Mediocre Jewelry - don't do it.

I have "fixed" a whole lot of jewelry in my time.  It's shocking to me the shoddy workmanship out here that people buy.  It is ugly, it is full of dark, dull I grade IJ color stones and passed of as fine jewelry.  The truth is?  You just wasted your money on that piece of sh*t - and all that it's really worth is the gold we can melt it down into.  Don't buy crap and regret it later.  Buy quality - don't know what that looks like?  Look at the masters - Vintage Tiffany and co., Harry Winston, Chopard, Jar, there are so many amazing old designs that really showcase stone setting - less metal more stones.  Make sure any stone you buy is an SI1-2 or better and a GH color or better generally speaking.  and, make sure you are dealing with a jeweler who will make it right.  Takes the time to explain it to you - what makes good jewelry, how it performs and looks, how to clean and take care of it, and someone that stands behind their stuff.  

Otherwise?  wear a cigar band and move along.  

- The Gemgal

Gem wisdom of the day by someone smart on the web:

Creating original jewelry with a client.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”  - Albert Einstein

Every single piece of jewelry happens a bit differently.  I wanted to show you how some of the most fabulous jewelry starts with a simple sketch and a great idea in a client’s head.

I was inside my client’s store having a cup of coffee he said to me, “I have an idea of a design I would like to do. He handed me a piece of paper with the SMALLEST SKETCH, ever.

CLIENT'S DESIGN:

As you can see that's not a whole lot to go on.  RIGHT?  

So, I sat down and we chatted and I learned some more about his thoughts on it.  What it was - (her initial and his initial.)  What it signified, (his love for his mom, unending) what piece of jewelry he wanted to make from this symbol (we decided a bracelet would be good).  He gave me a budget to work within (important to have a ceiling on what you want to spend, because this gives jewelers an idea of what size diamonds and how many they can use).

We decided an Infiniti sign showed a mothers love never ends.  That was our starting place for the bracelet.

I went home and researched initials, monograms, cyphers.  I researched different bracelet styles and when I found some I thought he would like and that would look good I sent them to my client via email. 

Then my client gave me his choices (bracelet links) the next step is for me to sketch out the ideas to give to the CAD designer - the genius who takes my design and creates a digital map of it.  Like this:

After the CAD came we had decisions to make - and we made some changes, originally we were going to do a tricolor gold bracelet with 3 colors of diamonds - colorless (white), fancy natural pinks and fancy natural yellow, but after a few meetings and showing him the diamonds, we decided a 2 color "ombre" look with only white and yellow stones.  This is an older version of the computer design:

Then, I put the bracelet into production.  I visited the bracelet several times at the factory and we did make some changes along the way.  This is why its so important someone is checking on the design process with an original piece because we did make changes that made the bracelet more fabulous (we made diamonds bigger, we added a big custom heart clasp. 

This is the bracelet when it was 1/2 way towards completion, on the metalsmith's bench.  Two jewelers that handle the metalwork put each link together by hand, one by one.  

Visiting the bracelet as it's being put together link by link from the heart clasp at the back of the bracelet.

The guys at the shop worked overtime, as this was a Christmas gift, and you can imagine the rush of jewelry to be sent all over the US around Christmastime?!  It's insanity to be sure.  But they did it and my client loved it.  So did his mother!

NEW YEARS

My thought for everyone that had a craptastic 2015: If it didn't break you, it made you stronger.  May your 2016 ROCK, and may this next year bring a blessed, prosperous, peaceful and fun year to you and yours.  

It takes Big Rocks to buy a rock.

 

It's a tough job but someone's gotta do it. 

There are range of emotions that I come into contact with when I meet new clients.  A few that seem to be pretty universal for men are fear and trepidation (men) and excited and impatient for women.  Now, there are also many others but these are the ever present ones I see A LOT.   I think that all of these emotions can be controlled and fears can be allayed by doing a little homework, and I suggest these things to every single client that I meet with.  So, read on:

Step One:  RESEARCH & DOCUMENTATION. 

I encourage my clients to research.  I like to use digital pin boards with clients.  I use pinterest, but there are many sites you can share files.  I create files with clients where we can both pin things that we like for them.  Below is a link to my Pinterest boards.  I have boards for every shape stone, vintage, modern, halo settings, and also random things like "Jewelry that Rocks," because some pieces of jewelry are so fabulous there are no categories other than "It Rocks." 

Step Two:  TRY IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT.  

I encourage my clients to try anything they want to create.  You might think "OH I LOVE THAT BIG 2 CARAT ROUND." and then you put it on your hand and well, it's not fabulous on YOU or your beloved.  Maybe a pear works better and looks amazing on long elegant fingers.  Maybe a smaller stone is better for smaller hands?  Maybe you prefer a prong set stone versus a Halo, but you won't know till you try several on.   It's a good idea to see what you love IN PERSON and then create something that's perfect for you.  Even if there is a HUGE ONLINE FIRE SALE.  A deal isn't a deal if you don't absolutely love it.  

Step Three:  CONSIDER TRENDS VS. A CLASSIC.

Just like fashion styles come and go, so do many jewelry styles ... they are simply fabulous and then a year or so later, "not so much."  So, when you are going to pay thousands of dollars on jewelry - try to make sure you will love it for a very long time, if not a lifetime.  I can speak from experience on this.  I have changed my engagement ring THREE times, before I settled on a classic design that 14 years later I still love.  

Step Four:  QUALITY STONES and WORKMANSHIP.

I meet a TON of people that are so about PRICE.  Yes, of course price is important.  But you know that saying, "you get what you pay for?"  Well, it's oftentimes true.  Make sure that for your money spent you are getting a quality piece.  Are the diamonds SI 1-2 and better?  How are the diamonds cut?  Do the prongs look larger than the actual stones? (Uhhhh RED FLAG.)  Is the piece made well, so that it will be durable or is the shank of the ring thin?  Is it comfortable to wear?  Look at the inside of the ring, the side that no one but you sees - is it sloppy?  Because good workmanship is visible on the inside as well as on the outside of a good piece of jewelry.

I recently did a ring very similar to a ring a client found online at a huge big box jeweler, my price was very close to the big box jeweler, but my quality was a world apart.  Their diamonds were full of inclusions visible to the naked eye (I 1-2) and the diamonds I used?  VS 1-2, not to mention workmanship, (it was made by master craftsmen not overseas for pennies on the dollar.)  YUGO vs. VOLVO, you decide what you want.  Then find a jeweler that won't ever use Included stones on any pieces they carry, you are now going in the right direction.

You might be like, "I'm PANICKED because I don't know how to tell these things."  Yes, you can learn quickly - just start researching.  Start reading.  One book I read and still recommend is by a Gemologist, it's in it's 7th edition:  

A book written by a Gemologist that isn't trying to sell you anything is a good place to start.

Step 5:  RELATIONSHIP. 

Buy from someone that was recommended to you.  Someone that has many clients that love them.  That come wholeheartedly recommended.  That you can see past work from.  That stand behind their product.   I am the one bugging my clients yearly to let me clean their rings.  Because jewelry is for a lifetime and I want my clients to maintain jewelry in excellent condition.  Make sure that the service doesn't stop at the sale.  If you doubt any of that have them put it in writing.  

Good luck and try to enjoy the process!  

gemgal001@sbcglobal.com  |