A New Direction...perhaps.

With all the changes in the industry and in my job situation as well, I have considered taking this neglected blog in a somewhat different direction. Not necessarily away from jewelry but pertaining more to my daily situation and how the jewelry companies are treating the jewelers in general.
I don't want it to be 'gossipy' but with all that has traspired lately it might be interesting to discuss.
My company for example has permanately laid off most of its jewelers. For some reason companies now feel it's in their best interest to use centralized shops instead of jewelers in the individual stores thus impacting customer service in a negative way.
In some stores with the company I work for the jewelers were given the option of 'taking a hike' or staying in the shop and becoming an independent contractor, which I have done. My associate and I were given the option of buying our work benches and all the tools as well as all the shop equipment...which we did, it was a good deal.
We now do the work for three company stores and bill them directly using our new vendor numbers given to us by the coporate office. So far it has worked out quite well.
More later on the paranoia that is creeping in as we consider what their motives might be in doing all of this shuffling around.