Monthly Archives: September 2011

Trade Secrets from the Queen of Clean

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Kristie Nicolosi

Just like doctors are often asked medical questions by friends seeking to take advantage of their medical expertise, I am frequently asked questions about jewelry cleaning. As The Queen of Clean, I am here to give you the answers!

Should I use an ultrasonic cleaner to clean my jewelry?

Ultrasonic jewelry cleaners use high frequency sound waves to agitate a liquid cleaner, which creates bubbles that adhere to the surface of your jewelry and penetrate any cracks or recesses. This does thoroughly remove most dust, dirt, oil, pigments, grease and more from your jewelry. That’s the upside. The downside is that the vibrations caused by the ultrasonic waves can loosen or remove a stone from its setting. If you are lucky, the stone falls out in the machine where you can find it. If you’re not, then it falls out later out in the wide world to be lost forever.

It’s not that ultrasonic cleaners should never be used. But they are not recommended for in-home use for pieces that have set stones. When you take your jewelry to your jeweler for cleaning, they inspect the piece with a jeweler’s loupe before they clean it, to make sure that the setting is not loose. Unless you have a loupe and know what you’re looking for, you probably can’t take this necessary precaution.

The solutions we produce at The Kingswood Company are formulated to clean jewelry without agitation; you just need to soak it. Then when your piece needs a more thorough cleaning, I recommend taking it to your jeweler (you should be getting an annual inspection anyway). An ultrasonic cleaning should be done by a professional.

I liken it to the difference between brushing your teeth at home with toothpaste and going to your dentist for a cleaning. You get the deeper cleaning you need, but you get it done safely. If you have an ultrasonic machine, don’t worry.  They are still great to use on pieces without set stones. And you can feel free to use our solutions in your machine.

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Answer the Question!

Posted on September 15, 2011 by The Kingswood Company

We conducted a survey among consumers which yielded some interesting nuggets of information. But two statistics really jumped out and got us thinking.

  • Eighty-two percent of respondents told us that they are not wearing some of their jewelry because it needs to be cleaned.
  • Sixteen percent of respondents stated that they were not given instructions on how to clean their jewelry by their jeweler.

Hmmm…

We’re sure that many times customers aren’t asking their jeweler how to clean their purchase. It looks so beautiful and shiny in the store, cleaning may be the last thing they are thinking about. But sometimes they do ask, “How do I clean this?” What answer are they getting?

If the answer they receive involves bringing the piece back to the jeweler for cleaning, then they aren’t getting the answer they need. Of course, jewelers must educate their customer on the importance of annual inspections, at which time the piece will, indeed, be cleaned. And most jewelers are sure to share that they are happy to clean a piece if the customer drops in.

But that is not the question the customer is asking.

The customer is asking how she, herself, can clean her jewelry. When a jeweler gives her an answer to that question, his/her customer will be wearing the piece much more frequently. She will enjoy watching it sparkle on her finger, neck or earlobe, and she will be a happier client. She might even tell her friends who her jeweler is, when she’s asked where she found such a beautiful ring, necklace or pair of earrings.

When jewelers work on increasing the 16 percent statistic, the 82 percent statistic will fall, fall, fall. And their customers will fall, fall, fall in love with their jewelry all over again.

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Meet Your Account Executive: Lillian Schmid

Posted on September 2, 2011 by The Kingswood Company

We are so proud of our staff at The Kingswood Company and would like to give you the opportunity to get to know them like we do. So periodically, we will share a brief interview with a staff member so you can get to know him/her better. Lillian Schmid, Account Executive, has been with The Kingswood Company for about three years. 

Could you give us a little background about yourself? 

I grew up in Holmes County, Ohio and have lived in Columbus and Chicago since.  Just this week I am moving to Santa Fe, which is an exciting new adventure out west! It has been wonderful that I have been able to continue to work with The Kingswood Company due to the wonders of telecommuting. 

What do you like to do in your free time? 

I spend the majority of my free time cleaning jewelry. Just kidding! I love to spend time reading and writing fiction, non-fiction and Haiku poetry.  I actually write a Haiku everyday; they are so quick and fun. I also walk my dogs, visit museums, go to concerts, and I love to travel. 

Where in the world would you most like to travel?  Why? 

I would be pretty much happy to travel anywhere! But if someone were to hand me tickets for a trip right now, I would choose London.  There is so much history there – of art and literature; plus I have become a little obsessed with The Tudors. 

What is the last great book you read? 

The last great book I read was Anna Karenina by Tolstoy.  He is an amazing writer, with so many different characters, places and themes working concurrently.  I was surprised by the humor in the book.  Who knew old Russians were so funny? 

Describe your favorite customer experience.  

I love all of our customers, of course!  Recently, I had a chance to land a prominent new account in Chicago. Over the course of developing a relationship with them, I had the opportunity to learn about their business, visit their store and really get to know the team. Bringing them on board and setting them up with our program was such a satisfying experience. They have told us that the cleaner looks wonderful (which it does!) and that the program has been doing very well. I am always happy when I have the chance help satisfy a customer. 

What is favorite thing about jewelry cleaner? 

My favorite thing about jewelry cleaner is how much better you feel wearing your jewelry after you clean it. It is easy to ignore dirty jewelry, but impossible to ignore freshly cleaned jewelry. It sparkles! 

What do you like about going to trade shows? 

I really enjoy going to trade shows and meeting my customers and prospective customers face-to-face. Many times, I have been talking to these people for nearly three years before we were able to meet in person. It helps to establish our relationship – to make it feel more “real” – when I can shake hands with someone and thank them for their business, in person. I also love the opportunity to travel and visit new cities. 

What product would you most like to see The Kingswood Company offer? 

Purple Fine Jewelry Cleaner. That may not be a new product, but purple is my favorite color and a lot of our customers ask if we sell the cleaner in purple. It’s such a regal color! 

Do you have a fun ritual at work?  Like something you have to do before you can work?

I don’t have any really fun rituals, but I do like to put jewelry on because it helps me get “in the zone!” I also always have a Kingswood polishing cloth next to my computer, and I like to start my morning with energetic music, maybe folk or Irish pub songs.

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