Beachcombing is a pastime loved by many. Finding a treasure between some pebbles that no one else has seen. It could be a piece of seaglass, the rounder and frostier the better, or a piece of pottery perhaps from times long ago. I found this stone the other day, on a beach that has few shells and no glass or pottery, it does however have the most amazing assortment of rounded boulders in every colour and pattern imaginable. I resist the temptation to take one home every day but can't help myself when the tide has wet them, pick up a stunning stripey or speckled rock to put on display by the front door. Every time though without fail, when the stone dries off, the glossy patterns fade to dusty images. Really they should be left where they are, but who can resist?
Much has been written and spoken about recently on the rising cost of silver in the media; the political landscape coupled with the new industrial demands for the material has created a perfect storm. The leap in cost crept up slowly until the middle of 2025 and then pounced on jewellers right before Christmas. Especially those, like me who have varying requirements of silver purchases which makes it more difficult to notice the rise as each purchase is slightly different in weight. On top of that, I personally haven’t reassessed my prices since I initially calculated the costs for me to sell wholesale, when I attended Scotland’s Trade Fair at the SECC in 2024. To work out the costs, I had carefully timed myself making various items in the workshop, then made the assumption that I could probably make more than one item in an hour, and priced accordingly. The mistake I made at that point was not taking in to consideration the extra time it may take to cut an...
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