A fellow artist e-mailed me, suggesting I add another jewelry supply company to my FAB FAVES list.
Award-winning glass artist Margeret Neher says, "Here's my proposed addition to your list ('cause what's more fun than finding good sources for findings?): CGM (http://www.cgmfindings.com) They have the best prices for consistently good quality sterling liver earwires I've found.... I use CGM for most things these days. You have to call them for prices, but they're helpful and easy to deal with. And the prices are good."
I know jeweler Amy Peters also highly recommends CGM, and she is a MAJOR buyer of sterling silver findings.
One caveat, which is why I left them off my list: Sometimes the low prices reflect a great deal, and sometimes they reflect a lower quality of product. The descriptions are sparse and don't help you in determining which. The catalog also includes separate "sell sheets" (a sort of one-page flyer) that show new additions to the catalog. There are so many sell sheets, I find it difficult to research, for example, ALL the toggle clasp styles, or ALL the hoop earring styles--because I have to look in two, three, four, maybe even five different places to view them all. I also find the website sort of clunky and hard to use. For this reason, I wouldn't recommend them to someone just starting out making jewelry.
Their minimum wholesale order, like Halstead, is $100, which makes BOTH of them a little difficult for jewelry designers just starting out. Margaret pointed out that Halstead has a disconcerting habit of discontinuing items, even items they admit were good sellers. I've had that happen several times with them, and it's left me scrambling for new sources.
Rio Grande has no minimum order (though the prices get much better as the quantity gets larger). South Pacific Wholesale and Rings & Things simply add a service fee for orders that do not meet their wholesale requirements.
