u/Evening-Confidence85

Hi guys, I’m an IT consultant going through a midlife crisis.

I’m looking at some “goldsmithing” or rather “jewellery repair” evening classes.

Would love to take any, but cannot afford to go through an “apprenticeship”. Need to keep my day job. I don’t come from a family of jewellers.

My question is.

Can you actually learn how to do small repairs - polishing, resizing, putting and changing clasps - and make an acceptable job …on your own? Just after a few weeks of classes?

Thank you if you may.

I’ve been fancying becoming a gemologist, but I can’t leave my day job, and finding the time to take the classes in my country would be VERY difficult if not impossible.

(6 courses of 2 working weeks each; would have to book 6 months in advance)

What are your experiences?
How/why did you become a gemologist?
Did the certification actually give you more business opportunities?

Ferragamo seems to be suffering a decline in popularity …and I hear over and over on youtube that Ferragamo has been declining in popularity because of an alleged lack of quality and whatnot.

I can’t find this lack of quality. I have bought 3 pairs of Ferragamo in the last 5 years or so. A pair oxfords, a pair of chelsea boots and a pair of loafers.

Find me a better made and more comfortable pair of classic men’s shoes for under 500 euros.

Everytime i buy a pair of english or mallorca shoes it’s always the same story “oh, first pair? They will get more comfortable over time!” NO it’s NOT MY FIRST pair, and, NO THEY WILL NOT.

Meanwhile I can buy a pair of Ferragamo and they are the most comfortable shoe from day one?

I just *know* I could commission a few “grail” lab-grown stones, have them set, and scratch a few itches for a 10th of what the mined stones - that i don’t buy anyway - would cost me.

I just can’t get myself to do it. It would leave a bitter taste in my mouth. It’s so irrational. The lab grown stones would just look&feel too good to be true… and yet everyone on reddit just raves about them.

Change my mind (?)