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Converting pure gold into cash? - Jewelry Discussion - Ganoksin Orchid Jewelry Forum Community for Jewelers and Metalsmiths
Hi All,
I changed the subject heading on this…
While I understand the point about not wanting a customer who
doesn’t trust you I must dissagree with rejecting them outright. The
store I currently work from will reject a customer that insists on
watching me work. Also customers must leave there jewelery when
getting an appraisal. (I really don’t understand that one )
A 1/2ct diamond might be the world to some people. To the next
customer a 4ct diamond may be an easy thing to part with while you
repair it. There’s a wide range of incomes and comfort levels out
there.
Trust is not earned because you have a nice store. It is earned
through a relationship made over time. That said, you also have the
extended problem that most people could not identify their diamond
using a loop. Just cleaning a ring makes it look different to most
customers.
Many feel like they are walking in blind and must trust you. That’s
the way I feel using refiners. I have gotten my worst yeilds for
polishing dust and scrap from refiners. I drop off my scraps & dust
to a man in NY because I get consistant results that are better than
the refiners…I have no choice but to trust that he is fair.
To compound these things…most stores have employees. When you
expect a customer to leave a piece with you you are also expecting
them to trust your employees. Over the years I have been in business
it has shocked me to find out that my co-workers were theives.
Sometimes office help actually embezzels. And stores do get robbed.
I have even heard of bench jewelers swapping big stones from
showcases with cz’s. (At a very large upscale NY store.) They
eventually got caught thank goodness.
Anyhow I’ve been a jeweler for 25 years now. My reputation is the
most important asset I have. That gets me in the door…The trust
that follows is earned with time.
Although I prefer to have the customer leave me their work I do
understand that some can be unwilling to do so and I don’t take it
personally. If there is no way to safely accomodate a customer then
I think that is a better reason to reject their request than insist
they trust you.
Best Regards,
Mark