It takes many years of experience in trading sterling silver jewelry to tell whether a piece of jewelry is of high quality or not. Especially when you are buying wholesale silver jewelry, a minor difference in the quality might affect your business reputation in the long run. This article summarizes the basic metrics for anyone who is beginning to trade silver jewelry to gauge the quality of silver jewelry.
Finishing
Most of the sterling silver jewelry has some sort of plating because silver itself turns yellow over time. There are several ways of finishing a piece of silver jewelry and they will affect the cost of the jewelry substantially.
High polished sterling silver jewelry has no plating on the jewelry at all and is particularly popular with engravable items or for people who are allergic to certain metals such as nickel. The jewelry is polished by machine without additional raw material cost.
Some silver jewelry has a black antique look to cater to certain consumers. These items are processed by putting the jewelry into chemical solution to oxide the silver before polishing and the pricing is similar to that of high polished ones.
Another common way of finishing sterling silver jewelry is nickel plating. Although nickel plating is illegal in some countries, most of the Italian silver jewelry sold in the market today is plated with nickel. However, since nickel is not considered as precious metal, the price is usually not affected by the cost of plating.
The most expensive way of finishing sterling silver jewelry is using Rhodium. Rhodium is a precious metal that is even more expensive than silver. Therefore, silver jewelry with Rhodium plating is usually at least five cent more expensive per gram. Since Rhodium has the property of being highly tarnish resistant and very expensive at the same time, some manufacturers would coat the sterling silver jewelry with a thin layer of copper before plating the Rhodium to reduce the cost. It might be a good idea to ask the vendors if the Rhodium is plated directly or not because some people have skin type that would turn the copper underneath green.
Stone cutting
Sterling silver jewelry usually has natural or synthetic stones set on it. The cutting of the stones, even with the same size, might affect the cost. For instance, the synthetic diamond cubic zirconia stones would cost more if they are in princess cut as suppose to round brilliant cut. Furthermore, emerald cut and baguette cut stones are even more expensive than princess cut ones.
Stone setting
1. The way that stones are set on a piece of jewelry also affects the cost. Many pendant and bracelet styles employ an economical setting method called wax setting. The stones are not really set one by one on the jewelry. Rather, they are fixed on the mold before the jewelry is cast out from the melted silver and come out of the mold together with the silver. This lowers the cost of the silver jewelry significantly. However, the quality of the setting is not consistent and the heat of the silver in liquid form might affect the quality of the stones.
Besides wax setting, there are several hand-setting methods that are widely adopted. The most common one is prong setting, where the stones are held in place by three to eight prongs, depending on the style. More advanced settings include channel setting, bezel setting, pave setting and invisible setting. Understanding the labor costs involved in different kinds of settings is one of the keys to getting merchandize with the best prices.
Stamping and Casting
Another categorization for sterling silver jewelry is the way they manufacture the metal part. To save cost, some jewelry is made by stamping and cutting the needed shapes out from a large sheet of silver and than bend it into the desired shapes. On the other hand, a more traditional way of producing sterling silver jewelry is to cast the metal out of a mold, which is more labor intensive and hence more costly due to the polishing and filing required afterwards. The way the jewelry is made affects the durability a great deal and hence the success of your business.
Greg Peterson got his MBA from MIT business school and is now working as marketing manager for jewelry businesses featuring wholesale silver hip hop jewelry.
Have you seen similar silver jewelry sold at price difference of two to three times from different retailers? Have you ever wondered how retailers mark up the jewelry after they get them from the venders? Here we will show you the wholesale trading secrets of sterling silver jewelry.
Price per gram
The most important piece of information for determining the price of a piece of sterling silver jewelry is the price per gram of the silver. This is the fundamental raw material cost of a piece of sterling silver jewelry due to the fact that silver is considered a precious metal. For instance, the price for silver is $9.5 per ounce, the price per gram is determined by dividing the price per ounce by 31.5, which is 30 cents. Therefore, the cost for the raw material for a 5 gram wedding band ring is roughly $1.5. Some might wonder why people would pay $30 for a silver wedding ring when the silver only cost $1.5. The followings will explain the difference.
Labor cost
To turn raw material into finished goods, it involves a great deal of processing cost. The metal itself has to be melted, molded and cast, polished and assembled. Most of the times, silver jewelry is accented with various stones, the costs for setting the stones are also a major part of the total cost for jewelry, especially for jewelry that requires high level of craftsmanship.
