Why does the same ring have different prices?
By Rubina Posh August 21,2017
In short, because not all jewellery is made in the same way.
Where was the ring made? Where and When was it made? Who made it? How was it made? Is it a collectable? Who is selling it? These are just a few of the many factors that affect the overall value of the ring.
How the ring was made (what method of manufacture was used to make it) is one of the most important questions, as the manufacturing method greatly affects the price.
There are many ways of making jewellery.
Some of the most common ways include the following:
Handmade/Handcrafted;
Cast;
CAD/CAM Cast;
Die Struck and
Electroplated.
The final jewellery item can be partly handmade and partly cast or it can incorporate any combination of the above-mentioned methods.
The most expensive is the handmade method with labour having the highest cost.
Handmade Jewellery
Jewellers make every part of the jewellery item by hand. They can also do the setting and polishing or these can be done by setters and specialist polishers.
The jeweller makes the ring. The setter sets all the gems and a specialist polisher cleans and polishes the ring.
How long it takes to make a handmade piece depends on the style and intricacy of the design as well as the experience of the jeweller.
Generally, a simple band can be made in 3 hours.
Cast Jewellery
A mould is made in the shape of the desired ring which is then used to create the final piece (multiple casts are made at once). The ring is cast and usually quickly polished before the gems are set.
Generally, a simple band can be made in 30 minutes to 1 hour.
CAD/CAM Cast Jewellery
Cast jewellery was the most commonly available jewellery until the introduction of the CAD/CAM 3D printing.
A 3D model of the desired jewellery item is designed and a rubber mould of this item is then printed. The mould is used to create the final piece following a similar process as the traditional cast method. Many of the more intricately designed jewellery today are CAD Cast.
CAD/CAM allows for a more intricate design to be made in a shorter amount of time and at a lower cost, that until recently, was only available in handmade pieces. The final product is not as good as handmade pieces but is of a better quality than the traditional cast pieces.
Die-Struck Jewellery
The jewellery items are formed through a hydraulic press at high levels of pressure resulting in more durable jewellery.
These jewellery items are stronger and wear longer, are more detailed then the general cast pieces but only come in limited designs.
Electroplating (Plated Jewellery)
A thin layer of metal is placed over a model (mandrel) which is usually taken out after forming, but sometimes can be left in place. Most of the costume jewellery is manufactured in this way.
How can I find out how my ring was made?
Jewellery Valuers can identify the method of manufacture on all jewellery. They can determine the length of time required to create the piece by subdividing the jewellery item into sections where the time required to create each part can be assessed and give you a final value for that jewellery item.
What is a Jewellery Valuation?
The Process of Jewellery Valuing
Where to get a Jewellery Valuation?