Surprising Facts About Handmade Jewelry That You Didn't Know

Did you know that people started to decorate themselves with primitive jewelry as early as 30,000 BC? Today, technology has allowed us to create much more refined jewelry made of gold, silver, and other materials.

Most of the items in the jewelry industry come from industrial machines. While this can create many beautiful pieces, they are all exactly the same.

On the other hand, handmade jewelry, made my skilled jewelers and artisans has many unique features that you might not know about. Keep reading and learn more below about what makes handmade jewelry special. 

Handmade Jewelry Is Always One-Of-A-Kind

As mentioned before, handmade jewelry, whether it be handmade engagement rings with colored stones or anything made from black tourmalinated quartz, is unique. That's because handmade jewelry, as the name suggests, does not come from a conveyer belt and is not put together by machines. It is handcrafted by a trained artisan, who has worked years to perfect her craft. Any time you purchase a piece of handmade jewelry, someones heart, soul and passion was put into the piece, and it will always be a one-of-a-kind.

Even if the jewelry maker creates several of the same handmade rings such as handmade opal rings or handcrafted engagement rings, none of them will be exactly the same. While they may look similar at first glance, all you need to do is look a little closer to see the finer details. In particular, you will be able to find differences in how the metal bends, the positioning of the stone or jewel, the polish of the metal, and so on. 

In our jewelry, the handmade essence can be seen in our one of a kind stones. No two opals or emeralds or salt and pepper diamonds will be the same. When something is mass produced, there is little variance in the colored stones, and that particular type of jewelry will be exactly the same as another piece of jewelry of the same type. 

While that might be fine for some people, this precision can remove any personality from the piece of jewelry and can make it feel quite cold. On the other hand, handmade jewelry is full of personality, passion and soul the wearer can see and feel. 

You might like the fact that a watermelon tourmaline ring has some color variation or interesting inclusion and take great pleasure in knowing your ring is the one and only of it's kind.

Time Determines the Value of Handmade Jewelry

Factory-made jewelry gets its value from its materials. For example, you will have to pay more for a ring depending on what kind of gold it is. 14K gold is only around 50% gold while the rest is made of filler metals such as nickel.

18K gold contains more pure gold and is, therefore, more expensive. Or, on the other hand, a ring might have a diamond and that diamond will be a certain price depending on how perfect it is. While the value of these materials is still important in the realm of handmade jewelry, the time it takes to create the jewelry also determines part of the jewelry's value. 

Time is not often a factor that is considered with jewelry made in factories. That's because factory machines can create jewelry in no time at all. With melting machines, conveyor belts, and robotic arms putting precious metals together into rings and necklaces, there is not really much human artistry behind its creation. 

On the other hand, human artistry is a huge part of the allure. Not only are the valuable materials factored into price,  but also the decades of hard work it takes for the artisan to perfect her craft.  

Because it is impossible for humans to be as precise as machines, it takes much more time to complete one piece of jewelry by hand. It might take a human a day or more to complete one ring while a machine could create thousands of rings in one day. 

But because it takes more time to make jewelry by hand, it also requires more effort and skill. When you buy a piece of handmade jewelry, you are not only buying the jewelry itself but the time, passion, and effort that the jewelry maker put into that particular piece. 

Handmade Jewelry Materials Are Picked by Hand

When you go into an ordinary jewelry store, you will find that your options are limited. Most of the items there will be made of gold or silver and the gem of choice will be a diamond. However, when you walk into a handmade jewelry shop, you will find that you have much more variety to choose from. 

That's because handmade jewelry materials are chosen by the jewelry maker. For that reason, you will be able to find unique pieces of jewelry made of materials that you won't be able to find anywhere else. 

Many handmade jewelry makers like to choose semi-precious stones. This is not because of their value but because of their appearance.

You will find plenty of quartz, opal, tourmaline, and more. Because these stones come in all different colors, you can match them with your overall look. You can do this in many different ways depending on your clothes and how you feel. 

You'll never experience this kind of versatility with an ordinary mass produced ring. More than that, the fact that the materials are hand-picked makes the jewelry much more personal and creative. 

Everything You Need to Know About Handmade Jewelry

Many people don't know much about what makes handmade jewelry special, but now you do. Because handmade jewelry is full of artistic talent, time, and effort, it is arguably just as valuable (if not more) than mass produced jewelry. 

If you would like to buy handmade jewelry, check out some of our pieces here.