Help me find someone to make me a custom picked gem bracelet or necklace!

April 24, 2012 9:53 AM

Where can I find a cheap-ish but legit person to make me a custom bracelet or necklace of the gemstones Morganite and Larimar?

I was thinking Etsy or something, but couldn't find anything. Neither of these gems is super easy to find (not super hard either). So, basically, who canI find to do this for me? I'm thinking like $20-$50.

posted by jitterbug perfume to Shopping (8 answers total)

Have you tried Artfire instead of Etsy? I see a few retailers there who use one or the other stone - put the stone name in the search box, filter to necklace or bracelet, browse, find some handmade products you like from those retailers, and talk to them about acquiring the other stone.
posted by cobaltnine at 10:21 AM on April 24, 2012

I agree that the raw materials cost will be more than your price range. I searched Etsy and found a number of sellers there using each stone, but none using them together. There were a couple of lovely bracelets on the first page of search results for morganite. nthing talking to one of those sellers whose items you like and seeing if they can make a custom piece.
posted by bedhead at 10:27 AM on April 24, 2012

Response by poster: I will contact some sellers, thanks for the basically unanimous advice so far. About the price - I have seen many pieces of jewelry with multiple gems on them on Etsy and elsewhere that were within my price range - are you sure it's such a (my word) ridiculous budget? (Obviously they have some for $900 too, but those are usually, like, gold.)
posted by jitterbug perfume at 11:12 AM on April 24, 2012

If you supplied the silver and the stones (or supplied the stones and were fine with the jeweler using brass/copper rather than silver), that might be a reasonable price to pay just for the labor. Jewelry can take at least a couple of hours to make from start to finish, and skilled craftsmen deserve a fair wage for their time.
posted by rivenwanderer at 11:41 AM on April 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

What size and shape do you want the stones to be? The odd shaped Larimar is much cheaper than a bead. Morganite is a little cheaper, there are different qualities of both, but even at a seven inch bracelet with a silver clasp will cost you approximately $150-200. Do you need those two stones to signify something special or is it the combination of colors that you are looking for? There may be a way to reduce the price a bit like use more Morganite and less Larimar. I am not sure it is possible to make it happen for the price range you are looking for.

If it is the colors, it can be created by using light pink Swarovski crystals and Larimar or even a created Larimar.

You can MeMail me if you like and I can find other combination possibilities for you.
posted by Yellow at 12:54 PM on April 24, 2012

I commisioned a ring from Lunar Skies at etsy, and was really happy with the results. He cuts and mounts his own stones - I don't know exactly what you have in mind, so I can't speak the the reasonableness of your price range, but it's worth asking him.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:03 PM on April 24, 2012

Just to give you a sense of pricing, most small jewelry makers get their supplies from a wholesaler like FireMountian.
A 4" strand of natural (undyed) morganite costs $44.
http://www.firemountaingems.com/search/?Keywords=morganite

Small chips of larimar cost $37.77

A simple toggle clasp costs about 1.27

You will need about $1 worth of wire for a 16" necklace.

So unless I was buying morganite and larimar in large quantities, it would cost me about $85 just in materials to make you a 16" necklace + time, shipping, design work etc.

If you find someone who regularly works with morganite and larimar you may find they have a lower wholesale cost because they buy it in larger quantities.
posted by LittleMy at 1:15 PM on April 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

I have all of my jewelry made and I recomend Jonathon Stopper of Sarasota Florida. I have sent him semi-presious stones to make me things like rings or whatever. He made my wedding ring and engagement ring. I use to work in a store that sold hand crafted items from the USA. I met him there in 1992, and later when I wanted a ring made, I called the owner of the store who I am friends with and she gave me his Phone number. If you want the number, memail me, and i'll give it to you. He is truely amazing!!!
posted by brittaincrowe at 3:39 PM on April 24, 2012