Big Survey

Here’s How Jewelers Knew They Had ‘Made It’

Jewelers share their most meaningful measures of success.

Published

6 years ago

November 13, 2018

Eileen McClelland

Here’s How Jewelers Knew They Had ‘Made It’

RETAIL JEWELERS SAY they knew they had “made it” when they drove home a new Porsche or an Escalade. But they REALLY knew they had a success story when they could take a day off once a week, take a vacation, or their stress level “dropped to zero.”

My daughter wanted to work here.
I sold a $10,000 sapphire sight unseen over the phone to an established customer.
The mayor dedicated a day of the year in our name.
My customer base exceeded 5,000.
I got my store name printed on our plastic bags, our ribbon and our tissue paper.
My accountant said I have net worth and should make a will.
I could retire.
My stress level dropped to zero.
I hit my first million-dollar store.
Dad said he was proud of me.
I see my work around someone’s neck or on their finger and I see them show off their jewelry and point to me and tell the other people, “She is the one that created this for me.”
A four-day work week.
I consistently started selling 2-carat diamonds and larger.
I drove home my brand-new Porsche.
I bought my Escalade.
I bought my building.
When I heard the sleigh bells on the rooftop.
I stopped getting a tax refund.
I can take a vacation.
I was at a local restaurant and ran into a client. She began to sing the store’s jingle from our radio ads.
I reached my goal of a million dollars cost in inventory with no debt ever.
I pay my parents more than they have ever made in their lives not to come to work.
I was no longer concerned with December’s numbers. It’s not that I don’t care. I just don’t worry about it. Pay for your inventory during the year and you will have a relaxed December!
An engagement ring client said our store had been around his entire life and of course he was coming here to buy!
My customers and people I don’t know tell me how good of a jeweler I am.
I was sitting across the boardroom table from Nicholas Oppenheimer at the CSO in London.
I wake up smiling because I get to come to work. I’m unemployable anywhere else and I love (mostly all of) it!
Everyone wanted my job.
I heard the hammer fall on an empty chamber.
I don’t need to be in the store and sales happen and customers are happy.
I quit advertising and sales continued to go up.
We made it past our first 10 years in business.
I no longer did more wholesale than retail.
Customers were coming in from three states away.
I finished this survey.
My competitors came to visit our new store.
I didn’t have to worry about the rent.
The first year I had to pay taxes on the store profits!
I could afford to blow 100 bucks on dinner.
I saw the logo stamp.
New England Patriots come in my store for jewelry.
Big-name brands I couldn’t get to take my calls suddenly started calling me.
A local charity expected us to make a 6-figure donation.
People started handing me their jewelry in the grocery store to bring in for repair.
At a recent chi-chi charity fundraising event, four of the high-profile attendees are clients in the middle of big projects.
She put her hands on her hip and said to him, well.
When people introduce me as Rosanne from the jewelry store.
Gold prices went to $1,800 per ounce.
I survived 2010.
They were actually sad at my funeral.

You Wouldn’t Cut Your Own Hair. Why Run Your Own Retirement Sale?

After being in business for over a quarter of a century, Wayne Reid, owner of Wayne Jewelers in Wayne, Pennsylvania, decided it was time for a little “me time.” He says, “I’ve reached a point in my life where it’s time to slow down, enjoy a lot of things outside of the jewelry industry. It just seemed to be the right time.” He chose Wilkerson to handle his retirement sale because of their reputation and results. With financial goals exceeded, Reid says he made the right choice selecting Wilkerson to handle the sale. “They made every effort to push our jewelry to the forefront of the showcases,” he says, lauding Wilkerson for their finesse and expertise. Would he recommend them to other jewelers who want to make room for new merchandise, expand their business or like him, decide to call it a day? Absolutely he says, equating trying to do this kind of sale with cutting your own hair. “The results are going to happen but not as well as if you have a professional like Wilkerson do the job for you.”