Has Anyone Heard From Daniel M?

[maryjane04]

Hi everyone...ressurecting this thread...has anyone heard from DanielM recently? I'm one of the "year plus waiting" people and have stopped getting responses, which makes me nervous.

Edited to add.. the last update I got from Dan was in August last year. I emailed him a few times since and nothing. Only when I forwarded him the shipping label from DK that he responded. But we will see when he actually returns my stones.

 

[maryjane04]

Ugh, I'm sorry to hear that you've been waiting so long...and also that it seems even a shipping label isn't getting what you need. I was considering doing something similar. If you do see progress I would really appreciate it if you shared!

I will definitely let you know! I really do need my stones asap as I am having another setting made. I am in Aus so it's not easy to ship out so I hope to get everything out at once. Fingers crossed he will send them out this week, I will be hassling him everyday until he sends them!

 

[PinkAndBlueBling]

I messaged him in early December. His mom died on Thanksgiving. I messaged him again in mid-December and heard back about 5 weeks later. That was the last time, so I just messaged him again. Fingers crossed.

I'm so frustrated because I have some truly simple projects I want him to do. I can't be paying DK to do some simple bezel pendants. I want to use him for the fancy stuff. Ugh.

 

[Mreader]

I will definitely let you know! I really do need my stones asap as I am having another setting made. I am in Aus so it's not easy to ship out so I hope to get everything out at once. Fingers crossed he will send them out this week, I will be hassling him everyday until he sends

I would be so angry about this. If he does not send out those stones this week I would be tempted to say you are going to contact law enforcement. Maybe that sounds extreme, but having your precious stones for TWO YEARS and doing nothing with them is ridiculous.

 

[maryjane04]

I would be so angry about this. If he does not send out those stones this week I would be tempted to say you are going to contact law enforcement. Maybe that sounds extreme, but having your precious stones for TWO YEARS and doing nothing with them is ridiculous.

Do you think there is a possibility that he's lost them? I mean two years is a long time. But yes DK should be starting on my setting tomorrow so it won't be long until he sends my setting out. I would like to have my melee stones from Dan M by then as well. I just sent him a follow up email - so we will see when they get sent out. I am so glad I never sent my main stone over because that would have been a nightmare.

 

[maryjane04]

Okay just to update Dan has the stones and is going to send them off tomorrow! Fingers crossed.

 

[lovedogs]

Okay just to update Dan has the stones and is going to send them off tomorrow! Fingers crossed.

Fingers crossed!!!

 

[Dreamer_D]

You people have the patience of saints! That is far too long.

There are other vendors of Etsy who can likely do things like simple bezels.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Patience, yes. But Dan's work has been so good, everything he's done for me. And as maddening as it got, I couldn't not like him.
But I'm not sending him any more work until I hear good reports.

 

[maryjane04]

Ugh, I'm sorry to hear that you've been waiting so long...and also that it seems even a shipping label isn't getting what you need. I was considering doing something similar. If you do see progress I would really appreciate it if you shared!

So I just checked the shipping label and Dan has sent my melee off! Yay it's on it's way to DK now. Phew after two years, I might actually get this setting.

 

[tomato]

The final piece would have to grant me eternal life to use someone this flaky. Sitting on stones for a year or more??? Jfc.

I understand illness and family problems but for some craftspeople crises occur back to back and they never seem to catch back up OR close their orders to finish what’s on their plate. This happens a lot in the yarn community as well, with orders shipping literally months and months later (if at all).

At the end of the day, it’s a business transaction. If they can’t meet an agreed upon deadline well before the time limit my CC company allows (90 days if memory serves) then it’s a no go from me. I’ve seen people lose hundreds to thousands of dollars because the artist dragged on so long there was no way to get money back without going to small claims.

