I saw the writing on the wall a couple of years back. The result of the rising costs of precious metals caused many jewelry manufacturers to “re-tool” so to say. When I say re-tool I mean they will have to stop making what used to be great quality gold jewelry and produce it much lighter thus sacrificing the feel and wearability.

Back in 2005 gold was around $450 an ounce for pure 24 karat gold. 18 karat gold jewelry is 75% pure gold and 25% other metals such as brass copper and silver. 14 karat gold jewelry is only 58% pure gold.

That said; in 2005 a man’s solid gold 24”long heavy link chain would cost around $270. Today that exact same chain costs over $1500. Worse than the price is the fact that the new chain won’t be comparable to the beautiful heavy chain purchased in 2005. Some factories have figured out how to make chains cheaper and lighter by making them so hollow even the catch will be so lightweight it will cease to function as a clasp in less than a year.

I encountered a pair of broken gold hoop earrings in my shop that were only recently purchased in the Caribbean islands. When I proceeded to re-solder the detached post it vanished like a snowflake in July.

To my amazement the posts were of a lightweight hollow construction. Just for kicks and laughter I placed the earrings on the gold scale to weigh them. The pair weighed less than ½ gram!!

For those of you clueless on how gold is weighed it is usually by the gram. 31.1 grams = 1 ounce. Most normal earring backs alone weigh more than those new earrings combined. I didn’t have a single earring in my shop that weighed less than a gram and a half. I’m talking one earring here!

The quality (or lack thereof) of these earrings reminded me of the car I saw in Europe manufactured in the Soviet Union during the late 1950s, “the Trabant.” It possessed a smoky, clunky two stroke engine with a sketchy four speed transmission. Best of all the fenders were made of compressed cardboard coated with plastic. It is still considered one of the worse cars ever manufactured. It gets better, to purchase one required being on a ten year waiting list. The only other car choice available was unaffordable to the average Russian.

These have to be the worst earrings ever manufactured.

In all these many years as a goldsmith I rarely said no to a repair challenge. In the past I would let the customer know the odds of success or failure on a seemingly impossible project. I can proudly say most projects that I gave a 20% or less chance of repairing without incident wound up successful. I did these nail biting jobs only at the customer’s risk.

Today I have newly purchased (elsewhere) jewelry coming in broken at alarming amounts. I won’t even write up a job envelope let alone consider fixing it when the odds of success are in the low single digits, and even if by some miracle I can complete the repair, it will not remain that way very long. My advice; return it where purchased, if possible get something better.

I understand more than anyone how the cost of better made jewelry is beyond what most people can afford. In this business I buy gold jewelry on a daily basis. I write checks for thousands of dollars for what used to cost hundreds for the best quality merchandise that most folks in these present times cannot justify buying.

While writing this column in my office I overheard a gentleman lamenting to my sales associate that he would really like to purchase the $2000 diamond eternity ring for their anniversary but was more worried that his wife would chastise him for the expensive purchase, rather than appreciate the well considered gift. He purchased something less expensive. Welcome to my world! Nevertheless, I would rather close up shop before I fill my store with “cracker jack” quality gold jewelry that now seems the norm worldwide.

Top end fine jewelry has always been expensive, especially the jewelry enclosed in a pretty light blue box, from a store whose name begins with a capital “T” and ends with a y.

Substandard jewelry has always been around but even that was repairable. Hand crafted jewelry is rarely hollow and tends to be even overly heavy. That’s one of the fine points of having your jewelry custom made to your specification. Sure it’s expensive, but that piece of jewelry will last longer than the owner will and rarely will need to be repaired. My advice, save your money and invest in better quality jewelry.

About The Author

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith and owner of the Harbor Goldsmith at Island Plaza and welcomes your questions about all that glitters. Contact him at 239-394-9275 or harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

No, I haven’t lost my mind just yet, and there is no such gemstone as an Alexmoonpearl. But in fact, June is one of the few months that actually has more than one designated gemstone to signify the “birthstone” for that month.

The origins for birthstones go back thousands of years. Bible scriptures describe twelve gemstones set into the breastplate of the high priest, Aaron, signifying the twelve tribes of Israel. Due to translation problems with the ancient text it is difficult to identify what exactly the twelve original precious stones were.

For my money, I would guess that the moonstone was the first birthstone for the month of June. Finding a pearl while riding a camel in the desert seems unlikely.

In the 5th century, St. Jerome mentioned a connection between the twelve gemstones (or tribes) and symbols of the zodiac. I find that theory confusing because if you go by the zodiac symbols and its corresponding gems and you were born after the 21st of June your birthstone would be a ruby which is the birthstone for July. Huh?

So back in 1912 The National Association of Jewelers (U.S.A.) implemented a “modern list” of birthstones that are pretty much in effect today. Only recently the gemstone tanzanite was added to the month of December, in addition to lapis lazuli, turquoise and hardly used genuine blue zircon.

Apparently religion or “what’s your sign, babe?” has nothing to do with designating a birthstone nowadays. It’s just a matter of the jewelry industry selling a larger selection of gemstones. Don’t like the color of your birthstone? Choose another!

I admit the original March birthstone, the bloodstone (An opaque non faceted dark green onyx like stone with what appears to be drops of blood in the grain of the gem) is pretty ugly for a lady. It has been replaced with the more popular substitute gemstone, Aquamarine.

Back to the birthstones for the month of June. Moonstone is an intriguing semiprecious gemstone that appears much like a crystal ball with a cat’s eye like feature that follows the beholder around the room. It is usually cut in the cabochon style (domed top and a flat bottom with no faceting). It also comes in different colors and shades. While not an expensive gem in small one or two carat sizes, they can be very expensive in 10 carat and above sizes. Most can be found in India and Sri Lanka. Legends say that the moonstone brings good luck and many believed you could see the future if you held a moonstone in your mouth during a full moon. Hmm? Tomorrow’s lottery numbers, Yeah, I see the future… an ambulance rushing me to the emergency room to remove a twelve carat moonstone from my windpipe!

The pearl, while known to all is another option for the June babies out there, forever popular for centuries. Certain cultures refrain from possessing the gem if not the wearer’s birthstone for it will bring misery and tears. Foolish superstition? Many Italians believe giving a bride to be a gift of pearls will condemn the marriage. I think it’s nonsense. Wait a minute, my first and second wives wore pearls on our wedding day.

Last but not least, the alexandrite while only discovered in Russia in 1831 during the reign of Czar Alexander II, is the least known gemstone. First of all, it is one of the most expensive. It can easily surpass the cost of a fine diamond equal in size and weight and is rarely found in large quantities and sizes. Fine Alexandrite in five carat and above sizes can fetch upwards of $40,000 per carat. The fascinating quality of fine Alexandrite is its’ ability to color change from red to green, depending on light source or if it is day or night. In my forty plus years in this business I have seen less than a dozen small genuine stones. Most large sizes that are set in jewelry are imitation or synthetic (manmade), especially jewelry from the late 1950’s. The rare gem can be found in such countries as Brazil, East Africa, and Sri Lanka. Unquestionably the ultra-rare Russian Ural Mountain found gems are the most coveted, beautiful and most expensive.

