As with every large product group, there is usually a percentage which remains unchanged from year to year and forms the main stay of the range. This is known as the core range. Findings and stones are no exception to this and you will find many items remain unchanged from catalogue to catalogue. They become classics that you come to rely on as a jewellery maker, and know you will go back to time and again.

However, it is always fun to try something new and a good way to do this is to tap into some of the jewellery trends of the moment. If you know what to buy, your new purchases will become less of a gamble with customers, many of whom will already be aware of what is ‘on trend’.

 You don’t have to become a diehard fashionista to achieve this, instead simply arm yourself with a few relatively basic pieces of information based around themes, forms and colour. There are many complex factors that dictate global trends from economic to environmental issues and to understand them fully is not necessary for our purposes.

 Instead concentrate on the more tangible pieces of information for example: The Guild of Jewellery Designers has a review of Trends Autumn/Winter 2011 available to view on their website (http://bit.ly/oqu1PH) . In it they describe five themes they are tipping and within those themes are indications of larger scale pieces, layering/stacking and a move away from precious metals due to costs.

This could be interpreted in a number of ways, here is just one:

• Pendants can be hung on leather cord, coloured silks or rubber. Offer a choice with each sale or better still, sell each item with a selection of options e.g. Silver chain, neutral leather cord and vibrant coloured silk. This will allow your customer to layer, but also partake in a degree of customisation which has been a massive trend for many years now. Many of the major chain stores offer sets or groups of jewellery for sale now which has been extremely successful as they represent great value for money.  Even as designer/jewellers we all need to be aware that now more than ever people want value for money.
• Scale can be tricky to overcome without incurring significant cost. One way to achieve this is to use ‘found’ or recycled objects collected from charity shops or flea markets. Another is to use crystals or beads to create bold statement pieces. Swarovski produce a fabulous range of stunning pendants and beads in a myriad of colours, many of which are quite large. They too are a great reference point for trend information as they produce what they call ‘Gem Visions’ trend predictions each year (http://bit.ly/qUrtHF). This is a great resource for colour information.  Published in June of this year ‘Gem Visions 2012’ amongst other things is highlighting neutral tones, black and white and earth tones of orange and red to be big next year.  Get your ranges ‘on trend’ by incorporating some Fire Opal, Topaz or Light Siam Beads or why not try one of the Designer Edition ‘Devoted to You’ Astral Pink Heart pendants which ticks a multitude of trend boxes!

As you can see, being trend aware within jewellery and components doesn’t have to be complicated. Simply taking some time to do some internet research can have extremely beneficial results. Your customers will be impressed if you can reference your jewellery to a particular trend of the moment and it also means that your range will be regularly refreshed which keeps things interesting.

As with a stud, to get a drop earring fully functional and comfortable there are a few crucial points that need to be considered.

1. First and foremost the weight: many people are put off by large drop earrings because they think they will be uncomfortable. However it’s all a question of balance. Try to consider your choice of materials. Use thinner gauges of metal, hollow beads and tube instead of wire; and don’t always assume you have to use a hook fitting. It can often be far more appropriate to use a stud fitting which will ultimately provide more support for the ear, provided you use an adequate scroll (see Focus on earrings Part 1). A Bead and Ring pin (French Fitting) is a great option: a classic ball stud with a simple open loop underneath allowing you to simply add your earring design. Just remember to consider the position of your loop or jump ring to ensure the design is front facing.

2. If you are using crystals in your designs try using a Crystal Stud Fitting. It’s always more aesthetically pleasing if you can carry the  design element through into your earring fittings, it creates a far nicer end result and sets a handmade item apart from a mass produced one.

To create a completely “handmade” earring, you can make both the design and the fitting yourself.  Hook fittings are extremely easy to make:

• Select your wire, usually 0.8mm as standard;
• Anneal to ensure flexibility: it is best  to carry this out in a darkened room. Annealing is the gentle heating of metal to alter the cell structure, creating more flexibility. Silver should be very gently heated using a torch. Keep the torch moving constantly until the metal becomes a dull, cherry red. Maintain this colour for approximatively 30 seconds. DO NOT OVERHEAT.  Gently cool on a metal plate;
• You can either heat the end of the wire to create a ball, or simply flatten with a file to create a good solder surface;
• Using round nosed pliers at the tip, gently bend the wire back on itself to create a tight loop;
• Using the same pliers at their widest point, bend the wire back the opposite way to create the main sweep of the fitting;
• Simply cut the wire to the required length, round off to a smooth end and straighten and twist to create a nice finish using flat pliers. Note, twisting helps to compact the cell structure of the metal which effectively gently hardens the fitting. Where the annealing process relaxes the metal structure allowing more movement, twisting, bending and flattening compacts that structure allowing less movement;
• Once attached to your design, solder the small loop closed to create a safe strong fitting.

