Anyone like to help with a *small* project?

[gingersnap]

Good Morning! Your mission, if you choose to accept it:

The Situation: I am getting married! I have a bridal party! I want to get them jewelry gifts!

Budget: 30-50$ per

What: Earrings or a pendant. Simple, elegant, and dare I say, cute? Silver is the metal I''m looking for, I have no idea what kinds of stones I''m looking for. I like the look of citrine, topaz, zircon, garnet... Unfortunately I''m looking to keep green, pink and purple out of the spectrum. I''m not concerned as much with the size of the stones as their ability to sparkle (although an almost too-dark red will work. A couple of my freinds love that deep color). There are settings that use the stones as accents rather than the main attraction, which is okay! I''d like to look for earrings more of the dangly variety as I think my friends will get more mileage out of them than, say, 3mm studs.

I''ve been looking through etsy and there''s a couple things I''ve liked (in my price range even!). I thought I would check with you people for some advice first though. Some of the etsy stuff looks too good to be true, so I''m looking for some recommended vendors here. I know it''s not an exciting budget, but it''s what I have

I''m not looking for top of the line, just something better for my money than I can buy in a mall-type store.

Please and thank you!

 

[chrono]

You are certainly on the right track for your requirements to suit your budget. This being the case, it may be easier and cheaper to also let your Etsy vendor source and set the stones as she/he probably will get a parcel discount on the stones and settings. I am unfamiliar with Etsy vendors so I’ll leave that to the other PSers. In terms of colour, citrine, topaz, and red garnet are good. I’m not sure if a zircon will fit your budget though. If you want it to sparkle, the colour cannot be too dark and the cutting has to be somewhat decent.

 

[gingersnap]

Thanks Chrono! I''m hoping someone here has had some experience with an etsy vendor who picks decent stones/does nice work. You have to be so careful online

 

[chrono]

Are you in a time crunch? I’ve seen Sally of Heart of Water’s work here often where she has sourced the stones and did the setting herself in silver. She also does some very unique designs very inexpensively and may be worth a look. I have not worked with her before but have admired many of her designs.

 

[gingersnap]

Date: 3/23/2010 12:47:41 PM
Author: Chrono
Are you in a time crunch? I’ve seen Sally of Heart of Water’s work here often where she has sourced the stones and did the setting herself in silver. She also does some very unique designs very inexpensively and may be worth a look. I have not worked with her before but have admired many of her designs.

I adore her stuff! But she''s quite out of my price range. Cheapest item listed that I''m looking for is 79$. Maybe I will e-mail her when I get home, see if she can work anything out for me

Nothing to lose, right?

 

[chrono]

Absolutely, especially since you are getting in “bulk”.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Do you really want stones? I think you could get more bang from your budget by having an all metal piece or just very tiny accent stones. I think inexpensive stones may (not necessarily, but most inexpensive pieces I have seen) cheapen the piece, while an all metal piece may look classier.

Do you have a theme?

 

[gingersnap]

Date: 3/23/2010 1:19:14 PM
Author: Lady_Disdain
Do you really want stones? I think you could get more bang from your budget by having an all metal piece or just very tiny accent stones. I think inexpensive stones may (not necessarily, but most inexpensive pieces I have seen) cheapen the piece, while an all metal piece may look classier.

Do you have a theme?

I really like stones, and I''d like to share that with them. If I can''t get jewelry with stones in them for what I''d like, I can just make them something out of beads (My mom''s a bead nut, I''ll raid her stash) or go with something completely different. Might be it''s just not possible to get what I want. I have seen some incredible stuff on etsy that I really like, so it''s worth exploring this option.

The stones I''m looking for sholdn''t be that expensive (Cheaper varieties of stones, I''m not looking for top color, not too picky on color etc...), nor that big. If a stone is small and flashy it''s going to look good. If it''s large and dull you''ll notice. Using stones as accents to the metal work is totally an option too. Trouble is nice metal work is spendy. I just need a vendor with a good eye for cheaper stones.

 

[enbcfsobe]

Another option to get some sparkle but still get good bang for your buck would be to do something that involved briolettes or crystals rather than more traditional set stones.
I bought necklaces from jeweledblossoms on etsy as bridesmaids gifts -- she is inexpensive and extremely helpful, and her pieces are modern but very feminine.