Birthstone jewelry was popular in the 1940’s through 1960’s. No “Sweet 16” birthday party was complete without the parents or grandparents presenting the June birthday girl with a pearl birthstone ring, something that is rarely done today. Yes, times have changed, in my opinion for the wors. I witness the birthday girls of yesteryear selling their sweet sixteen birthstone mementos for scrap gold. It’s a sad thing when yet another American tradition fades away.

Questions and answers in cyberspace… Why does my silver jewelry tarnish so quickly? My first question is do you live on the island? Being surrounded by salt water and salt air is the first problem. The second could be the quality of the sterling silver. The pureness of the silver is a big factor, inexpensive Mexican silver jewelry can have more alloys than actual silver (Alloys are metals that cut the purity of the silver such as nickel or copper, even tin)! The high concentration of alloys will surely cause the low quality “silver” to discolor and turn black quickly. Good quality sterling silver is at least 925% pure silver. Nowadays a lot of sterling silver is created with new, cleaner alloys that prevent tarnishing or the pieces are in fact plated with platinum or palladium to prevent it from tarnishing at all.

I suggest after wearing, wipe body oils or suntan lotions from your silver jewelry with a good quality jewelry cloth and if you are near the ocean, keep the jewelry in a zip lock bag with an anti-tarnishing strip enclosed and that should help. Anti – tarnishing strips and treated bags are made by 3M company and can be purchased or ordered at some jewelry stores.

About The Author

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith and owner of the Harbor Goldsmith at Island Plaza and welcomes your questions about all that glitters. Contact him at 239-394-9275 or harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

Richard Alan
harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

Another steamy off season day on the rock, and while I’m still trying to recover from six months of a busy season, I’m counting the days until I have returned to the Balearic Island in Mallorca, Spain, a small coastal village called Cala Fornells. My idea of paradise is being perched on a Mediterranean seaside cliff overlooking the beach with my derrière parked in a lounge chair complete with a good book, a (legal) Cuban cigar and an ice cold pitcher of freshly made sangria…. Excuse me, now where were we?

Back to reality… A usual summer day involves a flurry of watch battery replacements the moment I unlock the front door. As the morning progresses, I swear you could film a TV reality show at what can go on any given day in my store. “Yes, I’m sorry you sat on your eyeglasses last night, I understand you are on vacation, I will try to do my best to weld them back together. Please understand I am not an optometrist, some can be fixed, some cannot, especially when they are made entirely out of plastic. Yes I’m sorry, you could glue them but they won’t hold. I’m sorry, I’m a goldsmith not a plastic smith. (I’m getting tired of saying I’m sorry!)

The next person is also a non-jewelry orientated customer. “I’m sorry, Madame, I have no idea why your garage door opener has malfunctioned. I suggest calling whoever installed your garage door.” She grabbed the now electronic paper weight and gave me the “I’m a total incompetent look.” So now I’m an electrical engineer?

The morning involved dismantling an antique hearing aid, and being asked to remove fine scratches from a chrome plated kitchen faucet, and believe it or not, a malfunctioning remote car key. It gets better. So now I’m politely explaining that regardless who recommended me I do not silver plate buckles on ladies’ stylish high end shoes. Never have and never will.

I would tear the hair out of my head if I could afford to lose any.

Good gaud! I can smell the cigar and taste the sangria in my head!

The best so far today, is a resume I received from a person who, from what I gather, has been in the landscaping business his whole life and wants me to hire him as a goldsmith? Judging by the past few hours I need to hire a handyman with a degree in electrical engineering, not another goldsmith.

So my question is this? When a person is lying in bed at night lamenting about a faulty garage door opener, what possesses her, at the break of dawn, to begin her day waiting for hours for Island Goldsmith to open and rectify the problem? There has to be something in the island water system!

Oh look, a customer with a jewelry question! “Can you tell me if this is a real gemstone or not? On any given day I may be required to be a gem identification wizard.

They know darn well what kind of gem it is, it’s a test to see if I’m a moron or not. So on close examination it can be a genuine sapphire or manmade, lab created cheap cubic zirconia, glass or an antique glass fused doublet among other things. Once I identified a so called Columbian emerald as a shattered plastic green lens from a South American traffic light. Yeah, for real! Dumb a%# tourist.

I have never claimed to be a certified gemologist, but working with and selling gemstones my whole life you tend to learn a thing or two. I once identified a worthless imitation when so called “registered gemologists” misidentified a presumed large expensive sapphire for an estate settlement. Yeah, one for me!

The wonderful world of home TV shopping never ceases to amaze me with new fantasy names for old gemstones. For example chocolate diamonds are nothing new; the industry for years had another name for them, a four letter word I cannot mention here. Chocolate, (dark brown) Midnight diamonds, (black) Champagne, (light brown to light yellow) are all inexpensive diamonds. However, once you add a fancy name to them, you can get a fancy price.

I was stumped the other day when I was asked if I carried blue sea foam gem stones. Huh?

Inexpensive natural white quartz can now be irritated by man to almost every color of the rainbow. A new color can get a new, exotic TV name that most jewelers never heard of. Except those insomniacs who are brainwashed by late night drivel, the ramblings of coiffured and manicured salespersons who wouldn’t know onyx from coal.

I deal with armchair gemologists every day who wish to enlighten me on the rarity of mystic topaz and pink ice C.Z. Pleease! “Only 1,000 rings left! Order yours now for $299.95 or be disappointed later!”

Sure there are many gems that are hard to identify. Sometimes there is a fine line between a gemstone and a mineral that can be cut and polished and set into a piece of jewelry, in fact most precious gems found in rough crystals can look like worthless rocks until they are professionally finished and polished. There are thousands of them.

Some gemstones have only been discovered in the past 100 years or so, as in the case of the popular gemstone tanzanite.

There are many cases of gem misidentification throughout the centuries. Just because a gem is green does not always mean it is an emerald. Certain green garnets can easily be mistaken for emeralds. I read somewhere that the famous gold and gemstone encrusted mask of King Tut actually contained imitation gems, in fact, worthless glass. The ancient Egyptians made glass “gemstones” from melting sand and copper minerals, something they certainly had in abundance.

Garnet, once known as the poor man’s ruby, comes in many shades of red. There are also many minerals that have been mistaken for diamonds such as natural zircon.

I have been wondering if someone has been salting the island with loose, one carat cubic zirconia, because folks have been coming in regularly who have found them lying around the beach and elsewhere thinking they hit it rich by finding a loose diamond. I can assure you there are no diamond mines producing fully cut diamonds in southwest Florida.

About The Author

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith and owner of the Harbor Goldsmith at Island Plaza and welcomes your questions about all that glitters. Contact him at 239-394-9275 or harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

It’s just around the corner again, Mother’s Day. Of course you remember her? Without Mom, you would not exist in this world. This person loved, nurtured and raised you to be the person you are today; a joy for most – and for some – she could be the reason you have been going to therapy since you were in your teens.

I am one of the fortunate ones. I have the coolest Mom in the world. For without her, I would be lacking front teeth due to numerous ice hockey and tree climbing mishaps – oh, and she gave birth to me. Born and raised in a tough, inner-city neighborhood in Dorchester Massachusetts, I was well known at our local emergency ward. Scars tell more stories than tattoos.

