In the southwestern part of the United States, in New Mexico and Arizona, there are many Indian artisans who make handcrafted Indian jewelry. This trade has been passed down through the generations from family to family and many times it is truly a family affair.. The love for this type of handcrafted jewelry still exists today and these authentic pieces of jewelry are just beautiful. Most of these handcrafted jewelry pieces are made from silver, copper and gold. Many different gemstones are used with these pieces, with turquoise being the most popular.

Big Business

Indian jewelry has become a large commodity for many shops selling Native American art in the Southwest. Handmade beaded jewelry is especially popular in the small jewelry shops in this part of the country. Many of the Indian reservations have formed their own companies to regulate and sell the handcrafted jewelry made by the Indians on the reservations. This handcrafted jewelry normally comes with a certificate of authenticity with the artists name or initials on the piece of jewelry.

These companies will sell the jewelry to the different jewelry stores or trading posts and will do custom work for selected shops. The custom handcrafted jewelry can fetch a very high price tag. A customer can also design a piece of jewelry and give a drawing to the agent of the Indian jewelry company and they will have the piece of jewelry made for them. This is very big business in the Southwest and has made a great deal of money for the Indian reservations who have ventured into this handcrafted jewelry business.

Single Artisans

There are also some of the Indian artisans who sell their handcrafted jewelry on their own. You will see these artists sitting at a stand on the side of the road or in the town square in Santa Fe, New Mexico with their jewelry spread out in front of them. This handcrafted jewelry is very authentic and you are normally looking at the person who made it. Sometimes the sale of this jewelry goes to feed the families of the artists and is their only income. If you are looking for handcrafted Indian jewelry it is very easy to find in this part of the country. If it is a specific piece you are looking for, it is probably made by a particular tribe. You might have to search another part of the Southwest for an individual piece, but all of this jewelry is very accessible.

It is becoming more and more popular for people to make and sell their own handmade jewelry. This custom jewelry making is more popular because of the increased popularity of businesses in the home. This is a great way for a stay at home mother to raise her children and a have career. She can make her jewelry during the week while caring for her children and then on the weekends she can sell her jewelry at craft shows, while dad or grandparents babysit.

Overhead

Providing a website is a good way to advertise handmade jewelry. You can manage your business on-line which can also be done at home. Handmade jewelry is a great business to start because you are able to keep your overhead very low. The majority of your budget can be spent on the jewelry itself. The biggest business expense other than the jewelry itself will be on the booth rental fees for the weekend shows. There are other ways to advertise the jewelry and you can decide on just how much money you want to put into it. You can join networking organizations, send out flyers and have an open house in your home to advertise your handmade jewelry.

Big Business

If you are very good at making your handmade jewelry you can turn it into a lucrative business. Many handcrafted jewelry makers have turned their jewelry into companies that make vintage couture jewelry, estate jewelry and custom designed jewelry for all styles. Semi-precious gemstones, crystal and genuine pearls are all favorites of custom handmade jewelry makers. These artisans are using the old to bring life back into contemporary jewelry pieces. There are indeed favorite handmade jewelry designers in every genre of jewelry design.

Many use the old jewelry designs and incorporate contemporary jewelry pieces to bring life back into these pieces of jewelry. Most of the handmade jewelry is signed by the designer for authenticity which makes them worth even more money. There is also the jewelry that is sold mainly at in-home parties. These jewelry parties are a favorite with women because they can gather their friends over for a social evening and shop at the same time. This is another way to begin selling your own handmade jewelry line.

Handmade jewelry is an artistic hobby that is intricate and creative. It can be made into a very lucrative business if an artist is so challenged and needs a way to generate money.