A question I hear often as both an art and repair jeweler is: “Why is this so expensive?” This sentiment rings true for all jewelry, but as a general rule, most people expect jewelry to be expensive, especially with today’s record-breaking prices of precious metals. There is already some understanding when it comes to jewelry from big-box stores and larger corporations, but what about small-business or artisan jewelry?
I have noticed that this question pops up more frequently in the context of artisan jewelry and jewelry repairs. To help paint a picture of “Why is this so expensive?” I would like to share two imagined scenarios.
Scenario 1: The Handmade Ring
June knows she can purchase a simple, plain silver band from Amazon for about $15, but she really wants to support her local economy. She browses a small craft market in her town and meets a local jewelry maker offering handmade silver bands in a similar style to the ones she has seen online, but with a stylish, artistic touch that June loves. These bands, however, cost $40 each.
Can June justify such a difference in price just to shop locally? Does the fact that it is handmade really make that much of a difference? And why is the local option so much more expensive? Isn’t it just made of silver like the one online?
The answers boil down to two main factors: production and process.
The Amazon ring is mass-produced by a large company or factory with significant buying power and specialized equipment. These companies purchase precious metals in bulk, maintain large inventories, and employ multiple workers who handle different stages of production. Each task, such as designing, casting, and polishing, is divided among departments, so employees master only one step rather than the entire process. This specialization allows companies to pay lower wages, which reduces costs and ultimately lowers the price of the product.
By contrast, a handmade ring from a local business is crafted start to finish by a very small team or, in my case, by a single jeweler. Handmade rings cannot be produced as quickly or in large volumes, so the time invested in each piece must be reflected in the price to provide a fair wage. Artisans also cannot buy metals in bulk like large corporations, so material costs are higher. You are paying not only for the metal but also for the jeweler’s expertise, experience, and artistry. Each piece is unique, making it rarer and therefore more valuable than a mass-produced ring.
Scenario 2: The Heirloom Repair
Now let us look at jewelry repair. Many people do not understand why repair work is so expensive. After all, isn’t buying the piece supposed to be the costly part? Shouldn’t maintenance be easier?
The truth is that repairing existing jewelry is much more difficult than creating new jewelry. Not every jeweler does repairs, and in my experience, I have found that jewelry artists sometimes have little to no repair experience. Repair work requires a highly specialized skill set developed over years of training and practice. Even if a repair seems simple, it rarely is.
Consider this scenario:
Casey has inherited his grandfather’s class ring. It is a large 10k gold ring with a thick shank and detailed designs on the top and shoulders. It also has a large garnet set in the center. This ring means a lot to him, and he wants to be able to wear it, but it is too small. His jeweler explains that it will need to be sized up by two sizes and quotes about $250 for the repair. Casey thinks, “$250? I’m pretty sure that’s almost half of what Grandpa paid when he first got it!” Sizing it up seems like it should be easy, so why does it cost so much?
Here is the breakdown. When a ring is sized, it must be cut open at the bottom and expanded to the new size. A new piece of gold is inserted into the open space and then soldered in two places. In this scenario, we have an heirloom ring. Older rings are more prone to cracking in unwanted spots during repair work. Years of wear cause metals like gold and silver to slowly break down because of exposure to chemicals, dirt, and skin oils. Add the fact that this is a thick ring, and the difficulty increases. There is a larger amount of metal that needs to shift and be displaced, which raises the risk of cracking.
Now consider the details on the ring. It must be opened without smushing or damaging any of those details. Do not forget the garnet center. That adds a fragile stone to the mix. If the ring is opened too much or too quickly, the stone could chip, crack, or break. Next, we need to add a piece of gold to make the ring the correct size, but gold is far more expensive now than when Grandpa bought the ring. Finally, when soldering the new piece, the jeweler must protect the stone from the heat needed for the solder to flow, as the large ring absorbs a lot of heat and garnets cannot tolerate high temperatures without shattering.
This job is much more complicated than it seems at first glance. Repairs are expensive because you are paying for the jeweler’s time, expertise, and the risk they take that something could go wrong. The more experienced the jeweler, the less likely they are to make catastrophic mistakes during the repair, and naturally their time will cost more.
In Conclusion
When it comes to handmade jewelry and repair work, cost is always a factor. On the surface, it may seem unreasonably expensive, but that price reflects behind-the-scenes factors most people never see. Artisan jewelry requires time, care, and refined skills honed over years of practice. The same is true for repairs.
Buying the cheaper ring online likely will not make much difference to a big company, but purchasing a piece or even repair services from your local jeweler supports your local economy and values the work of someone who truly appreciates your patronage.
by Greta Butler