Jewelry or jewelry is small decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Jewelry may be attached to the body or the clothes, and the term is restricted to durable ornaments, excluding flowers for example. For many centuries metal, often combined with gemstones, has been the normal material for jewelry, but other materials such as shells and other plant materials may be used. It is one of the oldest type of archaeological artifact – with 100,000-year-old beads made from Nassarius shells thought to be the oldest known jewelry. Jewelry may be made from a wide range of materials. Gemstones and similar materials such as amber and coral, precious metals, beads, and shells have been widely used, and enamel has often been important. In most cultures jewelry can be understood as a status symbol, for its material properties, its patterns, or for meaningful symbols. Jewelry has been made to adorn nearly every body part, from hairpins to toe rings, and even genital jewelry. The patterns of wearing jewelry between the sexes, and by children and older people can vary greatly between cultures, but adult women have been the most consistent wearers of jewelry; in modern European culture the amount worn by adult males is relatively low compared with other cultures and other periods in European culture.
If you have an eye for fashion, the jewelry business could be for you. Since jewelry is a top gift choice for holidays, birthdays and anniversaries, selling it presents the opportunity to create unlimited earning potential. The jewelry business also offers a great degree of freedom and flexibility. Whether you would like to sell jewelry full time or on the side to make extra cash, successfully operating a jewelry business requires forethought, planning and organization.
Jewelry Market
According to a 2007 KPMG study, the largest jewelry market is the United States with a market share of 30.8%, Japan, India, China, and the Middle East each with 8–9%, and Italy with 5%. The authors of the study predict a dramatic change in market shares by 2015, where the market share of the United States will have dropped to around 25%, and China and India will increase theirs to over 13%. The Middle East will remain more or less constant at 9%, whereas Europe's and Japan's market share will be halved and become less than 4% for Japan, and less than 3% for the biggest individual European countries, Italy and the UK.
Things You'll Need
- Computer with Internet access
- Jewelry-making magazines
- Yellow pages
- Digital camera
Jewelry Business Instructions
- Write a business plan identifying potential customers, create a budget and establish sales goals. Decide if you will sell jewelry brought from a wholesaler or if you will make it yourself. Select the kind of jewelry you will sell. Karen E. Speeder of entrepreneur.com says, "Choose the type of jewelry design you want to specialize in, such as earrings, rings, necklaces, handbags or a combination of specialties."
- Develop a marketing plan. Decide if you will sell jewelry online, at arts and crafts fairs, by consignment, wholesale or at private shows.
- Research and make a list of suppliers. Whether you decide to make your own jewelry or purchase pieces wholesale, many resources can be found in the pages of beading and jewelry-making magazines. Search in the yellow pages under the jewelry and beads sections to find wholesalers or bead stores. Doing a web search will surely generate a lengthy list of suppliers.
- Take pictures of jewelry to be used in marketing materials. To successfully sell jewelry, you will need to learn to take professional-looking photos. Photos should be arranged in an aesthetically appealing way. This may require some practice. Jewelry designer Rena Klingengerg says, "Photographing jewelry is an important skill for jewelry artists because jewelry is a visual product." The photos can also be used to create a portfolio.
- Create a business identity by ordering business cards and postcards that include pictures of your jewelry. If you sell jewelry at arts and crafts fairs, potential customers will need to be drawn to your booth or table. Order a banner that utilizes text and graphics that indicate exactly what you sell in an attractive manner.
Tips and Warnings
- Allow family and friends to model your jewelry. Give them a healthy share of business cards to give to admirers. Study trends and styles, as jewelry is part of the ever-changing fashion industry. Do not ignore men as potential clients. Men represent a large number of jewelry purchases.
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