Ostrich Tech

This week I am giving two educational presentations on CAD/CAM at the Portland Jewelry Symposium. The roster of speakers includes
                              

Jurgen Maertz of the Platinum Guild International, speaking about his platinum magic,
 
Teresa Frye of Techform Advanced Casting, speaking on emerging opportunities in palladium, and

Gary Dawson of Goldworks on Custom Design and Customer Satisfaction.
 
All of the speakers are veterans of the Santa Fe Symposium who have decided to bring some that experience to retail jewelers in the northwest. 

For me it is a natural thing to pass along what I learn from my adventures in jewelry. I was lucky enough to have been mentored by masters in this industry and they set a good example for me. The other speakers feel the same way but, there are those horses that we cannot lead to water.

On a recent visit to one of the retailers in the area that I thought would be interested in education, I was intrigued by what the owner had to say. It seems that this jeweler, who has been in business for several decades, had no interest in any of these subjects. The store is well known for its custom work which they fabricate and hand carve in wax. The owner markets primarily yellow and white gold jewelry and likes his business the way it is without any platinum or palladium. He assured me he was just fine and that “he has his own niche”.

I just don’t get it…… I thought a niche was something out and away from the mainstream. When the majority of new jewelers move forward into what is new for materials and technology,  Is there still a niche for old world traditional methods….?