Well the latest is;
I've applied for numerous positions without much luck. Three jewellery positions have come up.
When I applied for a part time position in a small town, they took one look at my CV and thought I was joking. They haven't taken me seriously since, well that is what I assume as they haven't been in touch.
The Signet Group (Ernest Jones) aren't interested at all. And I have formally been rejected by them. One thing I learnt working around the corner from a branch, is that they could do with someone like me.
Another independent retailer would like me to do everything I can for them, using every skill set I have, with no flexibility, a half hour lunch break, 2 hour commute and just under £7/hour. Unfortunately this isn't enough, even though it would be fun and there is no possibility of advancement.
So what do I do now? Do I work in a job with no relation to jewellery whatsoever? I can't do that. Self employment is definitely the route for me. My wife has managed to secure a full time local job, and this has relieved an awful lot of pressure from me. Breathing space is certainly appreciated. I've been referred onto the DWP's New Enterprise Scheme through the job centre. In Devon this is provided by Business Information Point Devon, which luckily for me, is just up the road from me in Okehampton. They offer a business mentoring program and help with finding and applying for funding.
I have to provide them with a comprehensive series of completed worksheets and a business plan, which they will review, and then onwards an upwards.
I fully intend to use every part of my knowledge and experience in my new venture. Everything from jewellery and silverware repairs to buying and selling, valuations and commissions to name but a few. I'm coming out fighting!
Why am I sharing all this with you? For many years I have provided help and advice to people starting out in this industry and acknowledge how tricky it is. Now is another phase. What next? Hopefully this will provide a bit of an insight as to what is involved, the highs and lows and hopefully a success story at the end. I'm very lucky to have a few positive people around me that have agreed to "tell me straight" when I need it.
Take care,
Damian
Wednesday, 25 June 2014
Saturday, 7 June 2014
All change
Change is good. Probably the best thing that'll happen to me. I'll be fine. It's just the shove you need. These are the first things that people tell you when you announce that you've been made redundant. This is what has happened to me.
I've been with my last employer, Brufords of Exeter, for just over 19 years, but in March I was given the news that the business was to close after 115 years trading due to redevelopment of the Guildhall Shopping Centre where the business was based. Well that was a shock. I had suspicions of course, but the confirmation, that was a different thing all together. I had sold people their engagement rings, wedding rings, eternity rings, Christening presents for their children and just recently an 18th birthday present. I'd been through all the landmarks of their lives. No more.
All of the staff worked through a pretty rigorous closing down sale for about 6 weeks and managed to clear all but 3 small pieces of stock. Then the clear out began. All of the "come in handy bits" and surplus display, packaging and everything else was thrown out and recycled where possible. Then packing up the final bits and pieces to move to an office for the winding down of the business.
What now? What do I do? in the local area (Devon) there aren't any full time positions available for me and the multiples think I'm taking the mick when I apply and they see my CV. What can I do that will keep me interested? How can I combine all of my skills and knowledge? I'm jewellery through and through, I love this trade and I don't want to leave it. People think that my redundancy package is enough to set up a shop of my own. They seem surprised when I tell them how much it is likely to cost.
Well, I think self employment is the only option. I want to keep my plan slightly fluid so I can adapt as needed. I have a few ideas but I'll keep you posted.
Take care,
Damian
I've been with my last employer, Brufords of Exeter, for just over 19 years, but in March I was given the news that the business was to close after 115 years trading due to redevelopment of the Guildhall Shopping Centre where the business was based. Well that was a shock. I had suspicions of course, but the confirmation, that was a different thing all together. I had sold people their engagement rings, wedding rings, eternity rings, Christening presents for their children and just recently an 18th birthday present. I'd been through all the landmarks of their lives. No more.
All of the staff worked through a pretty rigorous closing down sale for about 6 weeks and managed to clear all but 3 small pieces of stock. Then the clear out began. All of the "come in handy bits" and surplus display, packaging and everything else was thrown out and recycled where possible. Then packing up the final bits and pieces to move to an office for the winding down of the business.