If you don’t fancy making your own fittings or you don’t have the time, you can always buy one from the trade that will complement your style. You can always try simple fittings such as Hook Wire with Bead and Loop or Extra Large Safety Wire. Both of these styles are well finished and have a designer look about them.

3. One final tip: an essential element to jewellery making is wear ability. Never forget that however beautiful your jewellery is, its purpose is to be worn. Metal can be extremely sharp and if a sharp object is swinging around in your ear, you will soon have the tell tale scratches to highlight any bad workmanship. To ensure this never happens, whenever you finish a piece,  just take a few moments to hold the item in your hands. Close your eyes and run your fingers over the jewellery to check for any rough or sharp edges. You’ll be surprised at what might be revealed. You may feel a bit silly, but it may prevent any embarrassing returns from your customers!

Generally speaking, studs far out sell drop earrings. They are a practical, everyday option that are easy to wear as long as the scale is kept small. Virtually any design can be quickly transformed into a stud earring, but whilst the aesthetics are limitless, there are a few practical points to remember to ensure your earrings are fully functional and wearable:

1. Firstly the weight of the earring needs to be considered. You want the design to sit flat against the lobe of the ear so the scroll that you use needs to be of sufficient size and strength to support it. (Cookson  offer a wide range of scrolls from extra light to extra large suitable for most styles of stud). Try to ensure the size of your design is balanced by the size of the scroll.
2. It is also worth considering using plastic backs as an alternative or additional option for your customer.  Plastic backs with base metal offer great support for a heavy earring. You can find them here and here.  They are also a more cost-effective solution if you are find price to be an issue. Customers with any allergies can also use these backs as they contain surgical grade metal. Alternatively, if you are concerned about putting a base metal finding on a silver earring, you can find a silver version here. But note that if you are designing jewellery for children, plastic backs are a must from a health and safety point of view. You might find these plastic ear backs more suitable.
3. The positioning of the earring pin or post on a design is a key consideration. If the design is small enough I would always ensure the post is kept central which in turn keeps the earring in the right place on the ear. Your clients will not want to be worrying about repositioning jewellery throughout the day.  A larger design might require a post positioned more towards the top, allowing the piece to hang down slightly. On average, posts tend to be 0.8mm – 1mm diameter and come in a range of lengths. You might find the shorter lengths easier to solder. It is crucial you check what size hole your scrolls have before soldering on your posts as they are not all the same and although there is a certain degree of flexibility, you need a good grip on the post otherwise your earrings will fall out! It is worth pointing out that sometimes the larger pins (1mm) can be uncomfortable for some people to wear, so you might want to stick to the 0.8mm standard. Headed pins provide a greater surface area for a good join, but don’t look as clean as the plain version. (A good test of a solder join is to twist the soldered post firmly 180 degrees with a pair of flat pliers. This will quickly reveal a ‘dry joint’ if your solder has not run properly but will also semi harden the post after it’s been heated making it a little stronger).

You can of course make your own pins by using wire of the correct gauge. Simply smooth and round the end of the wire, file a groove approximatively 4mm from the end to locate the scroll and then cut to length. The end will need flattening to ensure a good join.

Although many of the points in here may seem obvious to people who have been making earrings for some time,  for the beginner these are basics that could easily be overlooked. Remembering a few basic guidelines will ensure your reputation with customers and have them coming back for more!

Between the 25th of February and 28th of February at cooksongold.com claim Freepost on ALL UK orders over £50*!!

We’ve just launched the 32-page Jewellery Guide for those of you who are going back to work, starting work or just looking for new pieces to buy for your workshop!!  It contains the essential products to every jewellery maker’s workshop: machinery, clay, starter kits, books, chains and bullion are amongst the many products you will find in this useful catalogue.  Our Top 20 Essentials at discounted prices -UP TO 25% OFF – will most likely catch your eye too! It’s sure you’ll find something you love or need for you next piece!!

and the best part…COOKSON TECHNICAL INFORMATION BOOKLET

What makes this guide even better is the booklet inside, which you can download here or order for FREE here (where you get the whole mini catalogue for a change). The booklet includes useful data sheets and answers frequently asked question on various techniques like soldering and polishing. It provides you with the best hints &tips you’ll want to know before starting to make an art piece.

We’ve been in the jewellery industry for quite a while and now you can benefit from Cooksongold’s resourcefulness even further by login onto http://www.cooksongold.com/technical/. Here you’ll find the jargon used in the trade explained, even more data sheets and instant conversion calculations. Our knowledge base is easily accessible: you can search specific words and you  can almost instantly view “Hot topics”, “Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions” or “Latest articles” .

If you have a question that hasn’t been answered already (or to which you simply cannot find the answer) you can always opt for “ask a question” and you’ll quickly receive a personal response!

So what do you think of it? Have you used it already? If so, is there anything else you would’ve wanted to see in it?

