Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

Setting while you watch.....Long Island, NY?

Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
E

EuroStyle

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 15, 2005
Messages
31
So I have my stone, and ordered the setting...but the place I got the setting from won''t set it in front of me. I know some say it is insulting to ask...but I dont. It is not a secret procedure, and simple enough for a pro...and the buyer usually has made the largest purchase of his life to this date, so it is understandable to be a bit nervous. Anyone know a good setter in NY that does it in front of you....I hate to bring the stone and setting, but the guy i got the setting through originally said it would be done in front of me....I am in Long Island, NY....



Sean
 
I don''t know if this will help you, but my friend bought her ring and setting at this one place where they have a microscope to view laser inscribed diamonds. They show you the number on the diamond that matches the certificate before and after seting it. I was very impressed! Especially coming from an asian jewerly store that looked like rinky dink store. I don''t know if this is typical or the norm for jewelers to do, or just becoming a popular thing. Anyone know or have been to a jewelry store that has this microscope? The image is projected on a tv screen so you can see the numbers on the girdle.
 
I''d have them set it. You don''t want to put the setter off their stuff by breathing down their neck. Just make sure they can prove it''s your diamond afterwards, and have the place you bought the setting do the job...
That''s what I''m doing with my diamond.
 
Most place will have you veiw your stone under the scope and do aquick plot of your inclusions prior to setting and then have you veiw again to ensure that it is correct. Also some places like Romans Jewlers in NJ have plexi glass you may watch through without bothering the jewlers. Good Luck!
 
I was shown the stone under the scope prior to setting. He was a master in the way he handled it - as he was showing me where he was going to prong & why (inclusion wise). His "workroom" was completely glassed and he left the door open. I could watch from the lobby. I found it fascinating and I was just a stone''s through if questions arose. He also walked me through the aspects of what he was doing (the setting had to be sized & adjusted as well).

Perhaps my experience was unusual. I took away much appreciation for the craft. But, I imagine not all people work this way. Have them show you the stone & inclusions before then after. In defense of the setter, it''s hard to schedule work around someone else''s schedule. I had an appointment because my drive was 2 hours.
 
Try Good Old Gold. They are located in Massapequa, LI, NY. I believe I onced asked them if they would be able to set a diamond for me and they had no problem doing it. I forgot the cost, though.
 
Learn to id your diamond with a loupe.
Then if you dont trust the jeweler to not steal your diamond why are you doing business with them in the first place?

I leave diamonds and gemstones with my jeweler for weeks at a time all the time.
I dont even worry about it.
He is an honest guy and knows I can id my gemstones.
 
Just so you know, Good Old Gold needs you to email a photo of your setting before they''ll say whether they''ll set it or not. They quoted me a price of $100 per carat to set a stone in a half bezel setting.
Hope that helps!
Drk
 
Date: 4/21/2005 1:16:51 PM
Author: Feydakin
Dave said it better than me.. My big issue is that I hate being a ''part of the tour''.. We have been having a rather long, ongoing argument about redesigning the shop area to include floor to ceiling glass so that custmers can come in and watch us work.. Personally, I hate the idea of being ''on display'' 8 to 10 hours a day.. Plus, we''d have to take down all of our calendars
11.gif


There are so many things that can happen while setting a stone, that are perfectly normal, but will absolutely freak out a customer when it''s their diamond flying across the room.. Besides, how many of you have tried to work with your boss standing there watching you work.. It makes you self concsious and more likely to make a mistake than when you are left alone to just work..

Are there stores and jewelers out there that are capable of doing this, you bet.. But personally, it drives me crazy and I can''t work like that.. I''m far more lilkely to decide that now is a real good time for a break and walk away.. Now, tell me I have 10 minutes to set up a 3 stone, princess cut, pendant that is already sold, and the customer is waiting, but they can''t see me, and I''m fine.. But if they poke their head in to watch, I''m done..

That''s why when it comes to tour time around here I try to bne the one leading the tour
3.gif
Click to expand...
I completely understand where you are coming from - but from a consumer''s point of view - watching adds excitement & curiosity. Excitement & curiousity means interest. Interest can translate to more business.
 
GoodOld Gold is good. not sure if they set it in front of you, but they are a good store, i bought my Fiancee''s engagement ring there.

A place i know that does set in front if you is Gennaros in Bellmore. they''re on bedford ave., my Fiancee is getting her wedding ring from there. They do good work.
 
While it may be very interesting to some, I see Steve''s point. I would no more want to be on display while I was doing my work. I think it would be nerve racking myself.
 
