Has Anyone Heard From Daniel M?

[mustangchi]

I wish I had an email I could try. He hasn't responded to any of my Etsy messages for weeks.

Looks like there is a website that gives this email (hope it is ok to post this email here but maybe I have seen other people post DK's email?)

[email protected]

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Jax172, reach out to Etsy. I think they'll give him a nudge before they drop a house on him.

 

[momofive]

Daniel M never responded to my request about designing a ring for me. I ended up going with DK for a few projects and was very happy. He was very quick as well.

 

[Jax172]

He finally got back to me this morning. He has had a death in the family

 

[mustangchi]

He finally got back to me this morning. He has had a death in the family

Very unfortunate but if you are running a business and are in possession of client property of significant value then that does not excuse the no communication for weeks. A few days or a week or so I would excuse but a quick message would literally take seconds. I would not be able to excuse someone not answering me for weeks when they had my stones. I am glad people are upfront about describing experiences like this so that others can decide which vendors to work with based on each person's preferences.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Oh jeez, I wonder if it was his dad. His father was losing his eyesight two years ago and he had a lot else going on. Dan, if you read this, I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[ShinyPink]

Here's my history with him. Don't judge me for returning to him.

Late January, 2021 - Messaged back & forth to finalize designs. Very responsive! Mailed four stones.
First week of February - CADs complete for three projects. Said he'sworking on the fourth.
Mid-February - Three pieces done and shipped. CAD almost done for fourth.
End of February - Said CAD will be arriving soon.
April - Again, almost done with CAD, so I sent another stone. I believed him when he said he was working on it because he good excuses for the delay (bad castings, etc.).
Late April - No response to inquiry.
May - Replied saying etsy messaging was glitchy.
June - Said he was sending CADs for both stones.
Mid-July - Requested an update from him.
Late July - Replied he was sending CADs and will expedite.
Late September - I asked for an update.
December - Another update request. He answered, promising to complete them.
Mid-February, 2022 - I sent a scolding "mom" message. Got his attention! He replied and sent one CAD.
Early March- One project finished and mailed.
August!!!! - Requested update
October - Requested he return my stone.
December - Second request. Stone received Dec. 30th.

I figured he didn't know how to handle the stone (pezzottaite) but didn't want to tell me. SO, I messaged him and asked if I could rely on him for a couple projects. ("OMG! YOU ARE SO STUPID!" I can hear you guys, so no need to say it to me. )

Late January, 2023 - Mailed 5 stones for two rings and a pendant. Rings completed mid-February. He still has one stone, a rhodochrosite cab. I requested he mail it back, but hasn't responded.

Again, I think he just doesn't know what to do with it. He's super quick with the simple designs, with hard stones.

I like his work and prices, but I'm done. Let me ask you guys, what would this cost with DK? I've always been so worried about his prices, so I never inquired:


And that, dear friends, is the Saga of The Girl Who Never Learns and The Guy Who Never Responds.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Crap is that a gorgeous ring! I can see Dan's style, his touch.
I don't think you're stupid, (Or at least WAY less stupid than i am.) I think you have empathy for this man who's a wonderful goldsmith and person and not a good businessman.
I've had only one project with David Klass. My guess is take a Daniel M project and add 50% to the price. Those with more experience with him may give much more accurate estimates. One caveat: he expects you to know what you want and provide inspo photos. That done, he's quite willing to make changes.

 

[Mreader]

@PinkAndBlueBling I have worked with both DK and Dan. DK is often double the cost for making a setting. So, for one thing I got made where I was just making a setting, DK quoted me $1500 and Dan quoted me $650. The cost difference was so significant and that’s why often times I have continued to work with him despite the risk of the ghosting. When it comes to stones that are very precious to me, I will go with DK. I had some blue zircon stones and I loved them but they weren’t super valuable so I took the risk with Dan. I had never been ghosted by him until now. And this time it’s actually with a piece that’s not valuable at all but sentimental. So I am frustrated.

 

[Jax172]

Oh jeez, I wonder if it was his dad. His father was losing his eyesight two years ago and he had a lot else going on. Dan, if you read this, I'm sorry for your loss.

He did say who it was but I didn’t know if he wanted it shared. Just wanted to update here in case anyone still hadn’t heard back. Sounds like it was unexpected and swift. In any case I told him it was ok if he wasn’t able to do my projects right now and he could send my stuff back and we can reconnect at a later time. He replied that he’s is mid working on them so we are going forward. But I’ll expect progress to be slow for now but I understand why now.

 

[Jax172]

I also have one project by DK and it while it came out stunning it was way more expensive that DM. I have never had an issue with DM until now and his work is beautiful. Happy to wait a bit longer as long as there is communication. Knowing now what he’s been dealing with I am happy to let him take his time. I was just a been freaked when he stopped responding.

