On Wed, 28 Dec 2005 03:18:32 GMT, "Bill McKee" wrote:


"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Bill McKee wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
wrote:
I said I'd go sailin' and I should have. It was a wasted day at work.
Damned employees have screwed up. If'n ya ever go inta business, rely
only on yourself, dont hire anybody and you'll be happier.
The staff at my Canadian publisher's got the 23, 24, 25, and 26 off for
the holiday. The 23rd and 26th were both paid, "stat" (legal) holidays.
Ebeneezer Scrooge would have been apoplectic, with Bob Cratchitt
picking his pocket *twice*! :-)

Back to business as usual tomorrow. All the stores will be hyping "only
363 days until next Christmas!"

I read an interesting theory about how Christmas giving actually has a
negative impact on the economy. The theorist postulated that while
there is no doubt that a lot more money is spent during the Holiday
season, the nature of the items purchased is frequently of much lower
actual worth or intrinsic value. We tend to pay far more, for far less,
when we shop for gifts and there is some negative impact associated
with the distortion from the normal price/value relationships that we
adhere to when we shop during the rest of the year. How many of us
would spend $75 for six oranges, three apples, a half dozen mediocre
chocolates, a cardboard box, and some fancy paper 11 months out of the
year? Not many, I'm sure, but tens of millions of these "gift boxes"
and similar values are sold every December.


And the huge discounts. Bought the wife her anniversery gift before
Christmas. 70% of on a diamond bracelet. Normally you would only find a
50% sale during the year.




I'm sure you are happy with your purchase, but...

There's really no such thing as a retail price on most jewelry, especially
manufactured jewelry, such as earrings, pins, bracelets, et cetera. The
store is still making its profit whether you buy at "50%" off or "70%"
off.

Jewelry is fairly unique in this regard. There's very little relationship
between what a store pays and what you pay.

Now, if you want to buy a unique piece, head to NYC and buy some certified
stones at "wholesale"* from one of the Hasidic houses, and then take those
stones to a jewelry artist who will make up a nice piece for you and your
wife. If you know your stuff, you'll end up with something truly yours for
no more than you'd pay a local jeweler.





* this is not the real wholesale wholesale, but the best you as someone
not in the biz will be able to do.

I actually have connections at the jewelry wholesale house in San Francisco,
but for a nice tennis bracelet, a major store can get a good deal, and then
70% makes it very close to wholesale, and I do not have to go to SF and go
shopping. For really special jewelry gifts, I use a local jeweler who is a
manufacturer of custom works that are fantastic. A long time ago, I use to
make really nice jewelry as a hobby.


Sounds like a good idea, Bill. Which store did you use? I ask because you sound as
though you may know something about it.
--
John H

**** May your Christmas be Spectacular!****
*****...and your New Year even Better!*****