[Jewelry making - Article 00075] - Re: [Orchid] Starting small home jewelry repair business

[daniel]

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    This is something that I have considered off and on for the past
    couple years. I have repaired items for friends, but I only charged
    them for material. 

    I do know some in my area that do work from home, but they mostly do
    repairs only for pawn shops or retailers. I dont know if they still
    do this, but even Wal-Mart use to use local craftsman for repairs.
    The good thing about going out and getting work form other stores, is
    that you dont have to advertise what you do. 

    I knew one jeweler who worked out of his basement for several years,
    and one night while everyone was asleep, the house was broken into.
    The alarm woke them, but they were met by 3 men with mask and guns.
    Him, his wife, and thier 3 kids were tied up with phone and
    electrical cords. One of the robbers held a gun on them, while the
    other two ripped through the house. They took thousands of dollars
    worth of jewelry, loose stones, and precious metal and were long gone
    10 minutes before the police responded to the call from the alarm
    agency. 

    I also know a jewelry who owns a store who was apparently staked out
    for a while, and then hit at home on the night he brought some
    finished repairs home with him from work so he could deliver them on
    his way into work the next morning. He has moved and never tells his
    neighbors what he does for a living, and also never tells anyone
    where he is living now. I cant really blame him for being so paranoid
    as they did beat him and his wife up pretty bad. 

    I know a gemstone sales man who drives an old beat up truck and
    wears blue jeans and t shirts just so he isnt hit again. He was
    getting robbed in parking lots, at his house, even at the drive up
    ATM once. That was when he dressed the part and drove a nice car. I
    havent seen him in a while, but I do now that for at least a couple
    years after he stopped looking the part, he wasnt getting robbed. 


    Because I knew people who were robbed like this Ive been, shall lack
    of better term, gun shy of working out of my house. I dont even tell
    many people that I have a studio set up at my house so I can practice
    and improve my skills, or even that I am working on my gemologist
    degree. I think flaunting the fact I am doing anything with jewelry
    could eventually give the wrong type of people the impression you
    might have something they want.. I have 2 young daughters and cant
    see putting thier wellbeing on the line either. Maybe 20 or 30 years
    ago or if I lived in a small town where everyone knows everyone else
    it would be a different story. But I sure wouldnt hang a shingle on
    the front of my house in the city these days. 

    I cant think of any jeweler I know in my area that has anything
    obvious on car, house or on person that would indicate they are
    jewelers. Its like advertising for someone to rob you. I have the
    same feelings about people who always flash Rolex's and wear high
    priced jewelry everyday. I feel they might as well put a neon sign on
    thier back asking for someone to rob them. But thats just my opinion. 

Daniel

 
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