The Difference between Handmade and Manufactured Jewellery

Photo of Edna Milevsky’s work. Handmade by her.

In my line of work as a handmade jewellery maker, I get asked by some when attending shows why the price of my work is that high.

Ever since the influx of cheap, shiny and very affordable jewellery has swept in from many jewellery factories in China through aliexpress/ alibaba and temu to name a few, it is readily available anywhere you go.

Handmade jewellery is made by skilled artisans using traditional methods. The results are unique and often intricate. Custom orders are common, making it one-of-a-kind and also allows for more customization opportunities. With handmade jewellery, we use intricate techniques and details, resulting in pieces with greater artistry and craftsmanship. With handmade jewellery, the metal is often made with higher quality materials and specially sourced stones to ensure durability and longevity. Since it is handmade, it is slower production. Sometimes a piece can be time-consuming since each piece is crafted by hand. Therefore it can impact the price and availability. Handmade jewellery is priced fairly to offer the artist a living wage. Last but not least, buying handmade jewellery supports small businesses and individual artists who put their passion and skills into their work.

For mass produced jewellery, they are less expensive and more readily available. They are usually very consistent in design and size because they are mass produced in an automated production process. To make it more cost effective, it may lead to cheaper materials or processes, impacting quality and longevity. Also, mass produced are usually based outside of Canada where they do not pay their workers a fair wage.

Hello Patrick!

It’s a very happy SUNday indeed!🌝 Everyone is in need of that good vitamin D, hope you are likewise out there getting a whole long winter’s worth!
Here’s something else to make you smile – a small selection of the amazing work by Patrick Missodey of Bijoux Missodey.
Such beautiful details and quality in each and every piece – lots of pattern, and texture, and depth with gemstones for that perfect pop of colour – some of my favourite things:)
The artist himself, hard at work in the studio. 
 
 Dangling teardrop filigree earrings with little flowers in sterling silver – $320/pair
 Three delicate filigree rings in sterling silver – $350 each

 Textured bangle bracelet in sterling silver – $730
 Filigree necklace with large centre ruby and black diamond accents, hanging on a handmade rattail chain – $3,000

Here’s a closeup because, come on it’s stunning.
Patrick has more work on display here at Jewel Envy – I highly encourage you to come and see his work in person, you will not be disappointed!

Zef Radi of Radi Brothers

Happy Sunday! It’s a beautiful day out there, hopefully you are out and about and getting 
some much needed Vitamin D🌞
Some of us are inside though, working hard in the studio. Here is one of our worker bees, 
getting busy at the polishing lathe↓
It’s Zef Radi, of the Radi Brothers. He makes wonderfully delicate and detailed pieces, with 
mixed metals, lacy filigree, and vibrant stones.
 Here is a sneak peek of some of the pieces he has here at the studio:
 Sterling silver ring, with 18k/24k details $520
Sterling silver pendant, with 18/24k details and blue apatite $540
 Sterling silver dangling earrings, with 18k/24k details and pink sapphires $790
Drop by during store hours to see the rest of his collection in person. 
See you soon!

sunday in the studio

Here’s a little something for your weekend visual enjoyment. Earrings by Caroline Deacon that make me really happy, and that will make you really happy too. That’s just the amazing effect that beautiful things have on people like us:)
textured studs, save at $65 a pair
 attention to detail: handmade backs!!!!

drops with opal cabochons. a bit of a splurge at $275 for the pair, 
but come one! these are just the best

Sunday Funday in the studio

It’s Amnesty Day today! The studio hosts this day a couple times a year, for students to get some extra (and free!) benchtime outside of regular class hours.

Lots of fun and creative projects are taking form before my eyes. Here are some images of our amazing students hard at work:
  Using the flexshaft and a ring clamp like a pro
Soldering an earring with a bit of third-arm help

 Forming some very special bezels for some very gorgeous stones
We teach a variety of one-day and 8-week workshops here at Jewel Envy. Whether you are looking to build a foundation of goldsmithing skills, or walk away with a handmade piece of jewellery (or both!), we can help you out. Take a look at our calendar of upcoming classes and get in touch!

GET STONED

Oooh look at this stone! It’s Arizona Chrysocolla, and it is just so beautiful. I love earthy gemstones, and this one in particular, with the shades of blue and green, and the matrix for texture and depth… what a knockout! It almost looks like the bird’s eye view of a turquoise blue ocean. I wish I had a neverending supply of this stone…
 
So I do not have a neverending supply, but I’ve decided to use this stone for inlay work. I don’t have the knowledge or tools to cut stones myself, but luckily I know a great lapidarist (hi Chorlun!!!) who can get the job done. Inlay work involves cutting and shaping a slice of stone, to fit perfectly and seamlessly into your piece.
This is the ring I made with the stone:
If you have ever considered having a piece custom made, choosing your own rough stone is such an amazing way to make the piece truly unique and one of a kind. And if you didn’t already know, every single goldsmith here at Jewel Envy loves doing custom work:)
Happy weekend!

