Handmade jewelry is all the rage lately. The personal attention and love that makers and artisans infuse into their work is evident in the masterpieces they create. What most people don't understand is why handmade jewelry is more of an investment than its mass produced counterparts. There are many reasons why handmade jewelry is more of an investment than mass-produced pieces! Below are 7 things you didn't know about handmade jewelry.
No mass production machinery involved
By definition, handmade jewelry is literally just that, made by the "hands" of the artisan or maker. Parts are welded, sawn, carved, and molded without the use of mass-produced machinery. A machine can produce hundreds of units per hour, while a person can only make a finite amount or a fraction of the number of pieces in the same time.
the value of time
As mentioned above, since there are no machines involved, handmade jewelry takes an incredible amount of time to produce a single piece. As jewelry artisans, we know that we often spend hours designing a single piece of jewelry for a client. The time to make the piece can often take weeks.
The manufacturer's process
The manufacturer has a very intimate relationship with each piece or design that he creates. The design process is key to the inherent value of each piece. When we create jewelry, we have a very intimate relationship with work. We know that every curve and every line is put there with intention. As creators, our energy is poured into the piece.
Materials
In almost all cases, the value of the materials that go into a handmade piece is quality. It's hard to regulate or even know exactly what alloys are used in mass production factories where dirty metals are mixed together to create fancy pieces. Handmade materials are often sourced from reputable vendors.
Sustainability
Jewelry manufacturers are often dedicated to sustainability and ethically sourced materials. By nature, being ethical can be much more expensive than taking the easy route and buying from the refiner or distributor with low prices and shady sourcing. Always use the highest quality materials from suppliers who share your sustainability ethic whenever possible. Small-scale production is almost always of higher quality.
Quality
Small-scale production is almost always of higher quality because the ability to follow and control the process from start to finish is inherent in the manufacturing process. We artisans are very proud of our work. We don't let anything of inferior quality leave your studio with our name on it.
Made locally with love
There are a lot of buzz around "buy local" these days. Reducing your carbon footprint and supporting local artisans is good for the environment and for everyone. The artisans and manufacturers infuse love and energy into each work. Going local has enormous value from a sustainability and energy standpoint. In addition to the added value inherent in handmade jewelry, you are also buying a truly unique product. Even if the handmade piece is part of an edition - no manufacturer creates two pieces that are exactly identical. You are the only person who has that particular piece of jewelry, which says a lot.
The next time you consider buying handmade jewelry, remember that while the piece may be an investment, you are supporting something even bigger. You should really feel good about your purchase knowing that you have a special piece from the artist in your jewelry collection. At LaMinería Artesana we have a wide variety of jewelry made by hand with the greatest possible love. Visit our store and choose the one you like best.