Ask three manufacturers what private label means and you may hear three answers. For a jeweler, it should come down to one thing: pieces made for you, carrying your name, that you can sell as your own. What sits around that promise is where agreements differ.
What it usually includes
- Production to your specifications, in the metal, stones and finish you choose.
- Your identity on the piece, such as a maker’s mark or stamp, where the design allows it.
- Your branding on the extras: tags, cards, boxes or pouches, when you supply or approve them.
- Repeatability, so a reorder matches the original.
What is not automatic
- Exclusivity. A design made for you is not necessarily kept from other buyers.
- File and mold ownership. Who holds the design files and the masters after the first run.
- Design development. Many makers produce your design, but do not create it.
- Packaging. Custom boxes carry their own minimums and lead time.
- Repairs and warranty. Who services a piece that comes back, and on what terms.
- Marking and documentation. What is stamped, certified or declared on the piece and its paperwork.
Six questions to settle in writing
- Is this design exclusive to me, and for how long?
- Who owns the files, masters and molds?
- What is stamped on the piece, and who decides?
- What are the minimums for pieces, packaging and reorders?
- Who handles repairs, and at what cost?
- What is the lead time for a reorder?
If your answers match your plans, private label is a strong way to build a collection that is yours. If they do not, you will want to know before the first run, not after.