It's A Roller Coaster Ride On The Precious Metals Market

Ok, I must admit myself that the last few weeks have been a roller coaster ride in the precious metals market!  Many folks have asked if they should go ahead and sell their old scrap gold & silver or continue to wait for prices to go back up...well....

Perhaps we can look at this a couple of different ways:

1.  It appears that the economy is strengthening albeit slowly and as things progress and get better and the dollar strengthens, precious metal prices will go down.

2.  There are those who say that the economy is completely bankrupt and that we should hold onto our precious metals as a "Safehaven" investment.  Of course, this is a bit negative and I tend to feel that America, who has the world's largest economy in scale has quite a way to go before its bankrupt.

Everyone is obviously entitled to their personal opinion but here is mine...

Its better to take advantage of the gold & silver prices still being historically high and make a little than lose a lot!  Almost daily we're still seeing folks bringing their old metals in and we've put cold, hard cash in their pocket.

What are things that we purchase from clients?  Old broken gold & silver chains, rings, bracelets, mis-matched earrings, dental gold (yes, old teeth), platinum...you name it, if it has precious metal we probably buy it.

Why do we buy it?  Because much of it can be recycled and used in our very large repair department to fix other's jewelry items or to make new jewelry with.  Sometimes we might purchase a nice, older item to sale as estate jewelry.

You can simply bring your items by any time for a FREE, no hassle, no obligation evaluation and if things feel good to you, we'll purchase your items on the spot!

"til next time,

Bill Warren, DDJ (Doctor of Dynamic Jewelry) & Owner
The Gold Mine of Hudson, NC
828-726-1009
www.hudsongoldmine.com
email:  goldman86@bellsouth.net

Gold Mine Featured in Our State Magazine!

We were recently honored to have been featured in "Our State Magazine" regarding our "Southern Gates" jewelry collection.  Many folks who came by and visited to do Mother's Day shopping commented about it as well.

The ad (listed above) we were featured in showed several of our Southern Gates items.  Of course, these jewelry pieces have long been a favorite of those (In the Know) Gold Mine customers.  Made from gorgeous sterling silver, Southern Gate items feature and commemorate the ironwork designs that you see in Charleston, Wilmington, Savannah and New Orleans.

Southern gals everywhere appreciate the delicate designwork of Southern Gates jewelry.  The company that produces this lovely line is out of Charleston, SC.  Perhaps many of you don't know how we discovered it...

Several years ago, Angie (my wife) and I were visiting the markets in downtown Charleston and we kept seeing this lovely jewelry.  After inquiring about it, what a pleasure it was to discover that the company who produces this was only a few short blocks away.  So we simply walked on down and met the owners and of course, inquired about carrying their jewelry in our own jewelry store.

The rest as they say is history, and too great success, we've carried and our customers have enjoyed purchasing "Southern Gates Jewelry" now for several years.

With the Mother's Day rush now behind us, I'm finally catching a breather to restock the store with this and other great jewelry lines.  If you have something that you'd like to see, or if you just have a question, let me know..I'm happy to take the time to serve you.  Also, don't forget if you have a broken jewelry item or watch, we do all of our repair work here on the premises by trained and trustworthy experts...

See ya soon,

Bill Warren, DDJ (Doctor of Dynamic Jewelry), Owner-Gemologist
The Gold Mine
www.hudsongoldmine.com
828-726-1009
email:  goldman86@bellsouth.net 
545 Main St. Downtown Hudson

Store Hours:
Mon-Fri 10am - 6pm
Sat 10am - 4pm

Memories of Mother's Day

Mother's Day is fast approaching on May 12th.  My dear mother has been gone now for a couple of years and I really miss her so.  Thinking back over the years, it was always a happy occasion to visit her over the Mother's Day holiday along with my two sisters, enjoy fellowship and a good meal.

Usually, we gave Mom a lil' something every year although she was just as happy if we just spent time with her.  One year I gave Mom a new Mother's Ring and it always brought me lots of joy to see her wearing it...it was also one of the first things I found after she passed away while going thru her cherished treasure box.

As a jeweler, I often see people who come in to buy their Mom's a present for Mothers Day and of course, fine jewelry does "Capture the Moment" but I also think its even more important to let her know just how much you love her and care.

If you're looking for a great Mother's Day present, I invite you to stop by...our staff will be glad to take lots of time to insure you pick the perfect gift for her.  But even more importantly, I hope you'll take time out of your busy schedule to spend some time with that important lady who brought you into the world!  Looking back, I have great memories of Mother's Day, but oh what I'd give to have one more Mother's Day with my Mom!

Take care,

Bill Warren, DDJ (Doctor of Dynamic Jewelry)
www.hudsongoldmine.com
828-726-1009

How To Keep Your Fine Jewelry Looking New

Perhaps the title of this article is one of the questions I get most!  How do you keep your fine jewelry looking new?  Of course, the answer can be different for every person but here are a few good basic guidelines to go by:

1. Have your jewelry cleaned regularly so dirt & oil doesn't build up on the metal by even more importantly, under the gemstones & diamonds which causes them to look dull & cloudy.  Most jewelry stores offer FREE professional cleaning...The Gold Mine does for sure!
2. Take your jewelry in for a "Spa Treatment" once a year.  What do I mean?  This means having your jewelry professionally buffed which removes scratches and brings it back to a high luster shine.
3. If you have white gold or silver jewelry, you'll need to have it Rhodium finished every so often.  This brings the metal back to a "High White" color instead of a yellowy white which in can turn into over time.  Rhodium finishing is routinely done at the factory to insure a fine white look and also prevents silver from tarnishing.
4. Buy a bottle of jewelry cleaner at most any jewelry store for either silver or gold jewelry to use as a good "At Home Cleaner" which is good in-between jewelry store visits.

