Rings & Things, a jewelry supplies wholesaler, wants you to steal from them – ideas that is! The company recently introduced a new jewelry design gallery on its Web site, www.rings-things.com. The improved gallery features images of each piece, parts lists (linked to an online store) and general how-to instructions.

Customers can view the gallery to find out what is hot and trendy, or see how to use products in traditional and creative ways.

“We want to show our customers what we offer and how to use it,” said Rings & Things’ Lead Jewelry Designer, Mary Morton. “Yet our goal is not to provide a road map for new designs, but rather point them in the right direction so they can find their own way.”

The original design gallery started years ago from filler items for the now long-gone black-and-white catalog. Employees would make beautiful jewelry, but then the pieces would sit in a drawer, collecting dust. Slowly those items popped up on the Web site, drawing a surprising response from customers. Soon, a rough-and-tumble gallery was up and running.

So many customers called or e-mailed questions about items in the gallery that it was clear that a new, easier to use gallery would benefit everyone involved. In late summer 2005 the new gallery debuted with a splash. Employees were surprised to see how often the gallery was viewed.

“We knew it was popular, but not like this. We were very happy to see the results!” said Polly Nobbs-La Rue, Rings & Things Marketing Manager.

Some of the most popular gallery upgrades are a search function, new categories and professional photography.

So, where does all this wonderful finished jewelry come from, anyway? You can thank product testing for that.

Rings & Things jewelry designers create gallery items using the newest items available for sale. Using the products just as a customer would allows the company to know the details of each product. Testing the exact size, durability, and color are just the first steps. For example, when testing the dent resistance of a new Argentium Sterling Silver wire it only makes sense to use it in a design – because that’s what it’s for.

“When someone calls in or e-mails us, we want to be able to tell them the pros and cons of everything they are interested in, and product testing allows us to do that,” said Amy Scalise, a Rings & Things Order Representative.

Is there something in the design gallery for everyone? Yes! Rings & Things caters to a diverse crowd of customers, from professional craftspeople and artists to hobbyists creating jewelry for friends and family. So, listed with nearly all new gallery items are instructions or notes detailing the more difficult aspects of a piece.

Many experienced craftspeople can view a piece and automatically know how it was created, but even veterans need some inspiration every now and then. To find your inspiration, go to www.rings-things.com and click on Design Gallery.

Rings & Things is a wholesale supplier of beads, findings and stringing supplies for professional craftspeople. Call 1 (800) 366-2156 to order the company’s 315-page wholesale catalog ($5) or visit www.rings-things.com. Create with confidence.

Back
Search for these products on our Web site and our catalog.