MKM Jewelry, Inc.

Should You Copyright Your Jewelry Design?

MKM Jewelry — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 07:48:08 +0000

Among jewelry designers and creators there is a great deal of interest in best practices for intellectual property protection. Several lawsuits have emerged in recent years over infringement of jewelry design copyrights. Properly understanding this topic is key to receiving appropriate recognition and all financial benefit from one's original creation. To adequately address this topic, we should first define intellectual property in specific terms and the legal processes associated with it. We can then discuss the extent of copyright protection for jewelry.

Intellectual Property (IP)

The World Intellectual Property Organization defines intellectual property (IP) as "creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce." Protecting IP is critical to maintaining an environment that encourages innovation. Intellectual Property law does this by ensuring a creator can receive recognition for, solely benefit financially from, and prevent unauthorized usage of their original creations. Intellectual property generally falls into four categories, each carrying its own legal processes and requirements:

Copyright
Patent
Trademark
Trade secrets

Let's review what they all mean and their applicability to jewelry copyright.

Copyright vs. Trademark vs. Patent vs. Trade Secret

In general conversation, the terms representing the four categories of intellectual property tend to be used interchangeably. However, each type of intellectual property has a unique legal definition. Understanding the differences between them is crucial to adequately protecting your IP. The following definitions were taken from the World Intellectual Property Organization, and the Legal Information Institute at Cornell University.

A trademark is a phrase, symbol, or word that is meant to be an identifying aspect of a particular brand, seller, or manufacturer. This identifier distinguishes their products from others on the market.
A trade secret includes all confidential business information that gives a business or company a competitive edge over others in the market.
A patent is usually granted for an invention that produces or creates a new process to solve a problem. To get your patent approved, you must provide technical information about the design in a patent application. Any company who wishes to use, make, sell, or distribute a product with your design, must obtain permission first.
The U.S Copyright Act was originally enacted to protect authors. Due to the technological advancements since its original enactment, the act was expanded in 1978 to include all works of physical authorship to protect any representation of the original work. Only the owner of the copyright can reproduce, display, distribute, and license copies of the item.

Critical exceptions to The Copyright Act are items deemed "functional." The U.S Copyright Office deemed almost all fashion to be functional and, therefore, not protected by copyright law. Does jewelry copyright fall under fashion? Today, you’re going to find out. Two government agencies are responsible for administering intellectual property law passed by Congress. These are the U.S Patent and Trademark Office and the U.S Copyright Office.

What Kind Of Jewelry Copyright Protection Should You Pursue?

While fashion was mostly excluded from copyright protection, something else was excluded from this exclusion. Enter, jewelry. Jewelry, in contrast to other fashion, is eligible for copyright protection. Like any other original work, jewelry acquires copyright protections immediately upon production. However, you might still be wondering why you should seek copyright protection versus patent protection. Here's a simple explanation that might clear things up. A patent protects new ideas and concepts for the exclusive use and financial benefit of the inventor. A copyright protects the tangible expression of an idea but not the idea itself, in contrast to a patent which protects the ideas and concepts. For example, Microsoft can copyright its software Microsoft Word but the concept of a word processor cannot be copyrighted. Anyone could code their own word processor from scratch, if they so choose. Patents are granted only for completely new designs, ideas, or concepts. To obtain a patent, instead of a jewelry copyright, you would need to sufficiently proved that your idea presents a brand-new method of doing something that never existed before. So, unless you can claim to have invented the type of jewelry for which you are making a design, it's hardly likely that seeking a patent for your jewelry design will be successful. However, if you can prove that a specific element of your jewelry is a new invention, you might be able to patent that component.

More on Copyright Protections

Economic
Moral

The names themselves are quite self-explanatory but let's go in to some details. Economic protections allow a creator, at his or her discretion, to prevent or authorize use of their creation, whether the usage would be for profit or not. Economic protections also allow a creator to require compensation for any usage. Moral protections preserve a creator's right to be properly credited with the work, and oppose any changes that might be harmful to his or her reputation.

Copyrighting Jewelry

So, how does copyright protection apply to jewelry? Jewelry is copyrighted as soon as it is produced, like any other original creation. No paperwork required. However, in order to take legal action to enforce a copyright infringement, the item must be formally registered. Also, in order to be eligible for statutory damages and legal fees, formal registration must take place within three months of initial publication. In this context, publication refers to any public distribution such as offering it for sale, giving it as a gift, or even posting a picture of it in a public space. Jewelry can be copyrighted as individual pieces, or as collections to reduce the paperwork and cost of the process. The formal copyright registration process takes several months. It bears repeating that an idea or concept for jewelry cannot be copyrighted, only tangible expression of the idea.

Should You Copyright?

There are a few key benefits to acquiring formal copyright protection for your jewelry designs. First, formal registration is required for pursuing a legal copyright infringement case. Also, registering an item within three months of publication entitles you to statutory damages and legal fees when enforcing infringements. However, pursuing a copyright infringement case is a tricky undertaking for the plaintiff. The plaintiff, who bears the burden of proof in these cases, would need to prove both "access and substantial similarity"6 Burden of Proof The person filing the claim must prove that the infringer had access to the original jewelry design and that the infringing work is substantially similar to the original piece of jewelry. If there is no similarity between creations, no copyright infringement has occurred. To dig a little deeper, not all elements of a copyrighted object are protected by copyright law. So, similarity of the pieces of jewelry must be shown specifically between the elements that are eligible for copyright protection. In an even more complicated twist, copyright law allows for two parties to hold valid copyright protections for identical creations under a certain circumstance. This means that if two people create the exact same design with no exposure to each other's work throughout the process, both copyrights are valid. Importation of Infringers Formally registering a jewelry copyright also allows you to register with the U.S Customs and Immigration Service to protect against the importation of copyright-infringing products. Controlling Your Brand Additionally, having a formal copyright on your jewelry gives you more control in enforcing proper commercial use and depiction of your work. Anyone who wants to use your work, whether for financial benefit or not, must seek your permission. A formal copyright registration becomes public record and makes it easier for people to contact you for permission, and easier for you to track usage.

What Your Copyright Doesn't Protect Against

A good understanding of Fair Use doctrine is vital efficient copyright enforcement. According to copyright.gov, your work can be criticized, commented upon, and used in news reporting, research, and education activities. None of these constitutes copyright infringement.

Disadvantages of Copyrighting Jewelry

While there are certainly more advantages than disadvantages to copyrighting your jewelry designs, there are still some downsides to consider before commencing the process. The first thing to bear in mind is that the formal registration process costs money and takes several months. Depending on how many pieces you intend to register, the process could end up being very pricy and a huge burden on your time. However, you can register your jewelry in collections to reduce the cost and time required. If you don't intend to use your jewelry for commercial purposes or economic benefit, the cost and rigor of form jewelry copyright registration can seem like fruitless work.

How Do You Get It Done?

You've considered all the factors, weighed the benefits against the disadvantages, and decided that formal copyright registration is best for your jewelry. How do you get the ball rolling on jewelry copyright? First, it is highly recommended that you file for copyright registration within three months of publication. Doing this will give you a legal claim to statutory damages and legal fees when enforcing infringement. Publication can include posting pictures online or giving the jewelry to someone as a gift. You should then decide how many pieces you'd like to register in that filing. If you designed all the pieces in your collection and they haven't been previously published, they can be registered together for the cost of one filing. Then, go to the electronic copyright office and follow the instructions for registering your jewelry copyright. You can pay the filing fees using your credit or debit card. Be sure to upload the required photos for all the pieces you intend to register. The registration cannot be properly processed without them. Now, you wait. The process typically takes several months.

How Long Does Copyright Protection For My Jewelry Designs Last?

The length of protection depends on when the object was created and registered, but current copyright law protects creations for 70 years beyond the creator's death. Since copyright protection for jewelry applies exclusively to the tangible expression of an idea. If you would like to protect other aspects of your business — such as your company's name, logo or byline — you would need to look into other types of intellectual property protection.