So there you have it...a few basics step to keep your jewelry looking "Like New."  If you have any questions or maybe need jewelry maintenance or repair, feel free to call my office at 828-726-1009.

'til next time,

Bill Warren, DDJ (Doctor of Dynamic Jewelry) & Owner

The Gold Mine  

545 Main St. Hudson, NC 28638

www.hudsongoldmine.com 

email:  goldman86@bellsouth.net

The Life of A Jeweler at a Trade Show

So....here I am today in Atlanta, Georgia preparing to go to the southeast's largest jewelry show.  Surprisingly, for "Hotlanta"...its really cold here and I'll be glad to get warmed up at the show.  Some people ask me what its like for a jeweler to go to such a large jewelry show so I'm going to tell you..

First of all, when I go to a major trade show, I keep in mind what my customer's have been asking me  for in the way of jewelry and I also look for emerging trends in the jewelry industry.  Many times, I've been able to spot a hot and upcoming jewelry trend months ahead of my competition simply because I keep abreast of such things at these shows.

Going to a major jewelry show can be a bit overwhelming when you consider there is more jewelry under one roof to look at than going to 100 jewelry stores.  The security at an event like this is just like you think it would be...tight!!  With cameras, security guards, plain clothes detectives everywhere..it would be really hard for theft to happen although I'm sure it probably does.

With hundreds of jewelry vendors to see...the scope of the whole thing is quite amazing.  I simply try to look for things I think my customers will be interested in, visit my best suppliers to see what they're offering and of course we look at what everyone says is going to be hot.

Seminars are also of great importance to me as today,  I plan to go to two different ones.  One is on the four seasons of the jewelry biz and deals greatly with how to market to my customers and the other is on Estate Jewelry buying.  We are considering do even more estate jewelry biz at The Gold Mine so this seminar will help make me even better at it.

By the end of the day, we'll have walked 10 miles or more seeing everything, talking with friends both old & new..but it will all have been worth it.  Its fun but I'm always glad to get back to downtown Hudson.

Tim Call, our store's goldsmith will be trying out lots of new jewelry repair equipment and later on we plan to have some great brazilian food...so thats it..the life of a jeweler going to a major trade show.

'til next time,

Bill Warren, Owner/Registered Gemologist
The Gold Mine of Hudson, NC
www.hudsongoldmine.com
828-726-1009

What Is The Right Kind Of Wedding Band For Him?

What is the right kind of wedding band for a man?  I guess I'm asked this question at least a couple of times every week.  My stock in trade answer is usually in the form of a question such as, "What kind of work does he do?"  This often dictates what the best band is.  An important consideration besides the usual price & budget consideration would be...what kind of material do you want the wedding band made of and what kind of conditions will it be worn under?  Here are a few materials to consider for "Him":

1.  Yellow or White Gold - this comes in either 10k, 14k, or 18k gold.  10k is the hardest form of gold while 18k gold has the highest gold content.  14k has often been cited as the favorite mix of both with price & durability.

2.  Platinum - a very hard, rare and dense material that in the precious metals is probably the most durable and is naturally white in color.

3.  Alternative Metals - a new thing on the market would be metals made from space age technology such as tungsten carbide, titanium, cobalt, black zirconium and many others.  The benefits of each of these are that they're extremely durable and scratch resistant.  Plus, unlike the gold & platinum wedding bands, the cost is usually under $250 making them a very attractive choice for rugged men and young couples on a budget.

Personally speaking, I've enjoyed wearing a titanium and 14k gold combination band for many years giving me the precious metal that I as a jeweler enjoy plus the durability of the new space age materials.

What is right for you?  Of course, only you can make that decision.  But, we would be glad to guide and assist you...stop by the Gold Mine, take your time, have fun and get the wedding band of his dreams!

Until Next Time,

Bill Warren, DDJ (Doctor of Dynamic Jewelry)
www.hudsongoldmine.com
828-726-1009

The Karisma Collection

Once in a long while, something comes along that makes me stand up and take notice!  When we first got the Karisma Jewelry Collection in, it most definitely got my attention!  Why you might ask..simple!  Because with Karisma Sterling Silver ladies jewelry from The Gold Mine, you literally have 400 pieces of jewelry in one...read on below about info on Karisma!

Karisma has as many looks as she does.

With over 400 interchangeable jeweled inserts, one piece of Karisma sterling silver jewelry lets a woman match every mood, every outfit, every day.  It’s the best thing to happen to jewelry since the invasion of the beads.

Each piece of Karisma is beautifully designed and crafted in sterling silver and features a round jeweled center insert.  The magic of Karisma is that a woman can simply remove the center jeweled insert and replace it with a new one. And with hundreds of jeweled inserts to choose from – in a wide array of colors, patterns and gemstones – Karisma becomes a true reflection of her.

KARISMA™

IT’S ALL ABOUT CHOICE.™

So far, we've completely sold out of Karisma rings, pendants, bracelets and earrings 12 times.  Ladies simply love that they can change the tops out of each piece to match their outfits every day!!!

I'm personally glad to see the jewelry industry offering things that are versatile because often a certain piece of jewelry can only be worn with certain colors or dresses...but not any more!

Stop by The Gold Mine on Main Street in downtown Hudson and take a look...I think you'll be impressed!

"til next time,

Bill Warren, Owner/Registered Gemologist
The Gold Mine of Hudson
828-726-1009
www.hudsongoldmine.com 
email:  goldman86@bellsouth.net

P.S. - for more info, visit the Karisma website at:  www.karismacollection.com