Hi atticblingandthings,
I will have to retract my words. I learned that ‘copyright’ is being used for protecting jewelry designs as well. These info you may already know when you did your research on patent and designs. :)
I’d like to share this information however to everyone reading our thread. :)
According to Link hidden: Login to view in 1947 the Copyright laws were reformed to allow jewelry makers to give copyright to their designs. It is said that having a Copyright is more effective and efficient than patents because they cost less, and are given faster approval. For a company to declare that they have copyright on their jewelry, a small copyright symbol is used next to the company's name. And if you need to apply for a patent, here’s a tutorial to help you create and format your application, including details on where to file it - Link hidden: Login to view
The challenge for a beginner in looking for a jewelry manufacturer is that most of them will not make large quantities of the item without receiving some cash up front. Unless you are ready to pledge a huge capital, it would be best to find a company willing to come up with the funding for the manufacturing.
The steps in setting up a deal vary with each manufacturer, depending on your requirements, but they all start with initially establishing contact. :)
I also tried searching for a manufacturer and found one that can handle simple process orders of few pieces (and can also produce 1000 or more) – Link hidden: Login to view It is not in our directory, but I checked on its domain and saw that it has been existing since 1997.
Hope this helps. :)