[Jewelry making - Article 00071] - Re: [Orchid] A Jewelry Buyer's Guide

[MillsGem]

========[ Invite a Friend - http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm  ]========


    Dear Tim, When I started this string on consumer education I never
    once even hinted that there should be regulations or controls put
    into place. But, I have regularly suggested that all of the Jewelers
    associations should take a much more active role in educating the
    consumer. I do not think that they should be the direct educators.
    Rather, I think that they should provide pamphlets and other media
    to jewelers who can use them to educate their customers. A good
    example of what I propose would be a little pamphlet which describes
    the advantages and disadvantages of the various popular chains,
    usages which damage chains  ( wearing chains while sleeping, etc. )
    and life expectancies in given usages. 

    Apparently Jewelers of America is addressing these problems through
    its membership. The obvious problem here is that they are an
    exclusive organization whose membership constitutes a minority of
    American jewelers. 

    I totally agree with you that the front line of consumer education
    is the individual jeweler, but I also think that a great deal could
    be accomplished through a jeweler's organization that actively
    disseminated informative articles to the popular media. The jewelry
    industry is in the dark ages when it comes to public relations. I
    think Rick Hamilton would agree with this. 

    My favorite idea is the one of setting up a museum type display in
    my shop which traces the steps, methods and equipment which go into
    making a piece of jewelry. We frequently perform jewelry services
    while people wait. A display of this type would be a welcome
    diversion for a person who is captively waiting. BUT, what a
    wonderful way it is to heighten the awareness and appreciation of
    the potential customer for the skill, labor intensiveness and
    complexity of creating jewelry ! I am sure that a person would have
    to have a much better appreciation for the cost of jewelry when he
    becomes aware of its painfully intensive creation ! 

Ron at Mills Gem, Los Osos, CA.

____________________________________________________________________
T h e   O r c h i d   L i s t
Open Electronic Forum for Jewelry Manufacturing Methods and Procedures
____________________________________________________________________
Orchid FAQ:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/faq.htm
Orchid Archives:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive
Orchid Galleries:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm
Invite a Friend:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm
____________________________________________________________________
Tips From The Jeweler's Bench - Article Archive
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm
The Jeweler's Selected Bibliography List
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/jewelry-books
Buy Orchid Jewelry:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/shop
____________________________________________________________________
-Unsubscribe:
-Email: orchid-request AT ganoksin.com Body=unsubscribe subject=blank
____________________________________________________________________