Copyright Laws Benefit All

Overall, the legal processes governing intellectual property in this country are designed to foster innovation and creativity while providing all citizens with fair access to information. By allowing creators to be sole financial beneficiaries of their original work, the system provides economic incentive for citizens to strive for excellence in their chosen crafts. When creative people do their best work, society as a whole benefits from the increased quality of services, products, and information available. Fair Use doctrine further provides means for the general public to benefit from copyrighted jewelry and other creations without violating the copyright-owner's sovereignty over his or her work.

MKM Jewelry — Your Trusted Source

We hope this blog was informative and useful in deciding what's best for protecting your company's jewelry copyrights. Jewelry copyright protections stand at a fascinating intersection of laws and are certainly worthy of further research. We encourage you to explore the wealth of information regarding copyright protection for jewelry available on the internet. Regardless of where you are in the design process, please feel free to contact us for any of your jewelry manufacturing needs. Our experts are equipped and ready to assist you with computer-aided design and manufacturing, engraving, finishing, lost wax casting, laser welding, mold making and setting. Reach out today!

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How to Get your Jewelry Business Off the Ground

MKM Jewelry — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 08:03:51 +0000

Designing and making jewelry is a creative endeavor that can be extremely rewarding. If you’re thinking of taking your interest or hobby in jewelry-making to the next level and starting a jewelry business, here are some steps you can take to make sure you’re successful.

How to Make a Jewelry Business Plan

The first step in starting a jewelry business is to make a jewelry business plan. Putting in the time to really research your target market (the people who will buy your jewelry), define your goals, and calculate costs and income will really pay off in the longer term. Here are some of the essentials you’re going to want to include in your plan:

Executive summary
What is your business? This is like a blurb for your jewelry business, or how you might pitch it to people who ask.
Company description
What does your business do? Starting a jewelry business could involve:
- Designing jewelry
- Making custom jewelry to order
- Selling jewelry on a certain theme
- Repairing and restoring jewelry
Market analysis
Who is your ideal customer? Describe the person who will buy your jewelry. Consider their:
- Gender
- Age
- Possible Occupations
- What they might do for fun
- Where they live
- Where they shop
- Their fashion sense and style
- The type of jewelry they like to wear (colors, materials, pieces)
- How much they have to spend on jewelry
- Who might give them jewelry as a present
You will also need to find out what companies already sell jewelry to your ideal customer (or “target market”), how much demand there is for your kind of jewelry, and who your main competitors will be when you’re starting a jewelry business.
Products
What are you selling? How might your customers categorize or compare it? Consider:
- Inexpensive fashion jewelry
- High-end fashion jewelry
- Personalized keepsake jewelry
- Engagement and wedding rings
- Sets and collections
- Materials (metals and alloys, precious metal clay, gemstones…)
Marketing and sales

Where will you sell your jewelry? This is one of the most important points in your jewelry business plan. When you’re just starting a jewelry business, will you sell through social media, online shopping platforms, go to markets and festivals, or go straight for selling wholesale through shops?

Think about where your ideal customer looks for jewelry and where they might hear about it. Maybe they listen to the radio, so that’s where you’ll advertise. Or they might be more likely to find you online, in a magazine, or see your business card at their favorite clothing store or café.
Funding
Next for starting a jewelry business, you’ll need to spend some time figuring out how much it will cost you to make at least one basic jewelry collection multiplied by the production size, plus marketing, packaging, and shipping costs. Find out options for getting a business loan, crowdfunding, or using your own savings to get started.
Example balance sheets
Use your calculations to make a projected balance sheet that includes what you’ll spend and what you expect to make in the first year. To work out your prices, you’ll need to use: cost of materials + time to make x hourly rate + profit (go for around 30%) You can also compare your prices to similar companies to see if they are competitive or not. It takes time to build up a business, so don’t expect to make a profit right away.
Business license and a seller’s permit
To sell to friends and family when you’re starting a jewelry business, you will not need any kind of license or permit. However, you WILL need these to sell wholesale to shops, get discounts on materials, and claim expenses back on taxes.

Design Your First Collection

Now you’ve got your jewelry business plan written up, you can think about designing the initial collection to start your jewelry business. The advantage of a collection over eclectic bits and pieces is that it keeps you focused on developing a signature style, and it makes it easier for your customers to buy a few things at once or come back later to get the matching bracelet, earrings, etc.

Thinking about your ideal customer, make a list of 20 keywords to help guide your collection. It can be things like “gold,” “sapphires,” “dolphins,” “waves,” “circles,” or whatever else comes to mind along with a theme that your ideal customer would like. Each piece will need to have something in common with all the others. It could be the same metal, the same shape, the same picture, or another similar feature. You can have a gold necklace and a silver necklace in the one collection if they both have the same pendant or shape, for example.

Draw 40 possible pieces for your collection and pick the most impactful to start your jewelry business with. Ask for feedback from family and friends on your designs, and think about making each piece comfortable to wear before you begin the manufacturing process.

Start Small and Build up Your Client Base

With your designs, you can either purchase the materials yourself or have the pieces made for you by a jewelry manufacturing company. Depending on the production size you want for starting a jewelry business (5, 20, 100, 1,000, 10,000 sets), you may be better off purchasing certain materials in bulk online or at trade shows to pay the wholesale price.

Once you have your product, you’re ready to start selling! Start small by selling in person, through social networks, websites, and at events such as markets and festivals until people get to know you and join your mailing list. Then you can save up and invest in larger-scale production, selling through shops around your state, the country, and even the world! Have another look at your jewelry business plan every now and again, and update the marketing strategy as you find out what works for you.

Streamline the Manufacturing Process

MKM Jewelry Inc. can help you with starting your jewelry business by working with you on your designs and taking care of the manufacturing stage for a professional result. We have all the tools, equipment, and high-quality materials needed to make stunning jewelry, and can make just about any quantity you need (small or large).

Contact us at (213) 689-4823 or via email at info@mkmjewelry.com to get started on getting your jewelry business up and running today!

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Manufacturing for the Los Angeles Jewelry District

MKM Jewelry — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 07:31:18 +0000

MKM has exciting news—we have a new location in the historic Downtown Los Angeles Jewelry District.

This area including Olive Street, Hill Street, and Broadway Street, from 5th to 8th Streets (south-east of Pershing Square), is the largest jewelry district in the United States and includes around 5,000 businesses. You can find jewelry designers, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers, as well as gold, silver, diamond, pearl, and precious stone LA jewelry district wholesale merchants—many of whom buy and exchange jewelry and precious metals.

For those with impending nuptials, the area also features wedding jewelry stores and bridal shops, while the wider area offers theaters, restaurants, and factory outlets for all kinds of clothing. We’re proud to have our business in this historic district, helping us work directly with our clients, customers, and the jewelers who have helped make Los Angeles what it is today.

The History of the Downtown Los Angeles Jewelry District

Most of the buildings in the Downtown Los Angeles Jewelry District were built in the early Twentieth Century (around 1923) when the number of motor vehicles increased significantly. The oldest building in the area is the three-story building now occupied by Teresa’s Bridals. This moderate building height is typical of the era, as the architects and planners of the time wanted to avoid the heavy urban concentration caused by the use of skyscrapers in the East-coast cities.

LA jewelry district wholesale, manufacturing, and retail really began to boom in the 1960s when gold was considered more stable than the U.S. dollar. However, by this time there were already some jewelry businesses in the area, with the earliest being the Laykin Diamond Company and Harry Winston & Co, established in 1932. Shops typically had their retail space at street level and offices upstairs, with buildings like the Alexandra Hotel and St Vincent Jewelry Center housing multiple retailers and manufacturers.

The St Vincent Jewelry Center

MKM Jewelry is proud to be located in the St Vincent Jewelry Center, 640 South Hill Street, Suite 950, in the famous Downtown Los Angeles Jewelry District. We’re also close to a cute alleyway of European-inspired restaurants and the historic Los Angeles Theater across the street on South Broadway. The proximity to LA jewelry district wholesale suppliers and retailers will open up exciting new opportunities for serving our customers and supporting local businesses right here in California.

