How Many Designs To Put In A Jewellery Collection?

I have recently started the design work for a new jewellery collection and have found myself wondering ‘how many designs should I include?’. I tend to get a little out of control with collection size and really want to go for a more logical approach this time around.

I guess it's one of those 'each to their own' situations. Some jewellery designers seem to have 20+ designs in a collection, others sticking with less than 10 designs.

Here are the main points I’ve been considering while trying to decide how many different designs I should include in my next collection …

PHOTOGRAPHY
It’s a nice idea to think that a few snaps on a white background is going to cut it. Although simple images with white backgrounds are needed for product shots, they’re pretty boring. Setting up a shoot in a studio with a photographer, stylist and a model doesn’t come cheap but I think it's worth the effort. The fewer designs there are in a collection the less photography work is required. Lazy but true.

STOCK
The more designs there are in a collection the more designs that need to be kept in stock. When a store asks for 25 pieces of jewellery I want to be able to ship out the door the next day.

VERSITILITY
I like to be able to double up and use the same design as a necklace or for a pair of earrings. I find it helps with keeping pieces in stock and providing more styles of jewellery. Although that being said, I think I take it a little too far! Eight necklaces also equals eight pairs of earrings which quickly escalates to 16 pieces. Must resist the urge to double up on everything this time!

COST TO PRODUCE
When working with laser cutting and other manufacturing techniques there is a direct cost for producing the designs initially. More designs mean a higher upfront cost.

ADDING ONE OF A KIND
While the collection is a concrete set of designs, there’s no reason why I can’t add one of a kind designs that compliment the collection as well!

QUALITY
Having fewer designs this time around will really force me to only have my absolute favourite designs as part of the collection. Hopefully resulting in having the most amazing collection ever!

So the magic number of designs for my next collection … EIGHT! I just made that up, but it seems like it could be the perfect number. Not too little, not too much, just right.

How many designs to do you think works best for a jewellery collection?