Would you work in jewelry full time?

[Winks_Elf]

Wink, I wish I could work for you. Sounds like a good time!

--- Laurie

HA! He's a slave driver! Just kidding.

I've worked with Wink for almost nine and a half years now, and have never had the privilege of meeting him in person...yet. He has taught me so much, and he's more than a boss. He's my dear friend, confidant, teacher, mentor...he taught me more in the first four years that I worked for him than anyone else did in all the years I worked in the corporate environment.

Wink aside, the thing I love most about my job as Custom Jewelry & Product Coordinator is getting to be a sparkle fairy Godmother. Being able to take a vague idea, or even a well formed idea, and watch it turn into a wearable piece of art is such a thrill for me. It doesn't matter if it's a young couple still in college, a couple where one partner is about to be deployed, or a couple that has been married for 54 years but never had a diamond ring. The thrill is the same when they let me know how much they love their new ring, and that it's all they could have dreamed it to be. I've been able to "meet" people from around the world without ever leaving my computer, and have made some good friends along the way. I absolutely love what I do!

 

[Circe]

For myself, yes. In a traditional business environment, no.

My dad was a colored stone dealer on 47th when I was growing up, and when I talked about maybe wanting to follow in his footsteps, he was adamantly opposed. Part of that was because he saw it as being an inherently sexist environment (which, okay, a little, but not for the reasons he put forth). Part of it was because he saw it as being fundamentally fiscally unreliable: we weren't hand-to-mouth, but a lot depended on the state of the market. Fair enough, but ... I became an English professor, y'know? The possibility of poverty isn't going to scare me off of a thing I love.

But the biggest thing, for me? I worked in the jewelry industry twice, once for a guy who cut corners (...no bueno!), once for a guy who was a ridiculous martinet who I think actively got off on trying to see if he could get his employees to cry (he fired me when I asked for an afternoon off to be made up working from home so that I could take a friend to a biopsy after a cancer scare). I don't know if it's that I've been spoiled by the academic environment or if it's that I've just always been a misanthrope, but I think the typical retail environment is just Too Much Togetherness for me. I like to be able to make my own calls.

I never thought about sexism in the jewelry field, but I can definitely see it now that you mention it. Lisa Elser and Cindy Stair are the only female precision cutters I can think of out of many precision cutters, and Barabara of ACS before Barry took it over..but I don't see many female players in the field.

My dad is OLD SCHOOL, yo - like, still cannot grasp why it's considered a Bad Thing and potential harassment to tell a lady colleague that her blouse is fetching. (When I would try to explain Modern Cat-Calling to him, he oscillated between disbelief and giving me tasers.) So for him, it was mostly a case of cutters having girlie mag posters up in their studios ... and we're not even talking explicit, we're talking ladies in bikinis as shot by your local car-wash. For me it was always more the fact that so much on 47th is still rooted in family culture, and family culture of a very traditional sort as regards gender ... it's hard to break into a business where nice grandfatherly sorts, no matter how professional, are more concerned with why-you-so-thin-how-you-gonna-find-a-husband-you-so-thin than with your opinion on the product. Thankfully, between the internet and the intervening 15 years or so, things appear to be changing ....

 

[HeartingDiamonds]

Gimme a few more years, and I'll get back to you on this one JUST KIDDING!

I would say that it really would depend on who you work for, and the sector you choose. Is it tough? You betcha. It's not nearly as glamorous as most people think it is, but I do LOVE it because it's very gratifying work (to me, at least).

But then again, I like dealing with people and my husband tells me I never run out of opinions so I guess I'm made for this industry - I have not been booed yet (at least not to my face ).

My short answer is if I could keep working for myself (and I do mean myself - I keep buying my own stuff ), would be yes

 

[Winks_Elf]

Kenny, nawwwww, I don't believe it!

I did in the retail selling part & didn't like it. Loved the customers; some of the jewelry was nice, some was icky. I love selling when I believe in the product, but if not, I just can't fake it. Hated recommending pieces that weren't all that great. Could not rave if someone adored a necklace that really looked crappy on her. Everyone has her own taste, but some things on some people are just no no no!

Hours are long & you work most holidays. With sales goals, the competition among colleagues gets fierce & vicious. The atmosphere almost sent me to a padded room. I walked out in the middle of a morning, never went back -- only time in my life, but it saved my sanity.