Bring Your Jewelry Designs to Life!

If you have a special piece of jewelry that you would like made, or perhaps a design that you’d like manufactured to sell commercially, MKM has all the tools, equipment, and local quality materials to bring your dream to life. You can call us on (213) 689-4823, email us at info@mkmjewelry.com and attach your design, or come to see us in the downtown Los Angeles jewelry district to find out how we can give you a stunning result today!

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How to Make Unique Jewelry Textures with Hammers

MKM Jewelry — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 05:51:34 +0000

When you enter the world of jewelry metalwork, you discover a new fascination with jewelry textures that you never knew existed. You knew before that metal could be cut, shaped, and bent in different ways to form rings, bracelets, and chokers, but adding dimpled or ridged textures to the surface simply makes the pieces so much more exciting!

In this blog post, we focus on jewelry textures, introducing you to the most common tools and hammers for creating all kinds of unique patterns in your metalwork.

What is Texturing?

As one of the elements of jewelry design, “texturing” refers to altering the surface shape of the metal by creating grooves (called “engraving”), hammering from the underside (called “repoussé”), and hammering from the topside (called “chasing”). These techniques have been used since ancient times and result in higher prices for pieces because they are so labor intensive. Depending on the tools and techniques you plan to use to texture your metal, you can either texture the metal flat sheet first and then dome it, or dome it first and then texture it. We will mention the tools that are suitable for texturing different shapes of metal while explaining each one.

Texturing Techniques and Tools

Stamps are one of the quickest and easiest ways to create a pattern in metal and can be used on flat and round surfaces. You can buy pre-made stamps individually or in a set, or design your own.

Another easy technique for texturing is rolling. To do this, the metal needs to be fully annealed, and must be flat. Choose a soft material to place between the metal sheet and the roller, and simply pass the layers through a rolling mill. Voilà! You now have textured metal ready to shape.

For more artisanal and unique texturing, you can use texturing hammers. There are hammers for working with flat, domed, and concave shapes, and you can create all sorts of patterns and effects by using one or a combination of hammers to gently alter and decorate the surface of your metal. Hammers are best held lightly, you’ll want to let the weight of the hammer do most of the work for you. Let’s have a look at the most common types of hammers for creating jewelry textures and how to use each one.

Planishing and embossing hammers

Planishing hammers have a flat face and a rounded face (if double-sided). Create even, overlapping jewelry textures on domed metal by supporting the metal on a mushroom stake and moving it around slowly as you strike. You can use the same technique with both the flat and rounded faces, however, the rounded face will leave deeper marks. It’s even possible to use both faces on the same piece. Start with the curved face and hammer lightly and consistently, following with the flat face to modify the effect.

This hammer is not suitable for concave shapes because the face won’t fit in the curve, but you can use it for flattening out wire and metal sheet, or shaping the metal to fit the shape of the stake underneath—again this requires the strikes to overlap.

Embossing hammers have oval or round faces and create dimpled jewelry textures—those with rounder faces producing a more pronounced effect. As with planishing hammers, embossing hammers can be used in forming the shape of the metal as well as for creating jewelry textures.

Raw silk, sandstone, and customized hammers

As with the last group, these hammers are used for making jewelry textures rather than forming. Raw silk hammers have a flat face and a domed face with etched or raised patterns that you can transfer to the metal by hammering straight down, or layer strikes from both faces for a unique effect.

Sandstone hammers also have a flat face and a domed face, both of which look like meat tenderizers and create a sandstone texture. Use the flat face on domed metal and the domed face on flat metal for best results.

You can even make your own customized hammer by taking an existing model and sawing your original design into the face with a flex shaft. When the design is complete, file, sand, and buff the face and it’s ready to use! Keep the depth as even as possible across the face so your pattern will be equally as deep and clear when you transfer it to the metal. Strike across the metal sheet you want to texture, taking care not to overlap the patterned “stamps” from your unique texturing hammer for a clear result.

Making Samples of your Textures

As you experiment with different jewelry textures, create a sample disc for each technique, hammer, and combination that you use. Buff the blank first for best results. On the back of the metal sheet, write or attach the name of the tools you used, and describe the technique that produced that particular effect. You can keep these as flat sheets, or make your samples from metal circles and dome them for display. To stop the samples from tarnishing, keep them in plastic gem boxes or something similar.

Straight cross-peen, riveting, and goldsmithing hammers

These hammers are used for texturing but not for forming the shape of the metal. The face of a cross-peen hammer is a straight line with varying degrees of sharpness (narrow, thin) or roundness (broad, thick). With cross-peen hammers, you can create jewelry textures made up of short lines that nearly look like engravings. Broader faces can be used in concave shapes for a subtle texture, and narrower faces make the lines much more pronounced. Overlap strikes with a cross-peen hammer to create a rippling, water-like effect.

Riveting and goldsmithing hammers are basically different combinations of planishing and cross-peen faces that allow you to create a larger variety of jewelry textures. Riveting hammers have a flat face and a cross-peen face, although you can modify the faces yourself to be more rounded (as opposed to flat or narrow). Goldsmithing hammers are like riveting hammers but larger, with a round, flat planishing face. To create straight and swirling jewelry textures with straight cross-peen, riveting, and goldsmithing hammers, use a marker to draw lines on the metal as a guide for your strikes as you work your way around.

Add a Distinctive Touch With Laser and Hand Engraving

To add a personalized and distinctive touch to your textured jewelry, have your pieces engraved with MKM’s laser and hand engraving services. We can also set gemstones, finish surfaces in a range of styles, and add enamel to your jewelry in stunning colors. If you have ideas for unique jewelry textures and want to make the most of our complete range of metals, tools, and technology, contact us about our streamlined manufacturing process. To find out more, call us today at (213) 689-4823 or send an email to info@mkmjewelry.com.

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Custom Birthstone Jewelry

MKM Jewelry — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 06:44:20 +0000

Are you an independent designer who’s looking for an excellent custom jewelry option that will appeal to a wide range of customers? We have your answer: birthstone jewelry. Custom birthstone jewelry offers the perfect canvas for your unique designs. It has something for everyone and never goes out of style!

Birthstones are rich with meaning, and no matter what occasion your customers are shopping for--a birthday, graduation party, wedding, holiday, etc.--birthstone jewelry is always a welcome gift. Learn more about the birthstones for each month, and how you can use them in your custom designs, below.

January: Garnet

Garnet is a very durable gemstone found all over the globe, but the term garnet is actually used to describe a series of several closely-related minerals that can differ greatly in color and clarity. While the most common color for garnets is dark red, they can also be pink, purple, orange, yellow, green, and even colorless.

Garnets symbolize passion, loyalty, faith, success, and friendship. Because of this, custom-made garnet jewelry is a wonderful gift for loved ones and lifelong friends. If you want to give your custom birthstone jewelry a unique touch, feature one of the lesser-known colors in your design, or mix and match various hues to create a signature combination.

February: Amethyst

Amethyst is a member of the quartz family, and it is available in many different shades of purple. Amethyst often occurs in geodes and in the cavities of granitic rocks, and because quartz is the second most abundant material in the Earth’s crust, amethyst can be found all over the globe. Some amethyst is very pale in color, while other specimens are dark and vibrant. The most sought-after amethyst is transparent, strongly saturated, and free from any brown or bronze-colored tints. When it comes to your personalized birthstone jewelry, amethyst can be used in its rough form, or it can be cut and polished.

March: Aquamarine and Bloodstone

Aquamarine

Aquamarine is a variety of the mineral beryl. Pure beryl is colorless, but different impurities can cause beryl to take on a variety of colors. When beryl comes into contact with trace amounts of iron, it takes on a greenish-blue to blue color--which is classified as aquamarine. Aquamarine is often pale in saturation, but the more intense the color is, the more valuable the stone.

