Setting prices in Toronto?

Hi all, everywhere!

A good friend of mine who makes very high-end jewellery told me this
story today. He said to me his on-site, full time setter went to
Belgium for 6 months to re-learn diamond-setting and spent about
20,000 Euro’s. So now he is setting non-stop, but for his new and
improved updated setting labours he can charge only $4.00 per
pave’-stone. I asked my friend is it worth his setters investment? He
answered no way “its better not to be a setter nowadays in this
city!”

He had one person offer his on-site setter only $1-2.00 per stone.
He told him he is too busy. I could be setting lots, but for this
low-paying fee, I’d rather stay at teaching and enjoying more rather
than slaving away…

Gerry!

He had one person offer his on-site setter only $1-2.00 per stone.
He told him he is too busy. I could be setting lots, but for this
low-paying fee, I'd rather stay at teaching and enjoying more
rather than slaving away... 

Yes, no argument here. But why can’t we see that we doing it to
ourself. Like Pogo said “we have met the enemy and he is us”. It
takes many years to learn to cut metal, or one can learn do it with
a machine faster, not as good but merchants can push it out of the
door. Well, since it is not that good, the prices going down, that
is basic law of economics. You make something easier, you increase
the pool of participants, thereby increasing supply of labour, while
demand remains the same. The result is lower prices. Economics 101.

Leonid Surpin

Hi All,

As a newly transplanted Toronto jeweller (worked there for three
years), I can attest to the low prices charged by Toronto setters.
Prices for gypsy and pave were around $3-5 per stone, regardless of
stone size, while centre stones and full channels ranged from
$20-50. Keep your setters in business in Toronto–they work very
hard, and there are some fabulously skilled, hard working and
dedicated professionals trying to make a living.

All the best,
Danielle

Gerry,

This has been a problem for decades, and not just in Toronto. South
of the border, worse. The retail establishment wants to charge
customers $12.00 - 20.00 per stone to make a generous spread beyond
their cost. The wholesale end of the trade gets beaten down to a
minimum, so they employ minimally-skilled labour to plug holes with
diamonds and say a few hail marys.

The end result is that nobody is happy because they are all
adversaries. The race to the bottom has produced no winners. The
setters aren’t proud of their work, the wholesaler handles
complaints all day, and the retailer is afraid to use an ultrasonic.
The paying customer shells out large dollars in good faith, and
winds up disappointed when settings fail.

When all the $1.00 per stone people have quit their jobs to do
janitorial work for higher wages, the fellow who invested in his
career will be able to charge what he wants, and the entire trade
will be better off for it.

David Keeling
www.davidkeelingjewellery.com

When confronted with a store owner who says,“Can you cut me a break
on this? It’s too expensive.”

I remind them that 2.5 times $100.00 is a lot more profit for them
than 2.5 times $25.00. If they are smart they get it and we all make
more money. If they don’t, I move on to someone who does.

Why work for stupid people?

Have fun and make lots of jewelry.
Jo Haemer
www.timothywgreen.com

When I had my setting shop and after this following incident, I
pulled the plug and worked at my home base. I set about 10,000
diamonds for one client in one year, he told me that he "found"
another setter who charges.10 cents “lower” per stone.

I saw the writing on the wall and closed up shop… prices have gone
up a tad but not enough to pay for expenses for home and the office.
After spending so many years learning this setting, I am so much
happier without working for others. Then I came to my senses and went
into teaching!

While away in Florida I met another setter who wants “out”, I
suggested that he goes into teaching as well. He thanked me for my
ideas and will pursue this new career…are we all hurt and
frustrated about this outcome, some are but not me.

Gerry !