Newbie Chain sales question

[Beadjoux]

If you are selling pendants you have made, do you sell them on chains you have made yourself, or do you buy chains? Perhaps a mixture of the two? I'm interested to know how you price handmade chains, as they are quite labour-intensive?

[Dennis]

Making your own chains for pendants is very labour intensive Julie and not really commercially viable unless you can go very upmarket. Most people on the forum seem to buy ready made chains, or buy chains by the metre and add bought findings.

To preserve the crafted look snake chain seems a good option, but they are easily kinked if a loop of it is forced into a box, for instance, so a warning about this is in order.

An alternative is cable, and a cheap and easy one to use is the platic covered Crimp n Go from bead service, which comes in various colours, including light grey.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cr...D0McTOaJPZgNgB.

There is a case, however for making decorative chain to wear on its own, because the links can be large and you don't need as many. Dennis

[Wallace]

will echo what our lovely Dennis has said.

Unless you are designing it as part of the necklace, go with the chain by the metre (far more economical) and add findings, or create your own clasps. I have had recent requests for chains up to 22 inches lately, so purchasing by the metre is better than saying no.

I did some links for a recent commission and it took so long to do. I did cost it into the design of course, and it was a great result, but that cannot always be done with the budgets people can sometimes have in mind.

Just little note on hallmarking, do make sure if you are adding chains and it is not then removable, you are counting it into the weight of the piece.

[Patstone]

I buy most of my chains but I only sell at craft fairs as I am a hobbyist, but sometimes I make chains to sell without a pendant but generally the links are quite big (size 9 knitting needle size) and only on the rare occasion sell with a pendant on, but because the chain is quite big the pendant has to be largish too.

[Beadjoux]

Excellent points all, thank you! I do like snake chains, and always advise people to coil them unfastened before putting them in a box or bag, alternatively hang them from something. I also use leather thongs and I like the look of the cables Dennis, I will try some of those.

[pearlescence]

Sell pendant without chain - attractive price point, Have them available separately, either made by you (expensive but clearly handmade) or bought in. Most people have a chain or two so don't really want one.

[Tabby66]

I tend to use bought in chains, but occasionally make my own or use strung gemstones, etc for higher end pieces. For gold pieces I usually offer the option to buy the pendant separately.