Other materials
Also, the costs for any additional material are added to the jewelry. For instance, a pair silver pearl dangle earrings that has two cultural fresh water pearls with rhodium finish should cost double the price of the silver to make because of the cost of the pearl and rhodium. Note that rhodium is even more expensive than silver itself and it is high tarnish resistant.
Shipping cost
Many styles of jewelry are imported from other countries because of difference in availability of raw materials such as stones and also the specialties in making some particular styles. Hence the shipping cost of transporting is also part of the cost. Usually, for imported sterling silver jewelry, the shipping cost can amount to 10% of what it costs to make the jewelry themselves.
Custom Duties
For the same reasons, imported jewelry incurs duties at the custom. This is a cost that normal consumers are not aware of but it can also increase the price of sterling silver jewelry for 5% to 10%.
Price fluctuations
Some sterling silver jewelry trader, especially wholesaler would associate the price of the jewelry with the current silver price. Therefore, the price of a piece of sterling silver jewelry might be different from month to month, and even day to day in the case of wholesale.
Business Overhead
Just like any other business, the sales have to cover also the overhead of running the business. Normal overhead costs are employees’ salaries, rent, utilities and breakage.
Profit
Of course, the price you pay includes the profit for the sellers.
By knowing the above facts, you can make much more informed decisions when buying wholesale sterling silver jewelry and most importantly, avoid scams. There are occasions when people make fake silver jewelry and sell them at a very low price. If you know how to determine the cost of a piece of silver jewelry, you won’t buy into deals where they offer you a price that is lower than the normal cost of real sterling silver jewelry.
Greg Peterson got his MBA from MIT business school and is now working as marketing manager for jewelry distributors featuring wholesale sterling silver jewelry and wholesale hip hop jewelry featuring cubic zirconia stones.
Jewelry has always been an object of immense fascination for women. The quest for newness in jewelry is one that has been ongoing for ages together as craftsmen strive to create innovations in design, material and styles to satisfy the embellishment needs of women and decorate their beauty.
Jewelry was originally made using precious metals and rare gems. This attribute made people yearn to possess such masterpieces that were rare and unique. Jewelry’s worth was based on the metal, the stones used and the craftsmanship. These factors made jewelry an unattainable aspiration to many and a luxury that only the elite could afford. In recent years there has been a paradigm shift. The use of sterling silver has made jewelry a dream come true to those who have been just gaping at the windows of jewelry shops. Silver has been used as a metal for jewelry for long, but silver as such is too soft a metal, and pure silver is seldom used for making jewelry. Sterling silver, however, is a harder alloy lending itself for exquisite craftsmanship.
Sterling silver is 92.5 percent of silver and the remaining an alloy that is predominantly copper. Sterling silver offers just the right material properties like malleability and flexural strength and allows itself to be crafted into intricate designs. Another great advantage is that sterling silver can be gold plated or plated with rhodium to make it look like platinum, giving it the appearance of one of the most expensive metals at the price of silver. One more unbeatable feature about sterling silver is that the metal can be given an antique finish to add a touch of nostalgia and a classic look to jewelry.
Sterling silver jewelry has now swept the market and one can find an endless collection of beautifully crafted rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, pedants and jewelry sets. Among the most popular of choices is the cubic zirconia studded sterling silver jewelry. Cubic Zirconia or CZ as it is popularly known, so closely resembles a diamond that only the well trained eye can tell the difference between the two. The combination of platinum like sterling silver finished jewelry studded with flawless diamond CZ is truly ethereal and regal.
Though sterling silver came as a cost effective replacement for expensive jewelry, it has found the rich, the elite and the celebrities too building up huge and varied collections of sterling silver jewelry, which otherwise would have not been possible. Today, sterling silver jewelry designs are celebrity inspired and designer inspired. There is not a single intricate craftsmanship that is not possible to imitate with this wonderful metal. Sterling silver jewelry can now be shopped with just the click of a mouse and right from the comforts of one’s home. There are many jewelry sites that offer wide collection of unique jewelry at rates that are down to earth.
Gregory Krakovsky is a sterling silver jewelry expert. On his website www.bluewella.com you can find all sorts of sterling silver products.
