JOSEPH JAMES JEWELERS

unknown

Very good - fair prices

Based on two favorable Angie's list reviews I called and then visited the store on E. Main St. this afternoon. I was hoping to have our two son's birthstones (already purchased and in my possession) mounted into a suitable Christmas gift for my wife. I was happy to see a large banner on the window advertising that this store was also a and quot;Best of Harrisburgand quot; award recipient. I had no idea what could be done with these stone, what form other than a ring might work and if it could be done before the holiday. When I called to inquire, they suggested I stop by the store. I only had a few hours to work on this project before I had to return home to help with my children. I drove directly to the store and met first with a young woman who tried to help me with my question. After leafing through a few catalogues looking for a ring setting that might tastefully and simply display the two stones, she said that the decision ultimately rested with the designer, and quot;himand quot; and pointed to another middle-aged gentleman at the far end of the counter. She offered to give me a call back after speaking with him. She said he had a meeting with another man (who had been waiting patiently at the other side of the store with several cases)- another jewelry vendor. Because of the limited time before Christmas I told her I preferred waiting to find out if they could help me or if I needed to go elsewhere. I waited patiently at the counter, looking carefully through the two catalogues for a suitable setting and then did the same on my iPhone, to find rings that might work. I never got the name of the gentleman I was waiting for but assumed it was Mr. James since everyone seemed to defer to him. He spoke at length with another woman he apparently knew well and then disappeared into the office. After about 45 minutes I wasn't even sure if he was aware I was waiting for him. I asked the vendor, also waiting, if he had any idea how long his meeting might be. He said and quot;awhile, but he (Mr. James?) could certainly help meand quot; and that waiting (for shop owners to deal with their customers) was part of his job. I was not impatient, but just wanted some idea if and when Mr. James (?) might be available. Mr. James then came out of the office, looking rushed and impatient. He finally acknowledged that I was there and walked back to the portion of the counter where I had laid my things including the stones I wanted to work with. He seemed disturbed. He started to say to me: and quot;Here's the problem with two stones...and quot; just as my cell phone rang. It was my wife presumably updating me about our children. I declined her call not wishing to give away the surprise of where I was or interrupt my meeting. Simultaneously I went to retrieve the images I'd found on my phone to help with our discussion. This was in the span of two seconds. Mr. James sarcastically asked, and with great offense: and quot;would you like me to wait for you? Do you want to talk on the phone?and quot; I explained that I was just declining my wife's call and looking for some images to share with him and then stopped talking so he could continue. He glared at me and said and quot;Do you want to have a staring contest?and quot; and quot;Are you ready, nowand quot;. I said and quot;no, I was waiting for you to finish what you were going to sayand quot;. I said nothing to provoke him. I hadn't even had the chance to tell him what I was looking to have done. When he repeated it again, looking like he was trying to provoke a fight with me, I gathered up my possessions and left the store. Mr. James, if that was who I was working with, was rude, arrogant and flatly hostile without any provocation. I have no idea what triggered his behavior. I had never met him before and had said barely three sentences to him. Worse than the frustration of wasting an hour trying to plan a special Christmas present, I left the store completely upset and confused by the strange encounter.

Joseph James has done some custom jewelry for me in the past and did very well and much less than some other well-known jewelers in the area.