She taught me how to be street smart, but with class. She instilled a core of beliefs that included kindness, courtesy and respect for mankind no matter how difficult a situation or person may be. She gave me the tools to cope graciously with the percentage of impossible people I deal with on a day to day basis. The proof is in my untarnished reputation as an honorable person and businessman. I make my mother proud of what I have become and achieved and it is all because of her.

This is all about Mom. I have the pleasure to work together with my Mom three days a week. She does not have to work, and she actually enjoys being in the store, interacting with customers and making me money – what a concept.

She loves jewelry and has an incredible eye for detail and the most subtle imperfections… meaning repairs have to pass Corrine’s strict quality control before it gets picked up by the customer. She keeps the shop on its toes insuring top notch service and craftsmanship. Not to mention that she is a clean freak; she is constantly dusting, polishing jewelry or arranging displays when she isn’t waiting on customers. It is not clean unless it is “Corrine Clean.” I get exhausted watching her whirl around all day; I don’t know where this woman gets her energy!

So I have come to realize that it’s time I make Mother’s Day a special occasion for my Mother. She knows any piece of jewelry in the store is hers for the taking, but her taste is conservative and she likes what she wears – most of her favorite pieces were gifts from friends, family members or yours truly.

But that’s my Mom. Most Moms appreciate a nice bauble every now, then and especially on Mother’s Day. I still get orders for Mother’s rings or pendants, (for those of you unaware of such things, gemstones are set in settings according to the month of her children’s births; for example, a September baby’s birthstone is sapphire, and a July baby is a ruby.)

Only in recent years, husbands have been buying gifts for the mother of his children on Mother’s Day. It can be just a simple single stone diamond pendant, and – what Mom would not love – a pair of diamond studs?

Which reminds me of an experience I had several years ago… I was just closing up on a Saturday afternoon when a lovely senior citizen inquired about the cost of the diamond stud earrings in the showcase. I informed her they were just under $3,000, She replied, “Fine I’ll take them!”

I was a bit surprised by the spilt second decision which is, by my experience, unusual for the female gender. I could not help but ask if it was a “happy birthday present for me” gift. She said, “No, I just lost my husband and laid him to rest this morning.” I said I was sorry for her loss, she thanked me then replied, “That’s OK. I always wanted a pair of diamond earrings and my husband refused to let me get a pair. There’s not much he can say about it now!”

Needless to say, I was floored! I handed her the credit card receipt and thanked her for her business. Live and learn, guys.

On another note, I just finished a one of a kind magnificent heart shaped diamond and precious stone Mother’s pendant consisting of the grandchildren’s birthstones. Someone will be thrilled with the piece on May 12th.

So don’t forget Mom this month, Make her’s a memorable one.

About The Author

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith and owner of the Harbor Goldsmith at Island Plaza and welcomes your questions about all that glitters. Contact him at 239-394-9275 or harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

Don’t think the demand for gold was nil; it wasn’t. But when the cost for the regal yellow metal was quoted to most, it was out of the question due to the expense. Gold is down but still not cheap, nor will it ever be again.

Sea life jewelry was as usual, the predominant must have item. If you can’t sell nature jewelry here on Marco Island, I suggest you hang it up because year after year in my shop sea life is always in great demand considering we’re in paradise. Orders for my custom handmade palm trees and sand dollars both in two-tone gold and silver combinations were near impossible to keep up with.

Surprisingly, diamond studded yellow and white gold palm trees priced from $900 to $1,500 were great sellers this season.

The undisputed shining star of the season was my line of Lafonn elegant jewelry; a platinum plated, sterling silver set with scratch resistant white and colored cubic zirconia. These pieces are exquisite works of art. Every stone is hand set and an item that costs you under $200 that looks and feels like a piece you could spend $5,000 or more on for an exact piece in gold and diamonds.

Besides looking more expensive than it is, Lafonn jewelry is also practical for travel, and it has that WOW factor for cocktail parties or elegant island affairs. Folks who would normally never wear cubic zirconia jewelry are astonished when they find out it’s not platinum and diamonds. They wind up buying complete earring, bracelet and ring ensembles. Last March “Dancing with the Stars” judge Carrie Ann Inaba sparkled wearing several Lafonn bangle bracelets.

The “Rebecca” line, imported from Florence, that consisted of heavy and bold gold and silver over bronze was a powerful fashion statement, while portraying both bling and quality.

Silver remains on top, enjoying its status as the “new gold” while stainless steel jewelry for both men and women is also enjoying popularity now that jewelry factories have realized that manufacturing only gold jewelry is a sure way to go belly up in this economy.

It’s a fact people still love jewelry – both getting and receiving it – and the jewelry doesn’t have to be solid gold to be exciting and fun to wear. Leather and steel jewelry is appealing to both masculine and feminine wearers. I have a huge selection of high fashion silver and gold toned stainless chains for both men and ladies at ridiculously low cost.

It seems for most in these still troubling economic times, creating the illusion of grandeur is smarter than actually possessing the real thing.

I thank the heavens for the small percentage of fine jewelry connoisseurs who still have a penchant for things that are beautiful. They realize that jewelry of high quality, although expensive, lasts for generations to come and superior quality will retain most of its value.

Once again, I thank my loyal customers, for without them it would be impossible for my son and me to continue our craft; designing and creating by hand, piece after piece, for those of you who appreciate the finer things in life created of precious metals and exquisite gemstones.

Questions…..?

A lady e-mailed me asking what could be done to prevent her diamond stud earrings from drooping downward making them less than elegant looking?

The way diamond studs fit can have a lot to do with the person’s earlobe. As we get older, our earlobes can get more or less (how can I say this diplomatically?) rigid, or the holes can become enlarged making it difficult for a tight fit of the earring stud. The tighter the fit the straighter the earring looks. The best way is to make the backs larger and tighter fitting. What works in my store are little clear plastic discs with center holes that are placed behind the lobes. Insert the post through the ear and the disc, fasten the screw or friction back. This always solves the problem.

About The Author

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith and owner of the Harbor Goldsmith at Island Plaza and welcomes your questions about all that glitters. Contact him at 239-394-9275 or harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

It’s April already, things are nearing the crescendo in my shop, lots of last minute “I’ll take that” and “Can you repair this today, I’m leaving early tomorrow morning?”

These throngs of folks have been on the island since January and wait ‘til the last moment to get complicated repairs or restoration performed which I regretfully have to refuse.

Most people understand that nothing is done well quickly, and a least I give them the choice to leave the work to have it done correctly, and in a timely fashion, and when completed we will safely ship the finished repair back to them.

It was nice to see that you folks heeded my warning about prong wear on your precious diamond ring. The amount of rings needing prong attention was mind boggling and more than once I caught myself talking to rings, saying I would lose it if I had to re-prong one more prong!

Spring is a sign for me that the madness will soon be over, but for you it is a good time to evaluate what jewelry needs attention, call it… spring cleaning.

When was the last time your favorite pieces had a nice thorough inspection and professional cleaning and polished to look like new? Also throw out any old jewelry cleaner you may have at home. It does more damage than good when it goes stale. Replace it with a new jar. I carry both silver and gold cleaner or you may even want to splurge on a new ultra-sonic cleaner to keep your diamonds sparkling.