Bloodstone

Bloodstone is a dark, earthy green stone that features bright red flecks or veins of iron oxide. Some bloodstones are transparent with red spots (heliotrope) while others are opaque with little to no red spots (plasma). High-quality bloodstones are solid green and feature visible red spots. When it comes to using bloodstones in your custom birthstone jewelry, you can choose whichever shape or cut you prefer--it can remain in a smooth, pebble form, or be cut and polished like any other gemstone.

April: Diamond

April’s birthstone is a girl’s best friend: diamond! Not only are diamonds the toughest gemstone, but they’re also one of the hardest naturally occurring substances found on earth. Though diamonds are often thought of as colorless jewels, they can span the entire color spectrum. Colored diamonds vary in intensity, and the more saturated a given color is, the higher the diamond’s value.

May: Emerald

Emerald is a popular gemstone that is adored for its vivid green color. Much like aquamarine, emerald is a variety of the mineral beryl. The green color is created when beryl comes into contact with trace amounts of the element chromium. Emeralds can be found all over the world, and their color can vary in intensity. The deeper the color is, the more valuable the stone, and the rarest emeralds take on a striking green-blue appearance.

June: Pearl, Alexandrite, and Moonstone

Pearl

Unlike other birthstones, pearls are created in nature by living creatures. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other shapes can occur (for instance, baroque pearls.) Perfectly round, natural pearls that are formed in the wild are the most sought-after specimens, but due to high demand, many of today’s pearls are cultured by oyster farmers. High-quality pearls feature a creamy-white, opalescent exterior, but cultured freshwater pearls can be dyed almost any color under the sun. Pearls are very soft, and they’re sensitive to both high heat and acidity. When designing your personalized birthstone jewelry, it’s best to feature them in necklaces and earrings so they see less wear-and-tear.

Alexandrite

Alexandrite is a rare variety of the mineral chrysoberyl. The chemical composition of the gemstone causes it to have a blue-green appearance in natural light, and a purple-red appearance under incandescent light. Because of this, alexandrite has been called “emerald by day, ruby by night.” Due to its rarity, alexandrite is more valuable than most gemstones, including diamonds.

Moonstone

Moonstones come from the mineral adularia, and they are composed of microscopic layers of feldspar, which scatters light. The thinner the layers are, the bluer the stone will appear to be. When a moonstone has thick layers, it takes on a milky-white appearance. Moonstones come in a range of colors, including yellow, green, blue, peach, and pink. Because moonstones are not a relatively strong gemstone, they are prone to stress cracking. Custom birthstone jewelry featuring moonstones must be crafted and worn with care.

July: Ruby

Ruby is the red variety of the mineral corundum. Most gem-quality corundum takes on a deep, blue color, and is known as sapphire--but rubies are remarkably different from their sister stone. By reacting with the element chromium, rubies take on a striking red color and a beautiful fluorescence, which makes them appear to glow from within. It’s a beautiful result--but because chromium can cause cracks and fissures while the crystal is forming, it’s also a double-edged sword. Large, high-quality rubies are very scarce and very valuable.

August: Peridot, Sardonyx, and Spinel

Peridot

Peridot is the rare gem-quality variety of the mineral olivine. It’s a brilliant, crystal clear gemstone with olive green coloring. The intensity of each stone is determined by the amount of iron contained in the crystal’s structure. Because of this, natural peridot gemstones can fall anywhere on the yellow-green-brown spectrum. In rare cases, peridot can even form with little to no yellow or brown, and take on a bright green appearance very similar to emerald.

Sardonyx

Sardonyx is a banded variety of chalcedony, which features alternating layers of sard and onyx. The sard layers are often yellowish-red to reddish-brown in color, depending on how much iron oxide is present. The layers of onyx are white. Because the layers form in parallel bands, sardonyx can be skillfully cut and polished by master artisans to showcase the beautiful juxtaposition. If you’re interested in making affordable custom birthstone jewelry, sardonyx is an easily available gemstone that is relatively inexpensive.

Spinel

Spinel is a beautiful gemstone made of magnesium aluminum oxide, and though it may not have a household name, it has been used to make breathtaking jewelry for centuries. In fact, many famous rubies and sapphires have actually been identified as spinel upon further analysis. Spinel comes in many color varieties, including pink, red, purple, blue, orange, yellow, and even black, which makes it an incredibly versatile option for your custom birthstone jewelry. Spinel’s distinguishing features include its octahedral crystal structure and single refraction, and the more vivid the color is, the more valuable the stone.

September: Sapphire

Sapphire is a variety of the mineral corundum, which is an aluminum oxide. It’s most popular shade is royal blue, though sapphires can also occur in yellow, purple, green, orange, black, colorless--and almost every hue under the sun, except for red. Corundum in the shade of red (and in some locations, pink) is given it’s own moniker: ruby. A sapphire’s color changes based on other elements it contains (iron, copper, chromium, etc.) When designing your personalized birthstone jewelry, embrace a variety of colors and give your September babies something unique to wear.

October: Opal and Tourmaline

Opal

Opals are an amorphous mineraloid made out of hydrated silica, and their water content can range from 3 to 21 percent! Instead of having a typical crystalline structure, opals are composed of microscopic silica spheres that diffract light. This light diffraction is what makes precious opals appear to show a variety of colors, all at once. Many different types of opals exist, and “common opals” do not feature this mystical play of color. Most opals are often referred to by their body color (white, red, blue, black, etc.) Because opals are very delicate, they can crack under extreme temperature, pressure, dehydration, and direct light. Handle all custom opal birthstone jewelry with care.

Tourmaline

Tourmaline is a gemstone that features a beautiful mix of colors, and it is available in every hue imaginable. The reason tourmaline features more than one color is because it is not one mineral--the term tourmaline is used to describe a complex group of minerals that each feature their own unique chemical compositions and physical properties. If you’re interested in using a particular variety of tourmaline for your custom birthstone jewelry, narrow down your options by choosing a specific subcategory: rubellite (red tourmaline,) verdelite (green tourmaline,) schorl (black tourmaline,) or even parti-colored tourmaline, which displays more than one color.

November: Topaz and Citrine

Topaz

Once upon a time, all yellow gemstones were thought to be topaz, and all topaz was assumed to be yellow. However, topaz actually comes in many different colors, and pure topaz is colorless. Like many other gemstones, the color variations of topaz are a result of various impurities. Because topaz is a relatively hard and durable gemstone, it is well suited for jewelry. The rarest color is Imperial topaz, which features bright orange coloring and a pink undertone. Pink, purple, and dark blue topaz are also relatively rare, as they do not often form naturally.

Citrine

Citrine is a variety of quartz that ranges from light yellow to dark brown-orange. Citrine gets its yellow color from traces of iron. Because naturally occurring citrine is quite rare, most citrines found on the market is created by heating more common varieties of quartz, like amethyst. Citrine is a relatively durable semi-precious stone, which makes it a good option for large custom birthstone jewelry. Like most gemstones, the richer the color, the more valuable the stone.

December: Turquoise, Zircon, and Tanzanite

Turquoise

Turquoise is an opaque, blue-green secondary mineral made from a hydrated phosphate of copper and aluminum. Turquoise is available in many different shades of blue, including powdery blue, sky blue, and robin’s egg blue, which features a hint of green. Copper contributes the primary blue hues, while iron and chrome add the slight hint of green. Some turquoise contains veins and patches of host rock, which can lower the stone’s value, but definitely gives it a touch of personality.

Zircon

Not only is zircon a beautiful gemstone that’s available in a wide variety of colors, but it’s also the oldest mineral on earth, and contains important information about the formation of our planet. Zircon commonly occurs in an earthy, brownish-red hue, but most gem-quality zircon is heat treated until it’s gold, blue, or colorless. Blue zircon is the popular choice for a December birthstone, but you can create personalized birthstone jewelry in any color.

Tanzanite

Tanzanite is the blue variety of the mineral zoisite, and it can only be mined in Tanzania. Because of this, tanzanite’s value has a direct correlation with its availability. Trace amounts of vanadium, when combined with extreme heat, give this rare variety of zoisite its blue color, and when cut properly, jewelers can minimize the appearance of brown tones and emphasize the stone’s attractive blue and violet hues. Though tanzanite may rival sapphire in beauty, it is less durable than it’s precious counterpart. When it comes to custom birthstone jewelry, tanzanite is better suited for earrings and necklaces than rings.

