A lot of custom jewelry designers work throughout the day putting together custom jewelry pieces and hunting for jewelry supplies for that next bracelet or pair of earrings. One great way to avoid that jewelry making burn out while still using your jewelry design talents is to begin to repair jewelry on the side! Making jewelry is a creative hobby and it can be very lucrative, but it can also sap your creativity if you’re making a lot of unique jewelry designs and then spending lots of time putting together the materials for each piece over and over.
Instead of making a anklet from your own ideas, you generally need to take someone else’s jewelry pattern and find pieces to replace lost or broken jewelry pieces that either look similar to the rest of the jewelry piece or at least compliment it. Repairing jewelry requires a different approach to purchasing jewelry supplies because you’ll need to have a wide variety of clasps, pendants and stringing materials available. You’ll also need think about using a good jewelry management program to track what jewelry supplies you have on hand, what you’ll need to purchase soon and where you can get them for the cheapest price. Repairing handmade jewelry uses your jewelry design skills and will often present some unique challenges. Here are some general tricks to remember when you start fixing jewelry for others:
Matching jewelry pieces to older jewelry is often very difficult. You have a better chance of finding replacement beads or pieces that are complimentary, though sometimes getting the color right on certain precious stones can be very frustrating.
Even though a clasp isn’t broken, you may want to recommend replacing it before it does fall apart. Keep an eye out for structural aging in old jewelry pieces.
Many times you’ll be repairing a jewelry piece that holds a special meaning or is particularly favored by your client. You’re performing a service of not just fixing a piece of jewelry, but often you’re helping restore a memory or feeling! Don’t be afraid to price yourself in line with the going rates.
And really, you can usually charge just as much to fix a jewelry piece as you would to make it. But since are often working with existing jewelry materials fixing a piece of jewelry may be much more profitable. Remember to have fun with it! Both fixing custom jewelry and creating your own jewelry are fun ways to make some extra money, but it’s up to you to find the right balance to keep you happy and making money at the same time.
