Jewelry Store vs. a Goldsmith’s Shop

Many of you may not know that most jewelry stores do not have “in house” jewelry or watch repair services on the premises. So, the simple things that I do on a daily basis, like tighten a stone, adjust a bent prong, clean and buff the scratches and dings off your cherished engagement ring even change a simple watch battery are only small examples of the “in house” same or next day service’s I provide. 

This season, through no fault of my own “the while you wait” thing in my shop went out the window due to the volume of shoppers, sales, made to order jewelry, and the mountain of the repairs that came in - just the watch battery replacements that came in were epic in volume, not to mention the assault of “jewelry emergencies” on any given day from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM. The term drinking from a fire hose comes to mind. So, I had no choice but to do the pile of things I’m told “It’s just a simple thing, if I had the tools, I’d do it myself!” at night after I lock the front door.

I'm a “dyed in the wool” goldsmith from three generations of goldsmiths; I have been at my craft for over 50 years and began my apprenticeship in the late 1960’s. My uncles and I took work from the city’s most prestigious jewelry stores as well as dozens of Mom & Pop establishments in the suburbs (back in those days, most retail jewelry stores had to send out nearly everything that came in over the counter, even changing a battery in a watch was an ordeal). The prestigious stores demanded immediate or next day service - the other stores dropped off the work and picked it up completed days or a week later. Needless to say, we four band of bench jewelers kept pretty busy.

After many years without even taking a long weekend off, let alone a week’s vacation, I realized all I was doing was making other retail store owners who barely knew an earring from a spring ring very, very wealthy. If I was not at their beck and call seven days a week, they would threaten to “go elsewhere!” Many times, they would drop off work on a late Saturday afternoon and expect to pick it up early AM Monday, so I worked Sunday. There was no loyalty or patronage in the “cut throat” wholesale part of the business back then. A good account would drop you in a heartbeat if you did not meet their demanding expectations.

I slowly but surely dismissed the wholesale clients that caused me the most gray hair, stress and anguish until I was strictly working with the public, so I sold my soul to the devil and became a retail jewelry store. I not only tripled my income, I got to spend some free time, and actually took a vacation. I found out quickly having your own business and working with the public was no walk in the park.

I eventually left the big city and opened a store/shop by the ocean in Marblehead, Massachusetts. I fell in love staring at the water from my workbench and living by the ocean. With a work environment consisting of peace and serenity, my creative juices flowed; I did my most memorable pieces of jewelry back then.

I visited my parents here on Marco in the early 90’s while my state was going through yet another horrific recession, the result was moving my family and business here - The Harbor Goldsmith - and after 27 years here the rest is history.

Enough about me…the point I wish to make is as you enter my shop on any given day, my sales ladies are busy showing pieces to customers or accepting repairs and in the background, you can hear hammering and tapping on jewelry being made on the premises, machines whirring and steam cleaners blasting steam.

My Marco store/shop is a Ying and Yang of old school craftsmanship and modern technology. My son and I use the traditional jeweler’s torch or the newest laser welding and engraving equipment that is cutting edge. All work never leaves the shop, except diamond or precious stone lapidary work such as repairing a chipped stone or a total re-cut of one’s diamond or gem must be sent out.

Everything else is done on premises. Beside creating beautiful jewelry from scratch, like our Marco themed jewelry, for example, we size rings, replace the prongs or complete head that holds your diamonds, replace missing gemstones or diamonds, repair broken chains, bracelets, earrings, the list is endless…we do accept most watches for a battery or strap replacement, but it ends there. As I have stressed before, I’m a goldsmith, not a watchmaker, not my thing, and good watchmakers are near impossible to find nowadays. For a broken watch I suggest you send it to its factory warranted service center. Besides, the latest thing on people’s wrists are not watches - they are PC’s.

So, when things quiet down a bit, and I’m not wearing so many hats the possibility of me doing a simple task while you wait can become a reality, but seriously having to wait for same day service and heaven forbid, next day, is in my book very good service!

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith and owner of the Harbor Goldsmith of Marco Island, the go to jeweler for locals and visitors alike since 1994. Richard gives thanks to all of you who love fine jewelry as much as he does and for your many years - and years to come - of continued patronage and trust.