Jewelry: A lifetime investment. One customer's story

A recent first-time customer made an impression on us here at Poway Fine Jewelers. She came in with an idea; she wanted to incorporate the birthstones of her three children into some sort of piece of jewelry. A pendant? A ring? She couldn’t decide. She came in the first time and perused our cases to no avail. 

Something so special and one-of-a-kind couldn’t possibly be sitting, already together and perfect, waiting her arrival, could it? Nope. That’s not how this business works. 

Sure, there are always those moments where a customer walks into our store, knows exactly what look, style and stone they’re seeking, and fall in love at first sight with one of our pieces. But for someone wanting something so unique, this would have to be a custom-made piece. 

This woman has been struggling a bit. She thought about using gold from another ring. Should she use stones from a past ring as well? Or start from scratch? Should she sell some of her old, forgotten pieces still sitting in closets at home, or hang onto their sentiment? For those of you who understand the importance of a piece of jewelry, you know this woman’s struggle. 

We certainly do. A piece of jewelry is a lifetime investment. It’s something that will get handed down from generation to generation, meaning something different and beautiful to each who wears it. It will contain stories and memories, and the older it gets, the more cherished it becomes. This woman was not going to make this decision lightly. Aside from the financial investment in a piece like this, there is also the emotional investment, and with both, value and longevity are essential. 

Before making a decision, this customer needed to think about it, sleep on it, let the choices absorb into her thoughts until she was absolutely sure which one was right for her. Her daughter might wear this ring someday; maybe one of her future daughter-in-laws. It must be beautiful, captivating, and full of heart. After all, this ring will symbolize her children, and what is more valuable than that? She wants to smile and think of her children every time she glances down at her finger. This ring needs to be perfect. (No pressure, Tim!) 

And that is why he is smack dab in the middle of the decision-making process. During every visit with this particular customer, Tim seems just as perplexed about her decision as she is. He goes into deep, careful thought, rummaging through his brain as if able to draw from the same decision-making knowledge that she is able to draw from hers. He doesn’t, of course, but he knows that. With Tim, what starts out as a complex decision turns smoothly into a pleasant conversation of reminiscing and weighing options – a combination of the most emotional and practical ways to make these kinds of decisions. 

Tim has spent hours with this customer, and he will get it just right. That is Tim’s specialty. He has been in the jewelry-making business for more than 40 years. He has seen thousands of pieces, worked on hundreds, and has given the same care to every single one. Together, they decided on three channel-set, stackable rings. Each ring will contain seven stones – four colored and three diamonds. 

One will contain green diamonds rather than her child’s birthstone of peridot. The second will have red rubies, and the third will contain four stunning blue diamonds in place of her child’s birthstone of blue zircon. This ring, filled with brilliant diamonds and rubies, will undoubtedly be the striking, long-lasting piece of jewelry she is seeking.   

Once Tim works his magic of creating such a piece, this customer will have a ring full of precious stones with her at all times, containing lifetimes of memories that she will carry with her forever. And that is what jewelry is all about, right? There is a story behind every piece. Tim is helping this customer tell hers. And that’s what we do for you and every other customer we work with. So, bring us anything and everything – from thoughts, old pieces, new ideas, contemplations, drawings – whatever it takes, and we will make it happen. 

It’s that simple.

Meet Your Jeweler, Tim Dooley (written by his employee, Rachelle Sparks)

When you walk into Poway Fine Jewelers, you walk into Tim’s world. Not because he is the on-site master jeweler that will greet you with a smile, a story, and a solution for your jewelry-related needs. That’s a given. It’s because when you enter his store, you enter a philosophical world where jewelry is just the beginning.

“If your car ran out of gas, you would refuel it, right?” he recently asked me during a conversation we were having about a necklace I brought in that was wound so tightly I had no hope of it ever coming undone. It was a rhetorical question, of course, but I appeased him. “Sure,” I said, wondering where this was going. 

After untangling my necklace with his handy little tools, Tim whipped out a tiny plastic Ziploc bag and carefully snaked my necklace inside, leaving only the clasp hanging on the outside before zipping it up. “It will never tangle if you keep it stored this way. Why would you store it any other way?” 

