Holiday Survivor

Wheww! I survived yet another holiday jewelry shopping season, number fifty-eight (58) if my memory serves me! It finally got easier, and all because of my fifty-five past experiences, you eventually learn when you make the same mistakes over and over, even a dummy like me will learn after fifty-five times thanks to constant acts of repetition. You do what you have to do to make things easier and profitable. 

Last few years many things I needed, such as tools and other equipment not to mention the things made of precious metals, even certain sized diamonds and gemstones that are a part of my daily business routine were either out of stock or nonexistent. Needless to say, it put a damper on not just myself but many other jewelers as well. For example, three or so years ago it was nearly impossible to purchase a brand spanking new Rolex watch in the box anywhere in these parts.

So, with that in mind, and the important things in my industry still remaining scarce, if folks didn’t plan well ahead seeking to have custom jewelry designed and created, I could pretty much say you won’t have it for a Christmas gift if you ordered it the second week of December or even November in some cases. Looking for exotic or unusual requests became a waste of time and even when by some miracle I located the requested item, they would say it was too expensive or they totally forgot they sent me on a wild goose chase! No more fool’s errands for this guy.

Now, two weeks before Christmas I get to say with a sparkle in my eyes… Sorry, no, it’s too late in the jewelry shopping game for me to accomplish that - what you see in my showcases and windows is what’s available for you to purchase and we gift wrap for free! The overall result of saying no is I no longer work at the bench until the wee morning hours weeks before Christmas Eve until my fingers bleed. At one point I believed I passed myself leaving when I came into the shop in the morning! The days of waiting on the UPS, Fed-X or a USPS carrier until late Christmas Eve for that order I didn’t promise would be here in time and of course, never showed, and I get blamed for ruining someone's Christmas… I just won’t do it any longer. 

In the here and now, Christmas Day 2023, I’m not the least bit exhausted and even in a good mood, no ulcers, blood pressure is near normal and my hair stopped falling out and is no longer shock white in appearance. 

Last week was the week before Christmas and people were two deep at the counter looking to buy gifts I actually had in stock (I love these people!). Nice pieces of jewelry I either created or located in my travels last summer. The only problem is my door is wide open and susceptible to “The Les Misérables” entering and enter they do - talk about placing a monkey wrench in a well-oiled retail selling machine’s gears! It happens every year like clockwork! I remember one time, with a shop full of people waiting patiently, a single customer tied up every salesperson with total nonsense; she had no intention of spending a nickel. I told my staff to leave her to me and take care of the paying customers. She got the subtle hint.

One evening, after we locked the door, my daughter Lindsay decided to make a cardboard chart for a game she called “Jewelry Store Bingo” and all the employees get to play. It has squares like a football square card. You get three in a row you win and get the special employee of the month parking space!

I could add another fifty boxes after what happened last week - maybe I’ll add them next year?

A Happy New Year to all of you! 

~Richard