Thursday, January 17, 2013

Invest in Silver!

I've been doing metal clay for about five years now ( that's five inventories.)  And of course in those five years the price of metal clay has skyrocketed.

If I were to try to remake certain pieces (or at least make something similar) my original pricing would be way out of line.  I could be losing money instead of making it.

So, I decided to "update" some of my bigger pieces and wow..... was I surprised.


Original clay price.... $10.03
Today....... $17.38



Original clay price..... $62.58
Today............$90.63



Original clay price...... $48.73
Today........ $57.90



Original clay price.......$66.87
Today...... $115.80

Okay, you get the idea.


And that's just the metal clay.  The sterling silver findings that are used have jumped immensely also.  And don't get me started on the sterling silver chains.  The chains are usually three times what they use to be.

Guess I should have bought stock in silver.  (But I'm not into the stock market.)  I'll just keep making jewelry.  That's how I get my silver fix.  (That and wearing it.)  

But you can see why many artists are turning to the base metals to save money.  But in my book, what is gained in saving on the price of the metal is often taken up in more work time and longer and smaller firings.  






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