Why would I not refuel my car if it ran out of gas?

Point taken.

This is Tim.

I’ve known him for a while now, and I recently started maintaining his Poway Fine Jewelers blog and Facebook page. I’m also a smiling face you’ll sometimes see in the shop. I help Tim out as much as I can, but when I’m not with a customer, I am behind the desk at the front of the store. And I am listening. First and foremost, I am absorbing everything Tim is saying to customers so that I can attempt to gain even a fraction of his knowledge. (He’s been in the jewelry field for more than three decades…it’s probably not going to happen, but I can try, right?). 

Either way, I listen and I hear story after story, theory after theory, all underlined with Tim’s philosophical interpretation of whatever he and his customer are discussing. It’s typically jewelry, of course, but many of Tim’s conversations begin like this: “I don’t even know why I’m sharing this with you…”

Somewhere in that brilliant mind of his he has a reason for sharing what he’s about to share, and it always comes out, and it’s always relevant, thought-provoking and, well, Tim. He’s a thinker and an analyzer. He’ll talk to you at length about the history of your piece, the story behind where you got it, the fixes or changes you’d like to make. He’ll listen with undivided attention before helping you make a decision about a new piece of jewelry. He’ll ask questions and give as much input in your decision-making process as you’ll allow (no more, no less). 

He might throw in there a fishing story or a description of a meal he ate (the man loves food), but it will always somehow be relevant and beneficial to the conversation at hand. 

From the few months I’ve worked with Tim, it is clear – his customers are his friends. He greets many of them by first name – even if they’ve only been in a time or two – and he will remember pieces he’s created for you, styles you’ve liked in the past, and possibly your favorite vacation spot or sushi roll.

In other words, he is more than a jeweler. He always looks the part, with his handy loupe (magnifying glass) atop his head, ready to get down to business, but he is a kind man with a genuine passion for jewelry and the process it takes – from selecting stones to shopping for what his customers will love to designing your dream piece – to get it just right. 

I wanted to write this post so that those of you who don’t already know Tim will feel like you do before even coming into his shop. And for those of you who do know him, well, you’ll surely appreciate this post!

Aside from a master craftsman, Tim is a husband, a father, grandfather, fisherman, connoisseur of good food (as we’ve already established), snorkeler (just ask him about sea turtles…), he’s from Seattle, he likes to ride go-karts, camp, hike, travel, and enjoy an occasional beer (or two). He's also a master gardener, pool player, and self-proclaimed music critic. Come in and meet this jack of all traits (especially the art of jewelry-making)! 

Our First Giveaway - Chocolate Gems, Wine & Travel Pouches

We here at Poway Fine Jewelers are very passionate about a lot of things, but we want to discuss a handful of them with you. 

First, we are passionate about jewelry, of course. Second: caring for and protecting jewelry. Third: chocolate. Fourth: wine. Fifth: indulging (in one or all of the above). Why are we sharing this with you, you ask? Because our very first giveaway, which is close to having a winner, is a pretty little basket filled with these delicacies. 

We are so grateful to those who donated these items that we’d like to tell you about these businesses, their generosity, and their creative products. First, we’d like to thank Promise Me Chocolates (http://www.promisemechocolate.com) for their mouth-watering, hand-made, gem-shaped chocolates. It doesn’t get more original than that.  They have chocolate bon-bons! Gem truffles. Solid ring-shaped chocolates. “Promise Me Pendants.” 

This stuff is so pretty you may not want to eat it, but then again, wait till you taste it. Your eye candy will turn into real candy, and what’s better than having both?! These are some of the most unique, delicious treats to buy for a loved one. Need a creative way to propose (a chocolate teaser is sure to result in a big, fat “yes!”)? Need a unique gift for a friend or your significant other? The “Promise Me Pendants” are deliciously-crafted silver or gold hearts hung by colorful strands of licorice imported from Holland. 

We are just so impressed by the intricacies of these products and the sentiment that comes with them – the same that comes with real jewelry. You need to check them out. They can send these chocolates anywhere, at any time, and they specialize not only in already-designed creations, but custom-designs as well! 

