The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-07-27
JEWELLERS TO QUIT
L0Ah|AG WATCHES
Will Also Eliminate oO-Year Guar
antse of Gold Cases, Certifying Only
To Thickness Of Plating.

With delegates present from every
state In the union. the nth annual
convention OF the American Retail
jewelers. association WAS opened In
the convention hall OF the Hotel
Cadillac, Tuesday morning. There arc
about 200 delegates in attendance,
Most of these have brought their
wives and families, and over 500 visl.
TORS VIII be guests of the city for the
balance OF the week.
Inc association has for its object
the Improvement of conditions in the
retail 1ewelry business, and two I'm.
portant changes in practice will be
advocated in this meeting. II is pro.
posed. hrst, TO do away with the 20
year-guarantee on gold watch cases
ana also to discontinue the custom OF
Ioaning watch to customer who
mas brought his own in to be repaired
Both these points were touched
upon by Vice-President Joseph Mazer
OF Oklahoma. in his address, and he
was cheered to the echo.
This custom oil ioanlng watches, ls
one OF the curses of the business,
Mr.. Mazer said. 1T costs a jeweler
more than half he gets for the repair
job. A great many customers Will
carry jewelers. watches for year;
then when they call for their own
they need cleaning again, and the
watches they have been carrying are
generally In need of attention, so VIC
= set paid for one job and do three.
Il would like to know why jeweler
should guarantee q watch case for 20
years, only to have some man give II
the worst possible treatment, then
bring IL to be replated at our expense
Guarantee the thickness of the gold
plating, but not the length Of ser
vice."
The convention opened with the
singing OF America" and prayer by
the Rev. George Elliott, OF the North
Woodward Methodist church. Mayor
Breitmeyer followed with an address
of welcome, in which he outlined to
the visitors the things that make for
Detroits greatness.
Charles w. Warren, president OF
the Detroit Retail jewelers. club, also
WELCOMED the convention TO the city
Then followed the address OF Vice.
president Mazer, In which he outlined
~
ing from the applause he has the
delegates are with him.
The chief feature of interest to the
public In connection with the conven.
ton Is the exhibit of the manufactur.
ers and wholesalers. Pretty booths
have been erected on the lower floor
of the Cadillac, and here Is being
shown the very latest ideas in jewel.
ery, silverware. cut glass, novelties
and diamonds. This exhibit, which il
Is said, surpasses that OF any previous
convention, was thrown open TO the
bubble Tuesday evening. Among the
Exhibitors are the leading watch max.
ers Of the country. the Waltham
Dueber-Hampton, Ingelsoll, Elgln
South Bend and Howard. The wal
kham people are showing an exact re-
production of their best 16-size. "a
eweled movement, enlarged TO aboai,
Two feet in diameter. 1t Is a peffec,
watch In every respect, even 10 the
costly ruby and sapphire jewels. The
works are not enclosed in case. the
bntire mechanism being plainly visl
BILE, even to the winding and settins
arrangement.
The most costly exhibit is that sl
Powers & Mayer, diamond merchants
bf New York Their exhibit is said
TO be worth s1,0O0,000. Part of their
hoods are kept in a private room
Which is carefully guarded by detec
lives, and entrance is gained only by
appointment.
Tuesday mornings business conclud
ed with the reading of the secretary's
report. This shows the organization
lin a fiourishing condition, with nearly
every state showing an increase III
membership.