Merchants, Merchandise, and My Jewelry
What
is the best way to find
a competent jeweler?
Advertising claims are just that,
until proven to be true. Anyone can place an ad in a newspaper, in the
yellow pages, or on the radio. When you look to develop a long term relationship
with a jeweler you should be seeking an established concern that has a
proven history of expertise, skill, fairness, and integrity. Ask your friends,
but more importantly, have open and frank discussions with your prospective
jeweler.
The answers to your questions should
be offered with confidence and sincerity. "Don't worry, we'll take care
of you" may sound good to the jeweler, but it is so much fluff if the expertise
and integrity are not there to back it up. No jeweler knows everything
about the industry, and "I don't know but I know where to find out" is
a perfectly acceptable answer when it is appropriate.
Be sensitive to the overall impression
that is made upon you when you "interview" your prospective jeweler. If
you have doubts, do not ignore them. And start small. Build your confidence
slowly if you feel more comfortable doing so. Perhaps begin the relationship
with a small repair or purchase, and build the relationship as you would
any other.
Competence levels and areas of expertise
vary greatly in the jewelry industry as they do in other fields. Ideally
you should develop a relationship with a full service jeweler-one who sells
and is expert in a wide variety of merchandise and can provide the repair
and restoration services that jewelry lovers so often require.
Shop for value rather than price.
Value comes in many forms. Ongoing service and the willingness to back
up one's products is a key to value. You must ask yourself if you would
rather pay $1,000.00 for an item that has the backing and follow-up support
of the jeweler, or pay $800.00 for the same item, only to be told later
that it is "out of warranty" or that the jeweler's responsibility has expired.
The manner in which you are treated
on your first visit to a jeweler will tell you much about the value you
can count on (or not) in the course of your relationship. Are you greeted
with enthusiasm? Is the jeweler interested in who you are and what your
tastes and needs are, or simply interested in making a sale and moving
on to the next customer?
Are you treated the same way when
you enter the store in jeans and a T-shirt as when you are dressed in business
attire? When you have a problem is it handled cheerfully and with respect?
These are some of the elements of value that are remembered far beyond
the dollars spent for merchandise and service.
Of course, the relationship works
both ways. Once you have found a jeweler who appeals to you, treat him
or her with the same respect and integrity that you expect and deserve.
In this way you can be assured of a long and mutually beneficial relationship
with your jeweler.
Is
my jewelry automatically insured
while being repaired or appraised?
Quite simply, no it is not. You
have every right to ask your jeweler, "Is my property insured while it
is in your possession?" If the answer is yes, it is perfectly acceptable
to ask more questions regarding the nature of the insurance, before you
entrust your jewelry to anyone. In some states there is a legal presumption
that goods left for repair (called a "bailment") or appraisal are insured,
unless the customer is notified to the contrary.
It is also advisable that you inquire
of your own insurance company as to whether or not your jewelry is covered
while in the control of a jeweler who does not have any insurance or is
not adequately insured. It is better to be informed and now where you stand
with regard to insurance before you act, rather than finding out after
the unlikely but unfortunate events of an uninsured loss.
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