If we brainstormed meanings and contexts for the word “set” the list would be fairly long. I guess early encounters of the term was when we learned about “ready, set, go”. Later, in school we learned about things that come in sets and about the specific mathematical use of the term.
The term also has multiple connotations in the context of jewelry design including how to “set” a stone and my most familiar phrase, “where did I set my glasses down?” When I first started making jewelry, it seemed my customers wanted things in sets. I never strung a necklace without also making matching earrings and often included a matching bracelet as well. Then later the trend of matching changed and I quit making sets. Many customers wanted a more eclectic style that didn’t include those perfect matches.
Now, I’m back to including earrings from the same stones used in a necklace mainly because I don’t want to have to hunt the stones when a customer requests a match. This week, I decided to go back to the early days and make a true set that included a necklace, earrings and a bracelet to match. I made the bracelet first and then used the same weaving and stones on the necklace. I couldn’t decide which necklace picture was best so below you find both. The stones are lapis and azurite from Magpie Gemstones (www.magpiegemstones.com).
I hurried to finish the above set before a show I did at a community center yesterday. I just knew someone would want the whole thing. Wrong! The necklace, with earrings, was the first piece that sold at the show, but the bracelet remained behind – so much for sets! Today, someone else selected the bracelet.
The question now is whether or not to make another full set. I guess I’ll try it again since even though the pieces didn’t all go home with the same customer, they did all go home. Isn’t that what really counts?
Right now, I think I’ll just “set” my body down and rest while I contemplate what stones to use in my next set.
Hi, Karen,
As always, your jewellery is beautiful, and your thinking behind your designs fascinating and edifying.
I used to make sets, but people couldn’t/still can’t afford to buy them. Still mostly don’t at the Saturday market I do; it’s different in the stores where they offer Visa/debit and people are expecting to pay more. But even the stores have told me they don’t want sets. My solution to this has been to make a couple of lengths of necklaces, four or five variations of earrings, maybe a couple of bracelet variations — variations on a theme rather than true sets. Not too matchy-matchy, but close enough.
Necklaces and bracelets attract a lot of attention and contemplation, if not out and out lust to possess, but earrings are a guaranteed sale. I asked someone once about that (I rarely wear jewellery myself) and they said it’s because earrings are easy to wear, they go with more (or not — matchy-matchy is less important with earrings — and they’re more visible, so people are willing to pay more for them. Another lady told me she buys only bracelets and rings because SHE wants to see the stones in them; she could care less about wearing necklaces or earrings for other people to look at.
Karen, those are beautiful! I’m still learning, and I always always seem to guess wrong about what the buyers are going to want. Maybe I should just decide what I think, and then do the opposite? I’ve taken to offering sets of cabochons on Etsy, if only because it cuts down on the extreme photo time I have to put in to sell anything at all.
Barbara, It’s interesting what different people want and I enjoy hearing their reasoning. Thanks for your input.
Katherine – I can certainly understand about the picture situation. I need to get smarter about that.
I especially love your cuff! Just beautiful.
Thanks Sue, I’m working on the tutorial for that cuff in order to share it with others.