After college, I designed textile necklaces as a side gig to my creativity-sapping

day job. Jewelry making was good busy work for idle hands. But when my handcrafted
masterpieces started to garner repeated compliments from friends, I wondered,
“Could my hobby become a legitimate jewelry business?”

Jewelry making is a viable low investment business for hands-on creatives, but
crafting skills aren’t required—making jewelry one of the most popular things to
make and sell online. Perhaps you’re DIY-challenged but have an incredible online
business idea and an existing audience and are looking for a creative way to make
money.

It’s a saturated market but there’s still room for newcomers who can fit into an
untapped niche or bring a fresh perspective to traditional craft.

Whatever your motivation or skill level, starting a jewelry making business comes
with its own set of considerations and complications. For one thing: it’s crowded
out there. The global jewelry market was worth $348 billion in 2018, with fashion
jewelry bringing in the lion’s share. It’s a saturated market, but there’s still
room for newcomers who can fit into an untapped niche or bring a fresh perspective
to traditional craft.

How to start a jewelry making business

Woman wearing jewelry sits at a table covered in fruit
Octave Jewelry
If you want to know how to turn jewelry into a profitable small business, this post
is for you. We’ll explore jewelry making businesses from conception and design to
production and marketing. This go-to guide includes advice from the pros, tactical
takeaways, and inspiration from established designers and business owners.

We consulted two jewelry designers and asked them to share their own personal
experiences in building a brand from scratch. Here, you’ll meet:

Corinne Anestopoulos, founder of Biko

Gillian Johnson, founder of Hawkly