My studio is in Virginia and I used to allow customers to try on
earrings (which I cleaned before and after with alcohol wipes) until
I was told that it was not legal to do this in Virginia. I am also
part of a co-operative gallery which is currently discussing this
issue.
A doctor friend of mine couldn’t find any research on this but said
that he would be concerned if there was any blood left on the
earring because alcohol wipes might not be sufficient. He suggested
soaking overnight in alcohol.
So what do other jewelers do about this?
cindy
Cindy,
First. I’m not into this matter to start with and nor a proffesion
in medical care but… the number of viruses needed to get infected
by HIV is much higher then with Hepatitis C. Hep C is more dangereous
then HIV (factorwise) In order to get infected by Hep C, one need
1000 viruses per mililiter. 1 mililiter is approx 1cm x 1cm x 1cm=
1"cm. The chance to be infected is 1 chance out of 1000 ! Howmuch
blood to you have on your earrings? I’m sure that you are taking care
about your jewellry so that will answer the previous qeustion.
Second. Howmany people wash their hands after touching your door or
anything else. It is being proven that miljons of bacteries find a
nice comftable place on doorhandles especially from restrooms. People
enter your shop and all of them are customers doing their daily
things. Do you ask them to wash their hands before trying on a ring,
bracelet or earrings? Do you had a customers complaining about a flu
and get back to you because he visited your shop in that period of
time?
Third. How about the contamination by Air. Do you need to checkt out
and clean your air? People are inhaling smoke, exhaust of cars. All
the airborne fumes and others will polute your cloods and people are
visiting your shop. I don’t even think of what might be on their
schoe’s! If someone drops a penny, do you forbid them to pick it up
because you didn’t disinfect your floor first? Is it safe to have
people into your shop when they have a medical problem?
Like most of the jewellers, I have to repair them to. If I see
howmuch “stuff” I find inside rings and others then I should stop
doing this. Should I ask the customers first to clean their items
because I do not want to run into the chance to be infected.
I know, it is not fair to shoot somany questions to your person but
be real… You’re running a business (I think) and people need to
understand that jewellers do take care about their products. It will
never be uncontaminated because we live in a world with lots of
pollution. The best you can do is to care about your products, make a
sign that you clean your products every day and mention which product
you use for doing this.
Best regards
Pedro
There is another factor in allowing people to try earrings… My
issue wouldn’t be “Is it safe” but is it icky the thought that other
people would’ve put an earring I might buy into their ears would stop
me buying any earrings from that shop EVER… Eeeew gross!
I use little clear lengths of plastic, I slip the earring onto the
clear plastic arm and the customer uses that to hold it up to their
ear… That way they can see what the earring will look like without
their fingers getting in the way and without them putting it on.
I also wouldn’t put on someone elses belly bar (even cleaned up)
Maybe it’s just because I’m in the UK & people don’t even expect to
try on earrings!
Nicola x
I think it depends on the customer and the earrings. We do pretty
high end stuff, so when Mrs. Rich Matron wants to try on a pair of
$10,000 diamond earrings you betcha I’m gonna let her try them on.
After all I have a sonic and steamer.
Jewelry really is much easier to sell when it’s being worn by the
prospective buyer. I try to get the jewelry on the customer as soon
as possible.
Have fun and make lots of jewelry.
Jo Haemer
www.timothywgreen.com