My cousin's wedding band request showed me how people undervalue our skill

My cousin texted me a photo of a wedding band with three different stones set in a twist pattern. He said he wanted it for his wedding in two weeks as a family favor. I explained that setting stones like that needs careful effort and special tools. He laughed and said it should be easy for someone like me. I had to break down the cost of silver and the labor hours. His response was that I was being too serious about a small job. That moment let me see how often our craft is taken for granted. From now on, I give quotes upfront, no exceptions, even for relatives.

3 comments

3 Comments

sethp262d ago

Two weeks? For a custom wedding band with three stones in a twist pattern? That's insane. Even if you worked non-stop, you'd need time to order the stones, set them right, and polish everything. People don't get that this isn't like buying off the shelf. It's hands-on work that can't be rushed without ruining it. Your cousin really thought that was a 'small job'? No wonder you felt taken for granted.

charles_kim1d ago

Yeah when seth said "people don't get that this isn't like buying off the shelf" it reminded me of my friend's client who freaked out that a repair couldn't be done overnight. Some folks just see the shiny end product, not the work.

jamieb642d ago

Depends on the jeweler's setup lol. Some of us keep common stones in stock and can bang out a twist band in a few days if we clear the bench.