Contact Us Today!

If you’re interested in creating a custom line of birthstone jewelry, let our artisans at MKM Jewelry help you bring your creative vision to life. With over 15 years of experience, and the top technology in the industry, we’ll go above and beyond your every expectation. Contact us today for more information!

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What’s a Home Jewelry Party and How Can You Make a Profit at One

MKM Jewelry — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 17:50:54 +0000

Many budding jewelry designers are looking for unique ways to get their jewelry out there, but It’s not always clear where to start. If you’re a jewelry designer who’s created their first pieces, home jewelry parties may be the best way to introduce your collection to the people in your life. From there, you can work on spreading awareness through word of mouth. But jewelry parties aren’t just for those new to the trade, experienced designers can also enjoy the convenience and control of planning their own party. When you’re considering how to sell your jewelry, follow this guide from MKM Jewelry to get your product moving.

What Are Home Jewelry Parties?

Home jewelry parties are a creative alternative to selling your pieces at craft fairs and festivals. Considering how to sell jewelry at these type of events can be an expensive venture, as you have to reserve booth space, pay for tables, give the host a commission, and pay for transportation for your pieces. A home party can be a great way to build relationships with friends of friends and network with people who may be able to advance your business.

Advantages of Home Jewelry Parties

When you host a party at your own home, there are a number of benefits you can take advantage of. First, you don’t have to pay any of the overhead that’s inherent in craft fairs. Even better, you don’t have to spend all day at a craft fair. Usually, those events last 5 - 7 hours (plus set up and break down time), while at a home event, you can spend just three hours with friends and make the same amount of money with less effort and planning. A home party also has advantages for your guests. They’ll feel more relaxed and comfortable in a friend’s home. They’ll also have a chance to speak with you about your jewelry, goals, and business in-depth — cultivating trust from customers. You’re offering them a personalized experience and you can even take commissions while you’re there. Hosting at your own home isn’t a necessity, you can host at a friends house and compensate them by bringing food or even offering them pieces for free. It’s possible to host home jewelry parties at a different friend’s home every week — especially if each host has a different circle of friends.

Downsides of Home Jewelry Sales

There aren’t really any inherent downsides to hosting home jewelry parties, but sometimes your guests may feel too pressured to buy. Organizing niche games, being too strict about the arrival time, or getting too elaborate with food and drinks are all things that can scare off potential customers. The best way to sell your jewelry at a home event is through the open house format.

How to Sell Jewelry Through the Open House Format

The open house format is exactly what it sounds like, although instead of touring a home, people are touring your jewelry collection. To set up an open house home jewelry party, simply set up a time frame and allow people to come and go as they please. There’s no need to schedule events or keep a timetable. Usually, three hours is best for home jewelry parties in the open house format, as it allows people enough time to wander in on their own schedule. They don’t feel pressured to arrive or leave at a certain time and they can show up at their own convenience. Do your best to create a fun shopping atmosphere in a “girl’s night” style where you make suggestions, answer questions, let people try on pieces, and help them decide what they want with a custom order. While this is the basic idea for successful home jewelry parties, MKM Jewelry has some tips to ensure you have everything you need when working on how to sell jewelry.

Tip 1: Be Prepared

Send invitations early — a month in advance is usually best. You can use a free evite service with a number of different templates that allow you to customize an invitation for your business. Make sure people can RSVP through the online service to help you keep track of who is coming. Choose a comfortable number of people to invite and encourage everyone to bring a friend. Hosting on a weeknight or a Saturday afternoon usually brings the biggest crowds, and scheduling a three-hour time frame offers enough time for people to browse, shop, buy, and leave. Bring small bills, gift packaging, business cards, and custom order forms to ensure everything stays organized. Set up your display before people start arriving and make it easy for people to find you. You should also have an area where people can try on and look at jewelry off to the side, so they’re not blocking the displays while checking themselves out. A third area of your home jewelry party should be set up for people to cash out to ease traffic and congestion around your tables.

Tip 2: Stock Up

You can only sell the amount of jewelry you have with you. While you can take custom orders, this means more work for you in the long run and deters the people who make impulse purchases. Guests want to be able to take their jewelry home with them right away, so don’t make them wait a week for a piece they loved at the party. Selling the pieces you actually have also reinforces that each item is unique and custom, making people feel like they’re getting something truly special. We recommend stocking up 3 - 5 pieces per guest with a focus on pieces that sell out the fastest. As a rule, earrings sell out quickest at home jewelry parties, so make more of these than you would of necklaces, rings, and bracelets.

Tip 3: Create a Smart Display

Selling your jewelry successfully isn’t all about the quality of your pieces — sometimes it’s about how you show it off. Ensure your displays are visually appealing and easy to navigate by organizing them by color, stone, style, or type. Pair items together that can be worn as a set and don’t put everything on a single table. People like to wander around at home jewelry parties, so when thinking how to best sell jewelry, avoid clutter and use several tables throughout the home to display your items. You don’t want to irritate your guests or cause them to give up with too much clutter or too many people around a single display.

Tip 4: Choose Vertical Displays

Statistically, people buy jewelry more often when it’s at their eye level. Make sure your displays are at varying heights. Don’t just lay everything flat, as it doesn’t showcase all the angles of your pieces and it’s very boring. You can display your pieces at the height they should be worn — earrings are highest, then necklaces, and lowest can be rings and bracelets. It doesn’t matter what you use to elevate your pieces. We’ve seen jewelry displayed on tiered cakes, metal sculptures, and tree branches. Depending on your jewelry style, choose a display that complements your pieces.

Tip 5: Don’t Forget Mirrors

While home jewelry parties happen in a home — and homes have mirrors — you’ll need extras. People want to see the jewelry they try on from every angle — without running to the bathroom to look at the earrings or necklaces. Position mirrors near tables at strategic heights and provide a few handheld ones so people have easy access no matter where they are. Work with MKM Jewelry Now that you have some top tips on how to host successful home jewelry parties, bring everything together with your gorgeous designs. If your jewelry involves mold making, casting, engraving, setting, or finishing, MKM Jewelry can help. We have over 15 years experience in fashion and fine jewelry. We can take you from the concept board to completion with CAD and CAM processes that allow greater flexibility for your design ideas. Reach out to our expert team today when you call us at (213) 689-4823 or email at info@mkmjewelry.com.

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10 Unique Heart Designs to Use in Your Jewelry

MKM Jewelry — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 17:15:16 +0000

Help From a Jewelry Design Company

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, jewelry designers are hard at work creating heart designs while jewelry businesses are busy stocking up on appropriate rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets for lovers looking for potential gifts. If you’ve started your jewelry designing a little late this year, our jewelry design company can help you bring your ideas to life. While you may not be in the manufacturing stages yet, MKM Jewelry has tons of experience with CAD (computer-aided design) and we can help you create completely unique heart jewelry for your Valentine’s Day customers. Even better, we’ve been in business so long, we can help develop your initial ideas into a comprehensive, eye-catching piece! If you need ideas for original designs, but you still want to stay on trend and create popular styles, read on for our top ten heart design inspirations.

1.Threaded Design

Miniaturized jewelry is all the rage these days and it’s an incredibly popular choice for singles and couples alike. Some of our favorite threaded design ideas include Y-shaped necklaces that thread another shape through the heart. Try a solid heart shape threaded through a hollow heart or an arrow shape through a hollow heart for a cupid-like symbol. If you’re catering to a younger crowd, you may want to keep your jewelry designs trendy with rose gold, or affordable with sterling silver and gold plated styles. You may also want to design adjustable lengths to allow for different sized necks. Because MKM Jewelry has been around for over 15 years, our jewelry design company has seen it all and we can help you figure out the mechanics of threading your design that ensures easy to wear pieces.

