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Three Qualities
The web is a great new tool that can bring folks with similar interests together in spite of geographical distances. You can visit our virtual store in the comfort of your own living room, at 11:00 PM if you like, but it is not all peaches and cream. Many people are concerned by the anonymity afforded by this new media, and I don’t blame them. This anonymity provides cover for crooks. Not that everyone on the web is dishonest, but fine jewelry can be expensive, so you need a way to separate the sheep from the goats. Should you take an interest in our jewelry, this page is dedicated to establishing our credibility. We want you to be 100% comfortable with us before you send your money.
Tim and I have earned our reputation and it is easy to check us out. We have been creating fine jewelry for Oregon’s north coast for over 30 years. This part of Oregon consists of small towns and rural areas. Everyone knows our business, and many know us personally. Tim and I are known for our expertise in the natural gemstones, as well as our high standards in the metal arts. Our integrity and service are not limited to our profession. We are active members in our community. Tim served as one of our Clatsop County Commissioners and I (Jim) currently serve on the Warrenton/Hammond School Board. We have been a member of the Astoria Area Chamber of Commerce (listed below) for many years. You can visit their web-site, or you can use the more skeptical approach and give them a call. Ask them who we are, and inquire about our reputation. We are well known as honest, God fearing men, and are still old fashioned enough to believe in the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
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Three Qualities of a Good Jewelry Retailer
Three things, knowledge, careful attention to detail, and absolute integrity, are essential if you want to get a good deal. If any one of these qualities are missing in your jeweler (or gem dealer), you may end up with unanticipated and very unpleasant problems.
1) Knowledgeable – If a jeweler or gem dealer has not taken the time to learn the trade, or is not experienced enough to have all of the specialized knowledge needed to detect misrepresented goods; they will eventually be taken advantage of by unscrupulous dealers. If a person does not have enough knowledge to protect himself (or herself), he cannot protect his customers, even if he is honest.
2) Careful Attention to Detail – On the other hand it doesn’t matter how knowledgeable a person is if they are not careful in their evaluation of gemstones. Are the grades and data on your diamond certificate accurate? If the diamond is uncertified, is it laser drilled? Is it filled? And what about the cutting quality? If it is a colored stone, is it treated, and if so, how? And you had better look at the jewelry as well. Most jewelry today is mass manufactured overseas, and I am being charitable when I say the craftsmanship leaves something to be desired. You need a knowledgeable perfectionist to examine your ring for quality craftsmanship, so you don’t have to suffer the heartbreak of a lost gemstone. Warning! Most sales and business people are by their very nature not perfectionists. Even if there was something wrong, they could not see it. They are not wired for it. Don’t get stuck with leftover diamonds in a poorly crafted ring. Buy it from a nitpicker.
3) Honesty – You have heard the old saying; “10% of the people will steal from you all of the time. 10% of the people will never steal from you, and for the rest it depends on the circumstances. You want to get your jewelry from people that are in that 10% that will never steal. Gemstones and jewelry manufacturing are highly technical fields, and average folks are just not prepared to protect themselves from misrepresentation, fraud, or faulty craftsmanship. Then to top it off, most of the problems are microscopic, and again the average person is simply not prepared to do those kinds of examinations. Needless to say “gems and jewelry” is a field that can be attractive to con artists and unscrupulous businessmen. And with the intense price competition that currently exists, there is a lot of pressure for even the honest person to fudge on a clarity grade, ignore a transparency problem, or to overlook a poorly set prong. It is obvious that being knowledgeable and being careful are worthless if one is not also 110% honest. In fact, it is conceivable, that without absolute integrity a person could use his specialized knowledge to take advantage of his customers.
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Jewelers Vigilance Committee, or JVC
25 West 45th Street, Suite 400
New York, NY 10036
800- 564-6582
http://www.jvclegal.org
(search for "Gannaway")
Jewelers of America
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, 19th Floor
New York, NY 10017
646-658-0246
800-223-0673
http://www.jewelers.org
Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce
P. O. Box 176 (Mailing Address)
11 West Marine Drive (Street Address)
Astoria, OR 97103-0176
503-325-6311
800-875-6807
http://www.oldoregon.com/
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