What now? What do I do? in the local area (Devon) there aren't any full time positions available for me and the multiples think I'm taking the mick when I apply and they see my CV. What can I do that will keep me interested? How can I combine all of my skills and knowledge? I'm jewellery through and through, I love this trade and I don't want to leave it. People think that my redundancy package is enough to set up a shop of my own. They seem surprised when I tell them how much it is likely to cost.
Well, I think self employment is the only option. I want to keep my plan slightly fluid so I can adapt as needed. I have a few ideas but I'll keep you posted.
Take care,
Damian
Thursday, 29 May 2014
Tips and tricks
O.K., right where do I start this one? There are many little bits of information, tips, tricks and techniques that you pick up over the years that make life in this trade just a little easier. Many of these aren't in any published texts or they are scattered far and wide.
I hoping I can share a few random bits now and a few more as we go along. The things I take for granted were recently highlighted by a friends need. This post will deal with watches and clocks in particular but there are more to come. Please understand that many of these processes use chemicals and acids. ALWAYS read the warnings on any chemicals and stick to them! Warnings are there for a reason.
How do you change the colour of a screw or fixing to blend with existing screws or fixings?
If you are using brass, copper or silver fittings and need to darken them down you can use "Liver of sulphur" or Pottasium Sulphide as it is more correctly known. This is often supplied as "rocks" that can be used as they are, simply place an item to be coloured in an sealed container with a few "rocks" this will induce a light "tarnish" and may take some time. If the "rocks" as dissolved in water things speed up a bit and the colour can get much darker. To make things black use it with hot water and the process is very quick. Make sure that parts are rinsed off thoroughly or the process will continue. If you mess it up and need to start again, polish it off with tripoli and rouge, put it in a silver cleaning solution and start again.
Steel: Steel has been traditionally "blued" for along time. This involves placing parts in a crucible with bluing salts and heating. More often steel screws and other parts have aged and turned almost black. This effect can reproduced by imersing the part to be coloured in warm safety pickle or Sulphuric Acid. The metal will start to fizz, take it out rinse well and check the finish if it needs to be darker, repeat the process. Take care with this as it is an etching process and is much more difficult to reverse. If possible try not to treat screw threads and don't put springs or bearings in as it weakens springs and corrodes bearing surfaces.
Just a quick one.
Take care,
I hoping I can share a few random bits now and a few more as we go along. The things I take for granted were recently highlighted by a friends need. This post will deal with watches and clocks in particular but there are more to come. Please understand that many of these processes use chemicals and acids. ALWAYS read the warnings on any chemicals and stick to them! Warnings are there for a reason.
How do you change the colour of a screw or fixing to blend with existing screws or fixings?
If you are using brass, copper or silver fittings and need to darken them down you can use "Liver of sulphur" or Pottasium Sulphide as it is more correctly known. This is often supplied as "rocks" that can be used as they are, simply place an item to be coloured in an sealed container with a few "rocks" this will induce a light "tarnish" and may take some time. If the "rocks" as dissolved in water things speed up a bit and the colour can get much darker. To make things black use it with hot water and the process is very quick. Make sure that parts are rinsed off thoroughly or the process will continue. If you mess it up and need to start again, polish it off with tripoli and rouge, put it in a silver cleaning solution and start again.
Steel: Steel has been traditionally "blued" for along time. This involves placing parts in a crucible with bluing salts and heating. More often steel screws and other parts have aged and turned almost black. This effect can reproduced by imersing the part to be coloured in warm safety pickle or Sulphuric Acid. The metal will start to fizz, take it out rinse well and check the finish if it needs to be darker, repeat the process. Take care with this as it is an etching process and is much more difficult to reverse. If possible try not to treat screw threads and don't put springs or bearings in as it weakens springs and corrodes bearing surfaces.
Just a quick one.
Take care,
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