Handmade jewelry is considered by many to be the world’s finest jewelry. Each piece, as the name implies, is made by hand, one piece at a time, instead of being mass-produced by a machine. Handmade jewelry is crafted by an artist from raw materials, using specialized tools that are controlled manually. It demands a high level of skill and requires excellent control to operate the tools and transform pieces of metals and gemstones into fine works of art. Those who buy this jewelry know that they are getting one-of-a-kind or limited quantity pieces.
(Pixabay / pony_up)
If you’re looking to buy or make handcrafted jewelry, here’s a closer look at some of its qualities:
- Specially designed: Jewelry artisans tell their own story with each piece that they craft. Their design sends a personal message, and they often have a precise reason for creating that particular piece. This sense of ownership establishes an intimate connection between the artist and the new owner of the piece.
- No machinery involved: The typical jewelry that people find in stores is made via machinery. Each machine can produce a few hundred to tens of thousands of identical pieces before production gets changed to accommodate new fashions. Handmade jewelry is produced with great attention to detail and with flourishes that are not found in pieces of jewelry that are created in bulk.
- Better for the environment: Makers of handcrafted jewelry are often conscious of using materials from reputable sources who observe the sustainability of the materials.
- Time-intensive: Artisans don’t usually work under the same kinds of deadlines as large-scale manufacturers. Unlike machinery that is expected to churn out a specific number of jewelry pieces during a given period of time, the jewelry artisan spends a lengthy amount of time in the creation of each masterpiece. They fashion every line or curve for a particular reason, spending as much time as needed to create the design and form that they envision.
- Unique: A piece of handmade jewelry is an exclusive work of art that users don’t expect to see on many other people. Handmade jewelry is always a limited edition.
- Crafted with special materials: The materials used in the creation of handmade jewelry are determined by artisans based on their vision for each piece. Often, they will make have their own alloys and have their own gold plating systems (or systems for electroplating with other types of metal).
- High quality: The most outstanding characteristic of handmade jewelry is its quality. Handmade jewelry is almost always higher in quality than mass-produced jewelry pieces. If jewelry artisans create an inferior piece of jewelry, it will be connected right back to them. They maintain their reputation by crafting jewelry that is “a cut above.”
It is no wonder that handmade jewelry is more expensive than its mass-produced counterparts. People who value quality over cost prefer to wear handmade jewelry over commercially-produced and marketed varieties.