Jewelry making supplies

[lola888]

Where should I go to get a good price on jewelry making supplies like gold filled or gold plated wire and silver wire, pliers, etc? I think craft stores will overcharge right?

 

[pattye]

Where are you living Lola?

 

[Caitlin]

Crafts stores are fine- as far as they go. They don't have very much for bead or pearls stringers. Your best bet might be to order supplies online.

 

[lola888]

Online where? What site is good -- for prices and quality? I also need earring hooks and silver or gold over silver wire. Where can I get these things at a good price?

I live in the US in Connecticut.

 

[pattye]

Watch the craft stores for sales, the prices can be fairly competitive then. There is not just one place to buy everything, unfortunately. Sigh.

Check out Artbeads.com, also Rio Grande.com

Artbeads offers 20% off every so often, so sign up to get their emails. Usually there is a 10% off coupon on line, and a 10% off coupon included with an order.

I have arthritis in my hands, but can work all day with Lindstrom pliers. Get the best tools you can afford. I'm certain others will have some good ideas for you also.

I don't buy gems or pearls from these companies, though.

 

[Caitlin]

I have used artbeads for years as my default shopping place. When they don't have what I want, I just look online for the best prices for the item I need. I just sent off for size 16 needles and 00 thread to string some teensy pearls and I found them at the Finding King. I have not shopped at one findings store I haven't liked. Fire Mountain is good, but they are a bit more costly.

For the good pliers and suchlike, definitely check out Rio Grande. They will also have earring wires and other findings, not as many as other places, but basic stuff at decent prices. I love visiting there at least once a month.

 

[KarinK]

There's Bella Findings too...

- Karin

 

[Caitlin]

I forgot about them as I haven't ordered from them in ages. They are probably much larger than Rio Grande and have better quality then Artbeads' best quality.

 

[pattye]

Rio Grande is not small. Their catalog is 1 1/4 inches thick! I think Bella is only online. I have only ordered a few times from Bella, inexpensive items, and a few had to be exchanged. I know others are pleased with their karat gold findings, which I have not tried.

This is when it gets tough to make recommendations~some items may be great, others not so much. I've learned to check all items closely, especially clasps, to make sure they are working properly. Keep receipts and check out return/exchange policies before ordering.

 

[Adeline Leigh]

I happy to share that for affordable earrings findings that are contemporary in design, I really like the South Korean companies (quality gold plate) who apparently make their stuff in Singapore (I don't know, I have searched and searched but it may just be for specifically for export only) and Balinese or Thai sterling silver and vermeil. I have tried Fire Mountain and Nina Designs but I find that I can get better deals elsewhere. Craft shops in Singapore and Melbourne are cut throat so going online for findings is the only option for me.

For quality gold plate CZ findings, I like this US-based Korean outfit: http://www.etsy.com/listing/102689625/pd198-b-mg-matte-gold-plated-small-b

For Bali sterling or vermeil, some decent sellers are on Etsy and Ebay (prices on the latter, I find, are slightly more expensive than the former). Go on either platform and do a search.

Am attaching a pic of some of the findings I've used, they may or may not be what you are after, but have fun searching.

 

[Katbran]

Hi there, I look at a lot of sites and still usually end up ordering from Artbeads, in Australia (where I live I often buy from Over the Rainbow - nice folks), I also order from the same Etsy site that Adeline does , AH beads have good lampwork I believe and is another good site, Nina designs is not inexpensive but I quite like her site and use it for focal materials as opposed to everyday silver beads. Aunties beads... there are so many. There's another one that I'm trying to think of that's in Canada...my favourites list has disappeared for some reason and I've lost about 50 saved sites...this is going to spur me on to find that one again! When I do I'll post it...they had interesting things and very funny descriptions...

 

[LLoydsJewelry]

You might try fusion beads. They are good if you just need a few of an item. You can order swarovskie by one bead at a time as an example. Their link is:

http://www.fusionbeads.com/


Lloyd
Gemologist GIA Certified.

http://www.zibbet.com/LloydsJewelry

 

[dkan 168]

I second Rio Grande for tools and findings, and Bella for beads, gold and silver findings.

DK

 

[Katbran]

I just had a look at Fusion Beads, that's a pretty good site Thanks for that...apparently I had found it a long time back and signed up but then when I lost all of my 'favourites' links it too disappeared and I'd forgotten all about it. Thanks to you it's been rediscovered!

While we are on about sites, anyone know where I can find some 'spike' dangles? Brass, SSilver, Base metals..anything really

 

[pattye]

Just did a search on etsy, lots there~good luck~I dug through my old jewelry and came up with a old pair of earrings I'm going to take apart since the dangle is rather long and pointed.

 

[Katbran]

Thanks Pattye, certainly lots of spikey jewelry out there!

 

[pattye]

I was surprised myself!

 

[pearlescence]

Just my usual cautionary reminder about USA findings which often have nickel . It would be illegal to sell any item of jewellery with any nickel in it anywhere in the EU.
Even importing items with nickel for personal use might be unlawful, since they could still get into the supply chain

 

[Amanda]

I second Rio Grande for tools and findings, and Bella for beads, gold and silver findings.

DK

Wendy's right - you're in the UK, aren't you? So importing US sterling silver can be very iffy, as they don't have the rules against nickel in their alloys that we have here.

 

[BeadersSecret]

Just my usual cautionary reminder about USA findings which often have nickel . It would be illegal to sell any item of jewellery with any nickel in it anywhere in the EU.
Even importing items with nickel for personal use might be unlawful, since they could still get into the supply chain

Hello Wendy
My understanding is that the requirement in the EU is not based on the presence of Nickel in an item - but on the release rate of nickel when exposed to a testing chemical that simulates human sweat (which is in itself hotly debated as to it's meaningfulness)

Banning nickel containing material outright would be impractical (or impossible depending who you listen to)- it would mean no stainless steel for a start so there goes most of the eyewear and watch industry, cosmetic implants etc etc