I’m often asked where I get my jewelry findings, or my close friends tell me that someone admiring their necklace asked where they got it. The findings and style I create is gaining in popularity so it’s not as uncommon as it use to be, but everyone puts their own spin on it so it’s still unique. I use a lot of brass, some of it raw, antiqued, or verdigris and these pieces aren’t commonly found at local bead stores (they’re kind of behind in the times if you ask me). My answer is that I find them all around online. Some of my sources like Vintaj Natural Brass require my wholesale number, and others are normal online shops like Ornamentea.com, or all the various Etsy shops. In terms of what’s the best deal and quality, is that everyone has their own standard and judgement of what’s quality and how much they’re willing to spend on certain supplies. Over time you get to know what shops you will return to and which ones don’t deliver the quality or look you’re after. Photographs sometimes don’t do quality justice, and other times photographs mask the quality details that you need to know before purchasing. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for, compare shops, prices, and satisfaction ratings for Etsy and Ebay shops, and sometimes you’ll have to gain your own experience to create your knowledge base.
Over the years I’ve learned that there are some things I can and will purchase from Fire Mountain Gems (FMG). When I buy from FMG I may at times take a risk when buying gemstones. The risk is that even though the quality of the stone is good, and the price is fantastic, I may not be able to use all the stones because the holes aren’t consistently drilled. This isn’t the case all the time, but it has happened enough that I know it’s a risk. In regards to buying clasps and other metal findings anywhere, you will get what you pay for. Sometimes it’s hard to spend a lot on a simple thing like a clasp, it’s not the focus of the design, but the fact is that the clasp has to function 100% of the time for the life of the necklace which should be from decades to forever. And there are safety precautions to be aware of also. You need to know what metal is contained in your findings in case someone asks. And it’s just not safe to handle and use metal with nickel silver or lead. You don’t need to use sterling to be safe, so to keep costs down for your customers you can use stainless steel, plated silver, copper, or brass. And when you find a good company that makes solid findings, stick with them. If the spring or mechanism in a clasp breaks one time, it’s usually a fluke and not fortelling of quality. Your customers will understand it’s not your craftsmanship and you should fix it for free. But if you get a bad batch of clasps or jump rings etc., just change suppliers. The quality of your designs is your reputation and controls your success to a degree. Most Etsy stores state their warranty, guaranty, and return policies, so check them out before you buy. A good store sells quality materials and they’re willing to back them, replace the bad items at no charge, and keep their reputation. It’s not like they crafted the clasps either, but a good supplier will invest in quality product to resale if they value customer satisfaction and repeat business.
Here is a list of some Etsy suppliers that I’ve purchased from for years. I’ve had a great experience buying from them, have always received quality products, and their supplies have contributed to my success as a jewelry designer.
Sunshinebuttercup
Lunasilver
Dimestoreemporium
Brassbouquet
One great thing about a lot of Etsy shops is that they’re willing to reserve custom listings for you. If you need more of an item, want a certain batch of things, or want something that they use to sell but don’t currently have online; just ask and they are accommodating if they can be. The Etsy community is unique and special, I prefer to buy most of my supplies from Etsy if I can. There are thousands of them, so take some time, check them out, and have fun shopping.
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