Crystals: feedback about design/interest (1 Viewer)

[rixis]

Hello!

I design crystals/gemstones with animals or themes to help people invoke a certain feelings or healing properties. My goal is to help people heal with crystals but so far my designs garner little interest (which is kind of ok but also worrisome). When I show others my designs they usually mention their kids would like them, and they hardly ever say they would buy them. I'm not looking for buyers atm, I want to improve my design so others recognize that itllthese crystals fill a need.

Since my target market is people who work with crystals, do energy work, or want to heal/protect themselves (aka many people in this forum), would you all be so kind to give me your feedback?

~Would you buy these? Which one(s)?
~What factors are you considering when you think about purchasing one of these? (Style, artistic quality, polished look, wearability)

If you have any other feedback those would be welcome too.

 

[Laron]

~Would you buy these? Which one(s)?
~What factors are you considering when you think about purchasing one of these? (Style, artistic quality, polished look, wearability)

Most of these are hard to see. Are you able to take individual photos of each one, ideally outside in natural light? Perhaps just a few to begin with? What are you using to encase them?

What I will do is show you what I like (which are mine) to give you an idea when it comes to crystal jewelry:





And here are some at a market I saw last week which I thought were well done (greenstone):



Factors for me are the type of crystal including how it's cut, but also how much is visible, so I don't like much of it covered up, and then how it is presented by whatever it is encasing it.

Krena, have you got any tips?

 

[Krena]

This note, I thought, was a reply to Laron, as OOPS, I missed the first note from Rixis. Thus, my reply is wonky.

This part was how I responded to Laron’s photos and questions about how I make decisions about stones and jewelry:

First photo, left necklace, looks like a type of jade, nephrite or jadeite: my preference. It is elegant, and the stone is cleanly featured.

As for advice about your customers and how I and they choose: For me, I am an emotional buyer and need to fall in love. The attraction is complex: beauty, shape, energy and the unexplainable, “I want that. It is mine. It has my name on it.” If the necklace is left behind and if its memory haunts me with regret (“Why didn’t I purchase that?”), I try to buy it.

In my experience, customers decide really quickly. I have seen women pick a piece they want within seconds. Therefore, display is critical. There are those who take their tine to consider price and whether they REALLY want a piece, but the chances of their purchasing is smaller. Some people just like to thoroughly vet their expenditures.

....

For Rixis: Your jewelry needs a cord to finish it, as it cannot be worn immediately as they are. That means your buyer must figure out what material to use to finish it (a small problem to solve). Buyers love the ability to wear what they purchased right away. Without a chain or cord, they cannot try them on to see how they look. I always sell a chain or cord with pendants.

About your display, if they are not meant to wear, I would consider labeling them as meditation tools or small totems.

 

[Anaeika]

I would sell them as animal totems with healing crystals embedded in them. Focus on the animal.

 

[rixis]

Laron The picture is a group shot. For my shop, they are individually photographed with multiple angles. I understand that photography plays an important role in selling products but I'm more focused on the design and how people perceive them. That is a good point about showing enough of the crystal. I struggle with that sometimes, so I'll remember to be aware of their visibility. Here's an one of my shop photos. Most of the pieces in the group photo haven't been added to my shop yet because I like to do group updates


Krena Ok that's good to know. I probably won't be selling to the elegant market for a while because most of the time their spirits prefer a touch of realisim rather than elegance. That's what they tell me when I channel them while I'm making each one. But it is good to keep elegance in mind as my skills progress.

Anaeika That may be where I'm muddling things up. I focus on the crystal but in reality, I'm actually focusing on the spirit animal. Thank you! I'll rework my verbage ♡♡♡

 

[Krena]

Krena Ok that's good to know. I probably won't be selling to the elegant market for a while because most of the time their spirits prefer a touch of realisim rather than elegance. That's what they tell me when I channel them while I'm making each one. But it is good to keep elegance in mind as my skills progress.

Rixis, I updated my initial reply to you.

I find realism to be elegant. That said, as presented at the moment, they were missing clarity of purpose (which you may be supplying elsewhere).

My other suggestion: keep going. The more you do, the more you will discover how the spirits want themselves presented so they communicate better initially with the people who need them.

Best wishes to you in your creative pursuit.

 

[Anaeika]

I really like your hummingbird. It is one of my totems and represents joy. The red crystal in the heart reminds me to keep joy in my heart. It is very radiant. That is the one that I would buy as it touches me personally. Xo

 

[Lila]

rixis you seem to have an eye for colour and shape that intrigues me. It is a treat to see your pieces so thank you for sharing them.

Of the ones I can see properly I would probably buy either the hummingbird or the hedgehog which really intrigues me the way it is done. I like the crystals out of its back representing its spines. The wings also really intrigue me though they'd probably be far too big for me to buy as I tend toward small, fine jewelry.
Many of the others I simply can't see well enough to really comment on though I would be more likely to buy a small than a large piece.

Your pieces do intrigue me though I am very partial to raw stones; so you must be onto something. For me, looking at stones encased in another medium; the interaction between a nicely showcased stone and an animal I love (+ feel you have 'caught' in a piece of art) would probably be what caught my eye.

Another thing which will definitely draw my attention is what type of stone it is as I pay a lot of attention to stones. Also, if the stone 'fits' the animal in the way Anaeika describes the red crystal reminding her of her heart or because of the type of stone, that would be another thing to draw me.

I imagine this is the OOAK material that I see people working with? I don't really know what that is and if it didn't feel good to touch or just didn't feel right in some way that might put me off. Alternately, if it felt 'right' the way many stones tend to for me then it'd draw me in.

As Krena says, I make my primary decision easily and quickly; do I love it?
Then it's just a matter of whether the price fits my budget etc.

I hope we can give you some helpful feedback and that you'll continue to play with your animals

 

[rixis]

Thank you all I will definitely keep working on my skills and add in checks to add more thoughtfulness to my creativity.

Lila I use polymer clay to create the forms, so it can be as smooth or rough as I want it to be. Usually I go back over it with my fingers to smooth out the design.

While I understand loving a piece is an important part of selling it, it's something that I cannot be creative towards because there are different factors for each person that creates that desire. And the different factors are what I'm looking at. For example, in order for some people to love it, the design must be cohesive with their formal work clothes (a suit or dress shirt and slacks/skirt). Or for another person to love it, the design should have a focal point so the person can stare at it and meditate or destress. These are the reasons I'm looking for. It's fine if my style doesn't match everyone's taste. I know it doesn't fit traditional jewelry styles. So ya'lls advice to double check the thoughtfulness and to balance the animal with the crystal have been the most helpful so far (especially the animal totem angle) because these are things I can control. I cannot control whether someone loves the design or not. But I can control the factors that create that love.

 

[Lila]

And you can keep doing what you love

Polymer clay. I'd probably like that. Can't picture it now though I'd bet I've run across it.

 

[Laron]

I came across this post on imgur which included a series of nice crystal jewelry designs:


If you hover the mouse over the image you get an arrow on the right to scroll through them.

 

[Laron]

I was walking around some local markets today and came across these designs I liked: