Jewelry Making Vendor/Site ?

[Kansaseq]

Where is the best place to buy beads, findings, and stuff for jewelry making? I really like the turquoise (good looking faux turquoise is fine) and silver stuff, but it's expensive. Any ideas? Anyone want to share pics of their stuff?

 

[ChicksterJo]

I usually order from FireMountainGems but I enjoyed Rio Grande. Their sterling silver quality is great. I get stuff from FMG when they have BIG sales, like strands for a buck (I really like the black beads such as black agate). They sell faux and real turquoise too. My most recent purchase from FMG was Swarovski crystals...really versatile and easy to make earrings, bracelets, necklaces, you name it.

Here's an example of my work:

 

[Kansaseq]

Wow, very cool! I'll have to check out Rio Grande; I'm perusing FMG, but they are pricey. Thanks for sharing

 

[ChicksterJo]

If you can sign up for the FMG newsletter where they e-mail you their sales. That is when I buy everything I need. I just make a list of what I want for my next projects and then when there's a sale I can check off items off my list. The iolite gemstones I used in that necklace was about $5 or so and it is normally around $8-$10. Sometimes there are strands for $1 or less and they are the more common stones.

Rio grande is a bit pricier too. There are many other websites but I find FMG to be cheapest when they have their sales and their delivery is quick. My mom had a bad returns experience with them but I always make sure not to buy something I even think I will return, or else I start buying silver jewelry (such as ring mounts) at Rio Grande because of the quality.

Hope that helps.

 

[stoopid]

FMG has been my favorite. Alot of people think they are expensive, they don't understand the more you buy, the more of a discount you get. You can put a strand of whatever in your cart that, say is $25.00, and a few more of whatnot, for $5.00. and then fill up on the little sale thingys for $.89cents. If you have 15 items in the cart, the $25.00 whatevers drop down to $20.00, the whatnots are now $4.00, and it may actually cost you less to buy more. And, if you leave your cart open for a while, and shop again tomorrow, if you get 50 items, the price level goes down again. I have used them for years.
Rio Grande is good, too. I find their quality to be higher, along with the price.
Shipwreck beads is another good choice. Call them up and get a deal on the catalog, they have a price on it, but if you talk to a salesperson when you place an order, they should waive the cost.
Jewelerysupply.com is another place I buy from, they have all the watch batteries you can never find, for like 2 bucks each. I stock up on those because when you need one, you'll run out and pay $6.00 if you're in a hurry. They also have good prices on storage cases, display trays, and presentation cases, like the ones you take when you go to a fair or a show.
Good luck buying (and selling)! Roberta

 

[Kansaseq]

Thanks, guys; you've been a wealth of information!

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

I have found reasonable supplies on Esty.com also, but I can't go on there too often because I spend way to much money! Forgot to mention rings-things.com they are reasonably priced also.

 

[ruffledfeathers1234]

My mom says that eebeads.com and artbeads.com are great affordable sites for all of your beading needs.
eta: their shipping is cheap too

 

[HHandbasket]

Quote:
Seriously, they're pricey? I don't think so! I buy from them a lot. So do my local bead shops..... everytime I get a flyer from FMG, then I see whatever they have on sale a week or 2 later in my local bead shop at a considerable markup.

Firemountain Gems is one of the cheapest sources out there.

ETA: I get my least expensive supplies from attending Gem Faires -- see this link http://www.gemfaire.com/index.php

I can get Asian crystal for as little as $2/strand. But for Swarovski and stone beads, I have not found anyone that beats FMG's prices. You could also try e-bay. I get most of my metal findings from there, have them shipped directly from china... Charms I pay as much as $1.25 apiece for at my local bead shop, I can get in lots of 50 or more from China for $4.99 and free shipping.

 

[Kansaseq]

Hhandbasket,
Fire Mountain did seem pricey at first, until I really started looking around. I've come to appreciate them, and just got a second order in the mail today!