Independent Jewellers

6 I N DE PE N DE N T J E W E LL E R S WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 While many of these items may hold great sentimental value, they may not be a match with a younger family member's sense of fashion or today's ever-evolving lifestyles. In many cases, these family treasures are stored away and forgotten about for years on end. "It's happening more and more frequently," acknowledges Jodi McCallum, a gemologist and appraiser for family- owned Independent Jewellers in Winnipeg. "In years past a lot of the time the next generation would continue to wear the pieces as much as possible. But now… tastes have changed, and our lifestyles have changed so there's less occasion to get all dolled up and go out with fancy jewelry. We're seeing more and more people coming to us wondering what to do with pieces from a previous generation and even multiple generations." One of the services Independent Jewellers offers customers is free consultations to help them determine what to do with their family heirlooms. The appointments may last for up to an hour and McCallum says they can be an invaluable resource in helping people separate what has purely sentimental worth from what may be of significant financial value. McCallum and her team of experts have access to a microscope, scale and other tools to closely inspect any items that are brought in. "I call them shoebox consultations. People literally bring things in in a shoebox sometimes," McCallum says. "We sit down and go through the pieces. Sometimes the pieces need repairs so at the same time we can quote the cost of any repairs that would need to be done." Customers are free to ask questions and take notes during consultations but are under no obligation to make any decisions about their collections. "All we are looking to do is create some goodwill," McCallum adds. "Frankly, it's interesting for us to see some of the pieces and hear the stories that go along with the pieces… when people know the different stories." If individuals determine they want to part with some of these family treasures, Independent Jewellers provides an appraisal service for a modest fee. An appraisal can make things far less stressful, and much more equitable, if you are looking to divide up a jewelry collection among several members of your family. McCallum stresses that it's important for people to understand that there can be a notable difference in the price they are offered for a pre-owned piece of jewelry compared to what a retailer may resell it for. "I would say try not to take it too personally if you get an offer that's less than you expect when you are selling," she says. "The merchant has to protect his or her own worst- case scenario. It's nothing personal about the jewelry. They're not telling you it's undesirable or it's not valuable. It's just business." One of the current trends when it comes to jewelry design is incorporating older pieces into new works. McCallum says Independent Jewellers has worked on a number of such commissions over the years. For people interested in selling or purchasing pre-owned jewelry, the company's Estate Collection features a wide variety of items and is always looking to add new and interesting pieces. "We've got a nice cross section of pieces," McCallum says. "We try to keep it that way. We don't want it to be too heavily weighted in any one category." Regardless of who you might sell your precious items to, it pays to do your homework. Numerous auction companies and gold buyers crisscross the country on a regular basis offering cash on the spot. While that might seem appealing, it's not without risk. "I would say to anybody in Winnipeg there are people who live and work here in the community," McCallum says. "You don't have to sell your stuff to outsiders. There's lots of people here in the city who will give you a fair price for your materials without having to run the risk of getting ripped off by someone who's off to the next town within 24 hours and you can never catch up to them." ❚ C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S I J L O N Y O U R C O N T I N U E D S U C C E S S A N D G R O W T H Proud supplier of insurance to IJL and Canadian Jewellers since 1950 Winnipeg | Gimli | Winnipeg Beach Congratulations on serving the community for over 60 years and on the grand opening of your new location! BDC is proud to partner with you in your success. Call us at 1-888-INFO-BDC or go to bdc.ca BDCad_WinnipegFreePress_3.375x4.5_en.indd 1 2018-08-29 1:53 PM Congratulations to all our friends at INDEPENDENT JEWELLERS as you celebrate 80 plus years. Wishing all of you continued success with your new store for the future! From all of us at WHAT'S OLD CAN BE NEW AGAIN BY JIM TIMLICK It's becoming an increasingly common problem for many people – what to do with jewelry that's been passed down by parents, grandparents or other loved ones.

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