Making jewelry to spend your life

Send Date: 2012-02-17 20:35:06

Source: http://www.nationaljeweler.com

Making jewelry  to spend your life

By Hannah Connorton  

Nashville-based Robin Haley believes that making jewelry “is one of the nicest ways to spend your life.” Haley, who graduated from fashion design school and previously worked as a songwriter, entered the jewelry world when a family friend and jeweler needed assistance at his shop. On her first day, Haley found herself drawn to watching the jeweler at his bench. Three days later, she was on her way to making her own jewelry.

Haley spoke with National Jeweler on the challenges of working in sterling silver, finding price points that compete, and making jewelry interesting.

NJ: How did you become involved in jewelry design in sterling silver?
RH: Four years ago, I decided I wanted to create something with meaning. So I designed a couture line in gold--this was right before the market crashed. I took the line to a show, and the buyers liked it and said, “I would do anything to have that, can you make it in silver?” So, I realized I was going to have to be working in silver. I started pricing things in silver, and filling those orders and mixing my designs with diamonds to pull it up. I ended up doing silver for the price point, and the jewelry is beautiful and timeless.

Haley’s sterling silver necklaces from the “Sacred Love” collection.

NJ: What demands does silver jewelry have on the designer?
RH: It’s a design challenge--it pushes you to make your designs more interesting. In your mind, you’re asking yourself, “How is this going to look?” You add diamonds to it, or black diamonds, some rose gold--you really have to start to think, because silver isn’t always interesting on its own. You have to play with the texture and come up with different ways to make the jewelry come out looking great. We are all looking for ways to make silver have impact.

NJ: What are the challenges of designing in sterling silver?
RH: The biggest challenge is pricing. A lot of people, including our competitors, are getting things made outside the country to be able to compete price-wise. The labor in silver is the exact same as gold, but buyers still don’t see the same value in silver. This forces people to go elsewhere to have their jewelry made. Buyers do not feel good having to put an expensive piece out there in silver. What’s happening is, you get caught, and you’re forced to get things manufactured. Getting price points that can compete is the hardest part.

Haley’s sterling silver “Maltese Cross” necklace with an 18-karat gold star.

NJ: What are the benefits of working in sterling silver?
RH: You can use more metal, which is nice, and not have it be quite as expensive. You can make heavier jewelry. So I’m looking at different things I can do that will add more to my designs. I have some silver pieces that I brush to give an icy white color to, and it’s really pretty. I also love that you can blacken silver. It’s soft, easy to set stones in. There are definitely assets to it.

NJ: Do you think consumers are interested in silver jewelry?
RH: There are people that really love silver. I have a lot of customers that love silver and only wear silver. So that’s good. But in general, I don’t know. A man is going to want to buy a gift at a jewelry store, and because of price and comfort he’ll go home with silver. Is he happy? Is it enough? That’s the biggest question to me. I think it also depends on how retailers are selling silver.