Lexi Lee makes stunning, homemade jewelry. Knowing Lexi some, she is the type to take extra care to make sure the piece is ready and beautiful before sharing it with the world. Given this, it’s clear that, along with being excellent with craft, she’s also prolific. We had a chance to chat a bit with Lexi about her work and to show off some of the pretty pieces, which you can buy here.

When did you first start making jewelry? How did you learn how?

About two years ago, I became really fascinated with rings. Besides being pretty, I was interested in their symbolic value and all of the different things they have represented to different cultures through time. I wanted to learn how to make a simple one, so I found a beginning ring making class and signed up! After that I never really stopped. I did some mentored study, watched a lot of Youtube videos, looked at books and figured a lot of stuff out by trial and error. I’m still learning, and I’m still experimenting with every piece I make. Danaca Design in the University District, Pratt and North Seattle Community College offer great classes.

Where do you get the materials? What sort of labor is involved, say, in the piece you sold our friend Darla (image above)?

I get most of my materials from a jewelers supply company in New Mexico. My stones I usually get from various lapidary artists on Etsy, or at local gem shows. Each piece requires more labor than you might think – always lots of measuring, sawing, filling, sanding, soldering and cleaning, then polishing and setting stones. I will spend anywhere from a few hours, to a month on one piece.

The slave bracelet I sold to Darla was a total experiment from start to finish. I think I spent a few weeks on it, most of that time just experimenting with placement until I found a design I liked. That piece was for a monthly project I assigned myself using some old poems about birthstones. For June, I had to make an agate ring “… a ring of agate on her hand, can health, wealth, and long life command” but I had these two matching agate stones so I decided to make a slave bracelet. Every month I have a new challenge and it’s awesome. I’m learning a lot and designing unusual things.

[Says Darla of her new ring:

“The minute I saw the image of this piece, I instantly knew it was the one for me. I have always admired Lexi’s art and jewelry design. When I saw it in person and put it on today, I knew it was right. The energy and beauty it holds is exciting and calming at the same time. When I got home I looked up the crystal meanings of Agate, it was one of those ‘Ah Ha’ moments where it confirmed why I was drawn to it, and it was meant for me to wear.”]

How much does a piece go for? How do you determine the price?

Pricing is really hard and I’m still working on how to determine the right price for everything. My main concern is keeping my pieces affordable, even though I’m told over and over again that my prices are too low. I make sure I make my material costs back and I pay myself for my time. I have simple stacking rings that go for $15 and elaborate cuff bracelets priced at $400. Most of my nice rings are priced around $80 or $90 and cuffs are usually about $150.

How do you know when a piece is complete?

Some pieces evolve as I work on them and can take several weeks to complete, and some are done in just a few hours! When everything is soldered and cleaned up, when it feels good on my hand and I simply cannot wait to get it polished and get the stone set, I know it’s done. There are almost always things I would change or do differently if I re-created any of my work, but that’s part of the never ending learning process.