshen up your wardrobe and help you feel fabulous. Happy Shopping!

Layered look. From bangles to necklaces, the style now is wearing multiple layers. Reality star Whitney Port sparkled wearing layered Tacori bracelets at NYC fashion week this year and Serendipity Magazine recently featured layered diamond Tacori bangles that were paired with a lovely pastel ensemble.

Blue is the hue. Sapphire blue color is on fire now and you can see it showing up in all types of jewelry from rings to necklaces to pendants. Reality star Kourtney Kardashian was spotted wearing a dazzling Tacori blue cocktail ring on the cover of Lucky Magazine.

Dangling earrings. All types of dangling earrings especially chandelier earrings are hot now and add both sophistication and sparkle to any special outfit. Sea inspired. Jewelers looked to the ocean for recent inspiration and it is showing up in earrings, necklaces and pendants. You can find seashells, starfish, and coral twigs among other sea-inspired jewelry pieces. This will surely delight the Aquarian water baby in all of us!

Key to Style. Keys are a trendy fashion jewelry item of late and it represents the universal sign of access. Some women like to wear key jewelry as a symbol of opening doors and access to new opportunities. Tacori Jewelry makes beautiful diamond key pendant necklaces.

Pretty as a flower. Nature-inspired jewelry is big right now and floral motifs fit into that category. There are many pieces that you can find now with a floral shape and these add a bit of spring even in the dreariest of days! Satisfy your need for this jewelry trend or the others above with the help of a online jewelry retailer that offers a variety of beautiful pieces at competitive prices.

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Have you given up wearing that stunning bracelet that has been handed down for generations because it has gotten too snug around your wrist and you don’t want to risk breaking it? Have you got beautiful necklaces that you’d love to wear, but they have been relegated to the back of your jewelry box because they no longer fit correctly? Maybe you bought a stunning anklet during a vacation trip to have as a souvenir, and you can no longer wear it? If you have any of these problems, there’s a new chance for your jewelry. Making use of a jewelry extender can provide all your jewelry new life. This jewelry accessory can make wearing the old jewelry feasible once again.

A jewelry extender serves to change the length of your jewelry. Regardless of whether the fit is too tight or the jewelry just doesn’t hang exactly at the length necessary to complement your outfit, an extender will work magic. You can get extenders in a variety of lengths. Whether you need several inches of additional length on a necklace or just a little bit more give in a bracelet or anklet, an extender can be ordered or custom designed to produce the perfect fit. Should you have a youngster or teen who is still growing, jewelry extenders are ideal for adding extra length to their jewelry as they grow. With a perfectly chosen extender, precious jewelry that was given at milestones can be worn for years to come, even as a girl grows and matures.

If you have a fine piece of jewelry and you are concerned with an extender ruining the quality appeal, you don’t have to worry. Extenders can be found in the very best finishes in both silver and gold. Beaded extenders are also available with beautiful pearls, crystals, beads, or cubic zirconium. The extenders will never detract from the original piece of jewelry. Extenders can blend right in and add in an extra, positive element to the jewelry.

There are a selection of different styles of extenders available for sale. You can find extenders that have different types of clasps attached to them. Lobster claw clasps are fairly popular, and you can also acquire spring-ring and basic clasps. Magnet extenders are great for changing the conventional clasps on a piece of jewelry to a magnetic clasp. Magnetic clasps are particularly useful for making jewelry much easier to put on. Have you ever battled to put a bracelet on one-handed? Maybe you’re sick and tired of dealing with spring-rings that are to small on necklaces? These tasks become easy with a quick and easy magnet clasp.

When choosing a jewelry extender look for only the finest-quality products. You don’t want to throw away money on an inferior quality extender that won’t give you long-lasting u se. The very best quality extenders are handcrafted and custom-made by professionals. These extenders can be crafted with materials that will last for many years to come, while looking beautiful at the same time. Extenders can be found to fit any budget from inexpensive pricey. When you think about the benefit of making jewelry useable once more, the value is even greater. Extenders permit you to wear the jewelry that you already own thereby helping you save the more expensive cost of having to replace your old jewelry with new. Extenders bring renewed life to jewelry, no matter the reason for wanting to wear the jewelry again.

