Royal Diadem Jewelers

Hello, I’m Brian, Store Manager of Diadem Jewelers since it opened in 1999.

While many of you know me, I am sure there are a few who may not. I serve as store manager, I am responsible for customer care, operations, promotions, customer-focused selling skill education, and vendor and public relations.

My over-arching responsibility is to see that the mission of Diadem Jewelers is fulfilled with each customer. Many of you will recognize the following from the back wall of our store:

The mission of Diadem Jewelers is to honor and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in our business principles and practice, in order to provide for our families. We appreciate each opportunity to provide our customers with fine quality jewelry, professional expertise, and excellent service.

We accomplish the mission by doing what’s best for each customer. This means that I ask enough questions and listen carefully to the customer, so that I know what they need. I then provide service or merchandise that best meets the need.

Thank you to each person that has made it possible for us to serve our community for over 20 years.  

PS: Don’t tell anybody how I qualified for my manager position, you see I was, and still am a professional entertainer aka Tubbee D Clown.

Electric watches were introduced in the 1950s.  The hands were moved mechanically yet the balance wheel was powered by a solenoid, a thin wire wrapped around a metallic core producing a magnetic field when an electric current is passed through.  These electric watches foreshadowed the quartz watch, introduced in 1969.  The quartz watch removed all moving parts found in mechanical watches, replacing them with a battery.  This meant that the watches became more shock absorbent and could maintain better accuracy with no cleaning or oiling.  These quartz watches were driven by a battery powered circuit rather than a self winding movement.  Quartz watches used digital counters rather than a wheel train to add up beats to track the time, this is still found in quartz watches today. ( EMILY SMITH at Govberg)

Early technology has its benefits and problems… Service on electric watches puts at risk the integrity of the seal around the port for the watch or its case back… some pry off and some screw off. The gasket must be treated carefully and must be replaced when it shows compromise (stretching, nicks, cracking due to age, etc.)

The next and possibly disastrous problem is battery seal leakage. The entire movement may be affected by the chemicals that can leak from an old mercury based cell and newer cell technology (who knows what that stuff really is,.. perhaps alien or demon perspiration 😉 here is an example:

not last,.. not least is the “coil”, a small electro-magnet that is part of the pulsing and transfer of electric power to mechanical power. The copper windings are very VERY delicate and can be damaged, primarily by unskilled technicians messing around in the watch. A professional stays completely away from this part,.. damage is nearly impossible to repair and replacement is nearly always needed. (see below the pink object center right with the teenie wires….)

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As a result,. the technology is solid, early and able to be repaired today. Several parts suppliers have complicated the delivery time (pun intended) of watch parts…

for our greensboro, nc customers,.. some remember a jeweler’s and watch supply business; S. LaRose near the corner of Cone and Summit. They closed the business and when attending the liquidation sale I witnessed the auction of Pallets of parts that were simply tossed into the huge container. Many of those parts were purchased by other supply houses and likely took until now to be inventoried to be sold to watchmakers. The parts houses are dwindling and the parts are harder and harder to not only find,. but to ship in a timely manner. After all,. how long would you really look for a $12 part?

The net effect is watchmakers are at the mercy of not only parts houses but what I refer to as Nazi-Brand-Manufacturers. You see, watch manufacturers are controlling distribution of their product and holding hostage those distributors to service customers at the Manufacturer (Mfr) level. Our watch maker told me recently that a Mfr now demands a $2,000 “deposit to do an “estimate of repair” that applies to the total repair charge once the customer “agrees” to the repair. If the customer chooses not to repair the watch,.. guess what? The charge for the “estimate” is ,… you guessed it: $2,000 ! (but that includes return shipping-how magnanimous an effort :-p

At Diadem Jewelers we’ve been forced to do something that I thought we would never have to do: Tell the customer we give (what we consider) horrible service on outside vendor watch repairs: (the following text is given to every watch repair customer that hopefully helps understand the problems we experience: )

What to expect and when DIADEM JEWELERS serves you:

Even the most basic watch is an incredibly intricate machine with dozens of tiny moving parts and prone to develop problems. It is our pleasure to help with your watch repair!
When you trust your watch to us, we endeavor to maintain the same level of professional expertise and excellent service in watch repair, as we do in every other area of our business. Therefore, a good watch maker, like ours, must possess years of experience and knowledge, a highly technical skill set and many specialized tools in order to perform even the most routine cleaning and maintenance tasks.
In Store Repairs:
Almost all watch battery replacements, and most hand, numeral, or dial re-attachments are handled in store and can typically be completed either
while you wait or on the same day. If parts must be ordered, even battery changes,can take 7-14 business days to complete. [ ]
Off-site Services
Repairs that cannot be done in store, like battery replacements on some higher end Swiss watches stem, crown, or crystal replacements, and any
service on mechanical or automatic watches, are accomplished off-site by our watchmaker. [ ]
Since these repairs are not handled in our store or by our staff:
Delivery times are not within our control. [ ]
Most jobs require a no cost estimate by our watchmaker before any work is performed. Estimates often take 14 – 21 business days. [ ]
Almost all watches are made overseas, which makes parts supply erratic and unreliable. [ ]
After approval, please prepare for a minimum of 6 weeks, possibly up to 6 months for repairs to be completed. Unfortunately, some may take up to a year or longer. [ ]
Stem, crown and crystal replacements are often finished in 14 – 21 business days but can take up to 6 – 8 weeks, if parts must be ordered. [ ]
After parts are installed, repairs often require much testing and adjustment. During this phase of service, several weeks can be necessary. [ ]
Despite these unreasonably long repair times, we will inform you of the status of your repair every two weeks, regardless of any change or no change in the status of your repair.
Diadem Jewelers • 2130-P New Garden Road, Greensboro, NC 27410 • www.royaldiadem.com • 336-288-7211

It not only seems ridiculous,… it IS RIDICULOUS! We find ourselves in an embarrassing position that there is no resolution for. So,. we choose to clearly inform our dear customers on the front end.

