The Gem Gallery Blog

Each piece of metalwork you do has two values: intrinsic value (what the raw materials are worth) and market value (the value added by your labor and the demand for your work). The theory of mass production is that very little is added to the intrinsic value, since not much labor goes into the manufacture of a single item. But if you do mostly one-of-a-kind pieces, then your labor may well be the major part of the market value.

The market for your work becomes more limited as you increase the labor costs. If you are well known, and have a large following and/or demand for your work, then it does not really matter what your work costs — it will sell. If you are just starting out, adding many hours of work to a relatively insignificant amount of intrinsic value probably will not sell very well. Without an established name to justify the cost of a piece of relatively low intrinsic value — a piece made of silver with an inexpensive agate, for example — you’ll end up paying yourself only a few cents per hour in order to sell a piece that took you 40 hours to complete. Spending that same 40 hours on a gold piece with expensive stones, however, even if the selling price will be quite a bit more than the one in silver, makes the work more saleable. Unfortunately, it takes a certain amount of educating the buying public to make people perceive that an artistic value may be greater than the intrinsic one.

So how does this market value affect your choice of metals? It will depend on a number of factors. Do you need to sell this piece to earn your living? Or will it be “not for sale” — made for yourself or as a gift? What is your current market? Could the galleries now handling your work sell something like this? Many galleries cater to a specific kind of clientele, and might find it difficult to sell work which is radically different. Is there an exhibition or competition coming up which would be an appropriate showcase for this piece? Would recognition of you as an artist be worth the time and effort you will need to take away from your regular work for you to produce this piece? All of these aspects must be considered when you are designing and making decisions about what materials to use.

Related posts: Color Factor, Weight of Metal