Another spring cleaning suggestion is to clean out the drawers and jewelry boxes and separate your precious jewels into two piles, what you actually wear and what you could do without. In one pile put your old out of style pieces, broken chains, single earrings, old school rings, even wedding bands from previous marriages. (Don’t laugh, I have many customers on their fourth or fifth spouses.) Bring it in, I can weigh it and pay you the high current market price for its gold value. Liquidate this unwearable stuff and put a wad of cash in your pocket.

I know, I know, certain pieces you may want to leave for the kids or grandkids but I have news for you, nine times out of ten they don’t want it either. And let’s be truthful, when is the last time you wore this or that piece? And believe me, they could end up selling it for scrap gold themselves. The broken and outdated gold belongs to you. Take the money, have fun with it.

Now the other pile is what you love and enjoy wearing. As I mentioned above it might be a good idea to have them inspected and cleaned professionally. During inspection my staff or I ascertain if all is well, and make sure catches catch and also check for missing or loose gemstones and that all prongs are present and accounted for. In addition, we monitor wear and tear on chains and pendants and such and you know what makes this really special… the inspection, ultra-sonic and steam cleaning is free! But please only a few of pieces at a time. I have to say this, the last time I mentioned this service a person came in with more than a hundred pieces for me to do while she waited. It’s not possible.

(Please note there is a minimal charge for making your pieces look like new, it involves a deep cleaning and professional polishing that removes scratches and nicks from silver, gold or platinum pieces.)

Let’s not neglect your favorite watch or watches. Now’s the time to replace batteries, straps or if you have lost or gained weight, get the watch bracelets shortened or extended to fit properly. Those of you with high grade automatic watches such as Rolex, Omega, etc. may need attention especially when they have been running fast or slow or not at all. It may be time to get them cleaned and overhauled internally and crystals and bracelets can be buffed to remove scratches. I replace batteries and straps but I don’t personally repair watches. However, I can recommend several places in Naples that do internal cleanings and basic repairs.

Now is also the time to pull out your old appraisals and make sure they are up to date with current market prices. If the appraisal is more than ten years old, I assure you, you are under insured especially on heavy gold jewelry. The loss of underinsured jewelry will result in a significant gap between the real time cost and the amount of money the insurance company will pay you for the loss. Avoid disappointment by re-appraising your valuable pieces.

Many insurance companies send out re-appraisal update notifications to their insured clients in late December. There could not be a worse time for me to do numerous re-evaluations during the holiday rush, but now’s the time.

I wish to thank my loyal friends, customers and readers for a great season… Happy Spring Season to all, and safe travel home to the migrating folks going back up north. See you next season.

Richard Alan Is a Designer/Goldsmith and owner of The Harbor Goldsmith of Marco island with more than 40 years of experience “at the bench” and welcomes your questions about “All that Glitters” 239-394-9275 or harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

Everything is moving at breakneck speed, the volume of work coming in is beyond overwhelming. It involves the simplest repair to the most complicated special orders to basic requests, the phone never stops ringing, and the best way to describe it is drinking from a fire hose.

That’s the way it is here in paradise, suck it up and deal with it most business owners will tell you that, for in a month or so it’s all over.

It’s like my 19th year in a row here on Marco and I am fortunate to have a fantastic clientele base which includes not only locals and snowbirds but international folks as well. So, quite honestly I keep pretty busy year round.

Most businesses on the island can hire extra help to accommodate the seasonal overload. I’m not that fortunate, qualified goldsmiths are simply next to extinct. That means my small band of brothers, meaning my son Andrew and a talented retired gentleman, Ron, who helps me part time during the season is all there is.

The new location at Island plaza has worked out beyond my wildest dreams. Watch battery replacement can be as many as 50-60 batteries a day and some days I can be but a blur going from jewelry bench to watch bench to engraving bench to “at a moment’s notice.”

I can only accomplish the most tedious and complicated work either before or after the shop is closed to the public, which has resulted in many hours of midnight oil being burned to get the work done in a timely fashion.

So, yes I can say in my line of work six months of going at that pace is not for the faint hearted and it will separate the amateurs from the pros. It easily becomes a bit stressful to say the least.

Imagine a store full of customers in the height of season and I’m whirling around the store like a mad hatter and now a couple insists on my undivided attention to assess the damage to a very valuable diamond ring that was recently purchased for a very large sum of money from some exotic jewelry store in the Caribbean, which I wish not to name here. The large center diamond is spinning in the setting. (Gee, kind of like me in the store.) I notice under close examination that not only is the center stone loose so is every other diamond in the ring. I can’t even tighten the center diamond because whoever set this rock in the setting was either having a really bad day or had no clue to the fine art of diamond setting.

I would like to help, I honestly would but these folks just dropped 30K of their hard earned money on a new ring that here in the states would cost only 10K and now their new ring needs $500+ worth of work and hours of my time to make it right, not exactly a savvy vacation bargain… and did I mention they want it done immediately?

I was also “informed” that the husband would have to accompany me in the shop and watch me perform the repair to insure I did not switch their diamond during the repair. Oh, really? What was I going to do, switch it with a better quality diamond because this diamond was a real piece of junk? I informed the couple that no one, but no one, goes behind my counter besides family and trusted employees. What makes you think I would allow a perfect stranger access to my shop full of customers’ jewelry? Interesting… now they tell me I was highly recommended. And they still don’t trust me?

It is best to plow around a stump than to plow into it so I suggested they take the ring to the store that sold them the deplorable ring in the first place and demand satisfaction. I simply don’t need the unnecessary aggravation. I’m burning myself out keeping my own customers satisfied.

It’s tough in season because most folks don’t like to wait for anything on the island, that includes jewelry repair. I hear it day after day “a whole week? But it’s a very simple thing. If I had the tools I could do it myself!” I’m sorry…March or August, the repair will still take a week. My Ken and Barbie instant easy-bake jewelry repair oven is on the blink.

My favorite is when I am asked “ When are you not so busy? I will bring it in then?” My answer is in the late summer… when I’m closed and de-compressing in Europe.

I’m proud of the fact that I have a solid reputation of doing quality work at a reasonable price. I admit the current price of gold and platinum has caused many an eyebrow to rise or jaw to drop. It is now a fact of life, and yes, it affects everything made from these precious shiny metals. Cheap price on jewelry means it’s cheap jewelry, it’s that simple.

Quality made jewelry is expensive but it lasts for generations. That is another fact of life.

About The Author

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith and owner of the Harbor Goldsmith at Island Plaza and welcomes your questions about all that glitters. Contact him at 239-394-9275 or harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

Most guys can relate to this searching experience if you have ever misplaced your wedding band. I guess the word is panic because no explanation to your bride, no matter if it’s really true, will convince her you misplaced it in the garage while working with power tools.

People who wear jewelry look but do not see everyday; it could be a cherished heirloom diamond ring from a departed loved one. Let’s say it belonged to your Great Grandmother who passed it down to your Grandmother to Mom and now you’re wearing it. Rings with prongs or channels that hold precious gems such as diamonds or colored stones are like tires on your vehicles, they wear out and have to be re-tipped or replaced. So any ring that has been worn for three generations or so will more than likely need some attention.

