Not too long ago, sometime around 1985, I worked for Tony Heyl. Tony is a sculpture and artist. I was a single mother of two, new to the small down east town of Boothbay Maine. He taught me to play fearlessly with brass, sterling and gold. He taught me that the customer isn’t always right and he taught me to make French Back ear wires. All of these things were to be quite significant, as I too became an artist and businessperson.
Today, the French Back.
Not knowing any better (a fabulous way to approach life) I walked into many galleries and boutiques with cigar box in hand to introduce my work and myself. My closing rate was always close to 100% and I owe a big part of that to the French Back. It didn’t take long for me to recognize the raised eyebrow, the curious tilt of the head and the swift glance to the assistant buyer. It was clear, that making my own earwires was helping my work become warmly welcomed into some of the best galleries in the Delaware Valley.
Why? Because making a fabulous earwire is time consuming and requires a certain level of skill. I can’t play a guitar, I can’t replace my scratched windshield and I can’t hook up my gas dryer, but I can make French Back earwires like nobody’s business.
What does a good earwire do?
A good earwire adds to the overall appeal of the earring.
Aesthetically speaking, the wire is an important component in the design of the earring, whether it is plain or has stones/beads on it, it needs to work with the rest of the earring.
A good earwire will stay in your ear. I often will instruct women that their Amy Ragsdale Earrings will stay put unless you are swimming, sleeping or having sex in them. In those instances, please remove your earrings or really make it worth it.
A good earwire is polished at the end. This way it will not scratch your ear when putting on or taking off your earrings. Scratching is often the cause of allergic reaction or infection… it is not the metal, it is the sharp end making tiny cuts in your ear.
If you have some earrings that you love, but have crappy earwires, chances are we can fix that. Send me an image or make an appointment.
One last thing, there are times that “not knowing any better” is golden, but often awareness is key. Either way, continue to be fearless!
Your friend,
Amy Ragsdale, dhB