Jewelry photo help

Jason,

I know it has been almost a year since you posted this but wanted to know if you still needed any suggestions.  The other suggestions were good but really didn't have anything to do with which tools in Photoshop would help fix it.  If it is ok with you, I would like to download your first photo, make the necessary fixes I think would help, and then show you the Tools I used and how to use them.

I have an eCommerce site where I primarily sell jewelry.  Gold isn't as difficult as silver to photograph but with being the chief photographer, graphic artist, customer service rep, inventory control manager, web designer, shipping clerk, inventory forecaster, and technical writer, I don't have time to keep setting up a photo studio every time a pic doesn't turn out well, so learning how to use the Tools available in Photoshop or Lightroom has helped become more efficient.  Just let me know if you're open to working on your pic.

Erin

If you can't take it again you could try something like this, a bit quick and dirty but hopefully you get the idea:

Mask the back and paint in the gold with a brush - Use Alt-Click to pick up the colour

I added an extra layer to give some luminosity variation

Then unmask the lettering

A few highlights to finish

Dave

Did you take the picture?  If so, think about taking it again.  Jewelry can be difficult to Photograph because it is so reflective, but it is doable even using just a DSLR and camera mounted speed-light.  The trick is to direct the flash at a large sheet of foam board or similar, which is above and behind the jewelry and angled to reflect the light back to the jewelry.  The flash needs to be flagged so that no direct light hits the jewelry.

I also placed another piece of foam board this side of the bracelet shot below.  This was taken at a lighting workshop I ran several years ago, to demonstrate that you can do this stuff without a lot of expensive gear.

You have a particular issue with the ring in that it has a surface square on to the lens axis, and it looks like you had the camera quite close to the ring making for the large reflection of the front of the lens.  Using a long focal length macro lens would get you further away, but another thing to consider is that do not need the entire lens area if stopped well down.  I used the arrangement below for a tricky shot of a highly reflective beer 'Growler', but still had an issue with the lens being reflected.  I reduced the issue by shooting at F22 and placing a sheet of white paper with a small hole in front of the lens.  I still had a ting repair to make, but much easier than without the sheet of paper.

[EDIT]  I should probably add that I was unable to use a light tent for the growler as it was so reflective, it was clearly showing the corners of the tent.