 

[Jax172]

I finally did have him send me stuff back to me earlier this year. After he told me his family member died I offered to have him send them back to me then because I understood he would need a minute before work was a priority. He insisted that he was ok to do the projects and the necklace was in fact almost done. Promised me it would be ready the next week but that did not happen. So after several more weeks I just said hey let’s forget it for now, it seems like you have too much going on. So he did send all my stuff back. It’s a shame because he was my go to for affordable settings that were still nicely done. DK is amazing but pretty expensive for some of my littler projects so I’m on the hunt now for another jeweler that can do things like making a diamonds by the yard style necklace. Anyone have suggestions?

 

[Mreader]

I finally did have him send me stuff back to me earlier this year. After he told me his family member died I offered to have him send them back to me then because I understood he would need a minute before work was a priority. He insisted that he was ok to do the projects and the necklace was in fact almost done. Promised me it would be ready the next week but that did not happen. So after several more weeks I just said hey let’s forget it for now, it seems like you have too much going on. So he did send all my stuff back. It’s a shame because he was my go to for affordable settings that were still nicely done. DK is amazing but pretty expensive for some of my littler projects so I’m on the hunt now for another jeweler that can do things like making a diamonds by the yard style necklace. Anyone have suggestions?

The same exact thing happened to me. I said, let me just have it back and he said the same thing that he could go ahead and do it and he would have something the next week. Nothing came. And I waited another month before just saying I want it back and let me just send you the label. He finally sent it back. I just don’t understand why he insists he can do it when obviously he can’t follow through. And the other thing that’s really weird to me as some people stuff has been getting done. So how does he prioritize the order? And he recently opened a storefront, which means he’s probably busier than ever!

 

[missy]

In life I go by this
“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me”

 

[tomato]

I finally did have him send me stuff back to me earlier this year. After he told me his family member died I offered to have him send them back to me then because I understood he would need a minute before work was a priority. He insisted that he was ok to do the projects and the necklace was in fact almost done. Promised me it would be ready the next week but that did not happen. So after several more weeks I just said hey let’s forget it for now, it seems like you have too much going on. So he did send all my stuff back. It’s a shame because he was my go to for affordable settings that were still nicely done. DK is amazing but pretty expensive for some of my littler projects so I’m on the hunt now for another jeweler that can do things like making a diamonds by the yard style necklace. Anyone have suggestions?

I don’t know about diamonds by the yard, but I have had 1 custom piece and 1 non-custom piece now from DMD metals and he’s a delight to work with and very prompt in his responses. If anything I have been the sloppy one of late in my replies. lol

 

[Jax172]

The same exact thing happened to me. I said, let me just have it back and he said the same thing that he could go ahead and do it and he would have something the next week. Nothing came. And I waited another month before just saying I want it back and let me just send you the label. He finally sent it back. I just don’t understand why he insists he can do it when obviously he can’t follow through. And the other thing that’s really weird to me as some people stuff has been getting done. So how does he prioritize the order? And he recently opened a storefront, which means he’s probably busier than ever!

I think I used to be on the priority list lol because up until this last time he was pretty fast with my projects. I’ve been giving him my business for over 15 years. Not steady but I always came back so it’s weird that he alienated people that consistently supported his business. I mean it had already been awhile that I was waiting for those projects but I totally understood when he said he had a death in the family that work wouldn’t be top of the list. But why lie and say it’s almost done and will be ready in a week? I mean if he gave me a realistic timeline and stuck with it I’d have been fine. If he said it would be two months more but actually delivered that would have been fine with me but he kept giving me timelines and then completely not sticking to them and not even contacting me until I contacted him. Sometimes not responding until the 3rd message. Weird. I own a small business and the general public can be really impatient so maybe he just figured the regulars who know his work already would put up with it. Even good pricing is not worth that lack of communication.

 

[Mreader]

I think I used to be on the priority list lol because up until this last time he was pretty fast with my projects. I’ve been giving him my business for over 15 years. Not steady but I always came back so it’s weird that he alienated people that consistently supported his business. I mean it had already been awhile that I was waiting for those projects but I totally understood when he said he had a death in the family that work wouldn’t be top of the list. But why lie and say it’s almost done and will be ready in a week? I mean if he gave me a realistic timeline and stuck with it I’d have been fine. If he said it would be two months more but actually delivered that would have been fine with me but he kept giving me timelines and then completely not sticking to them and not even contacting me until I contacted him. Sometimes not responding until the 3rd message. Weird. I own a small business and the general public can be really impatient so maybe he just figured the regulars who know his work already would put up with it. Even good pricing is not worth that lack of communication.

