The original hand forged double infinity on Etsy

They say copying is the highest form of flattery.  Well, it's been a good run, but I discovered that someone else is selling a necklace with a double infinity that looks just like my double infinity.  There's really not much I can do about it because it's not like I'm the first person to come up with that symbol and I don't hold a copyright to the design.  Several customers contacted me with a request, I did some research, burned through a lot of wire, and this was the end result.

The one on the left is hers.  The one on the right is mine.  They are roughly the same size (within a quarter of an inch) with the same proportion and same finish.  I looked through her sold items, and the first one was sold on October 29th.  I've been selling these bracelets since March.  You tell me they don't look alike.  Sure, there are minor differences, but she is claiming her design to be exclusive and only available through her and stores that sell her jewelry... which is not exactly true.  But, since she's got thousands of sales compared to my paltry hundred or so, who looks like the copycat?  I think more than anything else, that is what upsets me.

If you do a search for double infinity jewelry on Etsy, there is actually quite a variety.  Some people are casting, others are cut out, some are brushed, some are metal clay, and many are soldering or fusing wire in different sizes/proportions, all of which is pretty cool.  Again, hers on the left, mine are in the center and on the right.  They all come up next to each other (just like these photos) in the Etsy search engine, so you can't tell me she doesn't know I am also selling these.

Speaking of engine searches, 6 months ago, my listings were just about the only option for a double infinity charm under $50.  Now, I'm seeing tons and tons of these things being made commercially at lower price points.  Granted, I've improved my techniques and I'd like to think mine are stronger/better than the other handmade versions and have more character than the commercial ones, but I digress.

There's a lot of money to be made through mimicry, but that doesn't really scratch my artistic itch.    Fortunately, I can afford to make what I feel like making and not try to guess at what people feel like buying.  I spent a lot of time working on resin over the past few months because I had 48 ounces of resin that would've gone bad before I return from deployment.  It's not my favorite media but it sells really well at craft fairs since it's a lower price point.  Precious metals are so expensive that it's really hard to keep enough inventory on hand to stock an entire 10x10 ft booth.

Anyway, it looks like it's time for me to stop being complacent and start making something different.  I do feel like it's time to take the shop in a different direction- more intricate soldering and metalwork, less "assembly" type stuff.

Please visit our Etsy store for double infinity jewelry and all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!