not a local

On top of learning about rose gold and 117 point diamonds, I’m also learning quite a bit these days about other industry must-knows:

Like the emotional value placed on hunks of metal and rock.

And how that changes people’s minds when you tell them the metal they want to sell you will be melted down.

Like not buying gold from heavily-accented, eastern-European men.

And biting the bullet when old men clearly think you’re pretty. Pretty in the “I’m going to stare at you awkwardly and make you wonder if you’re being followed home later on tonight” type of manner.

Like reading a industry article on how to evade being followed home.

And how a jeweler was shot and killed in January.

In other words, the jewelry industry is limitless in the knowledge it offers to a newb like me. I’m fascinated by what I learn every day and challenge myself every morning to never be bored. There is so much to learn.

There are days when new knowledge makes me nervous, but those days are also coupled with solid reason: I live too far away for someone to patiently follow me home to my house with 15 other cars in the driveway and 45 dogs barking at every one who passes by. And statistically, only two jewelers die from robberies each year.

Now, if you don’t mind me, I’m going to investigate a heavily-accented, eastern-European con-artist-ring from New York City…