It’s Ivane!!!

 For those of you who don’t know, Ivane Thiebaut is a resident goldsmith here at Jewel Envy. A lot of her work is inspired by nature, and if you stop by the studio you should definitely take a peek at some of her shell and flower jewellery.
She also has a range of pieces that find their inspiration in Canadiana – perfectly simple and classic, that make me very impatient for summers at the lake, or winters on the trail.

 Classic canoe cufflinks in sterling silver $145

Toronto xoxo postcard bracelet in sterling silver $50
 (our city’s skyline features on the reverse side, and it’s on an adjustable leather cord)
Fan favourite antler necklace in sterling silver $155
My favourite pine cone in sterling $170 (both on silver chains)
Show some hometown (and handcrafted!) love with jewellery by Ivane Thiebaut! You have plenty of time to get yours for the Canada 150 celebration this summer:)

VISITING THE CARROTBOX

Happy weekend everybody!
I was browsing through my website analytics the other day (a handy and very important feature that I use sparingly/almost never), and noticed something interesting. Some of my traffic had been directed by a website that I recognized immediately – https://www.thecarrotbox.com – a recommendation from a professor many moons ago.
It is a shop that specializes in rings specifically made from alternative materials. The owner is allergic to metals, and so she scours the internet to source the most interesting and beautiful, non-metallic pieces in wood, lucite, jade, resin, and you get the idea.
She also posts regularly on her blog, showcasing rings from makers the world over. These features are not limited to alternative materials, but include any and all fabulous wearable rings in all different styles. Anyways, one of my rings was featured here – so yay!
Go check out the blog, there is SO MUCH INSPIRATION and SO MANY RINGS! She’s been blogging since 2003, so you definitely have some catching up to do. Have fun!
xx sash
 
 

SAVE OR SPLURGE OR JUST BUY EVERYTHING!!!!

Hello friends! Hope you are having a wondering February. If you’re anything like me, you’re just glad that January is out of the way, because that month was a real stinker.
But onwards and upwards! Pretty excited about the sunshine today (even though it’s freezing), and also really excited about today’s save vs splurge.
It’s a 3-parter though, because these pieces are all from the same collection by Mia Shen, goldsmith-in-residence. The pieces are geometric, but the shapes are surprising and eye-catching, and make good use of negative space. The texture is is very tactile and adds a lot of depth, and contrasts amazingly well with the non-textured, high-polished areas.
 First up are these drop-stud earrings. Really amazing shape, and great use of balanced asymmetry, a term we used often in jewellery school haha. These are at a low, save-save-save price of $180.
 Ooooh this ring! It’s so great, it almost looks like an object you want to keep in your pocket so you can touch it throughout the day:) The cinched sides lets it sit very comfortably, without getting in the way of your other fingers. This one is middle-of-the-road at $295.
 
Last but not least is this toggle bracelet. It is substantial and has a
lot of visual dimension, but it isn’t heavy or clunky at all. This beauty comes in at a cool splurge-worthy $640.
So spend a little or spend a lot (or spend it all!), whatever suits your fancy!
Enjoy your weekend!!!! xx

SPOTLIGHT ON JERELL REICHERT!!!!!

Hi all! It’s a beautiful (and very chilly) Sunday afternoon here at the studio, and I thought I would warm you up by showing off some pretty sterling pieces by resident goldsmith Jerell Reichert.
These bracelets are not only beautiful, but a great example of metal forming. That’s right, the detail and texture and shapes that you see are the hard work of a little lady with a big hammer. Jerell has hand-forged each of these bracelets by hand, working the metal bit by bit, using fold-forming and anti-clastic techniques. All in sterling silver, top to bottom $640, $295, $395.
 These long earrings are so simple, but they look great on and they are light as a feather, too. The spheres have a perfect matte finish that almost look like pearls in the right lighting. Sterling silver $115.
 These bean pendants remind me of Barbapapa, in a round and squiggly kind of way:) The top bean has a black diamond accent, the middle bean has a pink tourmaline, and the bottom piece is classic. All sterling silver on silver chains, top to bottom $190, $180, $130.
These band rings are pretty bubbly too, with the pattern running all the way around. More barbapapa feelings:) Sterling silver, left to right $125, $115.
Come by and say hi to Jerell, and see what else she has going on!
Stay warm out there:) xx



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