 

[missy]

I am not judging anyone for returning to Daniel M. However, I could not deal with the stress of this situation.
Wishing all those who have projects with him get them completed soon and to their happy satisfaction.

 

[mustangchi]

I am not judging anyone for returning to Daniel M. However, I could not deal with the stress of this situation.
Wishing all those who have projects with him get them completed soon and to their happy satisfaction.

Same. I hope my comments did not come off as judging anyone who returns to him as that wasn’t my intent. I personally just wouldn’t be able to work with this vendor.

 

[missy]

Same. I hope my comments did not come off as judging anyone who returns to him as that wasn’t my intent. I personally just wouldn’t be able to work with this vendor.

No not at all. I feel the same as you. Way too stressful for me. Life is challenging enough. I don’t need extra if you kwim

 

[mustangchi]

No not at all. I feel the same as you. Way too stressful for me. Life is challenging enough. I don’t need extra if you kwim

Completely agree. I reached out recently to another of the popular vendors here that I have never worked with before to discuss a project and while they were super nice in communication I just couldn't get consistent replies to my messages and would have to keep reaching out again. I just stopped and decided it may just be too difficult and I'd have to just give the idea of that piece up. Unfortunate as their work seems lovely but I just can't keep hounding someone.

 

[lovedogs]

Really sorry to anyone who is still waiting on him. I am very sorry for his circumstances, but it's not ok to just go silent when you have customers' stones. It's all very sad, especially since he is talented and prices are excellent.

 

[maryjane04]

I wish I saw this post before earlier.. I sent off my diamonds to have a cluster setting made back in May 2022. At this rate, I might be lucky to get something by May 2024!

Luckily I have been too busy to notice although at times I do get frustrated by the lack of responses. But what bothers me more is that there are projects coming in after mine that are completed. I have asked to have my stones posted back (internationally) and every time he says he's made progress. Till this day I have not seen a CAD yet. I guess it's a learning experience and I probably will not be using him again.

 

[Mreader]

I wish I saw this post before earlier.. I sent off my diamonds to have a cluster setting made back in May 2022. At this rate, I might be lucky to get something by May 2024!

Luckily I have been too busy to notice although at times I do get frustrated by the lack of responses. But what bothers me more is that there are projects coming in after mine that are completed. I have asked to have my stones posted back (internationally) and every time he says he's made progress. Till this day I have not seen a CAD yet. I guess it's a learning experience and I probably will not be using him again.

You were the person I was thinking of when I said I knew somebody who was waiting more than a year. I didn’t want to name you in case you didn’t want to come forward. This is really the worst and I feel so bad for you. There is no excuse for that at all. I have no idea how he chooses which projects to do before others. It just doesn’t make any sense to me and I’m really sorry.

 

[adlgel]

I wish I saw this post before earlier.. I sent off my diamonds to have a cluster setting made back in May 2022. At this rate, I might be lucky to get something by May 2024!

Luckily I have been too busy to notice although at times I do get frustrated by the lack of responses. But what bothers me more is that there are projects coming in after mine that are completed. I have asked to have my stones posted back (internationally) and every time he says he's made progress. Till this day I have not seen a CAD yet. I guess it's a learning experience and I probably will not be using him again.

After you ask for them back and he says he's made progress do you say "sorry but I still want them back" or is he continuing to keep them with your approval?

They are obviously your stones do to with what you wish, but if a jeweler had my stones for over 1.5 years and had not demonstrated ANY visible signs of progress I'm not sure how I could continue to wait.

 

[seaurchin]

Really appreciate the business reviews on here, whether positive or negative. I've commissioned several pieces with David Klass and been very pleased.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

We had a great jeweler here in Appleton, then she moved to Florida. Just found Karen Polakowski at KP Custom Jewelers in Lake Worth, FL. I don't have a phone yet. She was good, reasonable and a gas to work with. She sold diamonds, she worked on platinum, and she would send a piece home with me w/o payment just to try. We loved her. You can Google photos of when she lived here.

 

[maryjane04]

You were the person I was thinking of when I said I knew somebody who was waiting more than a year. I didn’t want to name you in case you didn’t want to come forward. This is really the worst and I feel so bad for you. There is no excuse for that at all. I have no idea how he chooses which projects to do before others. It just doesn’t make any sense to me and I’m really sorry.

Thank you! I haven't sent any follow up emails for a while as life has been busy so I guess that's the only reason why I haven't completely blown up yet haha.

After you ask for them back and he says he's made progress do you say "sorry but I still want them back" or is he continuing to keep them with your approval?

They are obviously your stones do to with what you wish, but if a jeweler had my stones for over 1.5 years and had not demonstrated ANY visible signs of progress I'm not sure how I could continue to wait.