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It can be tricky to sell jewelry to a mail-in company that specializes in buying gold and silver, but if you are willing to take a chance with your precious items, you can certainly earn some extra money. Before you decide to use a mail order jewelry company, you should make sure that the business is professional and has a good reputation. You should also find out what type of jewelry the company accepts. Most reputable companies will buy plain gold earrings, necklaces, or rings. They also purchase a variety of loose stones and jewelry that have stone settings. If you know that your jewelry is worth a great amount of money, you are better off selling it to a local jewelry store rather than a sell jewelry mail company.

If you are selling jewelry that the sell gold mail company accepts, you should learn the basics of buying and selling jewelry. The weight and karat of gold jewelry should be properly evaluated when you are selling gold to a buyer. The color, carat, and clarity of the stones will determine how much the pieces are worth. When selling jewelry to a mail-in company, it is a good idea to add a letter to the package that lists the lowest price you will accept. You should also photocopy the letter and sign both of the letters, keeping one for your records.

The letter will serve as a prearranged agreement and stop the buyer from offering you an unfair amount for your jewelry without your consent. Many of the mail-in companies purchase the jewelry at a lower price than it is worth and then send out paperwork that gives the seller ten days to decline the offer. In most cases, the check arrives after the ten-day period and the seller is forced to accept the ridiculous amount. By including a letter that lets the buyer know that you will not accept a low offer, the buyer will have to give you a fair amount of money for the jewelry or send it back to you.

When choosing a bottom line price, you need to be realistic. Used jewelry is not worth top dollar. The buyer will likely purchase the jewelry for the lowest amount listed in your letter, so make sure you know how much your jewelry is worth before you sell it so that you can come up with a fair suggestion. Mail-in companies usually pay more for jewelry than pawnshops do, so if you need some extra money quickly, mail-in jewelry buyers are a great option.

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Gold jewelry definitely can be termed as one of the most desired and sought after one. It has been associated with a powerful social status since the advent of civilization, one of the most expensive metals till today. The captivating attraction of this metal is quite enough to make it a preferred choice of many a million people around the whole world. But still there are some who are a victim of gold adherence but can not afford it. The solution for such devout followers is gold plated jewelry. It has the gold look as it is being layered with gold but is available at a lower price rather quite cheap as compared to the other gold jewelry. This kind of jewelry is only for very occasional use.

Gold plated jewelry is basically a metal base with a coating of gold on its surface. Thin or thick layers of gold are being deposited on the exterior of another metal. This process is executed either through chemical or electro chemical method. Silver and copper are the two widely used metals for this purpose. 10k is the minimum gold weightage required for this purpose Silver and copper, both are able to get transfused into the gold layer so a thick layer of nickel is also applied to keep the breech between the two. But that is not a permanent solution. After span of certain time period, discoloring starts to show off.

Gold plated jewelry is not for a daily based usage. It gets tarnished and fades away quicker and gives in to scaling if not used occasionally. It does not have the capacity to go through the rough wear and tear despite of a much thickened layer of gold. There are some people who are allergic to the nickel so now many jewelers are opting for nickel free gold plating though the guarantee regarding the discoloring is not given at all. It can be the matter of the months and it can take years also. It depends on the quality and thickness of the layering.

All the jewelry items can be gold plated through this procedure so there is an extensive variety and range available of these products. Bangles, earrings, rings, bracelets even wedding sets are gold plated. But you need to be very careful while selecting these items. There are many such products that are not gold plated rather they are being termed as gold washed. A very thin layer (that is 10k gold most of the times) is applied just to give a glistening look like gold. Such jewelry items wear off very quickly. Some jewelers mention it and they are very cheap to buy but there are those jewelers and shops also that sell these items as gold plated and charge more than the worth of the jewelry pieces.

Gold plated jewelry no doubt looks very eye catchy and serves as a cheaper substitute for the real gold jewelry. It is absolutely for the occasional use and requires a lot of care in order to keep its sheen sustained for a longer period of time.

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