Today we deal with POWER!

Power: Three ways watches use power: Mechanical

Hand winding: Baby Boomers know full well what winding a watch accomplishes. The subsequent generations don’t have a clue. So, to be just a little cheeky: That little bump on the side of a watch is called a Crown. It pulls out, or unscrews and pulls out so that the watch may be wound up to provide the power to the watch movement to measure the passing of time.

The tiny bump at the very top of the watch below is the “crown”, The two little triangles beside the crown protect the watch from damage to the stem and in some cases the tube that the crown screws down into. To power a hand winding movement simply rotate the crown in place. Generally turning it to and fro about 20 rotations will provide a full day’s power and keep accuracy consistent. If you choose to wear the watch occasionally,.. simply store it in a cool dry place. Its best if the watch is not wound when not worn (causes wear on the interior parts).

Kinetic: Movement from the wearer powers the watch.

Inside the back of the watch of a “self-winding” watch, spins a “rotor”,.. simply a weight that generally is 1/2 the diameter of the watch (or less) that pivots around as gravity pulls on the weight. Once the watch is set,.. it needs only two or three winding rotations of the crown to get it moving and keeping time. Each time you move your hand/wrist the weight rotates and does the work for you. If you are active,.. the watch will have plenty of power to be stored in a cool dry place overnight and be ready to go in the morning.

Service for both of these technologies is generally every three to five years, a watchmaker cleans and lubricates the moving part and the owner enjoys consistent service. Today, these talented, patient, smart watchmakers are in high demant. Patience and perseverance are the assets needed for a true watchmaker. There are world class schools in america which will provide training and certification for the young person who would like to care for these heirlooms or fine, world class timepieces available today.

Our watchmaker is as busy as any,… and one of our last posts will be a bio on him and our history with him,…. yes, a long history: 1983 we worked together for the first time.

So,.. Go get grandpa’s watch and wind it up… enjoy world class mechanical technology. If it runs a little slow,… be patient, we can fix that problem! The picture below is my Grandfather’s treasured timepiece,.. made in america!

Next: The improvement of technology… electric watches.

Hello to all past Fink’s Jewelry Customers!  Let me introduce myself; I am Kathy from Diadem Jewelers.  I do not want you to be sad and think that you are now without a local jeweler who can take good care of you and your jewelry!

As you are wondering just where you can go for great service, come see me at Diadem Jewelers.  When you are looking for a locally owned and operated jewelry store that does in house repairs and custom design work, think; Diadem Jewelers.  We are just beginning our 21 ^st year of service to all our friends, known and unknown here in Greensboro and you can find us just down the road from where Fink’s was at the corner of Battleground and New Garden Rd. 

When you need a watch battery, I can replace them. Even better: on Mondays our watchmaker is here to quickly replace those batteries for high end Swiss watches that need that extra special care, and if you need a timepiece repaired, I can provide you with a free estimate. So don’t lose track of time just because your favorite timepiece has broken.. 😉

If you are a jewelry designer fan.. we focus on our design capabilities and I can show you some of our Estate pieces from famous designers like David Yurman and John Hardy, Tiffany & Co and more. So if you are looking for a great deal, those items are definitely a great value for you to enjoy!

When you are thinking about updating a specially cherished piece of jewelry from a loved one to make it more your own, or just keep it like you remember, but it needs repair to be safe to wear and enjoy, I can help you and fix that for you as well. 

Do come see me and the rest of us here at Diadem Jewelers, and know you are not forgotten just because a jewelry store has now closed.  Just come make some new friends at Diadem Jewelers! Learn more about us online at:www.royaldiadem.com See daily  designs and special deals on our Facebook page!

We love to care for customer’s jewelry and watch needs. In the marketplace today the focus is on sales of timepieces. Service to those who purchase or inherit a timepiece is progressively deteriorating. The disposable technology and the use of PDA electronic devices are reducing the demand for traditional timepieces. There still exists strong demand for sentimental timepieces like; Dad’s watch. Grandpa’s pocket watch and Grandmother’s diamond watch. So… we as a society still keep time, make time and measure time and demand services when the measurement devices age.

Historically retail jewelers serviced customers time needs in sales and service. The challenges of the service business have changed. No longer do many retail jewelers employ a watchmaker, clock repair person or even service fine watches and take the trouble to simply install batteries or accept timepieces for outside-the-store service by others.  At Diadem Jewelers we continue to care for the needs of our customers for service. The posts that follow will focus on several areas of service for timepieces, the problems, challenges and the solutions we offer. This series of Blog posts on Service of Timepieces will take four posts (maybe more,..:-)

1. Power: Three ways watches use power
   1. Mechanical: 
      1. Hand winding
      2. Kinetic: Movement
   2. Electronic
      1. Kinetic: Movement
      2. Batteries
      3. Solar
      4. Atomic 😉
2. Maintenance
   1. Battery change
   2. Mechanical
   3. Technical (solar/atomic)
3. Service Opportunities
   1. Retailer
   2. Manufacturer

As a result of posting we hope to provide service to our customers and add value with opportunities to get information and improve the value proposition we offer customers with answers and information that provides confidence in the ability to serve our customer’s needs.

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So… send in suggestions, comments and questions as you have them and i will answer, or get the answers for you!

Sterling VanDerwerker CGA (AGS) GG (GIA)