The term "mass production" is probably misleading. It brings to mind a sweat shop in China, with little kids laboring over heavy equipment, producing hundreds of thousands of the same item, day after day after day.
Many jewelers use mass production, not just large companies, but also smaller jewelers. Making a number of your best selling items is more profitable than trying to figure out a new design, day after day. Many jewelers, using simple methods of reproducing one item, can turn out what would be considered handmade, one of a kind items. Finishing the pieces, stamping each a bit differently, whatever it takes to make them unique.
Large companies use more sophisticated methods than say a die punch or assembly line work, they use CAD and 3D manufacturing to their advantage, molds, and numerous bench jewelers to complete work, so they have a large inventory to offer. But is that what most people want? Some companies send their work overseas, to shops that employ many skilled and unskilled laborers, churning out ring after ring... or they cast the items, then assemble the components, which is truly mass production. Is that what people want?
In an informal poll of 75 people, each one said they would prefer having a one of a kind piece of jewelry as opposed to having something that is mass produced.
100% of those polled, though not a large audience, it is a testament to what people seem to need, the individuality of having something that only they have.
Miriam Webster Dictionary lists Mass Production as:
To produce very large amounts of something, usually using some sort of machinary.
Now, what is machinary?
a machine can be defined as:: a piece of equipment with moving parts that does work when it is given power from electricity, gasoline, etc.
or as: a person or group that does something efficiently, quickly, or repeatedly like a machine
One could argue that a machine does not have to operate on power from electricity or gasoline, that machines have in past times been powered by animals, people, wind... take a simple grist mill, wind operated by the use of large sail type blades that turn into rotating energy... Or by water rushing over paddles that do the same... or animals that walk in circles, exerting energy to turn the wheels...
These would be actual machines... as would a piece of equipment that has moving parts that uses energy, exerted by a person, to produce a product. Whether in part or a whole piece.Therefore, a person, using a tool or tools, to produce a multiple of the same product would also be considered mass production?
Possibly. Most jewelry artists polled would prefer making one of a kind jewelry, a piece that is different than the next, something that is pleasing to them and to their customer. However, economically, this is not a valid way to produce. At some point, most people will copy a design that people ask for, want, and don't mind that it is the same as bought by someone else. Earrings are one of those items. People don't mind it seems if you make the same silver hoop earrings over and over again. At least from my own experience, there are some basic items that are not considered as a bad reproduction....
Diamond solitaire rings are one of those. Many people prefer a simple, unadorned diamond, set in a prong setting without extra fuss... For those people, mass production on a large scale is not a problem. Nor is the plain band, nor the necklace that is beads strung in the same way as millions of necklaces are strung.... so...
Why do so many like one of a kind (OoaK)? For many, it is the allure of having something different. Many want the jewelry they wear to match the outfit or the mood, or the season. Most people want to show their good taste, or their whimsy...
All in all, OoaK is a win/win for all. Artists enjoy the work, customers enjoy the design, and everyone enjoys viewing the work... but how long can design change and evolve without duplicating pieces? One jeweler said that he thought he never had an original idea... doubtful, but how many ways can you change a ring? How many ways can you make a necklace?
For many, the idea of creating one of a kind is alluring... but when broken down into actual work... it is daunting. I have met several jewelry artists that participated in the Ring a Day project, where they created a different ring every day for a year... that's 365 rings... I am participating in the Year of Jewelry project, where you create a piece of jewelry each week for a year... that's 52 pieces of jewelry... I know people and have also participated myself in blog hops, where you make a piece of jewelry, sometimes with items that have been exchanged, and you post the finished product on your webpage... Even that one piece can take a lot of thought and planning...
So, for all those who only want to make OoaK... congratulations to you! Best wishes! Create, be fruitful. Me? I will use mass production on a limited scale.
Many jewelers use mass production, not just large companies, but also smaller jewelers. Making a number of your best selling items is more profitable than trying to figure out a new design, day after day. Many jewelers, using simple methods of reproducing one item, can turn out what would be considered handmade, one of a kind items. Finishing the pieces, stamping each a bit differently, whatever it takes to make them unique.
Large companies use more sophisticated methods than say a die punch or assembly line work, they use CAD and 3D manufacturing to their advantage, molds, and numerous bench jewelers to complete work, so they have a large inventory to offer. But is that what most people want? Some companies send their work overseas, to shops that employ many skilled and unskilled laborers, churning out ring after ring... or they cast the items, then assemble the components, which is truly mass production. Is that what people want?
In an informal poll of 75 people, each one said they would prefer having a one of a kind piece of jewelry as opposed to having something that is mass produced.
100% of those polled, though not a large audience, it is a testament to what people seem to need, the individuality of having something that only they have.
Miriam Webster Dictionary lists Mass Production as:
To produce very large amounts of something, usually using some sort of machinary.
Now, what is machinary?
a machine can be defined as:: a piece of equipment with moving parts that does work when it is given power from electricity, gasoline, etc.
or as: a person or group that does something efficiently, quickly, or repeatedly like a machine
One could argue that a machine does not have to operate on power from electricity or gasoline, that machines have in past times been powered by animals, people, wind... take a simple grist mill, wind operated by the use of large sail type blades that turn into rotating energy... Or by water rushing over paddles that do the same... or animals that walk in circles, exerting energy to turn the wheels...
These would be actual machines... as would a piece of equipment that has moving parts that uses energy, exerted by a person, to produce a product. Whether in part or a whole piece.Therefore, a person, using a tool or tools, to produce a multiple of the same product would also be considered mass production?
Possibly. Most jewelry artists polled would prefer making one of a kind jewelry, a piece that is different than the next, something that is pleasing to them and to their customer. However, economically, this is not a valid way to produce. At some point, most people will copy a design that people ask for, want, and don't mind that it is the same as bought by someone else. Earrings are one of those items. People don't mind it seems if you make the same silver hoop earrings over and over again. At least from my own experience, there are some basic items that are not considered as a bad reproduction....
Diamond solitaire rings are one of those. Many people prefer a simple, unadorned diamond, set in a prong setting without extra fuss... For those people, mass production on a large scale is not a problem. Nor is the plain band, nor the necklace that is beads strung in the same way as millions of necklaces are strung.... so...
Why do so many like one of a kind (OoaK)? For many, it is the allure of having something different. Many want the jewelry they wear to match the outfit or the mood, or the season. Most people want to show their good taste, or their whimsy...
All in all, OoaK is a win/win for all. Artists enjoy the work, customers enjoy the design, and everyone enjoys viewing the work... but how long can design change and evolve without duplicating pieces? One jeweler said that he thought he never had an original idea... doubtful, but how many ways can you change a ring? How many ways can you make a necklace?
For many, the idea of creating one of a kind is alluring... but when broken down into actual work... it is daunting. I have met several jewelry artists that participated in the Ring a Day project, where they created a different ring every day for a year... that's 365 rings... I am participating in the Year of Jewelry project, where you create a piece of jewelry each week for a year... that's 52 pieces of jewelry... I know people and have also participated myself in blog hops, where you make a piece of jewelry, sometimes with items that have been exchanged, and you post the finished product on your webpage... Even that one piece can take a lot of thought and planning...
So, for all those who only want to make OoaK... congratulations to you! Best wishes! Create, be fruitful. Me? I will use mass production on a limited scale.
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