6 Tips to Create a Fair Contract (for Yourself & Your Client) When Taking a Jewelry Production Order

You were asked to use your jewelry metalsmith skills to make something for someone else’s product line.  It’s exciting!  Such opportunities are a good way to make some regular money for a period of time, get your name out there in a new way and work in collaboration with designers, or entrepreneurs.

However, it’s your first offer of this kind, it can also be a bit overwhelming – especially if you haven’t created anything like the particular design requested of you. You want to be fair to your client, and yourself in regards to your time and the cost of materials. What does that look like?

A contract agreement of some kind? 

Here are some essential details Harold Studio recommends considering and including in a contract before you agree to take on the work.

1.     Arrange for a beta production period where you are paid to design and create from their specs a sample of prototypes for approval. This way, you know how long a certain piece takes to make and can also better estimate necessary details. Especially, if you’ve never created this kind of jewelry piece/design before.

2.     Once you’ve done this, you’ll be able to have a solid time frame for completing deliverables for a certain number of pieces and can list a solid completion date/time frame to include in the contract.

3.     Once you know your time frame, your production fee (how much you pay yourself hourly) along with the cost of materials can be determined.

4.     Include a non-disclosure clause in your contract. This won’t necessarily guarantee that the pieces you create are fully protected from copycats, but it provides a certain amount of legal protection that sets your expectations if you plan to include 3^rd parties in the production process.

5.     Cover your time and expenses, if there are requests for changes of materials, or style applied for another round of prototypes.  Note in the contract that there will be fees incurred for edits, changes to the piece. Be sure to include fees for not just your time and material, but also for any work required by 3^rd party service (engraving, for example).

6.     If this piece you’re producing is going to be sold on a continual basis, determine a percentage of your share of each sold piece.  You may need to consider a lower percentage at first, until the salability of a piece is proven and include a clause that says, ‘Upon a certain number, (200, for example) of charms, bracelets, etc. sold in a 4- month time frame, the contract can be revisited for consideration to raise my percentage share of each sale.’

We hope these tips help to put you at ease and feel more confident about taking on production work in the future.  If you need specific tools and workspace to fulfill a production order, Harold Studio offers rental options based on your experience and budget. Learn more here.