--- Laurie

Ah! Hit the nail on the head here! That was my biggest gripe about working retail. I can't lie to save my life, and to have to recommend a piece I don't believe is the quality and/or price range a client is looking for is not something I can do. I hated the whole competitive atmosphere of sales people sniping customers and pushing clients to get something out of their budget (which would inevitably result in a return) so they can boost their totals. I'd rather be known as the type of salesperson that is more of a client advocate than a top seller.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I would totally consider retail if I were looking to get out of my current career (i.e., we didn't need the money and I was just doing it for fun). I would either want to work for a independent or high end store. I don't think I could do a maul store.

 

[ericad]

When I was in school, I worked for a mall jewelry store, but it was a fun one (high end costume jewelry). Would I go back to work in someone else's retail shop? No. Well, maybe for just a little while, if I felt it would open some doors for me.

But do I regret leaving the finance industry to launch my own antique jewelry business? Heck no! I LOVE it! I'm a people person and helping someone find a piece that they're downright giddy over brings me so much happiness. I like restoring old things, rehoming them, and making people happy. What I do is ethically, socially and emotionally rewarding for me, and I can make a nice living at the same time. I keep my overhead low, therefore my anxiety is low, and I'm able to spend time with my family. My life has never been more in balance. My goals are clear - I'm not trying to be the biggest anything. I'm not trying to get financially rich. I'm just thrilled to have carved out a little niche for myself and spend my days doing something that I truly love. I feel very lucky to have gone down this road, and would encourage everyone to follow their passion and their dream.

 

[Catmom]

I absolutely love just about every piece of jewelry that my jeweler has in her store. She buys her own stones and designs her own jewelry. I would love to have a job where I took pictures of her designs and updated her website and FB page. That way I could play with all the jewelry and not have to deal with the public, plus an employee discount sounds pretty good!

 

[JewelFreak]

Catmom, you made me remember something I haven't thought of in forever. When we were in high school a friend of mine had a brother who was much older than we were, at least 10 yrs. His girlfriend was a photographer for National Geographic. She took photos for the 1st Tutankhamen tour for an NG article. She got to touch & play with all those magnificent artifacts from his tomb. I was totally in awe.

--- Laurie

 

[Sky56]

I've fantasized about it. If I were young and starting out, I'd consider it. But a few things would keep me away: dealing with the public and the threat of gun-toting criminals. I've known several jewelers who were robbed at gunpoint.

I do get to live my fantasies sometimes - with the blessings of jewelry shop and pawn shop owners who know me well, while shopping, I've helped other customers with their choices, using my loupe to point things out to them, helping them choose an item from several they picked out. It really is fun being an unpaid "shopping consultant." I helped a stranger a few days ago pick a pair of hoop earrings to buy.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I would definitely consider it after retirement. It would be fun for me and no pressure of having to earn a full living doing it. I too would want to work in a high end or private store; I couldn't stomach the mall merchandise!

 

[lioness]

When I was in school, I worked for a mall jewelry store, but it was a fun one (high end costume jewelry). Would I go back to work in someone else's retail shop? No. Well, maybe for just a little while, if I felt it would open some doors for me.

But do I regret leaving the finance industry to launch my own antique jewelry business? Heck no! I LOVE it! I'm a people person and helping someone find a piece that they're downright giddy over brings me so much happiness. I like restoring old things, rehoming them, and making people happy. What I do is ethically, socially and emotionally rewarding for me, and I can make a nice living at the same time. I keep my overhead low, therefore my anxiety is low, and I'm able to spend time with my family. My life has never been more in balance. My goals are clear - I'm not trying to be the biggest anything. I'm not trying to get financially rich. I'm just thrilled to have carved out a little niche for myself and spend my days doing something that I truly love. I feel very lucky to have gone down this road, and would encourage everyone to follow their passion and their dream.

PS needs a "like" button for your post. Good for you for taking control of your time, your life. Blessed be.

 

[4ever]

I have!
A year or two after joining Pricescope I got a retail job for a bricks and mortar store in a very high end neighbourhood. While I did enjoy it much of the time, for a number or reasons it wasn't for me. I suck it out for a couple of years before getting my current job as a jewellery buyer for a very large international company.
Aside from a yearly overseas trip it's not quite as glamorous as everyone thinks, however, in saying that, I do really love my job!

 

[JewelFreak]

Nothing is as glamorous as people think, 4ever! High-end jewelry stores, international jobs -- I've had both in different industries. Wonderful in many ways, a groan-worthy slog in many. But I'd take them over driving a cab!