I understand your need to feel secure, however there are more items of other customers back there with the jeweler that he is responsible for. What would happen if something came up missing of another customers and they found out that someone other than an employee were in the back room. Two sides of this coin, insurance company will not cover items under these kind of circumstances. A doctor operates on a family member and you TRUST them with their life. Nothing more prescious than that! TRUST the person you are dealing with or find someone you do, look at it before setting and after with a microscope.
 
Most of the jewellery I have ever made has been in public. I don''t mind at all, but I think they usually know that I do what I want, when I want and how I want and all they need to know is that I am doing my best job, which is enough for me.

It all depends on the type of customer. I like having customers in the workshop, but they have to put up with my idiosyncracies and I definately will stop at any time when a piece needs to be thought about and I will be working on which ever piece I had planned on. If they are there then as long as I am not shunting someone out of the cue it is their piece I am probably working on. I have never had customers come with the design to see their stone being set. (Planing my day like that would cut productivity and drive prices up). I don''t mind them watching but I suspect it is pretty boring, seeing me struggle over something they can''t even see. The more knowledgable ones ask interesting questions and I love that. Not a few comment on what a horrible job I have and I have my standard answers. As far as the boss looking over your shoulder, well I can''t look over my own shoulder. As far as drive by setting jobs are concerned, if they are easy then it is no real concern. 99% of the time, your in the workshop, but I don''t see you. If the job is more complicated you won''t be watching over my shoulder and if I engage you in the thinking process of which stone to set first etc most of you will be bored and change topics, most of the rest are just being polite.

I usually take customers being in my workshop as a break...

There are times when interrupting me is a life threatening exercise.

Love your posts Dave and Steve. I didn''t know other jewellers use wax. I think I work differently when in companny then when not and I do the trickiest jobs over the weekend for that reason. It might just be me, but as I like to work to with people around and chat as I work, I find the topic of conversation can either help me concentrate or completely destroy it. If I am just finishing off a hand-made plat ring and Joe Bloggs comes in, in a tiz about such and such offering gold chain at the same price as bullion and how can you compete... I am thinking go away, go away and if or when I slip and loose the perfection I had strived days to create then Joe Bloggs - RUN!!!
 
True enough,

I don''t even know what the laws are, though it is definately an occupational health and safety issue. The security issue is the big one, but I have been pretty blaze about security my whole life and I can''t honestly say I have had a single thing stolen. That''s another story.

I will remember your fathers story as far as insurance is concerned.

It is dangerous but not as dangerous as they lay people seem to assume, and we usualy cover that ground pretty quickly. They never seem to notice the little flame still burning in my tourch, though. The chemicals are kept close to the ground, so I won''t work when kids are around.

I must admit the OH&S risks are not the priority they should be.

I can''t really relate to wanting to be behind the curtain. I must fit into the Rick scheme of things.
 
Yeah... watching jewelers at work surely is a health hazard ! Highly contagious too...

Does any jeweler work under glass like that ?
32.gif
"Stand-up comic" sounds familiar... but "stand-up jeweler" - that must be one hell of a hard job.
 
Personally, I would find it very unnerving to be watched continually all day long. My jeweler works under a glass window set into the back of the store. Anyone is able to watch him if they want. I have been there many times and have yet to see him look up or out of the window or acknowledge that anyone is watching. I''ve often wondered if it is some kind of one-way glass and we can see in but he can''t see out.
 
I don''t think I could do that for a living. Just a fun distraction for few days, is all.

Behind the glass is easy enough for me. You soon don''t see the people on the other side.

Otherwise, my sales and my bench work coinside, but thats different...

It is actual bosses watching that I don''t like because they feel they have authority. I am quite personal with it, in the end.

For a while, I was very particular about where I worked and what people could see as I didn''t want other jewellers to see my tricks.
 
During my first year on my Architecture course, one of our projects was to design a jewellery shop/workshop.

Part of my research i went to a friend of my Aunt who owned a shop in Glasgow, he was kind enough to show me round his workshop area.

Was a small shop, him and his wife, plus one other chap in the workshop. They had the front area as shop with display cabinates, and the workshop in the back. There was a secure door and glass security screen between the shop and workshop so those in the back could keep an eye on the front, but there where blinds on the windows to restrict view from the front into the back.

Twas fasinating in the back tho. Still got some of the pictures in my sketch book :)
 
There is a very real security risk. In many cases it is better to leave the workshop blank and keep the criminals guessing.
 