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Lockets are beautiful pieces of jewelry, and they are even made more beautiful when they come in precious metals such as platinum and gold. However, it is understandable that not everyone can afford them in that form because platinum and gold are expensive. But that doesnât mean that you canât have a wonderful locket even with budget constraints. You can still enjoy the stunning craftsmanship of a locket without spending too much money if you buy silver lockets.
Silver lockets are the more affordable alternative of platinum and gold lockets, but they are no less exquisite. Although having a smaller value, silver is still a precious metal, and that makes silver lockets both excellent gifts and investments for people limited by a particular budget.
If you are thinking of giving away silver lockets as gifts, choose ones with elegant designs. Silver lockets with intricate detailing performed by skilled craftsmen look more expensive than those made of the same material but created by people with lesser skills. Sometimes, silver lockets that have unique shapes and structure with the delicate engravings can look far more luxurious than platinum and gold lockets with plain or common designs.
Aside from financial considerations, silver lockets are a good choice because they provide more variety. This is because silver is softer than either platinum or gold, and thus is more pliable and moldable to a particular shape or pattern. Thus, if you plan to have a jewelry maker create a complicatedly designed locket, youâre better off choosing silver as the metal to work with.
Another reason to choose silver lockets is their color. Some people may not be partial to the yellow hue of gold, so silver is definitely a better option. You may say that white gold and platinum look very much like silver, but in general silver is a bit darker, and some people just like it that way.
Of course there is a downside to getting silver lockets. Compared to platinum and gold, silver oxidizes faster, and that means it sometimes turns black over a long period of time especially if proper care is not applied. If you want to get a silver locket, you can lengthen its lusterâs shelf life by not wearing it everyday. Silver lockets will not hold up well under the usual wear and tear of everyday use. Itâs best to limit wearing silver lockets during special occasions. Thus itâs advisable to get the dressier designs if you do decide to get silver lockets so they can go well with your formal and semi-formal outfits.
Also, keep your silver lockets clean especially if itâs something you wear often. When not in use, store it properly in a jewelry case, away from extreme temperatures, especially heat and sunlight. This is to ensure that the silver will not turn black. When people complain that their silver lockets turned really dark, itâs usually because they have not been religiously doing proper care on it. In this case a, a little extra care goes a long way.
Pictures On Gold creates the finest Photo Pendants and Charms, Gold Lockets, Silver Lockets and other Photo Jewelry in the industry.
India Silver Jewelry, Silver Beads Jewelry, Silver Gems Jewelry, Silver Necklaces Jewelry,Silver Ring Jewelry,Silver Jewelry Wholesale,Silver Jewelry ExporterOur range includes silver necklaces, silver bracelets, silver earrings, silver chain, silver toe rings and silver rings, both with and without semiprecious stones. We add new wholesale jewelry styles and wholesale gift items all the time, so check back often. We will match any competitors price for similar jewelry or other items.
Manufacturer and exporter of silver jewelry like bracelets, pendants, ear rings, rings, anklets and gemstones like emerald, ruby, sapphire, topaz, peridot, garnet, amethyst, aquamarine iolite cab and cut stones.
Jaipur is one of the most colourful cities in India and is famous for its culture, forts and palaces. Popularly known as the “Pink City” because of the pink-coloured sandstone buildings in the old city – Jaipur is rich in history and culture. The past comes alive in magnificent forts and palaces, blushed pink, where once lived the Maharajas.
Jaipur is the second largest gem and hand-crafted jewellery centre in India and it is estimated that around 280,000 of the population depend on the gem and jewellery industry.
Having been lucky enough to travel extensively throughout Asia and the Orient as a teenager, I have always had a fascination for the rainbow coloured jewels, quality craftsmanship and unique settings of hand-crafted Indian silver jewellery. It is with this interest in mind that I am delighted to be able to import some of this hand-crafted Indian silver and gemstone jewellery for you too, to experience.
You too can now enjoy a piece of India’s history by owning precious Indian silver jewellery which has been hand-crafted using centuries old techniques. Choose from a range of classical, contemporary and traditional designs.
There is something for all occasions – everyday wear, an evening out or perhaps a gift for a special occasion.
Choose from the startling blue and yellows of topaz, citrus lime green of peridot, subtle purple shades of amethysts, milky opaqueness of moonstones – to name but a few.
You will find hand-crafted Indian silver jewellery to suit all occasions from stunning pieces for evening wear to simple designs for every day. Prices are affordable to meet most people’s budgets without breaking the bank!
160, Gayatri Nagar – B
Maharani Farm, Durgapura