2.Solid Heart

Often simple designs are overlooked in the busyness of diamond-encrusted pieces and intricate styles. Solid metal hearts are definitely a unique look today. Our jewelry design company recommends going one of two routes: small and petite or larger discs. The smaller version of this heart jewelry looks best in a thick, three-dimensional form. This style looks good in earrings, necklaces, and rings alike, so it’s a great idea to create a set that people can buy all together. For the larger design, a thin flat disk looks best. These work mainly for necklaces or bracelet cuffs. With larger designs, there is a little bit more room for embellishment. You should consider setting a few small stones or engraving a unique design on the disk.

3.Interlocking Hearts

Interlocking hearts are a fun jewelry design for a necklace, and offer tons of unique styles that are open to your interpretation. You can play with mixed metals — combining rose and white gold, white and yellow gold, or all three colors of gold together. Changing it up with the textures is also an option. One of our top ideas includes leaving one heart smooth and unembellished while texturing the other heart in different ways. Try hammering the metal, adding gemstones, or engraving it to make it more unique. Your interlocking hearts don’t have to be the same size either. Whether you’re using two, three, or more hearts, make your designs eye-catching when you make each heart a different size or shape. At our jewelry design company, we would be molding and casting each heart separately, so you can make them as different as you like.

4.Flaming Hearts

Flaming hearts are incredibly popular tattoo designs, but have you ever considered how they could translate into jewelry? These heart symbols with a fiery flame on top are just perfect for charms or dangle earrings. If you’re a fine jewelry designer, this design may not be for your target market, but if you cater a little more to the rock and roll scene, this may be a perfect choice. Mix up your designs when you carve 3D flaming hearts out of wax and cast them for all metal designs, or add a little color with small red, orange, and yellow gemstones. It’s also a fun opportunity to play with mixed metals again, when you design a red gemstone heart in a white gold setting with a 14K yellow gold flame on top. Worried about finding a jewelry manufacturing and design company that can bring your vision to life? MKM Jewelry can do it all with machine-made wax models and lost wax casting.

5.Gemstone Hearts

Gemstone hearts in precious metal settings are the perfect way to cater to the personalization market. Create heart necklaces, rings, and earrings in each month’s birthstone with complementary metal hues. Since our jewelry design company has worked with a number of metals and gemstones before, we can recommend which metals go best with each stone color. Green and yellow gold make an excellent pair, while rose gold looks amazing with blue and pink hues. Wondering what to do with white gold? It adds a classic sophistication to any gemstone color.

6.Growing Hearts

Nature themes are especially popular, and they’re so versatile that you can create a million different types and never run into a duplicate design. Classic designs are all about hearts and vines, but choosing how to incorporate them is completely up to you. When you choose to work with our jewelry design company, you can take advantage of our computer-aided design to quickly see how each version of your composition would look. Create a series where vines intertwine in different areas of your heart — similar, but not quite the same, so people can buy more than one and create a set. You can also accentuate your heart jewelry with a number of different flowers to tie in a variety of personalized options. Every girl has a favorite flower, so whether you use daisies, roses, orchids, freesias, or cherry blossoms, you’ll create something personal and memorable.

7.Anatomical Heart

While this may be more in line with people who have a unique outlook on jewelry, anatomical hearts are a completely unique jewelry design idea. You can go with a three-dimensional miniature heart or a two-dimensional heart with cutout areas to indicate where the veins would be. Another unique idea involves creating a secret heart locket with a compartment for pictures. You could even hang a ruby or bloodstone gem charm to create a two for one pendant. When you work with MKM Jewelry design company, we can import anatomically correct hearts into our CAD program for simplified heart jewelry design.

8.Heart Chain

Perfect for bracelets and dangle earrings, create more interlocking heart jewelry with a complete heart chain. Instead of just two or three interlocking hearts, create a full chain that can encircle a wrist or create a matching pair long enough to dangle down from earlobes to shoulders. Mix and match size, position, and metal colors to create interesting and distinct designs. For heart jewelry design help, our jewelry design company knows exactly how to help you create whatever you have in mind.

9.Knotted Hearts

Celtic knots are popular design theme, but mixing Celtic knots with hearts is inspired one. The Celtic knot celebrates the interconnectedness of all life in the universe, and when you combine it with a heart, you amplify the symbolism of this ancient design even more. Create your own take on the traditional Celtic design when you use our jewelry design company’s services to mix two iconic jewelry styles. Celtic heart knots work really well for all types of jewelry, but rings and earrings allow you the most flexibility.

10.Halo Hearts

Putting a heart inside a halo echos one of the most popular engagement ring styles of the age. Halo engagement rings are an affordable way to make the center diamond appear larger, and you can use the same technique with your heart jewelry to create statement pieces that really pop. Whether you choose to create a halo around a gemstone heart or halo a heart within a heart with some negative space, add this simple and alluring design to any heart pieces.

Choosing MKM Jewelry

As an accomplished jewelry design and manufacturing company, we’ve learned a lot about what your customers want. We have over 15 years experience with fashion and fine jewelry, and we know all about what sells best over the holidays. This Valentine’s Day, get ahead of the competition when you explore our services to create unique heart jewelry for this holiday and many more! MKM Jewelry is here with CAD and CAM services, as well as casting, mold making, engraving, setting, and finishing help that ensures your jewelry looks completely professional. Bring your designs to life when you reach out to our expert team today!

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Top 10 Valentine’s Day Jewelry Gifts

MKM Jewelry — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 16:34:26 +0000

The Top Jewelry Manufacturing Companies

As a jeweler or jewelry retailer, holidays are your biggest sale times. It always pays to know which pieces to focus on for which holiday, as some are ideal for engagement rings, like Christmas, while others are all about charms and bracelets, like Mother’s Day. At MKM Jewelry, we’ve been among the top jewelry manufacturing companies in Los Angeles for over 15 years, so we know exactly what kind of Valentine’s Day jewelry is most popular. Our expertise and resources can ensure you have the right amount of product for the biggest romantic holiday of the year. If you’re ready to learn about the top 10 Valentine’s Day jewelry buys, read on here for tips from the top jewelry manufacturing company experts.

Heart Rings

Many men are ready to give their special lady a ring, if not THE ring on Valentine’s Day, so you may want to have plenty of cocktail rings and right-hand rings available. Heart designs are especially popular around Valentine’s Day, as they echo what people believe is the essence of the holiday — love, romance, and togetherness. While the higher priced items include 14K gold and precious gemstones, you can also offer more affordably priced sterling silver pieces with cubic zirconia and gems like amethyst, turquoise, and citrine. Most jewelry manufacturing companies can create a limited run of pieces just for the holiday!

Engagement Rings

Surveys conducted over the past several years found the number of couples who get engaged each year on Valentine’s Day to be well into the millions. It is an extremely popular day for engagements due to the romantic atmosphere and couples-focused events. Since so many people are shopping for engagement rings around this holiday, you’ll need to stock up a few weeks, if not months, in advance to make sure you capitalize on all the shoppers. Start talking to jewelry manufacturing companies, like MKM Jewelry, as early as possible to get enough engagement ring settings ready. Some of the most popular settings include solitaire rings, halo rings, and three-stone rings. You don’t have to go exclusively with a diamond ring or yellow gold either — make sure you have a variety of precious metals available including rose and white gold, as well as sterling silver and platinum.

Heart Necklaces

Since this holiday is all about hearts, people love getting their loved one’s heart-themed jewelry — especially when people can place a heart right over her heart. There are tons of designs already out there for heart-themed Valentine’s Day jewelry, so make sure you work with your jewelry manufacturing company to create completely unique designs. MKM Jewelry is one company that will work with you through every stage of jewelry production. Whether your idea only exists in your head or you have the roughest of drafts on paper, we can help you 3D model and print any heart shape you have in mind. With CAD (computer-aided design) and CAM (computer-aided manufacturing), you can create some of the most intricate and unusual designs around.

