If you love wearing jewelry and if your friends admire your exquisite taste, you might want to consider trying your hand in jewelry design!

All you need to be a jewelry designer and maker is the passion for creative jewelry making and the confidence that you will succeed. Many jewelry stores have initiated by means of a hobby and today are developed into million dollar companies!

Things you need to get started…
You will need a couple of jewelry supply catalogs and order some jewelry making supplies and tools. Some of the basic tools include, Wire Cutters, Jewelry Pliers and a Crimp Tool.

You can purchase these by visiting a jewelry trade show or simply by contacting a local jewelry trader in your area. Most of the tools are easy to use and you don’t need to be a tools expert. All you need is a lot of CREATIVITY!

Research… Market Trend Analysis…
Do your part of background research. Find out the latest trends and select your target group carefully. You don’t want to make jewelry which won’t be sold, so analyze the market demands carefully. You can show some of your designs to friends and ask them to give their honest opinion. You can even choose to specialize in one area. For example focusing on birth stone jewelry or magnetic jewelry will help you cut out a lot of competition.

Pricing Strategy….
The best way to calculate the price of your products is to come up with a fixed hourly rate. Then you can multiply this rate by the number of hours you took to complete an item. Of course you also have to consider your overhead costs when calculating the price. Overhead costs include travel (such as going to buy supplies, trade shows etc), office supplies (business cards, paper, pens, etc.) and tools (pliers, wire cutters, etc.).

Marketing and Sales….
Although surprising, it is true that your friends and co-workers can become your best customers. Word-of-mouth advertising is the best you can have! You can also consider having a jewelry show or even sell online! Throw a jewelry party at your home and include a discount bin with low priced items. This is a favorite among jewelry shoppers and will result in increased revenue!