The costs of labour...

[ben b]

I just did an interesting experiment....
had an enquirey for a charm bracelet, plain, with padlock.

Cooksons sell finnished ones, and, the parts to make them too, so i compared..and here's the results:

48/4 silver curb 7.5 inch (as charm blet, finnished) £ 15.07

OR

48/4 silver curb 7.5 inch (loose chain) £ 4.88
end rings (approx) £1.00
Padlcok (13.5mm) £3.90
safety chain £0.73

Buying the seperate parts ......................TOTAL = £10.51*-:)

Therefore, you make, or earn a fiver by doing it yourself.

How interesting is that:dance:

[Di Sandland]

Ben, I can't be 100% sure but I think the majority of us actually do make the things ourselves. Some of us even making the chain...

[Boo]

I personally prefer to make things like that myself - regardless of the economics - as I like to call them 'entirely hand crafted' - so I like to make my own clasps and rings too.

At craft fairs especially, you'll always get someone challenging you (either directly or otherwise) as to why things are so expensive and advise you that they can buy the same on x market for 3 quid. Either that or the other favourite is to say "anyone (I) could make that" or "looks easy enough, save your money, I'll make one for you".

I like to wave a roll of wire at them and tell them that the entire piece started in that form.

[glen]

i dunno
to make an average chain up from parts which would take about 15 - 30 min depending, including polishing soldering etc
Most of the time i order them assembled as my labour charges vary from £30 - £100 + per hour so it makes more sense for me to just pay the £5 rather

edit : OMG I think I am transforming from a goldsmith into a jeweller

[ben b]

It was just interesting to add up the sum of the parts, as theyre all cooksons, and the parts would be exactly the same as in the ready made one.

To build a car from parts from a dealer would cost considerably more, than a finnished car, so it was just interesting to see, as you can buy the exact curb chain loose, to see how cooksons retail prices added up for the parts, and, like Glen just said, if its worth buying finnished or buying parts.

I can of course handmake, but to form and solder each curb link is another matter entirely from soldering a couple of end rings to the seperatly bought parts.....which in this case saves a fiver....and the customer just wanted a silver charm bracelet, for the best price, not a handmade epic.