Diamond Bracelets

Some people really like to keep their gifts as simple as possible for this holiday, so diamond tennis bracelets sell out especially fast around Valentine’s Day. Since tennis bracelets all consist of an unbroken chain of uniform stones, you’ll want to make a few that stand out. Some people like the traditional white gold and diamond style, but others want to personalize their pieces a bit more, so be prepared with some other golds and precious stones. One of the most popular golds today is rose gold, but sterling silver and yellow gold are also making a comeback. Stone options are also relatively versatile, so try to include chocolate diamonds, topaz, sapphire, and emeralds in your collections. Some more affordable options include cubic zirconia, peridot, and aquamarine. MKM Jewelry has recently transitioned into creating fine jewelry, so jewelry manufacturing company with all your Valentine’s Day jewelry — from fashion pieces to fine designs.

Pearl Jewelry

Pearls are the epitome of sophistication, grace, and elegance. Shoppers looking for classic designs will head straight for your pearl collections. Make sure you have a variety of rings, earrings, and necklaces on hand for their convenience. Pearl sets are especially popular, so you may want to run some sales on earring and necklace sets or necklace and ring sets. If you’ve already got your designs in mind, MKM Jewelry can help with setting your pearls. It can be difficult to match multiple pearl settings, so work with one of the top jewelry manufacturing companies to ensure your jewelry looks professional.

Luxury Watches

While luxury watches may not scream romance, they’re still a very popular choice for Valentine’s Day jewelry. Luxury watches are more than just a regular watch, as they combine form and function with semi-precious metals and materials. People will want to tailor their watches to their loved ones with more than just their choice of golds and gems; they’re also looking for water resistance, crystal components, and various extra features like calendars and compasses. If you carry watches in your jewelry store, don’t skimp on the selection. Offer enough to cater to everyone’s interests. Since these aren’t holiday exclusives, like most heart jewelry, you can keep your extra inventory year round to interest customers.

Birthstone Jewelry

Birthstone jewelry is all about personalization that doesn’t cost extra. People love feeling like something was created just for them. Having a few pieces with every birthstone will ensure all your bases are covered. There are a few months that have variations on some of the stones, so here is a refresher for your memory from your local Los Angeles jewelry manufacturing company:

January: Garnet
February: Amethyst
March: Aquamarine or Bloodstone
April: Diamond
May: Emerald
June: Pearl, Moonstone, or Alexandrite
July: Ruby
August: Peridot
September: Sapphire
October: Opal or Pink Tourmaline
November: Yellow Topaz or Citrine
December: Turquoise, Tanzanite, Blue Zircon

Personalized Pieces

Many people want to take their personalization a step further than birthstones with custom engraving or one of a kind pieces. You don’t have to have these pieces already ready to go, but if you design a few styles that leave space for a little extra writing, you can offer engraving services for a small fee. We know that not everyone can do their engraving in-house, so visit one of your local jewelry manufacturing companies, like MKM Jewelry, to arrange for third party engraving services.

Dangle Earrings

Any woman with pierced ears should own a pair of dangle earrings. There are so many different styles to choose from; you can stock up on everything from complex and intricate to simple and subtle. They transition from day to night very easily and allow a woman to accessorize without taking too long. Yellow, rose, and white 14K gold are the most popular options, while diamonds are a universal choice. For the younger crowd, rose gold will sell out most quickly, while traditional couples would love white or yellow gold. You can also stock more affordable fashion jewelry options. MKM Jewelry is one of the most versatile jewelry manufacturing companies and can handle both fashion and fine jewelry designs. Trust in our team to handle all your Valentine’s Day jewelry needs.

Arrow Necklaces

Not everyone likes overt declarations of love and affections, so heart-shaped pieces aren’t for every couple. Arrow necklaces provide the perfect balance between romance and jewelry gifts, symbolizing cupids bow and arrow without being too obvious. The best arrow necklace designs for 2018 are going to be mini jewelry pieces, as miniature designs are especially popular right now. Whether you design pieces horizontally or vertically, keep them small — under an inch long is ideal. Variate your materials to provide everything from gold and platinum to sterling silver and copper metals. Keep some styles simple with no embellishment, and then step up a small selection of your designs with specialty finishing, gemstone accents, and detailed engraving.

Working with the Best

MKM Jewelry is your top local jewelry manufacturing company and we’re experts at delivering what you want. We work with you every step of the way, from concept drawings to finishing, to ensure the pieces stand up to your expectations. We’re available to create one of a kind designs, as well as thousand piece runs, to help you keep your store well stocked. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, having some of the most popular jewelry styles available in your store will help you make all your customers happy. Keeping these top ten designs in mind when getting ready to sell your Valentine’s Day jewelry will help you step up your game! Manufacture your jewelry with MKM Jewelry to take advantage of our reliable services.

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Jewelry Design Inspiration for the New Year

MKM Jewelry — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 04:17:49 +0000

MKM Jewelry is always on the lookout for new jewelry design inspiration and technology to help our clients keep their creative fires burning. We know that staying ahead in business requires a commitment to impeccable design and the highest manufacturing standards. To help you with a little jewelry design inspiration, we combed the photos from fashion weeks across the world to find the biggest styles for 2018 jewelry.

Bold and unconventional jewelry styles dominated the fashion shows in the form of dramatic, oversized earrings and bracelets, intricate detailing, and environmentally-conscious upcycling. We hope you’ll be inspired to incorporate a new design element, with a personal twist, to add that competitive edge to your New Year’s jewelry collections.

Whether you've already designed your pieces, or you're looking for some help to get started on your New Year’s jewelry collection, the experts at MKM Jewelry are ready to help guide you through the entire process. We offer a full line of services including computer-aided design and manufacturing, engraving, finishing, laser welding, lost wax casting, mold making, and setting. MKM Jewelry takes pride in all projects, large or small, so whether you are looking to make a one-of-a-kind piece, or produce thousands of an item, you’ll receive the same exemplary service and high-quality finished product.

Mismatched Earrings

From London to New York, one of the most conspicuous trends on the runways this fall was mismatched earring pairs. If you're looking for some New Year's jewelry design inspiration, we have a feeling this could be one of spring's dominant styles. It showed up in high and low fashion collections, showing its potential for success in any arena.

Chokers

Chokers were all over the runway this year. We saw simple delicate pieces but also, intricate and complex designs. Chokers are cool because they also work great in fabric as well as metals. Our expert team, industry-leading CAD software, and state-of-the-art CAM processes are here to help you convert your most creative vision into reality.

Upcycling

Environmental awareness occupied a highly visible space in fashion shows this year. Several designers incorporated pieces made from upcycled material into their collections. The benefits of upcycling are many-fold. First, finding beautiful ways to repurpose everyday discarded items, such as cans, bottles, and fabric, are a great way to add interesting design twists to your New Year’s jewelry collection and they’re great jewelry design inspirations. Additionally, your business might acquire new interest from environmentally-conscious consumers. You could also take pride in knowing you have done a part in taking care of the environment. MKM Jewelry also tries to do its part in preserving our environment. We do our best to only use both recycled and eco-friendly materials at our Los Angeles facility. Also, we never use lead, nickel, cadmium, chromium, or hazardous chemicals.

Chunky Bracelets & Armband

The chunky wrist and arm bracelets seen on the runway this year were anything but ordinary. MKM Jewelry can help you experiment with new shapes and materials using our computer-aided design software and computer-aided manufacturing techniques. Using a computer to design, you can see your creation in 3D glory, instead of trying to imagine every aspect with pencil and paper.

Hammered Metal

Hammered metal was a dominant element in jewelry fashion this year. From earrings to brooches and bracelets, this style seems poised to be a favorite in spring 2018 fashion. We love the effortless, yet refined look that hammered metal gives its wearer, and are excited about its seemingly endless potential for creating beautiful pieces.

Statement Single Earring

The runway this year was filled with attention-grabbing earrings. Especially prevalent was the single statement earring. And the designers did not hold back. From simple, elegant pieces to fun chandelier earrings perfect for a party, the single earring seemed to be a universal favorite. Consider adding this concept to your New Year’s jewelry collection for an edgy component. Your customers can buy multiple single earrings and get two fashion trends in one: single statement earrings and mismatched earrings!