When inspecting such treasures in my shop, whether it is a simple insurance appraisal or for your information, I look for wear and tear and traces of prior repairs, good or bad, that may have been performed decades ago, or even a century ago. This holds true for almost all kinds of jewelry. I have been in the business of repairing jewelry for over forty years and I have seen too many ruined pieces. Needless to say it keeps me very busy and there are times, I will admit, if I have to re-prong one more diamond ring I will need to be committed. My more than occasional vacations prevent me from checking into a climate controlled rubber room. (Note to self) Now that I think of it most bench jewelers I know are certifiable!

Jewelry can and does wear out or break. It could be clasps that no longer clasp, and, as mentioned above, prongs that are too worn to hold the gem they were designed to support. The weakest links in gold or silver chains let go and so, too, the loops that hold your favorite pendant.

Not all jewelry wears out…(only if it is never worn and how much joy would that bring you?)

Tennis bracelets are a common repair in my shop. Most ladies wear them 24/7 and multiply that by twenty or so years and the piece is in pieces. The rivets that hold each flexible diamond section together (like a door hinge) wear through and break, even a safety chain won’t help you here and unless you are lucky enough to notice it fell off your wrist, it could be left lying sadly in an Indian casino parking lot only to be found by some gambling degenerate who then pawns it for $100. It could happen! One of the reasons one insures one’s jewelry.

The point I’m trying to make is, don’t assume your jewelry will last for ever. It won’t. For those of you out there whom I have just freaked out about the fate of your expensive tennis bracelet, here is a simple test to see how worn the links on your bracelet may have become. Lay it on a flat surface diamonds up, now slowly try to form it into a circle by moving it side ways. If the bracelet has severe rivet wear, it will form a circle or worse a spiral. Another way to tell wear is if the bracelet is a lot larger than when you purchased it.

The bad news is there is no cheap quick fix, especially if all the links are worn. Repairing each and every worn link is actually more costly than removing the diamonds and re-setting them in a new bracelet. This also holds true for gold Rolex watch bracelets. They run their course and need to be replaced too, and today that will cost thousands of dollars… Don’t blame me I’m just the bearer of bad news!

The most ridiculous thing a customer can tell me is, “I have been wearing it for over thirty years, I never had a problem with the ring!” Meanwhile, while I am examining the ring under magnification, I notice there are numerous small diamonds shattered, chipped or missing and two prongs barely holding the center diamond. My offer of a free ring cleaning would have been disastrous for me since every stone in the ring is being held in by the suction of the grime and turkey stuffing from who knows when! If I remove the decades of gunk the diamonds would fall out, the result could cause the customer to cuss me for “ruining her ring.” By first pointing out the wear and damage before cleaning I avoid many ugly embarrassing situations.

“No good deed goes unpunished.”

Only last week a customer asked me to check her prongs on a very large diamond ring, my question was… “what prongs?” It was truly miraculous that diamond remained in the ring. It was beyond a re-prong and required a brand new mounting.

Another important item is the security of diamond earrings, studs or hoops. I’m not just talking about the prongs but the fastening system as well. Screw backs on stud earrings are the best, but only if they screw on and off tightly, loose or stripped threads will defeat the purpose of security. The gold or platinum post and nuts will wear with years of twisting the backs on and off, rendering the posts useless. Get them checked and replace them to be safe.

Diamond hoop earrings have numerous types of fasteners. If they are out of adjustment or worn, loss could occur. Get them checked!

The old saying that we don’t miss anything until it’s gone, rings like a bell when it comes to losing a cherished piece of jewelry. Ever try to match a missing earring? Hopeless. Try finding a replacement for Great Grandma’s diamond when it falls out due to negligence while in your care. Avoid loss and the resulting pain and anguish. Now, look at that ring on your finger, how long has it been since you had it professionally cleaned and inspected? I mean really look at it.

About The Author

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith and owner of the Harbor Goldsmith at Island Plaza and welcomes your questions about all that glitters. Contact him at 239-394-9275 or harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

In many professions there are certain tricks of the trade of which the public may be unaware. What moving company would leave the garage without a pocket full of black or brown crayons to touch up dings and scratches that can appear during the moving process? Or grocers who wax or spray water on fruits and vegetables to give them appeal.

Same holds true for the jewelry business. Fancy, expensive lighting can make the worst quality diamonds or gemstones look more attractive when you view them in the store, Then, when you leave the store with your new purchase, that brilliant diamond ring doesn’t seem to shine as much as it did a moment ago.

Many porous gemstones such as turquoise, lapis, coral or malachite can be died or oiled to enhance its color and make it more enticing. The same for rubies, emeralds and sapphires that are heat-treated and oiled to mask imperfections that would be noticeable without the treatment.

One must be careful, for many harsh jewelry cleaners can remove the oils and dyes, thus rendering the gem unrecognizable to its owner.

Onto the questions… Why does white gold seem to lose its whiteness?

This has been a sore thumb subject in the business for decades; there is no simple answer. First, one must understand there is no such thing as a white gold mine; white gold was created by man by alloying or mixing certain metals with 24 karat yellow gold. Originally, I believe it was in the late 1800’s in Germany where they added palladium, a metal much like platinum only less expensive. It was the rage in the early 1920’s because it looked like platinum without the cost.

When a white gold ring is worn for several months, the scratches and dings can make the yellow color bleed through because the majority of the ring is, in fact, around 85% yellow. There can be as little as 15% of alloy in that white gold ring.

The industry was able to come up with a temporary fix with the discovery of rhodium. The process of plating rhodium in a liquid state onto the white gold ring gives it a hard-as-nails bright white finish. (Almost all white gold rings purchased today have been rhodium plated by the manufacturer.)

The problem is daily wear and tear will eventually wear the finish off and it will have to be re-rhodium plated to look like it did at purchase.

There have been breakthroughs in new alloy technology that have produced whiter white golds that do not require rhodium plating to keep it that way, namely white and bright.

I have worked with the new alloyed white gold but, in some cases, the alloy makes the ring very brittle and that’s not a good thing for prongs holding expensive diamonds or gemstones.

Just like there are other white meats, there are also other white metals such as platinum or palladium that never turn to a yellowing color.

My jeweler up north told me I had a large chip on my diamond. How is that possible, I thought diamonds were unbreakable?

Someone has been reading too many Superman comics! While diamond is a hard material it is not unbreakable. Remember that old commercial of a diamond cutter splitting a diamond in the backseat of a moving Lincoln Continental? The cutter split the diamond in half with one single cleave. It was done by splitting the rough diamond crystal along its grain. Just like wood, diamonds have a distinctive grain under magnification. If one smacks a diamond against a hard surface such as a marble counter, or even the edge of a pot or pan, serious damage can result.

A word from the wise, never continue to wear a severely damaged (chipped) diamond for once a chip is exposed to other hard surfaces even more damage can result making the gem unrepairable or even worse, worthless.

My first experience with conflicting theories of diamond hardness was as a young apprentice diamond setter. While learning the trade, I was able to turn tiny diamonds to dust with an inexperienced slip of my setting tool; every stone I pulverized got deducted from my mediocre paycheck. Believe me, breaking a large one was out of the question! I learned to concentrate and not to slip while setting diamonds, but pronto!

My uncle once told me of a story of a stonemason who had purchased a large diamond ring from him and when the mason got back to his shop he demonstrated to his co-workers how hard his new diamond ring was by clobbering it with a five-pound steel sledgehammer… Guess what the result was?…diamond fairy dust! The insurance company paid for his stupidity.

