Daily Archives: March 19, 2012

Know the facts about Fingerprint Jewellery

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I love Fingerprint Jewellery, so much so that I brought a Smllprint franchise!

I am just about to enter my fourth year of making Fingerprint Jewellery and I still love it as much as the day I started. There are a lot more companies out there offering this product now which is great as it gives the customers a choice. Being someone who spends a lot of time online I am very good at doing my research before buying, as many savvy Mums are these days. I would recommend to everyone that if you are interested in Fingerprint Jewellery then do your research before you order. Here are a few things I would say you need to know before ordering;

1. Does the company make a mould of the Fingerprint using putty and then recreate it for the jewellery or do they take a cast of the Fingerprint straight into PMC (precious Metal Clay). The difference here is that if they are using a putty then in essence are making a mould of the Fingerprint and then using the mould to stamp into the clay. Companies that do it this way often send you the kit to take the print yourself. The downside of this is that you only get one attempt per kit which is hard when you have never done it before. If the company take the print straight into the clay then what you get back will be the print that is actually taken – a cast of the Fingerprint. This means your child will of actually touched the piece of Jewellery. This will also mean it is a trained professional that is taking the print, so far less stressful for you. Another bonus to this method is that if the print doesn’t come out very well the person taking it can take another print there and then and continue doing so until you are happy with it. I had a customer only this week who came to me with 6 month old twins. I took one of the girls prints and it was lovely, but we tried several different Fingers with the other little girl and she just didn’t have any lines yet. In the end we decided to leave it a month before we try again to see if her lines have developed. The lady was so grateful, as there was no charge for the appointment and she knows that when we do get the print it will be a clear and hopefully detailed one (the detail obviously depends on your childs skin patterns). If she had been using a kit herself she would not have known the quality of the print until her Jewellery arrived and by then it would be too late to do anything about it.

2. What kind of Clay do the company use? Smallprint HQ have done a great deal of research into the best Silver Clay to use and have tested all the products on the market. Different Silver Clay’s will give you different finishes. If you look around at different companies you will see some pieces have a much higher shine than others. I have even seen some that looked like they are almost a brushed effect. Look at the finished items and see what finish you like, don’t be afraid to ask what they use. At Smallprint we use PMC as it gives an excellent smooth finish that polishes up to a high shine.

3. What is included in the price? Before you place your order check what is included in the price. Most items are displayed with engraving but you will find that it is not always included in the price quoted. Also check what attachments are included as again, items may be displayed with a chain but not necessarily included in the price. Ask if the purchase comes in a gift box or bag and again is that included.

4. Don’t be fooled by wording on websites or sales pitches. A number of companies quote things on their websites like ‘we are the market leader’ anyone can write these statements but can they back them up? If companies are quoting this don’t be afraid to ask them how they know they are. It is a grand statement to make and I always wonder how these companies justify what they are saying. Also you will find a lot of small companies saying things like ‘we are cheaper than the franchised companies as we don’t have to pay management fees etc’. The price of Silver is the same to everyone and if you shop around you will find that the franchised companies are not always more expensive than the small companies especially if they charge extra for engraving, packaging etc. The advantage of the franchised company is that all franchisees are trained to a specific standard and the quality of their work checked regularly. Head quarters of Franchised companies have extensive testing done on the findings and materials they use to ensure the customer is receiving the highest quality product, this is not something that a small company would always have the time or resources to do.

5. Check the Size and depth of the jewellery. If you find a company that seems to be considerably cheaper it may be because their items are thinner or small than other companies. Where possible I would always ask to see samples and if this isn’t possible ask for measurements or the weight of the finished item so you can compare the companies fairly.

Ultimately, as with everything, it is all down to personal taste, but if you are going to invest in something so precious it is good to know the facts!