It’s Called Season, Don’t Need a Reason

It’s the first of December and for decades prior it was always like opening a floodgate. This past October I stocked the shop with many wonderful pieces of fine jewelry and from that moment on and into November the shop experienced not only a lot of lookers and tire kickers but droves of serious buyers - and they weren’t even Christmas shoppers. 

So, the opening of the shopping floodgate was a bit early this year. There are so many new faces and new customers, they loved my choices of unusual pieces and especially our popular selling “Marco Bracelets.” With the Christmas season already here, our always in demand “Marco Angels” are flying out the door - these items have been a staple in my shop for decades. My staff and I have been constantly re-ordering to fill the holes in inventory that appear after just a few days of this early buying frenzy. Yes of course it’s a great thing I’m moving my choice pieces of diamond jewelry, my problem and all jewelers is with when the last shopping week of Christmas arrives what will we have left? The process of re-ordering and getting things in on time during that busy time is a dicey one even before the current supply and demand madness. The supply chain is still experiencing major hiccups and on time delivery is nonexistent in some retail categories. 

Look at that major delivery driver they caught dumping packages in a ravine because he was too busy to deliver them - with my luck that would happen to my re-orders. I always had a fear of buying too much. I really don’t know which is worse – that or not buying enough shiny stuff.

My friends in the jewelry business up north are all experiencing similar scenarios. I like to rib them that my Christmas season doesn’t end until Mother’s day and lately beyond that! I admit there is usually a lull after New Year’s and then the season hits me like a freight train.

I’m currently celebrating my 25th year as a retail jeweler/goldsmith here on Marco Island. (It’s actually a bit longer because for a couple of years, I did not have a retail shop. I mostly did work for other jewelers, not at all fun or the least bit profitable, not being the sharpest tool in the shed, it took me several decades up north and here to figure that learning curve out!)

You can imagine over the years I have acquired a very large roster of wonderful and woefully not so wonderful regular customers (thankfully the woeful does not include you, my loyal readers, and I mean that - many of you have been patrons for like forever!) Apparently, some of my scathing articles about Those, These, Them and the more recent Miserable’s have worked wonders keeping them at bay, or maybe they fear crossing swords with me? That suits me fine; I’d rather spend my time with the “wonderful ones.”

My point of all this is if you are in the market of really nice fine jewelry remember the quote … he or she who hesitates is lost!

Please don’t wait for the last minute for I fear my shop will be picked clean to the bone until I can restock for the coming 2022 season. I truly hate to disappoint anyone but every man and woman in the jewelry business has a point when you hit the wall and you can’t possibly accept any more repair work or custom-made holiday orders. I learned a long time ago you can’t over promise and then under deliver, especially when it comes to a Christmas gift for a loved one. For a moment I was already beginning to feel like a lost golf ball in the tall weeds and it's only week one! 

To guarantee not one person’s gift ends up incomplete on Christmas Eve, the shop is currently not accepting any jewelry repairs until after Christmas. My son, Andrew, and I have a leg up tending to incoming holiday orders for now and wish to keep it that way for our happy shiny customers and friends! 

Thank you, folks, for your understanding on this matter.

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith and owner of The Harbor Goldsmith on Marco Island. His staff and he personally wishes all of you and yours a safe and blessed Holiday Season… A Very Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year to all!