True Tales

From Dead Horse Tails to Live Human Heads: Some Jobs You Just Have to Decline

Two jewelers tell of the jobs they’ve turned down.

Published

2 years ago

March 30, 2022

INSTORE Staff Instore March 2022 Issue

A woman walked into the studio carrying a dead horse’s tail. “My mom’s horse died, and I want to make a bracelet for her.” I explained we are metalsmiths, and the tail was hair. She answered, “I know, I need a bracelet.” Deep sigh. — Jo Goralski, The Jewelry Mechanic, Oconomowoc, WI
A customer asked me to solder a chain clasp closed while she was wearing it so she could never take it off. Offered to wear a wet towel on her head so she didn’t “catch on fire”… We politely declined the job. — Christine Graichen, Malloves Jewelers, Middletown, CT

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Why This Jeweler Chose Wilkerson

Mark Lauer is the owner of Mark Michael Diamond Designs, the Minnesota-based jewelry gallery known for exceptional and uniquely designed diamond jewelry. Though he loved creating the beautiful jewelry his business was known for, retirement was an exciting alternative to the 60+ hours a week he’d spent building it up. He called Wilkerson to help with a retirement sale. “I did talk to two other companies, but I just didn’t feel they offered the same services that Wilkerson did,” he says. “I knew Wilkerson had the expertise to follow through and give me the service and results that I wanted. They’re the number one rock stars in this industry.”