5 Reasons Why Your Jeweler Can’t Replicate Your Earring
Written by Annabelle
June 20, 2019
You've lost an earring, and you're looking to get an earring replication. Much to your surprise, the jeweler quotes you something higher than what you had originally paid for, or just turns you down. But why? Read on to learn about the five reasons why your jeweler can't replicate your earring.
1.Your design cannot be cast by normal means
If you have an earring that is hollow in construction, such as a tube hoop earring, it cannot be cast by most production facilities. The process of casting usually turns out solid metal; hollow designs require special equipment that most jewelers do not have. The facilities that can cast hollow pieces are usually involved in mass production, especially in costume jewelry.
2.Your design was hand-carved and cast
A problem more common to artisan jewelry, hand-carved wax cast jewelry has a markedly different look than jewelry made from 3D printing and manufacturing. The imperfections and inconsistencies of hand-carved wax creates a particular aesthetic that is very difficult to simulate. If your jeweler only makes jewelry by 3D printing, they will not have the ability to hand-carve a wax mold for your earrings.
3.Your earring is made out of a strange material
Resin, bone, clay, wood, anything that isn't a well-known metal cannot be worked with. Even metal alloys such as zinc are usually near-impossible to replicate; the manufacturing for such products is usually done overseas in countries such as China or India. Most jewelers in the United States will not have the ability to replicate cheap, non-precious metals, simply because they don't have the material or equipment for it on hand.
4.Your jeweler doesn't have the manufacturing capability
Not all jewelers have the ability to custom make jewelry! Small shops usually don't have the equipment to cast metal in-house. They will resort to either turning you down, or contacting a casting facility and charging you more. You can bypass this issue by going straight to a manufacturer (like us!) to avoid an additional “middleman's fee.”
5.Your budget is too low
The most obvious reason for a earring replication rejection is a high price. You might be wondering; “Why should I pay more than I originally did for the earring? Shouldn't it cost the same to make as when I purchased the first pair?” The answer to that is no- an earring replication is a custom creation project. Regardless of how the jeweler goes about recreating your item, whether by mold or 3D printing, they are creating a custom design just for you that will never be used again. This is in sharp contrast to the manufacturer who made your original pair of earrings; they probably cast thousands of the same earrings for sale. Your local jeweler will not be casting more pairs to sell after you purchase your replacement, yet they are spending the same amount of labor as the original manufacturer to make a 3D file for just one pair of earrings. Given that information, it's justifiable as to why the custom creation price is higher than the average retail price.
In addition to the labor cost of the design creation, the jeweler has to price the replication based on materials as well. Gold prices fluctuate on a daily basis, so if your item is 18k gold, it can be more or less expensive depending on the market.
Now you have a better idea of why earring replication is so tricky! A lot of factors contribute to why it's so hard to find someone who can do it for you. If your local jeweler can't do it, or is charging you an exorbitant fee, find a point of comparison by asking around. We offer free consultations and quotes on earring replication projects, so reach out to us here!