From fashion jewelry of a few dollars to high-end jewelry of hundreds of thousands of dollars, the price difference is huge, each with its own unique market.
Why is there such a big difference in the price of these jewels? What is the difference between them? Today, we delve into it and provide you with an authoritative and comprehensive guide.
Types of Metals Used in Jewelry
Why are there jewelry of a few dollars, tens of dollars, and even hundreds of dollars on the market?
First of all, the price difference of jewelry mainly comes from the materials used.
Sterling silver is more expensive than brass, brass is more expensive than titanium steel, titanium steel is more expensive than alloy, and eco-friendly alloy is more expensive than non-eco-friendly alloy.
The price may vary several to tens of times due to different materials, especially for large or heavy jewelry.
Compared to gold and silver materials, the cost of raw materials for brass and stainless steel materials can almost be ignored.
Pros and Cons of Different Metal Materials
Gold
Source：https://www.pexels.com/zh-cn/photo/47047/
reference price: 1994.90 US dollars
Advantages: Rare, value-preserving, not easy to corrode, excellent ductility, metallic luster
Disadvantages: High price
Silver
reference price: 23.39 US dollars
Advantages: Stable, ductile, malleable, high refractive index, relatively low price, easy to design into different styles of jewelry
Disadvantages: Easy to oxidize and turn black, losing luster, needs regular maintenance, low hardness, not wear-resistant
Brass
The cost of raw materials is basically not included in the cost.
Advantages: Exquisite, can accept various processing, fast production time, fast new product speed, can achieve various processes and styles
Disadvantages: Easy to oxidize and turn black, the color retention time after plating is short, most audiences are allergic to copper materials
Stainless Steel
The cost of raw materials is basically not included in the cost.
Advantages: Cheap, good color retention, many styles, anti-allergic, high hardness, good elasticity, not easy to deform
Disadvantages: The process that can be realized on stainless steel is less, because the material is hard, the cost of drilling or inlaying is high, and it is easy to fall off.
The reference prices of the above metals are only for comparison.
Types of Stones Used in Jewelry
Cubic Zirconia and Crystals
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For those just starting out in the jewelry business or looking to offer affordable pieces, cubic zirconia and crystals are a great choice.
Cubic zirconia, in particular, is known for its diamond-like appearance but comes at a fraction of the cost.
Similarly, crystals can offer a dazzling array of colors and shapes, providing a cost-effective way to add sparkle and variety to your jewelry collection.
Moissanite
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Moissanite – a gem that’s been gaining popularity in recent years. It’s brilliant sparkle and affordability, compared to diamonds, have made it a favorite among savvy shoppers.
It’s worth considering this gem as it offers an impressive balance between quality and price.
Lab Grown Diamonds
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The rise of lab-grown diamonds is due to their ethical and sustainable origin, plus their affordability compared to natural diamonds.
From a consumer’s perspective, lab-grown diamonds offer unbeatable value. They get the same quality and brilliance of natural diamonds, but at a much lower price.
Semi-Precious Stones
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These include a wide range of gems from amethyst to topaz, each with its unique color and appeal.
While not as expensive as their precious counterparts, semi-precious stones still offer plenty of allure and value, making them a great addition to any jewelry collection.
Diamonds
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When it comes to high-end gems, diamonds are the undisputed kings. These precious stones are synonymous with luxury and elegance.
Despite their higher price tag, they continue to be highly sought after for their timeless beauty and status-symbol appeal.
Cost Factors in Stone Selection
Type, Quality, Size, and Rarity
When determining the cost of a piece of jewelry, four main factors come into play: the type of stone, its quality, size, and rarity.
Type and Quality of Stone
The type and quality of the stone are often the biggest cost determinants. For instance, a high-quality diamond will fetch a much higher price than a low-quality one or a different type of stone like quartz.
Size Matters
Size is another key factor. As a general rule, larger stones tend to be more expensive. However, this isn’t always the case. For instance, a smaller, high-quality diamond can be worth more than a larger, lower-quality one.
The Rarity Factor
The rarity of the stone plays a crucial role in its cost. The harder a stone is to find, the more valuable it becomes. This is why gems like blue garnet and pink star diamonds command astronomical prices.
By understanding the types of stones used in jewelry and the cost factors in stone selection, you can make informed decisions when curating your jewelry collection.
Stone Cutting and Setting on Production Costs
Stone Cutting
Once the stones have been sourced, the next step in the production process is cutting, which significantly contributes to the overall costs. The cutting process transforms raw stones into beautifully faceted gems, but it requires skilled labor and precision equipment.
Setting Stones
The final step in the jewelry making process is setting the stones. This involves placing and securing the cut stones into the jewelry piece.
The complexity of this process often depends on the design of the jewelry. More intricate designs require more time and precision, which translates into higher costs.
Craftsmanship
The craftsmanship of jewelry is also an important factor affecting the price. High-end jewelry usually requires fine hand-making, requiring jewelers to invest a lot of time and effort, so the price is higher.
On the other hand, some fashion jewelry usually adopts mechanized, automated production methods, mass production, reducing the cost of production, so the price is relatively low.
As a meticulous process, jewelry craftsmanship is currently more expensive than machine processing, of course, the price is also more expensive.
Manual sanding and polishing have a significant impact on the price.
Polishing usually requires workers to manually handle each deviation position to ensure smoothness; and polishing requires the use of different tools to polish different positions of the same item, making the jewelry more beautiful.
However, in order to reduce production costs, some jewelry factories may omit the polishing step and directly plate the product, making it look rougher.
Electroplating
Electroplating is a common jewelry manufacturing process, which forms a uniform, dense, and well-adhered coating on the metal through the electrolysis process.
Electroplating can not only change the color of jewelry, increase aesthetics, but also improve the corrosion resistance and hardness of jewelry.
The difference in electroplating color leads to price differences, because the cost of different electrolytes (such as gold, silver, platinum) is different.
The thickness of the electroplating affects how long the color lasts and influences the price of the jewelry.The thicker it is, the longer the color retention time, and the higher the price.
For example, a piece of jewelry that uses gold plating and has a plating thickness of 1 micron may only retain its color for 1-2 years; but if the plating thickness is increased to 2-3 microns, the color retention time can reach 3-5 years.
However, the increase in plating thickness will increase the plating cost by about 3-10 times, thereby increasing the price of jewelry.
It is worth noting that some factories use non-precious metals for electroplating, that is, the fake gold plating, the price is much lower than the electroplated real gold, but the color is not as beautiful as the latter, and may cause allergic problems.
Order Quantity
Employing mass production to enhance the marginal benefits of jewelry manufacturing.
The cost of jewelry manufacturing mainly includes raw materials, labor, equipment depreciation, electricity, and water resources.
Among them, raw materials and labor are the main costs.
Mass production can reduce these costs, because large orders can enjoy discounts on raw materials, improve equipment utilization and reduce depreciation costs, and optimize production processes to reduce labor costs.
However, novice sellers have smaller orders and it is difficult to enjoy the benefits of large-scale purchases, so the cost is relatively high. This is also why the price of jewelry in large supermarkets is lower.
Conclusion
In general, the price difference in jewelry production is mainly determined by raw materials, manufacturing processes, and scale effects.
As a jewelry seller or company, you need to choose the right product based on business positioning and customer needs.
I hope this article can help you. We will continue to pay attention to the latest developments in the jewelry industry and provide the most authoritative and comprehensive information.
