Ok so there are lots of different kinds of jewelry, and different ways that it is produced. I want to talk about the difference between production jewelry and one-of-a-kind jewelry. These are the two main production methods that art jewelers use to produce original designs and fabricate their products.
Production line stacking rings
Production line jewelry is (in general) a cohesive collection of jewelry that can be easily reproduced. It is generally assembled in batches and sold at a fixed price. The production process is well documented so that it is easy for the jeweler to streamline the process, or the company to outsource specific tasks, or the collection all together. Jewelry stores like production lines because all the pieces look good together, ordering is simple, and they know what to expect.
One-of-a-kind rings
One-of-a-kind jewelry is entirely different. Each piece is made separately, and without the intention of re-producing or mass-producing it. Each piece is sketched out, designed, fabricated, and finished by the artist, either as a custom project for a customer, or as a unique piece for the artist to sell, display, or wear. One-of-a-kind pieces are special because the artist put so much thought, time, and energy into them, and because they are one-offs and no one else will have the exact same piece. Sometimes they are part of small collections or series, where the artist is working with a specific idea, technique, or style, and sometimes they completely stand alone.
The prices can also differ wildly. Obviously jewelry prices can be all over the place depending on the store, artist, location, production method and materials. But in general, one-of-a-kind jewelry is going to cost a lot more than production jewelry. Each piece is unique, so the artist must account for all their time designing, fabricating, finishing, photographing, and selling each piece. If you see a piece marked OAK or OOAK, know that it costs a bit more because it is the only one of it’s kind that the jeweler made. With production, the process is somewhat streamlined and sometimes outsourced, so the cost of each piece is going to be a bit lower. This does not mean it is inferior quality, or not as valuable as the one-of-a-kind jewelry. It just means that the artist or company made multiple of the same piece, and kept the cost down.
When it comes to my own work, I do both production and one-of-a-kind. I find that I enjoy making one-of-a-kind jewelry more because I have so many ideas and don’t like feeling stuck in a rut. I like working with different shaped stones and materials, and creating something different each time. Of course, I still make production line jewelry too. I make dozens of my kitty cat earrings and stacking rings each year because they’re easy to make and easy to sell. With my production line, each piece is still handmade by me, but I’ve made these pieces so many times that I know exactly what goes into them, what my process is, and how much time it will take. I’ll usually make a batch of the same product, just because I know I’ll be able to sell them and it’s faster that way.
No matter whether I’m making production work or one-of-a-kind I put a ton of love into each piece. I truly want each piece of jewelry I finish to find a good home and be worn and treasured. In my website shop, you can see my production line jewelry if you click on any of the buttons that say “simple” and my one-of-a-kind jewelry if you click on any of the buttons that say “fancy.” I also have some custom items that are one-of-a-kind, but made to order, like my “magic words” jewelry and my “stellar” collection.
I am so grateful I get to do what I’m passionate about each day, bring people together with my artwork, and make the world a more beautiful place.