Other than that, I think some people have had decent luck with the inexpensive sterling gemstone necklaces from blue nile. I know there''s a thread about someone getting amethyst bezel necklaces from bluenile and angara and comparing the two.

 

[Clairitek]

I had sliding bezel pendants made for my bridal party for my wedding back in June of 2009. They were made by Danielmjewelry on Etsy. FrekeChild sourced the stones for me and Danielm did the work, but I believe they will source stones for you as well.

Here is a link to the pendants they now offer as a stock piece. $45 each (including stone, metal work, and chain)

Link to Pendant Listing

Link to my thread with pictures.

Clairitek''s Sliding Bezel Pendant Bridesmaid Gifts

This vendor was a dream to work with. Great communication and lovely work. I actually just sent off some diamonds for them to set into studs and I will have them later this week.

 

[gingersnap]

Date: 3/23/2010 2:12:48 PM
Author: Clairitek
I had sliding bezel pendants made for my bridal party for my wedding back in June of 2009. They were made by Danielmjewelry on Etsy. FrekeChild sourced the stones for me and Danielm did the work, but I believe they will source stones for you as well.

Here is a link to the pendants they now offer as a stock piece. $45 each (including stone, metal work, and chain)

Link to Pendant Listing

Link to my thread with pictures.

Clairitek''s Sliding Bezel Pendant Bridesmaid Gifts

This vendor was a dream to work with. Great communication and lovely work. I actually just sent off some diamonds for them to set into studs and I will have them later this week.

THIS! Oh my! I remember reading that thread now, but I couldn''t remember if it was here. I should have known! Those are beautiful! Looks like they offer to source the stones. I''d take this opportunity to pick out my own stones, but I think relying on the vendor would be the smartest option in this case. Unless freke wants to source the stones

(hah!)

Thank you so much Clairitek! I will have to contact this vendor soon

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 3/23/2010 2:28:32 PM
Author: gingersnap

Date: 3/23/2010 2:12:48 PM
Author: Clairitek
I had sliding bezel pendants made for my bridal party for my wedding back in June of 2009. They were made by Danielmjewelry on Etsy. FrekeChild sourced the stones for me and Danielm did the work, but I believe they will source stones for you as well.

Here is a link to the pendants they now offer as a stock piece. $45 each (including stone, metal work, and chain)

Link to Pendant Listing

Link to my thread with pictures.

Clairitek''s Sliding Bezel Pendant Bridesmaid Gifts

This vendor was a dream to work with. Great communication and lovely work. I actually just sent off some diamonds for them to set into studs and I will have them later this week.

THIS! Oh my! I remember reading that thread now, but I couldn''t remember if it was here. I should have known! Those are beautiful! Looks like they offer to source the stones. I''d take this opportunity to pick out my own stones, but I think relying on the vendor would be the smartest option in this case. Unless freke wants to source the stones

(hah!)

Thank you so much Clairitek! I will have to contact this vendor soon

You''re welcome! I feel like I could take any project to this vendor. I definitely trust them to do an amazing job. Happy pendant making/choosing!

 

[ma re]

If you want sparkle it''s best to use stones with a higher refractive index such as garnet or zircon, and when it comes to shapes, nothing beats a round (that''s why the sparkliest of diamonds are round). If you don''t like round, a trillion shape tends to show a lot of brilliance too, but going with the round is a safer bet.

Your metal choice, btw, doesen''t have to be limited to silver. Titanium pendants don''t always cost a lot, sometimes include gemstones and are quite lightweight, which can lessen the price if it''s sold by weight. If you opt for something plain in the end, titanium is a nice choice once again, cause anodized titanium can be very interesting, unusual and colorful. I know it''s not a traditional material, but doesen''t hurt to suggest.

Transparent gems are not the only ones that sparkle - have you seen druzy? It can look spectacular, just remember that if it''s coated the coating will eventually wear off. If it''s not coated, it''s usually one of the neutral colors - white, black, some shade of brown or gray (or pink, or turquoise, or even multicoloured...there are many types).

Just to give you some more options.