Time Is Money
The Jewellery industry is one that is founded on customer service. People have an emotional connection with Jewellery and this tends to make them high demand customers. They want what they want…NOW. Those of us in the industry understand—and benefit—from this but also have to fulfill these needs. They generate a great deal of money within the industry. Time is money. When we operate efficiently, as in expediently, we can do more, allowing us to make more money. More importantly, we satisfy the customer by satiating their needs quickly. In the Jewellery industry, more than most others, customer loyalty is based on emotion. If people perceive they are being taken care of well and getting value for their money, they will become fiercely loyal to their Jeweller.
Because time counts, Jewellers have to find shortcuts to do tasks efficiently to avoid frustrating clients and losing the moment. Because the purchasing of Jewellery has strong emotional ties, there is an element of spontaneity involved. If one allows that spark to be doused, one can lose a lucrative sale, or even worse, a loyal customer. On the topic of efficiency, this week we will discuss assessing a diamond’s CW (Carat Weight) while it is still set in a piece of Jewellery.
The skill of carat weight determination of a stone set in a piece has great value. Let’s look at two scenarios. The first is when a customer brings a piece in to sell or trade in. We need to use the 4 ‘C’s —cut, colour, clarity and carat—to determine the diamond’s value. Removing the stone from a piece we don’t own to assess the carat weight not only costs us money, it is time-consuming. We can make a safe assumption that a customer selling or trading in a piece of jewellery has thought out this transaction long before they walked through your door. As we have discussed, they are acting on emotion and; therefore, looking for a quick response. The second is the redesign of a piece. Assessing the size of a stone allows us to better consider the options in redesign.
Formula (WP x NP x D)
Measuring a diamond’s carat weight within a set piece usually achieved though a formula. For this a specific calliper tool and a set of mathematical calculations is needed. The Formula is : WP x NP x D (WP = Widest Point Face Up, NP = Narrowest Point Face Up, D =Depth.)
Best Tools for Diamond Measurement
1). Leveridge Gauge
Measuring a loose diamond is simple. A leveridge gauge is a spring loaded device that allows you to insert the diamond into a caliper device and read a gauge to determine dimensions.
2). Vernier Calipers
Manual calipers, also known as Vernier calipers or nonius in some countries, date back to 1631. Frenchman Pierre Vernier incorporated calipers with a slide rule type device, to create an accurate system that enabled Jewellers to assess a diamond’s dimensions to calculate carat weight. Vernier calipers are still a convenient way to quickly calculate and assess a diamond’s dimensions without need for power.
3). Electronic Diamond Gauge
Technology has afforded the industry an even better tool—an electronic diamond gauge.This precision device allows the Jeweller to very quickly and accurately determine the carat weight of a stone by taking a series of measurements. The gauge does all of the calculations and provides a highly accurate answer in milliseconds. The high-end models are equipped to accurately assess nine popular cuts of diamonds.
Final Thoughts
Taking advantage of the tools that technology has provided the industry makes Jewellers, more efficient and customer service oriented. The investment in tools like this is quickly recouped and builds customer confidence. It also allows us secondary advantages like alerting us to anomalies such as shallow cut diamonds. While the most accurate way to measure a diamond is in loose form, it is not always possible. A leveridge gauge can be used anywhere without the requirement of batteries; however, it requires the jeweller to calculate the measurements to estimate the carat weight. An electronic diamond gauge is convenient—it does the calculations for you and is very accurate. The disadvantage is that the electronic gauge can cost hundreds of dollars more. For those who do not need to do this assessment often, it may not be a worthy investment. One would suggest you choose the version most suited to your needs. A Jeweller (or trades person), it has been said, is as only as good as his tools. The investment in tools like this is quickly recouped and builds customer confidence. It also allows us secondary advantages like alerting us to anomalies such as shallow cut diamonds. While the most accurate way to measure a diamond is in loose form, it is not always possible. A leveridge gauge can be used anywhere without the requirement of batteries; however, it requires the jeweller to calculate the measurements to estimate the carat weight. An electronic diamond gauge is convenient—it does the calculations for you and is very accurate. The disadvantage is that the electronic gauge can cost hundreds of dollars more. For those who do not need to do this assessment often, it may not be a worthy investment. One would suggest you choose the version most suited to your needs. A Jeweller (or trades person), it has been said, is only as good as his tools.
