Who New England Gem Lab

[newenglandgemlab]

Hi all,

I think Marty was prodding me last week to put a post here. Geez....don''t know what to say except that Rich is 49 and I will be next week. Thank goodness I am not a Grandmother yet!!!

All kidding aside, I will write something soon. Be on the lookout! Cindy

 

[Rank Amateur]

Hi Cindy. I enjoy reading your posts.

Tell us about the watch!

 

[Colored Gemstone Nut]

Nice to see you posting more often Cindy..Can't wait to read more about you...




Rich is only 49...Man he did not age well...Lol

 

[newenglandgemlab]

Ok, here goes! Born in Connecticut and am still here probably not 5 miles from where I was born. Pretty boring, huh? I got a job in a jewelry store when I was in high school and never had any intention of making it a career. That was the very early 70's when most of the local Mom & Pop stores were normally watchmakers trained by the GI Bill. So, I started to get interested in the repair end of the business and learned some very basic benchwork and engraving. Took a year off from school after high school to buy a sailboat. Continued on to college and majored in Earth Science which has helped me through all this gemology. My intentions were to work for the DEP or the EPA but somehow I ended up staying in the retail jewelry business. After college I went to work for what I consider the premiere jeweler in Ct and found out about the GIA. I signed up immediately for the correspondence course but soon started getting discouraged at the length of time it would take to complete it. So, I packed up my bags and went to Santa Monica for the GIA residence program. It was one of the best decisions I could have made. I completed that in 1979 (I think)...ended up back in CT again in the retail field. I do think this is very important because there is no way you can appraise fairly without having a strong retail background. Working for a large firm also was a big plus because you are exposed to so much. I am running out of time this am but my quest of knowledge continues.

Marty asked about the watch. It is a Raymond Yard deco piece....pretty nice huh? I run across some fabulous pieces. I will change that from time to time so I can share some with all of you. Cindy

 

[newenglandgemlab]

Today I catch up with Richard at 49! Yipes!

So, I guess I will add onto the post I started last week. Twenty years I put in at one of the most pretigious firms in Connecticut. Moving up to managing (I like to call it womanaging) one of their locations for 14 years. 2 years ago I decided it was time to make a change to make my own hours so I could spend some more time with my family. I had been toying with the idea for awhile. The AGS had a ICGA designation and I thought this may be a way of starting. We were the 7th firm to be elected in the USA a little over one year ago. Business has certainly been brisk and I wouldn't trade it for the world. We work by appointment so when my 11 year old needs me to be somewhere or to do something with her, I can. It has been real nice to be able to enjoy the holiday season too.
We enjoy our time in the summer on our boat and the retail environment is not too friendly for that type of sport. We started the Egg Harbor Owners' Association 8 years ago and now have an international membership. Our fund raising goes towards Save the Sound and their water quality programs of which I am a Harbor Coordnator for Essex Harbor in my spare time.
I am excited how this business has turned out. We feel we really do act as 'Seeing Eye Dogs' for the consumer.
This is a niche business and I am glad to be here! Cindy

 

[Mikesgirl]

Thanks, Cindy. It's nice to know who you are and to have a lady appraiser's point of view. I know it sounds sexist, but I do think there's a difference, everything else being equal.

Glad to have you on board.

 

[Hest88]

Wonderful bio. Boring? Hardly!

 

[Mara]

Nice bio Cindy...it's great having you around.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

I always enjoy your posts Cindy, and enjoyed the bio as well.

Our retail backgrounds are very similar. I agree that it takes many years of being in the trade before being experienced enough to appraise. I advise someone wanting to be an appraiser to have at least 5 years trade experience in addition to their GG or FGA. Even that seems like it's cutting it kind of slim. 10+ years seems more appropriate, unless an appraiser is confident enough to tell a client when a piece is outside their experience.

Welcome to the magical year of 49...