The stone in my tanzanite ring is dull and no longer brilliant even when I clean it. What’s happened to it?

Time is not on your side! The stone in the ring is probably so scratched and worn from wearing that it may require a re-polishing. Tanzanite is a beautiful purplish blue gemstone with one serious drawback – it’s too soft. It is only a six to a seven on the Mohs scale (a diamond is a 10). The daily wearing of a tanzanite, especially a large expensive one in a ring, will result in scratches and blemishes in no time no matter how careful one is with it. I recommend setting important tanzanite’s in pendants or earrings that will result in less wear and tear.

The stone will have to be removed and re-cut or polished depending on the damage. This can cost several hundred dollars to bring it back to its original spectacular condition.

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith with over 40 years of “on the bench experience” and is owner of The Harbor Goldsmith. He welcomes your questions about All That Glitters. 239-394-9275 or harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

Richard Alan

harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

The most common question I am asked as a jeweler is “how much is it worth?”

Sometimes, the answer is cut and dry. For instance, a mass produced, Italian-made 14-karat gold rope neck chain can be weighed and calculated at the current gold market price. Let’s say it weighs 20 grams; the retail price could be between $1,500 and $2,000. That’s kind of a ball park figure because it all depends on when and where you purchased the item. If the chain was purchased ten or so years ago, the purchased price would have been around a third of that. So, compared to buying it today, back then it was a sweet deal.

Now, jewelry containing diamonds and precious gems is a different story altogether. The pieces have to be analyzed and broken down to current market prices. Take, for example, a six carat platinum and diamond tennis bracelet. What’s it worth? Looking at it on a lady’s wrist and coming up with a price is like looking at a house on Marco Island from a satellite photo and estimating its cost!

This is where the experience of a qualified jewelry appraiser is required. It is going to cost you money for his or her time and experience; an appraiser knows the difference between junk, good, better and best quality jewelry. The advantage I have over other jewelers is I design and create jewelry. I build tennis bracelets from scratch regularly so I can easily come up with a figure. First is the cost of the platinum bracelet, then the cost of fifty .12 point round diamonds of fine quality. Next, add the labor to set all of the diamonds in the bracelet, polish it and finish it. Then, simply add the average profit factor and I have a very accurate cost of that article.

The weight and craftsmanship of the platinum bracelet plus the quality of the diamonds are important factors in estimating the price. A six carat tennis bracelet can cost anywhere between $10,000 and $20,000. The $10,000 price tag would contain diamonds of questionable or lower quality.

Sadly, the tennis bracelets I have seen come in my door as of late are of deplorable quality in construction, diamond color and clarity. And people are paying good money for them!

It constantly puts me in an awkward situation because folks want to know the value of the “deal” they got while on vacation. Sorry, but if you don’t want to hear the cold hard facts about the purchase you probably shouldn’t ask me. As an appraiser, I have to call it as it is or compromise being a professional. I’ve seen folks spend $20,000 for a really bad quality diamond that I would only appraise for $6,000. It’s tough to look someone in the eye and tell them their “Deal of the Century” isn’t worth a hill of beans.

That’s why I charge a certain fee at a sit-down appraisal. Analyzing a half a dozen pieces of jewelry for insurance purposes can take hours; lots of times I find pieces have been overestimated, resulting in higher insurance premiums. It makes no sense to insure a ring for $10,000 when it can be replaced today for $7,000.

During many verbal appraisals I have the uncanny ability to turn smiling faces into frowns. To avoid such a scene, I sometimes will say, “it’s pretty and what a nice memento of your trip,” and leave the subject of its horrendous quality to some other jeweler. Telling the truth, I often end up being “the bad guy.” Hey now, I’m not the one who sold you that dog of a bracelet while you were shopping inebriated in St. Martin.

What’s it worth? I see movie stars and celebrities spending millions on a single engagement ring when I know darn well the ring in my store would normally be $200,000! If they are rich and naïve or dumb enough to pay that kind of crazy money on a four carat diamond ring, all the power to the jeweler who made that sale! Several years’ salary and a new Porsche on one sale!

How long should a watch battery last? Might as well ask me how long does love last? Every brand watch has its own kind of movement inside. Obviously, that watch you bought at the flea market for two bucks is worth less than the cost of installing a new battery. It’s a cheap watch; it contains a cheap Chinese movement and you are on your own on that one. Six months to a year if you are lucky – that’s if the strap or hands don’t fall of first.

The best watches are Swiss made. My Tag Heuer goes three to four years without a battery change; some Seiko’s and Pulsars can last for a couple of years. Most Japanese made watches seem to need replacing once a year. A watch with bells and whistles such as lighted dials and multi-dials, or a watch with a malfunction (water or dust intrusion) can drain a battery. Most Timex’s use special lithium batteries that have more voltage to accommodate lighted dial functions. If your battery drains in a few months, see a watchmaker.

More questions answered next time…

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith with over 40 years of “on the bench experience” and is owner of The Harbor Goldsmith. He welcomes your questions about All That Glitters. 239-394-9275 or harbor
goldsmith@comcast.net

Richard Alan
harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

I hope to debunk wives tales and inform the misinformed in the next couple of issues about “all that glitters.” Also, always feel free to email any questions you may have about jewelry, diamonds or precious gems to harborgoldsmith@comcast.net.

Falsehood #1… You can take a bunch of little diamonds and melt them together to make one large one.

Diamonds are individual carbon crystals that take millions of years of pressure and high temperatures to form, one can burn a diamond and ruin its appearance but never melt one. It would be like melting two jet skis together and expect the result to be a boat.

Falsehood # 2… The purchase of a pair of gold earrings cause one’s ears to burn or become itchy must mean the jeweler sold them cheap gold!

Not necessarily. Women and men can acquire allergies to certain alloys that are mixed with the gold, such as brass, nickel and copper. Childbirth and other hormonal changes in a woman’s life can cause reactions with metal on the skin that never occurred before. Many times, I simply change the earring post to a higher karat gold and see if that solves the problem, if that doesn’t work, platinum posts will do the trick. Platinum is a super clean metal and in my forty years as a jeweler no one has ever been allergic to it. My wife Andrea cannot wear cheap metal earrings or watches (Not that I would let her, I threw all that stuff away after we got married!) or she would break out in red rashes.

Falsehood #3… Two very nice quality Vs clarity G color .50/100 carat round diamonds can cost $2,000 each. The same quality diamond weighing 1.00 carat should be $4,000 right?

Wrong! That one carat stone could cost anywhere from $5,500 to $6,500. Larger diamonds are rarer than smaller ones, so the larger the diamond the higher the cost. Depending on the color and clarity grade of the diamond, it can drive the price even higher, such as a D color flawless stone.

Falsehood #4… The only good diamond is a blue white diamond.

Where this falsehood originated I will never know. While it is true that quality diamonds should give off colors of blue and white, they also give off most colors of the rainbow. In fact, some diamonds can appear to give off a majority of blue, something we in the business call fluorescence. It is kind of like the color of the blue lights one would reflect off posters in the 60’s and 70’s. A truly beautiful diamond should not possess that feature for it inhibits the scintillating of the gem and affects its value considerably in a negative way. Some folks like the effect and buy and enjoy it anyway.

