Softbox vs Scrims

[Goldsmith]

By trade I am a jewelry designer and am working on creating a line of floral jewelry in Silver and high kt gold vermeil. I am doing this all on a shoestring budget and consequently am finding it necessary to try and shoot my own photos. I have some really high polish reflective surfaces in my jewelry but at the same time, and in the same piece I have a matt to semi matt parts in 24 kt yellow gold vermeil

I am currently studying as much as possible on product photography and am trying to come up with the best set up to shoot my jewelry. I was wondering if anyone can guide me as to whether I should try to get a soft box together or if making some scrims would be better, or both ?

Also I am trying to shoot everything so as to have a white background but am finding the silver bands in my work are disappearing into the white background and require loads of Photoshop work to get anything usable
My camera is a Canon t4i with a good 100 mm macro lens

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[nycphotography]

Jewelry is small. a softbox for a speedlight might be more than adequate, and they start $30. Add in a light stand and speedlight bracket for another $40 and you're all set. Or you can get a complete "speedlight softbox kit" (everything BUT the speedlight) for $100-$130ish.

Also the product globes / photo boxes / flash tents could also be a great answer when used with a speedlight being bounced off the ceiling or an overhead sheet of foamcore.

Interfit 24" Pop Up Photo Box INT315 B&H Photo Video