September 2010

Richard Krauss of Ridgewood Jewelers was featured in
Instore Magazine, a national jewelry magazine.

A diamantaire said to his son, If you are serious about becoming a diamantaire You must not ask questions, just do as asked.

The son assured his father that he would. When they got to the office, the father poured diamonds out on a desk, and told the son to sort them by color. After about an hour, he called in his dad to inspect his work. The father took a quick look and said, Good.

He then instructed his son to sort by size. This task was quickly done, and the son had his dad come in to inspect. His father looked over the work, and instructed his son to make a circle of the diamonds at the edge of the table, with the all the culets up.

He called his father in again to inspect his work. The father directed his son to stand next to the desk. He then told his son to face him, pull down his pants, and sit on the diamonds.

The son hesitated, and the father reminded him, that if he wanted to be a successful diamantaire, he must do as told. The son reluctantly pulled down his pants and sat on the diamonds. Like a rocket he jumped up off the sharp stones.

His father looked at him and said, Always remember, if you want to be a successful diamantaire, you cannot sit on your goods!

Richard Krauss, owner of Ridgewood Jewelers in Springfield, OH, and past president of the Ohio Jewelers Association, is clearly dedicated to the trade, having worked every Christmas since he was 7. Four generations of the family have been in the jewelry business in Springfield for 125 years. I like seeing the happiness of the people. They can look at a ring for years, and see a reminder of joy and pleasure. We do not just make jewelry, we make memories. I hope I have as good a sense of humor as my grandfather, David Krauss. At age 93 he told me that he did not have an enemy in the world. I outlived all the SOBs, he joked. I think a sense of humor helps, particularly these days.

This story is from the September 2010 edition of INSTORE

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December 5, 2008

Jeweler donates blood and 'hearts'

BYLINE:    Kelly Mori,   Staff Writer
PUBLICATION:  Springfield News-Sun (OH)

Blood donor Rick Krauss has become a heart donor.

This month, the president of Ridgewood Jeweler donated 1,000 specially designed heart necklaces to the Community Blood Center to be distributed to blood donors in the center's service areas - Springfield, West Chester, Middletown and Richmond, Ind.

"I've been donating blood since the 70s and it's just something that I think is important for other people to do," Krauss said. "That's why I thought the hearts would be a good idea...there's always a need for blood and I don't know that they always have enough of it on hand."

The necklaces bear Krauss' exclusive "Window To My Heart" design, which he created shortly after the events of 9/11. The donated necklaces are a porcelain-and-gold version of the $1,600, diamond-and-gold necklace he offers at his store.

A copy of Krauss' poem "Window to My Heart," is enclosed with each necklace.

"This is great. It's wonderful," said Judy Blankenship, account representative for the Community Blood Center, "very generous."

She expects Krauss' generosity to spread even farther as many donors likely will present the necklaces as a gift to a loved one or friend.

"It's a gift from the heart," Blankenship said.

To donate blood visit donortime.com.

You can view the window on the heart design at

ridgewoodjeweler.com/windowtomyheart.php

For more information on becoming a blood donor,

visit donortime.com or call 937-399-2611.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0347 or kmori@coxohio.com.

(c) 2008 Cox Newspapers, Inc. - Springfield News-Sun

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July 21, 2008

Clark County Fair - Fair Queen Contest

One of the highlights of the Clark County Fair is the Queen contest. Contestants are judged on several different categories. The judging was held Sunday, July 20, 2008 in the Champion Center.

The donors for the Fair Queen Contest were Goodfellow Homestead Farms, Tackett for Senate Campaign, Ridgewood Jewelers, (the Queen's Tiara), Flower Craft Florist, Berner's Screen Print, Leithauser Photography and Country Customs.

The judges were Ken Ford (Triad FFA Advisor), Julie Goodfellow-Speakman (Former Clark County Fair Board Member Jeff King (Director, OSU Leadership Center & Associate Professor Ohio State University extension), Heidi Steinbrink (1995 Clark County Fair Queen & Ohio County & Independent Fair Queen; Oakwood High School Teacher) and Debbie Woods (Pageant Judge/Fashion Coordinator).

Photo by Dale Grimm

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Springfield News Sun

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The price of gold hit a record high of $1,000 per ounce this week, which might be good news for people looking to sell old jewelry, but not as great for jewelry businesses, industry employees said Friday, March 14.

Richard Krauss, president of Ridgewood Jewelers, said the high price of gold means that lighter-weight jewelry may be the same price people were accustomed to paying for solid gold.

"We've had to adjust a few items that we have had a while," Krauss said. "It had to be done because the replacement is going to be higher."

• Figure out what you are willing to part with, what it is and where you might be able to sell it.

• Look up current prices on the Internet. A good site is www.kitco.com.

• Keep in mind that prices quoted are for pure gold, while most consumer items are not, so you won't get the full per ounce price.

• Shop around and compare prices.

• Deal with someone reputable.

• Be leery of using the Internet to sell coins and jewelry, though sales and traveling dealers who set up shop for a few days in a hotel are options to consider and may give you a better price. But seller beware.

— Staff writer Lynn Hulsey contributed to this report.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0374 or boutten@coxohio.com.

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In print as well as on the internet: KYPost.com & WCPO.com
and on public radio from Cleveland to northern Kentucky and all over Ohio
as picked up by Associated Press (AP) members

Gold Rush In Ohio As Consumers Cash In On Record Price

Last Update: 3/17/2008 1:16 pm

(AP) - There's gold in those jewelry boxes, and Ohioans are rushing to sell it to take advantage of record-high gold prices above $1,000 an ounce.

Franz Fulkerson of Fulkerson Jewelers in Toledo says he's seen customers wanting to sell everything from scrap gold chains to full wedding ring sets.

In the Cleveland suburb of Eastlake, manager Marc Berman at busy Gold Star Pawn Shop thinks high gasoline prices have driven people to prospect for gold in their closets and drawers.

At Ridgewood Jewelers in Springfield, president Richard Krauss says the downside of high gold prices is that gold jewelry is now much more expensive for people looking to buy. He says lighter-weight jewelry now costs what people were used to paying for solid gold.

 

�2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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