The whiter the diamond, the more expensive it can be. So in that respect, a white diamond is a good thing. The only problem is there are many shades of white when grading a diamond on the Gemological Institute of America Scale (G.I.A.). The whitest diamond is a “D” and the least desirable is an “M.” The further through the alphabet, the less desirable the diamond.

A grey or brown diamond is not in the white zone either. Also, diamonds with lots of inclusions or flaws can cause loss of color or brilliance.

And now for a question… Why is gold so darn expensive?

I can relate. It has severely affected my industry and not in a good way. I could live with the gold price in and around $500 to $600. It was a affordable for most people. I never expected it would top $1,000 but it did and then some, to the tune of the high $1800’s.Now they are saying it will soon top over $2,000!!!

Investors and independent countries simply lost faith in most modes of investing, namely stocks and paper money, and the yellow shiny metal became the most logical and safest way to invest. So there you have it. Supply and demand. Everybody wants it and there is only so much in this world. Demand has driven the price to unheard of heights.

More on other subjects next time.

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith with over 40 years of “on the bench experience” and is owner of The Harbor Goldsmith. He welcomes your questions about All That Glitters. 239-394-9275 or harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

Richard Alan
harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

Over the course of a single day, I can be asked lots and lots of questions pertaining to my profession. The questions can begin with: Why? How come? Or my favorite… How do you know?

At my bench. SUBMITTED PHOTO

For those of you reading my column for the first time, let me catch you up to speed. I make my living as a goldsmith. In a nut shell, the following is what many goldsmiths do… He or she is a technical professional who works with gold and other precious metals and gemstones. A goldsmith can design, create and fabricate original pieces of jewelry and/or repair fine jewelry for their clients as requested. This includes making wax models and various ways of casting jewelry in silver or gold. Their skills can also include the mounting of setting diamonds and precious gemstones. It has always been considered an artisan trade and has been around a couple of thousand years or so. Centuries ago you would not be considered the hippest king or queen if you did not have your very own resident goldsmith.

That said, we are not to be confused with jewelry sales clerks in three piece suits and impeccable manicures standing behind showcases packed with glittering baubles. A goldsmith can be a jeweler or a sales person; it is rarely the other way around. We can be identified by our work aprons that are slightly soiled or covered with burn marks and our tell-tale funny looking head gear magnifiers. Many of us older goldsmiths have to use these magnifiers because of years of looking at objects the size of a no-seeum’s Adam’s apple. (Speaking for myself I wear magnifiers because without them I’m as blind as a clam.)

My early experience in the trade was as an apprentice at age twelve; a lot has changed in forty years. For instance, gold was $35 an ounce then and today it is over $1,700. Back in those days, the jewelry trade was very specialized. There were individual bench jewelers, diamond setters, polishers, plating specialists, engravers and watchmakers – very rarely did one person do it all.

It was kind of crazy; one shop made the ring, another trade shop set the diamonds, another rhodium plated the ring and the last shop did the engraving.

Today most of these individual trade shops are nonexistent except in major cities like New York or Los Angles and their numbers have dwindled to next to none. Being in the business at a young age – and during the golden years – gave me the advantage of learning many of these special facets of the trade. Skills I still use today and teach my apprentices for prosperity.

I have been changing watch batteries for over thirty years. It’s no special feat; I could probably train a monkey to do the same thing. Nevertheless, it doesn’t make me or the primate a qualified watchmaker or watch-monkey. I have some knowledge as to why a watch will stop working but I do not repair watches nor do I ever want to. Then again, most watchmakers or watch repair persons do not make or repair jewelry; it is a separate trade.

Which brings me to the subject as to why some folks would bring their broken eyeglasses to a jewelry store? It’s sort of like going to a optometrist for a diamond ring! I will admit, my skill with a laser welder has repaired a hundred or more eyeglass frames over the years.

So maybe this explains to some extent what a real goldsmith does. Meaning no disrespect, but a person who bends some silver wire around a polished rock or sea shell and hangs it on a junk chain and charges you $14.95 at a crafts fair is not even in the same league as a bench jeweler or a master goldsmith.

In the next issues I will answer some very intelligent questions that have to do with ‘All That Glitters.” Such as why some folks are allergic to white or yellow gold but not platinum? Or how come gold is so darn expensive, and now platinum costs less? I will even touch on some not so intelligent questions such as… Why can’t you melt all my small diamonds into one big one? Or, I have been wearing this bracelet for over 40 years and I never had the stone fall out before? And my all time favorite: What do you mean it isn’t gold? We paid a lot of money in Mexico for that!

Happy New Year to All!!!

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith with over 40 years of “on the bench experience” and is owner of The Harbor Goldsmith. He welcomes your questions about All That Glitters. 239-394-9275 or harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

Richard Alan
harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

I had an eye opening experience the other day, while serving a friend in my shop who was picking out a “no apparent reason gift” for the lady he was head over heels in love with. This was one of many baubles he had presented her in the past couple of months. While my Mom was gift wrapping the piece of jewelry he told me how much joy he experienced just seeing the look on her face when she opened the box and put the new piece of jewelry on. There was a mention of the romantic consequences that usually incurred later that same evening. Too much information!

My first reaction was what a romantic sap! But it occurred to me, Hey I’m a purveyor of joy, I make lots of women and men happy week after week, and if I had more customers like him I would be set for life!

It got me thinking, thirty years ago I was like him; I loved to give gifts of jewelry for no reason to the apple of my eye at that time of my life. You know, it’s true it gave me as much joy as it did her, especially if I made it with my own hands. So what happened to me?

I can endlessly find blame in the overall lack of such romantic gestures in society today. The biggest is… We are all just too darn busy! Heck, I barely remember my wife or kids’ birthdays, let alone my nieces or nephews.

The economy hasn’t exactly put all of us in the greatest of moods; either financially or romantically.

A common gift giving practice during the last decade is “Oh honey, don’t get me anything for Christmas, because I’m not getting anything for you!” This new common holiday ritual has sure played havoc to my bottom line in the jewelry business.

It kind of got me thinking, many other traditions of love have gone by the wayside these pat decades. In the 60’s my Uncle who also happened to be my God-father (Not a mobster, but my guardian) gave all his God-children the most beautiful gold signet rings. Years ago parents or grand parents presented rings to sweet sixteener’s or engraved gifts during graduation or religious celebrations. This hardly happens today.

Few guys practice random acts of kindness to either their wives or girlfriends… or both? We folks today are just too darn busy.

Ladies, you are not of the hook either. In the past, it was customary to present random gifts for him that could include a fancy cigarette lighter, key ring or money clip engraved with intimate saying to induce memories. More than ever, a jeweler was a vender of things amorous.

I have to admit the greatest generation keeps many of their customs and traditions alive by doting on their grandchildren. The ensuing generation has lost it completely. I find it sad because I still cherish the ring my Uncle Richie gave me in the late 60’s and my sisters still have their sweet sixteen or communion rings my grandparents presented them.

I may sound a bit sappy like my friend in the opening lines, but I’m sure what I’m talking about has jogged some older folks memories out there. I’m not even sure the new generation out there even knows what a florist does, let alone a goldsmith.

So, during the oncoming weeks when you are holiday shopping and considering purchasing that I-Phone or I-Pad or huge screen television, just remember those darn things become obsolete in just months when a piece of jewelry you picked out and engraved: I love you 12/25/12, will bring back fond memories for years to come.

