Aliciamiyares.org – The guide to all things of fashion

Throughout our lives, there are days that we know will remain etched in our memories forever. There are milestone birthdays, bat mitzvahs, and graduations, along with our wedding day and the days our children are born. For occasions large and small, handcrafted silver jewelry can commemorate special days and help to create lasting memories.

Lockets

Our grandmothers may have worn lockets on silver chains around their necks, but these memory-keepers are enjoying a resurgence today. Lockets make perfect gifts for new mothers and new grandmothers. For someone close to us who is experiencing a recent loss, a locket expresses heartfelt condolences in a way that honors a loved one.

Silver Chains

Artisans who specialize in handmade jewelry have access to silver chains in dozens of different designs. Moreover, because they solder the end caps and the rings connecting to the clasp, their bracelets, necklaces, and anklets won’t fall off and get lost – an ever-present danger with commercial produced chains. Because the chains are usually sold by the inch, you can purchase one in any size. That makes them perfect gifts for a variety of recipients, from babies to men, from plus-size women to little girls’ dolls.

Pendants and Earrings

Handmade pendants and earrings are made the old-fashioned way, with hand tools, one piece at a time. Set with gemstones, they make wonderful anniversary gifts, Mother’s Day gifts, and even bridesmaids’ gifts. Thematic pendants – like dragons, pentagrams, or Celtic symbols – are memorable birthday gifts.

Rings

In our society, rings convey an incredible sense of meaning. Depending upon the occasion, they signify commitment, hope, love, or eternity. Handmade silver wedding rings, which are available in a bright polish finish, a satin or brushed finish, or a hammered finish, can make a memorable day even more special.
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Tags: barrettes, bracelets, chains, earrings, gifts, handcrafted silver jewelry, handmade, pendants, rings

There’s little argument that we live in a world designed for our thinner sisters. Those of us who are more bountiful can often feel as though we’re on the outside looking in – especially when it comes to fashion accessories. Sure, we can buy accessories like barrettes and earrings, but when it comes to pendants on chains, bracelets, and rings, we’re often out of luck. The chains simply aren’t long enough, the bracelets are too tight, and the rings simply aren’t big enough. That’s why it’s a godsend to find handcrafted silver jewelry made by artisans who care enough to create lovely pieces that “fit” plus-size women.

Silver Chains

The challenges we face in the world of fashion accessories are often a matter of chain length. Whether for necklaces, bracelets, or anklets, the answer is to find chains that are custom-sized for any length. Thanks to the Internet, custom-length chains are only a few clicks away.

When you’re shopping for silver chains, look for a source that offers dozens of different kinds of chain. You’ll then have the same kind of selection that average-sized women have. Perhaps you like box, rope, or bar and link chain; maybe you like the elegant sophistication of herringbone or the more substantial Byzantine or Madeira styles. The bottom line is that you should have access to a wide variety of choices that are .925 sterling silver and that are priced by the inch.

Clasps and Fasteners

The telltale signs of quality bracelets and necklaces are the clasps and fasteners. When jewelry is assembled commercially, the fasteners are literally the weak links; all too often, they simply come apart and cause you to lose your chain. High quality handcrafted silver jewelry, on the other hand, has caps that are soldered on and jump rings that are soldered closed so that the ring connecting the clasp to the chain can’t open.
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Tags: barrettes, bracelets, chains, earrings, gifts, handcrafted silver jewelry, handmade, pendants, rings

There is something very mysterious about crystals. And, therefore, as soon as you don them, they lend a very enigmatic touch to your whole persona. Even if it is just one small little crystal, it can work wonders for you. No, this is no future prediction, though crystals have always been one of the favourite tools of soothsayers. But here, the point that is that even a small jewel encrusted with a tiny piece of crystal can make you look charming and, at times, mesmerising!

And it is due to this touch of glory that the crystal provides that it has enchanted the kings and queens since time immemorial. They have worn crystal on their fingers and as pendants in their lavaliere. However, crystal has most enjoyed its rightful place in many a royal crown. Towards the eastern and oriental part of the world, and in the middle east, crystal has beautified the turbans of the kings and princes.
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Tags: beads, crystal, ex-beading accessories, faceted, handicraft findings, jewellery, pearls, pendants, seed beads, swarovski

Although it also applies to traditional brick and mortar jewelry retail stores, the surge of ecommerce through the advancing internet infrastructure and a significant decrease in overhead costs enable many entrepreneurs to start their own businesses online. Combined with the exponentially increasing number of web users, online retail has become an attractive opportunity for people who want something for their own.

The online retail sales grossed about $110 billion in 2005 and jewelry category accounted for 5% of the total. Other major categories include books, apparel, computer related, electronics and drugs. The reason why jewelry is particularly attractive to a lot of entrepreneurs is that the startup capital could be small and the logistics is easy to control. The reason is that the spectrum of jewelry range from costume jewelry to silver jewelry to diamond luxury items, which offers a flexible startup capital requirement. Also, due to the nature of jewelry, it does not require a large storage space in the beginning and is relatively easily to package and ship.

For someone who is already convinced that jewelry store is a feasible online business, the next question would obviously be where to get the merchandize. To answer this question, we have to state the characteristics that one should look for when selecting a vendor. I know some of you are thinking “prices”. Sure, different vendors have different prices for similar items, is the one with the lowest prices odd to be the one we should work with?

Granted, your vendor’s pricing is crucial to the success of your business, this is all about money after all. Nonetheless, in order to be competitive in the market, there are many other facts you might want to get from a wholesaler before any decision is made.

Firstly, especially in jewelry and apparel industry, the vendor has to have the sense to the changing fashion trends. New styles come out every day and popular styles are changing every season, it makes a huge difference between your vendor selling styles that were hot last summer rather than styles that just got exposed in a French fashion show. You should do your own research, of course, but a vendor with the good connections and senses propels your business and saves you a lot of time.

Secondly, if you decide to carry some unique styles that can rarely be found anywhere else, do make sure you get them from a vendor who guarantees the availability of the stock. By doing this, you can maximize your effort for processing each item. Typical pre-processing of an item are photo-taking, editing, copywriting and data entry. If the vendor runs out of stock for most of the items you purchased, and not being able to perform backordering, the effort for maintaining the inventory will be dramatically increased.
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Tags: bracelets, hip hop jewelry, Jewelry, pendants, rings, silver jewelry, sterling silver, wholesale