3D Printing

As fashion and technology repeatedly discover each other, the intersections between these two worlds often take on fascinating new forms. 3D printed jewelry is a perfect example of the harmonious meeting of two distinct worlds. 3D printing opens up a whole new genre of jewelry-making, allowing for never-before seen design complexity. It seems no design is too complicated for this technology. Earrings, pendants, bracelets, anything you can dream of, can be built with a 3D printer. MKM Jewelry has been using 3D printing technology for years and we know that you’ll find some jewelry design inspiration from this ever-developing technology.

Flowers

We saw floral elements incorporated with many of the other major trends. With large flowers on neckpieces and intricate flower patterns on earrings, floral designs seem to be making a comeback for spring 2018 fashion. A unique flower pattern in your collection could provide a boost to your collection’s visual appeal. MKM Jewelry’s experts can help you with the most intricate designs with our superb attention to detail and relentless commitment to excellence.

Feet

Feet were not left unadorned this fashion season. The ‘90s trend seems to be making a resurgence in high fashion. We love a good anklet and we hope these are on their way back for 2018. If you're a little stuck in the jewelry design inspiration department, an updated version of this jewelry style could be just what you need to set your collection apart from the rest.

Choosing Expert Manufacturers

The runways of 2017 left us with a lot of jewelry design inspiration for 2018, and MKM Jewelry is here to help you bring your ideas to life. We are equipped to handle high-end and fashion jewelry, as well as precious and non-precious metals. Our top-notch team can take your design concepts from initial design straight through to full-scale production. Contact us today to get a head start on the New Year.

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How to Prep Your Jewelry Prices for the Holidays

MKM Jewelry — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 01:25:57 +0000

Jewelry is one of the most popular gifts that people give during the holiday season. It can represent the love that family members, friends, and couples feel for each other. The vast selection available out there means that there is the perfect piece of jewelry for every personality, so gifts of jewelry can feel very personal and thoughtful.

Statistics show that during the holiday season, jewelry sales can be more than double what they are throughout the rest of the year. If you run a jewelry business, this will potentially be a very rewarding time for you. However, some preparations are in order as well. Make sure to maximize your success this holiday season by pricing your jewelry suitably. Read on to learn more about how to price your jewelry this holiday season.

How to Price Jewelry

In order to maintain a business selling your jewelry, you must try to find the best pricing for your pieces. High prices will turn away customers, but if your prices are too low, then you will be rewarded inadequately for your work and may even be operating at a loss. What’s more, you may struggle to find customers because buyers will doubt the quality of your jewelry. Jewelry tends to be a luxury item, so it can lose value in the eyes of buyers when priced too low.

Knowing all of that, how can you determine a suitable price for your jewelry? Many experienced jewelry sellers rely on formulas that takes into account variables such as supplies, labor (your time), and overhead, as well as how much profit the seller would like to make. One such formula is can help you decide how to price your own jewelry:

Breaking Even

When pricing jewelry using a formula, add the following variables together to break even:

The cost of your materials. Keep all of your receipts and record the materials you use in each piece. If you only use some of them, then only add in a fraction of that to your calculations. For example, if you buy 20 beads for $2 and use 10 of them, you used $1 worth of beads for this piece. When you shop for materials, make sure to buy them in bulk or wholesale whenever possible for the best prices.
Overhead costs. These are the costs of all the tools and other expenses that you continue using over time. The revenue you make from each piece should cover a small portion of the cost of the tools you are using. This variable is harder to calculate when deciding how to price jewelry, so you may have to estimate.
Labor is an important variable that some independent designers forget about, but it is a very important one, because you, and those working with you, should be paid for your labor. Judging by your level of expertise, decide on an hourly “wage” for yourself, and multiply that by the hours you spend on each piece to include in the price. A good starting “wage” would be about $15 an hour.
Packing, shipping, and any other variables that may be unique to your project.

Making a Profit

By adding together all of these variables, you can figure out a cost that will allow you to break even. When deciding how to price your jewelry, you should also add on a profit margin, which differs from your personal wages, so you can invest it back to your business entity for future supplies and developments.

Many jewelry designers add on 20% to the sum of the above variables as their profit margin when selling wholesale. When selling retail, a good guideline is to multiply your wholesale cost by 1.4 – 2. You may need to do some trial-and-error to find the profit margin that works for your business, but these guidelines are a good place to start.

Adapting the Formula to the Holidays

Even if you have already figured out how to price your jewelry using a set formula, the holiday season presents some opportunities for adjustment.

Note that increasing your prices after your products have already been selling for a while may negatively affect your sales, so only make these adjustments if you do not yet have a stable customer base, or if you are introducing new products.

Labor Cost

In many retail industries, employees earn more per hour when they work on and around holidays. If you will be personally making and selling your jewelry products this holiday season, then factor in the time and energy you will spend doing that to the “labor cost” part of the formula. Do not disregard the trade-offs you are making by working during the holiday season when you decide how to price your jewelry.

Profit Margin

During the holidays, the majority of your sales will be to people who intend to give the piece of jewelry as a gift. In general, customers are willing to spend more money on a gift than on something for themselves. What’s more, customers may even prefer to gift someone a more expensive piece because to a certain extent, the monetary value of a gift correlates to respect for the recipient.

When the holiday season ends, you may want to decrease your prices to adjust for non-holiday sales. You could even keep some of the prices constant for your more popular pieces!

Diversify Your Price Levels

The drastic increase in jewelry sales during the holiday season makes it a crucial time for your business for both branding and sales. When deciding how to price jewelry, make sure to optimize your prices for all customers that you want to attract. Many retailers succeed in doing so by offering two price ranges of jewelry: one high, and one more mid-priced. This way, they can attract customers with a range of budgets.

If you normally specialize in luxury precious metal jewelry, then you may bring in higher profits by offering a more minimal, mid-priced collection this holiday season. If your fashionable, bohemian collection is your calling card but you are thinking about trying out some luxury pieces, then the holiday season would be an ideal time to do it.

Are Sales a Good Idea?

The issue of holiday sales may complicate your process for deciding how to price your jewelry. For most industries, the holiday season means big sales. Luxury industries are a gray area, though, because the desirability of a product can decrease if its price is always changing.

To decide whether you should put your creations on sale or not, take the branding of your company into consideration. If you want your brand to appear ultra luxurious and covetable, then avoid sales and stick instead to holiday marketing to boost your sales. If your brand is more casual, then go ahead and put on a sale.

One way to compromise would be to place a select collection or collections on sale. Choose a more giftable, cheery collection that isn’t one of your classic collections, so that you can maintain the integrity of your brand, while also rewarding your existing customers and attracting new ones to your jewelry line.

Presentation Matters

Gift shopping can be a stressful experience, and if you plan on selling your jewelry at a physical location such as a kiosk or store, you will have to personally interact with many holiday shoppers. Customers will appreciate any efforts you make to simplify the shopping process for them. After deciding how to price your jewelry, use some of these tips to prepare those prices for presentation.

Include Sales Tax in the Price Tag

This will save your customers the need to mentally add the tax on, themselves. This will make a big difference, especially if your jewelry prices are on the higher side. After including tax on your price tag, prop up a sign reading “Tax included in price.”

Round Your Price to a Whole Number

For on-the-daily and luxury jewelry alike, consider rounding your price to a whole number, or even to the nearest tenth. This way, your prices look cleaner and customers who choose to pay in cash have an easier time.

Beyond Pricing…

There are so many ways for you to capitalize on the holiday gifting season. It is important to know how to price your jewelry, but there are other ways to prep your business for the season. This could be an ideal time to introduce a new collection, especially if it embodies the holiday spirit. You can also experiment by grouping different products together in a fun gift bundle – this could be a good way to sell some of your slower-selling products or to introduce new styles to your customers. Make your preparations wisely and watch your brand flourish!

If you’re thinking of creating a new line just in time for the holidays, reach out to MKM Jewelry to help you with design, manufacturing, and finishing. We can help bring your fashion and fine jewelry ideas to life today!