 

Our second wonderful basket item donation is from Frieda, owner of Sunny Day Needleworks (https://www.etsy.com /shop/SunnyDayNeedleworks?ref=shopinfo_shophome_leftnav)  – and man can this lady sew. From purses and handbags to aprons and hats, she does it all. 

 

But the one item she creates that really caught our eye was an endless selection of hand-made travel pouches. We are always talking about the importance of protecting your jewelry at home, away from home, and everywhere between – and these little beauties will help do the trick.  

Jewelry should never be stored with other pieces of jewelry. These pouches keep them inches – and seams – apart. And Frieda’s products are filled with small cubbies that can store between 5 and 8 items of jewelry. When cinched together by drawstrings, these beautiful, travel-size pouches are perfect for treating yourself to or for buying a friend. Need a perfect bridesmaid gift? Look no further. 

These two generous business-owners are geniuses at their crafts, and we personally invite you to check out their work online. And don't forget, we have the fine jewelry you'll need to stuff these pouches with and the real-life gems to resemble those you indulged in from Promise Me Chocolate.

Enjoy! 

 

Sincerely,

Your Friends at Poway Fine Jewelers

CREATIVE DESIGN: Bring in YOUR idea...WE can make it happen!!

Poway Fine Jewelers Owner Tim Dooley is a creative genius when it comes to designing and custom-making unique jewelry. His passion is telling stories with jewelry, and he wants to help you tell yours. 

Do you have your grandmother’s heirloom piece that is too old and worn to wear? Or your great aunt’s pendant that is out of style but contains a beautiful gem in the center? Bring it to us. And with it, bring an idea. Tim has the ability to make something you love with all your heart.  Of course, making anything less than exactly what you want and love is not an option. So Tim needs your help.

First, let’s paint a picture. Of what? We don’t know. Anything? Let’s hire an artist and tell him to paint a picture for us. “What would you like me to paint?” he might ask. He gets no input from us.  So what’s the best way to get the painting you want? Have a meeting with the artist so you can tell him what kind of painting you might want to grace your walls with. How big or small is the place for the new painting, how much light is available, what are the colors in the room, furnishings, window treatments, floors, walls, and on and on?  Family portrait, summer cabin? Landscape (what season), waterscape, etc.? The best approach is a checklist that helps make those decisions.  Because you will be looking at it every day.  Your jewelry is no different and deserves the same planning and decisions. 

If you have grandma or great aunt’s piece of jewelry that you want fixed or changed, the best way to approach Tim is to start with an idea. You don’t need to know EXACTLY what you want. But a good starting place is: earrings, pendant, bracelet, ring? Then: style,  single stones, rows of stones or diamonds, add one colored gem to each earring along with some sentimental diamonds? Maybe  birthstones? Tim and staff will guide you, however long it takes, with an invaluable, extensive knowledge-based approach and an intuitive interview style that is hard to match. You will have jewelry you are thrilled with when you’re finished!

Again, Tim strongly believes that jewelry tells stories. Who better to tell it than you? Who better to discuss what visually makes you happy before hiring an artist to paint you a picture? You. Who’s going to live in the house you design? Not your home designer. You. 

It all starts with you. Tim says that the younger generation of people tends to come in with bookmarked websites of all their favorite jewelry pieces, designs, shapes, and styles. The older generation tends to view Tim as their painter or their architect. He is neither. He is a master craftsman, he can make anything, and he loves the process of design, but he is not a mind-reader or knower of all things. He doesn’t know that, when you plop those 12 diamonds and two sapphires on the counter, whether or not you want to keep them in their current form with some subtle improvements and major repairs, or if you’d like to turn them into a set of earrings and a pendant.

 

So please, before coming in with heirlooms or loose stones, or those once-special pieces that no longer contain sentiment, look through magazines and spend some time on Google (click images) and drop or add a word like:  flowing, geometric, partial bezel, pave, channel set, halo, gallery, and on and on…. to figure out at least a general idea of what you want this piece or pieces to look like. When you have looked at a few dozen pieces from commercial stamped out things to award-winning custom pieces, you will be more in-tune and able to know your “personal style” when you see it.  Become your own painter and architect, and Tim and company will take care of the rest.