More adventures in beading

[rhienelleth]

So I went to the bead show this weekend...twice.  And spent over my anticipated budget by $100...oops.  BUT, it was definitely not a waste.  With the price of silver tripling in the last year, I had to take advantage of the prices being offered.  As an example, I purchased a string of bali silver spacers for $15, when a string of exactly the same spacers, half as long, was being sold at my local bead shop for $29!  I now have enough spacers for several projects, including the X-mas gifts I have planned, for much cheaper than I could get them anywhere else.  (Silver was being sold by the gram.  0.65 cents per gram, in this case.) 

Things I purchased:
A beautiful hand painted focal for the necklace I'm making my Mom
Strings:
blue jade in 8 and 5mm
green goldstone 8mm
blue goldstone 8mm
yellow crystal 5 and 3mm ($1.00 per strand on clearance)
blue crystal 3mm (same as above)
citrine spacers ($2.00/strand)
citrine oblong beads ($2.00/strand)
onyx tube spacers, 5mm
baltic amber, 2 strings of medium-small  sized nuggets
imitation amber, half a string of large nuggets for focal pieces
silver rondelles, spacers, beadcaps, and headpins (it was the silver did me in)
gold plated rondelles
swarovski crystals in varying colors/sizes for better prices than any of the online places I've found

Why yes, I went a little crazy.  But I didn't just buy arbitrarily.  I had specific projects in mind, even if our account is now in such a poor state I couldn't spend $18 on Glory Road at Costco the other day.  But I get paid this weekend, and things will be a little easier then.  And I'm not experiencing any buyers remorse, a sure sign that I didn't let my wants fly away with my good sense. 

AND, I've already finished my first project with the new supplies.  It was an experiment that turned out really well, I think.  I'm going to give it to a friend to wear (as a gift), and if it holds up under daily wear/abuse, I may make another for (gulp) possible selling.  I'm still nervous about that, but willing to give it a try.  I'm thinking of making a separate LJ for my jewelry.  I just need a cool name for it. ;)

Anyway, on to the project.  I used imitation amber for the focal bead, but the rest is baltic amber.  the charms are crystal and citrine.  I'm giving it a name, even:

I did some research, and here are some of the properties associated with the gemstones:

Amber is petrified sap from ancient trees, hardened over millions of years into the soft, warm gem we see today.  Often, small insects or plants are found within the gem, trapped by the sticky tree resin millions of years ago. 

The Greeks called amber elektron, their word for electricity.  This is because amber, when rubbed with a soft, dry cloth, will become statically charged, attracting bits of paper to it.  It also feels warm to the touch, whereas minerals feel cold.

Its color, warmth and electric properties have earned amber a reputation as a protective stone. The properties attributed to it include stimulating the metabolism, as well as guarding against throat infections, bronchial and intestinal disorders, asthma, convulsions, rheumatism, earache, bladder trouble, nerves or bone-marrow deficiencies. Calming, it can absorb negative energy and help the body to heal itself.  Helps with depression and suicidal tendencies.  Not surprisingly then, for thousands of years it has been burned as incense during spiritual or religious events. When burned, amber releases a fragrant pine scent.  

Citrine is a from the quartz mineral family, as is amethyst.  Citrine is often referred to as “yellow quartz”.  It is considered a stone of success, particularly in business.  It is also said to promote clarity of thought and open the mind to new ideas.  It increases self-esteem and protects from negative energy.  It helps against depression and has healing properties associated with the digestive system.

So, a question:

If you were going to buy this bracelet, how much would you expect to pay?  Don't be afraid to answer, I want all kinds of responses to help me gauge how I want to go about pricing stuff.  No amount is too little or too much, if it's honest to goodness how much you'd expect it to be.

Comments

[shadawyn.livejournal.com]

That's gorgeous! You seem to have a talent for this :D

(And those prices sound fabulous, too. If I stick with beading, I may have to stalk some beading shows!)

How much did you pay for supplies? How long did it take you to make it? (It looks like they were hand wire-wrapped).

A friend of mine used to sell her stuff based on cost of supplies + (hours spent constructing*$5.00). 5.00$ was was minimum wage back then.

I could see that going for between 20-40$ or possibly more, easy. But, again, depends on the cost of supplies to make it.

[rhienelleth.livejournal.com]

Well, with the amount of silver used, even at the awesome price I paid at the bead show, I'd guess-timate materials to be at least $20. Hours spent? I have no idea. Um...maybe 6? I think that's about right. (Yes, all the wire work is by hand.)

[shadawyn.livejournal.com]

So using the above formula, a minimum of 50$.

Sounds reasonable. I forgot you use real silver. (On my monitor, it looks like gold, but that's my work monitor. Everything on it looks awful :P I'm not quite ready for silver yet. Lead-free pewter and "silver-colored" for me :D

[shadawyn.livejournal.com]

I should add that people interested in this kind of jewelry understand that these are generally one of a kind, and artist-made, so they are willing to pay the higher prices. I still blanch sometimes, but I have to remind myself that this isn't a machine (or sweatshop)-made high quantity sort of thing.

Thus, you are paying for craftsmanship and quality.

I'm still cheap, but I'm getting over it :D

[featherweight.livejournal.com]

Guh. That is beyond stunning.

I actually don't buy bracelets that often (my parents do that for me). But since it's silver, I would pay $40 I think, but I'm a college so my sense of pricing is much lower than others! Hehe. It's beautiful.

[kistha.livejournal.com]

That is beautiful! You are doing disgustingly well for someone who's just started!

I'm not sure how the pricing would work out, but I'd look at a jewelry store, find and equivalent and go from there.

You make me want to bead more. I used to do it a lot, but it's kind of the last on the list these days, especially since I'm still carrying guilt about the bead curtain I promised someone ages ago...and still haven't finished.

Loves

[kismeteve.livejournal.com]

That's gorgeous. I have no idea how to price something like that, but considering you use real silver and amber and citrine, I can guess anywhere between $35-55.

[sekhmets-temple.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness! That's stunning. I love the design. You know, you're really good at this.