UPDATE: Starting the 15th of March until the 31st of March 2011 you can try Reflections Silver Wire and Sheet for the same price as Standard Silver*. Click here to learn more about this promotion and start browsing through our fabulous range of  fire scale, tarnish- resistant silver.  Still looking for reasons? Keep reading and find out why we’re all so enthusiastic about Reflections Silver.

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Today we have launched the NEW REFLECTIONS SILVER COLLECTION!! You might have seen it on our website, but I wanted to give you some more information on this great new alloy!

We have over 100 (117 to be more precise) products including: Reflections Sheet, Reflections Wire, Reflections Finished and Loose Chain.

Here are a few reasons why I think you should try Reflections:

• It has enhanced tarnish (the discolouration of metallic surfaces)  and fire-scale (dark coloured copper oxide – forms when sterling silver is heated in the air) resistance when compared to standard silver
• It is age harden-able up to 90-110 Hv
• It can be easily processed using standard existing jewellery manufacturing processes
• It has 925 purity
• It is excellent for stamping, drawing, spinning and rolling.

However, there are several processes that you should pay attention to when working with Reflections alloy: soldering should be done in a darkened area, test first when hot enamelling and do not use for fusing (although it is possible to produce a weak fuse joint). When remelting use at least 50% fresh 50% scrap mix.

If the new collection caught your eye,you can click here to download a PDF copy of the Reflections mini catalogue or altenatively go here and order a FREE brochure! It is all free, you might as well have a look! We have also added a Reflections Technical Centre to our Knowledge Base and we hope this will answer some of your questions regarding the new collection.

Are you already thinking of your first art piece you could design with reflections? Do you need more details to convince yourself? – if so, do not hesitate to call or email us:

Telephone : 0845 100 1122 or email Birmingham.sales@cooksongold.com

Claim FREEPOST this Easter

Don’t forget FREEPOST is now even easier, simply spend £50 or more and select ‘freepost’ in the delivery options menu – it’s as easy as that! We will then select the delivery method most suitable to your order. Click here for information on our couriers and their delivery times.

If your order doesn’t quite reach £50, here are a few more suggestions which might just tempt you!

Making jewellery doesn’t require a large space or big pieces of equipment or even furniture. A selection of key workshop pieces combined with basic hand tools provides everything for the first workshop. Cooksongold.com provides a full range of jewellery tools - everything from basic hand tools, pre-packed tool kits, consumables, larger machinery right through to the professional jewellers bench.

Your first workshop
Often the beginner or student will start making jewellery on ‘normal’ desk, worktop or even kitchen table!  Adapting the table can be easily be achieved by clamping a G clamp bench vice or anvil.  The jewellers peg/pin can then be held in place securely giving a simple, yet sturdy place to work.

Work Benches - Click here

The peg is perhaps the most vital part of any setup allowing the jeweller to work quickly and efficiently. This wedge or triangle of wood supports the piece, holding it in a notch or v shape insert. This holds the piece rigid, allowing the jeweller to saw, cut, & file. 

If adapting an existing desk, the desk should be elevated, so that the working area is at mid chest level when the jeweller is sat upright, thus allowing maximum control of your tools and metals.

Let there be light and ventilation

Although normal desks can be adapted, two factors must be in place when setting up your ‘bench’ – light and ventilation. The work area needs to well ventilated to ensure a safe working environment combined with good bright and direct lighting. Natural light can be complemented by adjustable lamps ensuring that no shadow falls over your piece from the jeweller or the equipment.

Workshop lighting - Click here

The professional jeweller’s bench

The traditional jeweller’s bench is a purposed designed and provides the perfect working area for any project. Often mistakenly seen as expensive luxury, a good bench will last you a lifetime and most importantly will help in improving your technique. Benches are higher than a normal desk (mid chest level if the jeweller is sitting uptight) ensuring that the jeweller does not stoop to work. Most benches have the semi circle cut out ensuring that you can sit close to the to the work, and with the aid of a bench skin collects scrap and protect the jeweller from hot or sharp objects.

Organising jewellery tools  

Keeping a workshop tidy, and the tools organised will help the jeweller when working, creating an efficient working environment. Both tools & materials should ideally be kept close to the bench, with the aim of trying to keep all materials within arms reach. Practically many of the basic jewellers tools will be actually left on the bench – Pliers, files, cutters, tweezers are used so often that they can be left on the work top for immediate access. 

As a large part of jewellery making involves heat often a section of the bench will be dedicated to the equipment needed for soldering. Often the soldering area will be based around the placement of a torch, with the soldering block placed alongside a borax cone and dish.

For other materials such as jewellery findings, settings, and metal, storage containers should be used. These ideally have sliding draws to allow you to split different carats, sizes or types of findings.

Storage - Click here

Once the workshop is established all that remains to be added is the essential basic selection of popular jewellery tools such as files, saw & saw blades, emery & polishing sticks, pliers, cutters, verneirs along with forming tools and heating/soldering equipment.

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