I had also been working with him for years (not 15 like you! But I would say 5?) and had done about six projects more or less. This was the first time this happened to me but I had seen this thread so I was always holding my breath.

 

[tomato]

I had also been working with him for years (not 15 like you! But I would say 5?) and had done about six projects more or less. This was the first time this happened to me but I had seen this thread so I was always holding my breath.

It’s so much worse as a business owner to ruin the relationship with a longtime client who stood by you. Nobody wants to let down any customer, but you’d think he’d prioritize those who keep coming back to him. Maybe he thinks a multiple repeat customer will give more grace than a new person…?

 

[Jax172]

It’s so much worse as a business owner to ruin the relationship with a longtime client who stood by you. Nobody wants to let down any customer, but you’d think he’d prioritize those who keep coming back to him. Maybe he thinks a multiple repeat customer will give more grace than a new person…?

And I totally would have if he just was honest and said hey I’m super backed up. Is it ok if I get to your project in a couple months? But he kept giving me deadlines and saying it was almost done when clearly it wasn’t. It’s just odd.

 

[PinkAndBlueBling]

he said the same thing that he could go ahead and do it and he would have something the next week. Nothing came. And I waited another month before just saying I want it back

OMG! He said the same thing to me! It's like we're all dating the same guy who tells us we're "the only one."

 

[glitterata]

I've worked with a lot of what are now called "creatives," over the years. This behavior doesn't surprise me at all. Sometimes therapy helps. Sometimes they just have to give up and get a day job.

We gave work to people who were pretty good and utterly reliable, and to people who were AMAZING and not that reliable. We would pass on people who were just okay or utterly unreliable. When we found people who were both amazing and utterly reliable, we practically wept with joy. Those people went on to great things.

 

[PinkAndBlueBling]

I'm still waiting for a response from my message 11 days ago. What really makes me mad is he's posting things on etsy, so I know he's seeing the message notice.

 

[maryjane04]

I'm still waiting for a response from my message 11 days ago. What really makes me mad is he's posting things on etsy, so I know he's seeing the message notice.

If he hasn't responded by now, you'll probably need to follow up again and be really angry. That usually warrants a prompt response.

 

[Jax172]

If he hasn't responded by now, you'll probably need to follow up again and be really angry. That usually warrants a prompt response.

But in my experience not prompt action. Just more empty promises.

 

[distracts]

In life I go by this
“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me”

Yeah I can't believe this is happening with DanielM AGAIN. I used him for several of my early settings and really loved the work and the prices but after the first time this happened in 2014 or whenever, I never went back. The stress is not worth it for me. Plus it seems less like it's an occasional thing and more like it is an ongoing decade-long issue.

 

[PinkAndBlueBling]

I just emailed him again this morning, telling him he needs to work on his communication skills and reply to messages. And so I wait....

 

[maryjane04]

I just emailed him again this morning, telling him he needs to work on his communication skills and reply to messages. And so I wait....

He might promise you again that he's made progress and you'll see something next week or whatever. Fwiw I ended up going to DK and it was a few hundred more but saved me a tonne of headaches and disappointments. The savings isn't really worth it because it'll never be delivered.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Have been following this thread. Do you think perhaps he’s got some mental health challenges?

The reason I ask is because this sounds like someone I know, albeit not in a gem context.

For example this person received a jury summons, ignored it, received a fine, ignored it, had their license revoked because they didn’t pay the fine (they do this in Australia) yet continued to drive without a valid license but only down to the grocery store. It wasn’t until I took them out to dinner at a venue that required a license to sign in that I discovered the magnitude of their problems and even then they were very reluctant to let me deal with their issue. I feel like they just hope things will go away.

It seems like this jeweller is avoiding things whether it’s communication, returning the gems, finishing the project.