Signing Your Jewelry

We have had a number of discussions on the forum about whether or not jewelry could be considered art. This has lead to some very active threads and has a brought up the idea of "signing" jewelry just like a painter signs a canvas. After reading through the various posts, I have up with a few ideas and supplier that can help you sign your jewelry.
Two of the most popular methods for signing finished jewelry are to either stamp the pieces or attach a metal tag that has been stamped.
Stamps: These are made of metal and normally look like a spike or a large nail. On the end of the stamp is a relief with the marking you want such as your initials, name, or logo. The end of the stamp is positioned over the piece to be marked, and a hammer is used to strike the opposite end of the stamp.
A stamp like this allows you to mark directly on the piece of jewelry if it is made of metal. If your jewelry does not allow a spot to be stamped, such as a beaded necklace or wire piece, then you could use a metal tag.
Metal tags: These come in a variety of metals such as plated base metals and sterling. They can be purchased blank, and then you can mark them with a stamp. Another option is to buy the tags already marked. This might cost a little more, but it could save you a lot of time since you would not have to stamp all those little tags by hand. Some findings suppliers as well as stamp supplier sell blank tags, and just about any casting service can create the pre-marked tags. Prices will vary between companies and depending on the metal of the tag.
Here is a list of a few companies that sell the products you need to either stamp or attach a tag to your jewelry. Since each person’s needs are different, you would need to contact the company for an estimate of the cost.