I’m taking note of my friend’s enthusiasm for his new love. Maybe some of it will rub off. So, even if I only have an hour a week I have to get off this crazy merry-go-round called life, I will find a quiet place at the beach or on my boat and make note of the ones I love and what they mean to me by leaving them all a memory in precious metal. Just a little something to remember me by.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!!!

Remember to support your Island businesses during the holiday season.

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith and owner of the Harbor Goldsmith at Island Plaza with over forty years experience at his trade and welcomes your questions about “All That Glitters” 239-394-9275 harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

Richard Alan

harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

The 2012 holiday shopping season is off and running, and I can safely say giving a piece of jewelry as that special gift will become as popular as it once was.

Notice I said jewelry – not fine jewelry. Since early October, certain items have been selling well, and there is a reason for this. The past couple of gift giving seasons for the jewelry business can be summed up in one word… Dismal.

Even De Beers, the largest diamond conglomerate in the world that refused to spend millions of dollars on blanketing TV ads, is back. The reason was simple: purchasing fine diamond and gold jewelry that was once affordable to 75% of the public has, in my opinion, dropped to less than 10%.

Anyone in the luxury goods business has been hanging on by their fingernails and this fiscal cliff is no joke. Many in my profession have already plummeted over it just recently on this island paradise. I can blame the economy, unemployment, the real estate market, the Mayan calendar, the election, and the biggest reason: the ever still ridiculously rising prices of precious metals. No doubt, plenty of reasons the industry has to live with. Only with me, that would be a cop out.

Like it or not, silver has become the new gold. Even Italian gold jewelry manufacturers have resorted to producing tons of silver jewelry, and so much of it is gold plate on silver (commonly known as “vermeil”). Sure, I have lots of customers complaining they don’t want silver, but when they hear the price of 14 karat – or worse 18 karat – I have to bring out the smelling salts to revive them.

On my last buying spree in Europe I unconsciously discovered that the Italian manufacturers had been very busy redesigning and retooling their whole industry. Besides vermeil pieces they are gold plating bronze and creating big bold jewelry.

That is not only classy and expensive looking; each piece has a WOW appearance but doesn’t cost a lot of money. I already have to re-order because the response on the island has been joyfully unexpected.

At a recent fashion show in West Palm Beach, I discovered a new L.A. company that makes the most incredible silver and C.Z. line of jewelry that fooled even me at first.

Rings, bracelets, and pendants that appear to cost thousands and pieces in the collection start at only $75.00. Wear these pieces at holiday gatherings and I guarantee this jewelry will be the ultimate ice breaker and have them whispering to themselves as to whether or not you won the lottery.

I realize the trend is that it has to look expensive but not be expensive. No easy task in retail; let’s face it cheap is cheap! But I persevered and over the slow summer months I traveled and searched, besides creating lots of sea life jewelry with a mixture of 14 karat and sterling that is a main staple in my stores.

My ever popular Marco Angels and Marco Bracelets have been recreated; the bracelet has been the envy of most women on the island and is now a more affordable sterling and rubber design. I am also unveiling the Breast Cancer Awareness Marco Angel (no pun intended) next week. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

Other hot gifts are the rebirth of initial pendants in gold or silver and simple charm bracelets.

For the men in your life, bold stainless steel jewelry has been hot all over the country and is very inexpensive. Also, money clips or key chains with classy engravings are in demand.

Expect to pay dearly for real gold jewelry for men; with gold at an all-time high, a nice 24” solid rope chain can demand over two thousand dollars. Avoid purchasing cheap lightweight hollow chains, for they too are expensive and will not hold up (besides being impossible to repair). You are better off purchasing a nice solid sterling or stainless bracelet.

Jewelry giving for the holidays has always been a tradition, and with the evolvement of alternative metals I’m confident it will now continue.

Happy Holidays to all!

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith and owner of the Harbor Goldsmith at Island Plaza with over forty years experience at his trade and welcomes your questions about “All That Glitters” 239-394-9275 harborgoldsmith@comcast.net

Ring sizing is one of the most common repairs or alterations when a customer’s ring is either too large or too small.

To reduce a gold ring, let’s say from a size 7 to a size 4, requires cutting out a small piece of the bottom of the ring shank, carefully closing the gap and welding the seam with the same color and karat of gold. The welded seam is then filed, sanded, polished and returned to the customer like new. And yes, if requested, I will return the removed piece of precious metal.

This is a simple routine in a perfect world, but here on “Knuckle Island,” 90% of my female clientele have size 5 ring fingers and size 8 knuckles. BIG PROBLEM for the goldsmith. So, until they discover elasticized gold the ring will never fit right; difficult to put on and loose as a goose past the knuckle.

Oh sure, there are ways to make the ring fit perfectly. It requires either adding ring bumps or sizing beads. If that doesn’t work a special designed ring shank that once installed on the ring expands over the swollen knuckle and snaps closed for a perfect fit on the finger.

Problem solved… right? Wrong! The special hinged and locking shank costs close to $800.00 today and $200.00 labor to install. Years ago, they only cost a couple hundred dollars. Back then, I put on as many as four a month. Lately? Never.

Other complications involve rings with invisible settings or micro-studded diamonds. They should never be sized as constant diamond loss will be the guaranteed result. Bending the ring by either upsizing or downsizing will loosen nearly every diamond. I now avoid doing these rings, even when all seems to go right during the process. The end result is always the same: constant stone loss. These rings have to be ordered in the correct size. Period.

Ring enlarging is a bit more complicated – and more expensive. For example, a ring has to go up three sizes. I cut the shank bottom open a gap that will accommodate a piece of gold to fill it, then weld both sides sand and polish and thus make the ring larger. Here I have to supply the gold or platinum at current market prices. Some amateur jewelers will hammer the shank to make the ring larger, this only thins out your ring and loosens all your gems in the process, the result is shoddy craftsmanship.

Contrary to popular belief, giving the goldsmith a broken earring or gold tooth to use to size the ring will not save you any money. Now I have to add alloys to match your ring color then melt and work the gold into the required shape that I will need to size the ring adding two hours of labor to a 20 minute job. Using your gold saved you nothing, but you can sell me the gold for cash and put it towards the cost of the sizing.

The repair of broken chains can include anklets or bracelets. Most damages are due to wear and tear or the fact that the chain is a light-weight, hollow construction and the links and rings are worn through; meaning all the links are “kaput.” The cost to rebuild every link will be more expensive than the original purchased price. It requires more skill and materials to repair hollow jewelry.

Solid link chains are easily repaired and the end result is unnoticeable. Catches or clasps such as lobster claws or spring rings also run their course and must be replaced occasionally. Salt water or perspiration can rust the inner steel springs that causes clasp failure and could result in the loss of a favorite pendant or medal.

Oh! And ladies, the next time you break a cherished piece of jewelry and your hubby grabs it and trots off to the garage workshop to fix it, cut him off at the pass and retrieve it before he makes it worse. The most difficult and expensive repair in my shop is when he performs “the garage repair.”

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith and owner of the Harbor Goldsmith at Island Plaza with over forty years experience at his trade and welcomes your questions about “All That Glitters” 239-394-9275 harborgoldsmith@comcast.net