Starting a jewelry business: first steps
One of the first questions to ask yourself is: fine or fashion? Or maybe your interest lies somewhere in between. Each category has its own materials, production process, price point, and customer profile:
💍 Fine jewelry
- Made with precious and semi-precious metals and gems
- A higher price point
- Made with excellent craftsmanship, usually not mass produced
- For the luxury/wedding/special occasion customer
📿 Fashion or costume jewelry
- Usually trendy
- Made of inexpensive or less expensive metals and materials (beads, wire, plated metal, plastic, synthetic gems, etc.)
- A lower price point
- Can be mass produced
- For the everyday customer
👑 Other/in between
- This category covers everything else, from jewelry made with mid-range materials (textile, metals, semi-precious gems, wood, 3D printing, etc.) to jewelry defined as art (collectible, made to order, one of a kind) or highly skilled craftsmanship
- Emphasis on design and uniqueness
- Price point varies but usually mid-range
- Occasion/statement, design-savvy/collector/gift-giving customer
Once you’ve narrowed down the broad category for your jewelry business, it’s time to carve out a niche for your products. Start by defining your ideal customer (classic, trendy, brides, socially conscious consumers, etc.) and decide whether your products are occasion specific (wedding, party, everyday, etc.). This will determine how you market them to your audience
Jewelry trends
Researching trends is one way to determine (and validate) your chosen direction. Read fashion and jewelry blogs and publications and follow influencers in the space to stay on top of trends for each upcoming season. Using Google Trends, you can also see broad global search volume for a particular term.
Alternately, you might look into adjacent trends or consumer habits, such as the appetite for customizable experiences (engraving, etc.) or ethically sourced materials.
Finding jewelry design inspiration
Success as a newbie in any facet of the fashion industry depends on strong aesthetic, unique design, and consistent branding. Before working with a designer to develop your branding and before designing individual pieces, run through a few exercises to define your overall signature style.
Depending on how you like to get inspired, you may set up Pinterest boards, design your own digital mood boards, use a jewelry design mobile app, or even assemble inspiration physically on a bulletin board or in a sketchbook.Collect images, colors, and textures from nature, architecture, fashion, or travel, and then identify themes that emerge.
Building your jewelry brand
Remember, brand is different than branding. Brand is your voice, mission, vision, and your brand story. It tells your customers how to feel about your products. Fashion purchases are often emotional, and emerging brands can win customers by connecting on a personal level. Tell your story through your page, inject yourself into your social media posts, and share the process and inspiration behind your designs.
We hope this info can help you to start your dream! Xoxo Crystal Lovers...