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When working with your local jeweler ...

Buttercookies

Buttercookies

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 13, 2020
Messages
875
Hi guys,
Quick question here. Do you trust your local jeweler enough to leave your jewelry with them when they need repair or resetting? Or do you confirm everything afterward? Or do you wait there whole item being worked on?
Thanks
 
As a matter of course, the local jeweler I use most places my larger pieces under their microscope and points identifying features (inscriptions, flaws, etc) which they have me confirm upon pick up. I trust them 100%. They are family owned and have been in business for decades.
 
I have a local jeweler I trust. It's a family owned that's been in business for decades.
 
I trust my local jeweler.
 
if you have a relationship with said jeweler, I would trust him/her.
 
Buttercookies said:
Hi guys,
Quick question here. Do you trust your local jeweler enough to leave your jewelry with them when they need repair or resetting? Or do you confirm everything afterward? Or do you wait there whole item being worked on?
Thanks
Click to expand...

I have run my store for 44 years. If you came to me and asked that question my alarm bells go off and I will ask you to leave.
I steal one persons piece of jewellery and my dozen staff are out of a job.
If someone does not trust me with their jewellery, then I am very afraid of them.
 
Garry H (Cut Nut) said:
I have run my store for 44 years. If you came to me and asked that question my alarm bells go off and I will ask you to leave.
I steal one persons piece of jewellery and my dozen staff are out of a job.
If someone does not trust me with their jewellery, then I am very afraid of them.
Click to expand...

Maybe its different in our part of the world Gary, it just wouldn't even cross my mind to even be worried in the slightest
I know bad things happen elsewhere, but that's far away in internet land not in bricks and mortar NZ or Australia
 
I would not leave anything expensive with a jeweler who wouldn't provide me with a receipt that clearly identified the piece, such as a close up photo. That is for the protection of both parties, as well as something for either to show to the insurance company or police if a piece went missing.

I had an issue once with a jeweler who had been in business for a long time, though I didn't know him personally. He wasn't there but his assistant (who I also didn't know) wanted me to leave my expensive ring for re-sizing with nothing given to me but a receipt with the type of ring written generically and vaguely (not even stating that it was a diamond, for example). If there was a problem, it would be my word against hers so I would lose. The lack of care made me lose confidence in him so I went somewhere else.

I really doubt a jeweler who had been in business in the same location for many years would steal my diamond but that's not the only way it could go missing.
 
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seaurchin said:
I would not leave anything expensive with a jeweler who wouldn't provide me with a receipt that clearly identified the piece. Most likely, a close up photo would be required to do that adequately. That is for the protection of both parties, as well as something for either to show to the insurance company or police if a piece went missing.

I had an issue once with a jeweler who had been in business for a long time, though I didn't know him personally. He wasn't there but his assistant wanted me to leave an expensive ring for re-sizing with nothing given to me but a receipt with the type of ring written generically and vaguely (not even stating that it was a diamond, for example). If there was a problem, it would be my word against hers so I would lose. The lack of care made me lose confidence in him so I went somewhere else.

No one should be asked to take such a risk. After all, there are other things that could happen besides the jeweler himself stealing a piece.
Click to expand...
So you bring me a ring to resize and it has a man made diamond and when you pick it up you accuse me of replacing your diamond and I have to give you a natural diamond?
Or I must do an analysis of every jewel left with me and identify what it is - testing can run to $1,500 - and you want a resize?
We write colourless gem, blue stone etc.
Do you see that my right to turn away people who are suspicious of me Is my best protection. Especially when they want my team to write natural diamond on a bookin packet with receipts - no way Jose!
 
I absolutely trust my jeweler, and we have become friends over the course of the last 15 years. Sometimes I annoy him and ask him to resize a ring or do a simple fix while I wait. Mostly because I am too lazy to drive back for a pick up. ;) He is nice enough to accommodate me. :kiss2:
 
Garry H (Cut Nut) said:
So you bring me a ring to resize and it has a man made diamond and when you pick it up you accuse me of replacing your diamond and I have to give you a natural diamond?
Or I must do an analysis of every jewel left with me and identify what it is - testing can run to $1,500 - and you want a resize?
We write colourless gem, blue stone etc.
Do you see that my right to turn away people who are suspicious of me Is my best protection. Especially when they want my team to write natural diamond on a bookin packet with receipts - no way Jose!
Click to expand...

I didn't present anything like the scenario you've posted above so I won't attempt to answer it.

But as a customer, I definitely take commonsense safeguards against possible loss. So I'm sure I'd do the same if I was a jeweler.