So, when I ask for the stones back, usually he will respond and say that the CADs are almost done and should have something next week. But next week never happens. I know that he is going through some family issues right at this moment so I will give him some grace. Its also probably my fault for not following up more as well - I send an email every couple of months and the last time I emailed was in July/August and nothing since then.

 

[LightBright]

Here's my history with him. Don't judge me for returning to him.

Late January, 2021 - Messaged back & forth to finalize designs. Very responsive! Mailed four stones.
First week of February - CADs complete for three projects. Said he'sworking on the fourth.
Mid-February - Three pieces done and shipped. CAD almost done for fourth.
End of February - Said CAD will be arriving soon.
April - Again, almost done with CAD, so I sent another stone. I believed him when he said he was working on it because he good excuses for the delay (bad castings, etc.).
Late April - No response to inquiry.
May - Replied saying etsy messaging was glitchy.
June - Said he was sending CADs for both stones.
Mid-July - Requested an update from him.
Late July - Replied he was sending CADs and will expedite.
Late September - I asked for an update.
December - Another update request. He answered, promising to complete them.
Mid-February, 2022 - I sent a scolding "mom" message. Got his attention! He replied and sent one CAD.
Early March- One project finished and mailed.
August!!!! - Requested update
October - Requested he return my stone.
December - Second request. Stone received Dec. 30th.

I figured he didn't know how to handle the stone (pezzottaite) but didn't want to tell me. SO, I messaged him and asked if I could rely on him for a couple projects. ("OMG! YOU ARE SO STUPID!" I can hear you guys, so no need to say it to me. )

Late January, 2023 - Mailed 5 stones for two rings and a pendant. Rings completed mid-February. He still has one stone, a rhodochrosite cab. I requested he mail it back, but hasn't responded.

Again, I think he just doesn't know what to do with it. He's super quick with the simple designs, with hard stones.

I like his work and prices, but I'm done. Let me ask you guys, what would this cost with DK? I've always been so worried about his prices, so I never inquired:


And that, dear friends, is the Saga of The Girl Who Never Learns and The Guy Who Never Responds.

The promise of such nice rings at an affordable price is soooo tempting. Dang those are beautiful. Congratulations on being one of the Chosen ones. But seriously congrats.

 

[LightBright]

Crap is that a gorgeous ring! I can see Dan's style, his touch.
I don't think you're stupid, (Or at least WAY less stupid than i am.) I think you have empathy for this man who's a wonderful goldsmith and person and not a good businessman.
I've had only one project with David Klass. My guess is take a Daniel M project and add 50% to the price. Those with more experience with him may give much more accurate estimates. One caveat: he expects you to know what you want and provide inspo photos. That done, he's quite willing to make changes.

I provided him Soo many photos and told him exactly what I wanted. He ghosted me. I then said to him he was welcome to modify in any way he saw fit. Still no answer. I have compassion for him but why couldn’t he say “it’s not a good fit”? However, if he would be willing to do that amazing work for 50% less than DKJ, I’d get in line. A certain episode of Seinfeld comes to mind.

 

[Mreader]

I provided him Soo many photos and told him exactly what I wanted. He ghosted me. I then said to him he was welcome to modify in any way he saw fit. Still no answer. I have compassion for him but why couldn’t he say “it’s not a good fit”? However, if he would be willing to do that amazing work for 50% less than DKJ, I’d get in line. A certain episode of Seinfeld comes to mind.

Which one? I’m a big Seinfeld fan, but I can’t figure it out!

 

[SparklieBug]

Which one? I’m a big Seinfeld fan, but I can’t figure it out!

I think it's the one with, "No soup for you!"

 

[Slickk]

I think it's the one with, "No soup for you!"

That’s what I was thinking @SparklieBug .



That aside, I would be hesitant to send my stones to a jeweler who ghosts me or others. I’m sorry for all who have to endure that kind of stress in what should be an enjoyable and fun hobby.

 

[alh56]

Hi everyone...ressurecting this thread...has anyone heard from DanielM recently? I'm one of the "year plus waiting" people and have stopped getting responses, which makes me nervous.

 

[maryjane04]

So I am one of those nearly 2+ years waiting (will be 2 years in May).

It got to the point where I had another vendor send Dan M a shipping label to return my stones. Dan replied last week saying he would send it out the next day but we have yet to see that happening.

 

[alh56]

So I am one of those nearly 2+ years waiting (will be 2 years in May).

It got to the point where I had another vendor send Dan M a shipping label to return my stones. Dan replied last week saying he would send it out the next day but we have yet to see that happening.

Ugh, I'm sorry to hear that you've been waiting so long...and also that it seems even a shipping label isn't getting what you need. I was considering doing something similar. If you do see progress I would really appreciate it if you shared!