When you say retail jewelry trade do you mean you are doing this directly for retail customers or that you do hand engraving piece work for the shops that service the customers? I apologize is this is an ignorant question, trying to learn more of the business side of the house.
As an aside, coming from Kentucky, we have no shortage of those cups around, very nicely done.
Just curious what type of holding setup you gentlemen use for these ? some type of multi-axis jig that could also be easily rotated and locked? Beautiful professional work, by the way. I'll take my question off the air...
I think I can envision a holding device you are describing but honestly I open the jaws of my engraving vice enough to where i can cradle the cup in the the vice. I add some soft padding to keep from scratching the cup.
I work for retail jewelry stores. They directly serve the retail customer then send me the work. I hand engrave the piece and ship it back to the store. Both of us get a part of the price that is paid for the work. The store gets their part for serving the customer and I get my part for doing the hand engraving. It is a partnership.
Deep in the heart of Kentucky is where I get most of the julep cups I do. Thank you for your compliment.
No sir thank you for taking the time to respond. It's a great and weighty gift to be able to come and learn from folks that are in the business of what I hope to learn. Again many thanks.