My jeweler where I used to live had some kind of camera setup on the counter. There would be a close up photo on each receipt and that worked very well. I also know of an online jewelry business that takes similar photos of each piece they sell before shipping it out, for their protection.
 
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I don’t have a jeweller locally that I trust. But I’d never imagine they’d actually take something. It’s more that the quality control has been poor, leading to frustration and disappointment. But they’re honest, no question.

Many many times, I’ve resold jewellery instead of risking damage to it. That’s clearly my issue, not theirs.
 
This is why you go to the most reputable jeweler in your town. Never go to a chain jeweler or discount jeweler for repairs. The stores that have nicer jewelry generally will have customers who expect good quality benchwork, etc. That is no guarantee, but maybe you can read reviews and see if there are any complaints. I have never used a jeweler who would repair something while I waited anyway. They always say it will be ready in a week, or whatever.
 
I signed a recent with a description for insurence under the understanding if they got burgled the jewlers' insurence would pay out not my own and i watched mum's rings go into labeled little bags and then safely disrepair out the back to where the bench was
I must admit the other half was worried - reading all the overseas horror stories on the internet but i knew all would be ok when the jewler excittedly called his office lady over to look at mum's emerald ring he recognized as the work of someone he trained with
 
Of course, I trust my local jeweler to do repairs on my very most treasured pieces of jewelry. I've been happily using the same mom & pop jeweler for 20 years. Quite skilled, he does his own bench work.

Before finding him, I did have some trouble with a different local (much larger) local jeweler. Long story. My standing over the man doing those repairs wouldn't have prevented the problems... Moot point. Waiting, while your repairs are done, is usually not an option. Most jewelry repairs aren't done instantly when you take something in. So you need to have trust.

Sadly COVID hard times have unexpectedly led to my preferred local jeweler to soon be closing his doors forever. Although he didn't plan to, he will be retiring early. Therefore, I will now have to move my trust to another local jeweler. If all works out well with the custom 5 stone ring that I'm currently having designed locally, that jeweler (on the other side of the Metro) will probably become my new "local jeweler" who I trust. That's also a mom & pop business that's been around for a while.
 
FYI we often resize rings for clients while they wait - but that almost always resulted in them going down the street for a coffee. I really cant remember anyone actually watching the process unless they had a child with them - and then we would invite the child into the workshop and watch!
 
What is more scary or likely scenario?
1. An established business/jeweller potentially switching customer's natural diamond with a synthetic one or inferior diamond.
2. A random customer potentially stealing goods while the jeweller is preoccupied with other customers or focused with repairing in the workshop.

If I were a small business owner with hundreds of thousands in goods, I would never let anyone to stay in the store unattended. Anyone demanding to stay for an unreasonable period of time is a big red flag.
 
Thanks everyone for your input.

I recently picked up my pair of earrings from a new jeweler whom I have never work with before. He didn’t offer me any confirmation. So I loop it myself but then I was wondering if that was rude to do in the store. “Trust but verify” is what was taught to me.

Your responses reassure me.
 
Take good closeup photos of your pieces/stones from various angles.
If there’s any dispute re. identification or condition upon receipt - now you’ve got effectively incontrovertible evidence.

... Which still gets you no further than “I told you so” if you don’t choose a trustworthy establishment to begin with!!
 
Garry H (Cut Nut) said:
FYI we often resize rings for clients while they wait - but that almost always resulted in them going down the street for a coffee. I really cant remember anyone actually watching the process unless they had a child with them - and then we would invite the child into the workshop and watch!
Click to expand...

...can I be that child? I love to watch those sped-up jewelry making videos. It’s similar to glass blowing - I can’t wrap my head around all the steps needed to create the final piece!
 
I did my due diligence first before I would leave my jewellery with the benches for them to work on them.

DK :))
 
I trust him. Completely. Otherwise I would not work with him.
 
I trust mine. It never even crossed my mind that they would switch something on me.
 
Those last 2 comments: couldn’t have said it better myself!
 
i trust mine. i got a diamond elsewhere. he knew it as i got him to custom made the cuff / setting for it. When i received the green diamond, i left it with him for the week to have it set. it may have taken a few days to set, but i could not get back to the store to pick it up for a week due to timing.

complete trust.
and as others have stated- research with whom you are working with.
 
dmack said:
...can I be that child? I love to watch those sped-up jewelry making videos. It’s similar to glass blowing - I can’t wrap my head around all the steps needed to create the final piece!
Click to expand...

The thought crossed my mind next time im across the ditch to accost some random Aussie kiddy and front up with a ring for resizing
 
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