Certainly i can appreciate that one - only reason i was back there was since they knew my aunt, and it was for a uni project. I believe they had owned that shop for nigh on 30/40 years - more adaptations over time of what they had, rather than a new build.

The actual safe being in the cellar, under a trapdoor in the workshop - which had a workstand stood on it (nicely hidden)
 
There are a lot of good comments in here.....but for me it comes down to this: I did not buy my stone from a B&M store, so whoever sets it will be someone I have no prior relationship with, and have met just breifly. To hand someone a stone worth more then my car, and then leave would indicate a level of trust that could not be there. I mean, would you hand someone you know for 10 minutes your bank account, and trust that they''d give it back to you a weke later? To me, trust is earned....not granted. For those that dont work with someone watching, there are plently of consumers that will be fine with that. My real question was not the ethical side of it, but more the practical....people in my area that some of you may have used. To me, setting a solitaire in a 4 prong setting is about a 10 to 20 minute job...I could not do it, but I somehow think someone with decent training can do it very easily...so me sititng in the same room would not make thier skills diminish. Anyone who would sit at your elbow is not someone I''d deal with anyway. On top of all this, it has been such a long trek to get all the parts of this to come together, I would kind of like to be there for the "birth" of my ring.....so it is not soley a trust thing, but also an interest thing. Some local people in NY have a setting room, where there is a clear table and no other customer pieces or tools....but since I didnt buy the stone from them, they will not set it....





Sean
 
The only jeweller that would steal your stone would be the one that would be out of business (out of the area) straight away. The whole trade revolves around trust and outside of giving you assurances that we will do the best job we can, giving you assurances that we won''t steal your stone, well...

To watch or not in the case of trustworthyness really isn''t an issue. You really would have to watch over the persons shoulder to be sure he wasn''t up to something and even then a real theif would have opportunities if they really wanted to steal your stone.

Watching the birth of your ring is another thing and one most jewellers appreciate.

LS I was talking about a different security issue. I trust my clients and I have no problems with them being in my workshop. I have known jewellers who own the shop and can be seen working. Well it is a bit too easy for a would be theif to know when to make their move. It is a bit harder when they don''t know what is happening behind the shop.
 
I had the same problem. I went to local jeweler with my asscher cut to discuss settings and they originally told me I could wait while it was set because I didn''t want to leave it. When I came back again to discuss some more settings they changed their tune and told me "We don''t want to work with people who don''t want to work with us". Can you believe that? I lost all respect for them at this point and made sure all those I knew were aware of their attitude towards a customer. I have a fairly quick temper so they and their customers knew what I thought.
 
I think the underlying thing about not wanting to set a stone they didn''t sell is profit.

There are risks in setting stones and these risks are covered to an extent by the profit margin in the original sale. The simple answer is to charge enough for the setting to make it worth your while.

Not many people are willing to face court challenges over whose responsibility any breakage lies. They will take responsibility but they don''t know how to charge for it from a customer they don''t make money through.

I see no reason why they should knock you back the way they did, but it is understandable in a way, given they no doubt make their money selling whole jewellery and are not enjoying the new scene where people can buy their stones off the web.

I am surprised with how much trouble people are having with commissioning good jewellers to set their jewellery.

BTW 15 mins is at the low end of the minimum a jeweller could do to basically knock something up. To set a stone well it can take a lot longer. It all depends on the mount. A platinum mount can easily take 1/2 hour to polish properly, then it needs a second polish which takes less time. The ring might need to be resized, the list goes on. I often make platinum rings for trade customers that are pre-cast mounts (rings) and they inherintly need some tweeking to the setting, filing, emerying, polishing & resizing and I assume if you only have the diamond, anybody wanting it simply set will be in the same boat. I regularly take 2 hours on each piece. That to me is the bare minimum, and I am sure there are those who would take longer. I doubt there are many who could get a good job any faster as I have streamlined the process over many years.

Sure 15 mins in an exactly fitting: stamped, pre-polished stud is possible, rings are rarely so simple.

Phillip
 
I find it amusing taht you know exactly how long it takes to set a solitaire and yet you cannot do it. Sometimes things happen in shop that cannot be fixed ASAP. I would say find a jeweler your family trusts with Grandmas'' diamond and let them do there thing. Take a car in for repair and see if the mechanic will let you watch, or a surgeon, or a commercial airplane pilot. Just because you want it done that way does not mean it will happen. Every shop does things their way according to the company policy, the way people sue these days they have to.
 
Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top