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Platinum: Queen of Metals
A passion for platinum is a hallmark of Kevin Main Jewelry Design & Studio in San Luis Obispo, California.
By Joyce Kauf
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| Steven Kretchmer |
“It is really very simple. If I entertain and educate the customer, then the by-product of that is the sale,” says Kevin Main, explaining the retail philosophy that has guided him for more than 40 years. For most of that time, this self-taught craftsman has been enamored of platinum, which is reflected in the custom and designer pieces featured at his store, Kevin Main Jewelry Design & Studio in San Luis Obispo, California.
It was a part-time job in college that led to Main’s full-time career as a jeweler. He originally studied floral design and got a job cutting turquoise stones, no experience required. “I thought this doesn’t seem too hard,” he recalls. He saved up $200 and started selling silver rings at 7-Eleven, another part-time job. “People would come in for their afternoon Slurpee and I would show them a ring. All they asked was, ‘Did you make it?’ and I made a sale.”
Eventually Main decided to take selling to the next level. He apprenticed with a jeweler in the seaside community of Morro Bay before opening a small store there in 1973. “I grew out of silver rather rapidly and within two years started selling gold.” Approximately four years after that, he began designing in platinum, which marked the beginning of his lifelong passion for the metal.
In 1998, Main relocated to the center of San Luis Obispo, which is situated halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. In close proximity to California Polytechnic State University, the town also attracts a lot of tourists. But more importantly, the area offered an opportunity that fed into Main’s ambition. “The jewelers here were complacent. But I was hungry and wanted to make a difference,” he notes.
Bridal dominates Main’s business, with rings his top category. Given this is a college town, Main describes many of the engagement rings as “entry level,” with an average center diamond of .5 carats to .75 carats. In all, diamonds account for 59 percent of his sales. Colored gemstones are “coming on a lot stronger,” especially sapphire, tanzanite and tsavorite.
“Platinum is the queen of metals,” says Main. “It offers the best value and lasts so much longer. Look at a vintage ring from pre-World War II and see how beautiful it still is. White gold is just a ‘wannabe’ platinum. I always advise my customers to go for the real thing.” Main acknowledges the “money issue,” but is so insistent on the value of platinum that he has on occasion even offered to split the difference with the customer. In acknowledgement of Main’s dedication to using platinum, in 2014, he was one of the first nine honorees inducted into the Platinum Guild International (PGI USA) Platinum Hall of Fame.
While custom was the bedrock of Main’s business when he started, he takes a more circumspect view of it now. “I don’t want it to dominate my business. I’m not going to reinvent another designer who is already known in the market for a distinctive style. And Millennials want instant gratification.”
Alishan, Alex Šepkus, Precision Set, Steven Kretchmer, Forevermark and Hearts On Fire are his top designers. Among Main’s primary criteria for selecting a designer is that the jewelry has to be well made. Secondly, he judges designers on how they treat their representatives, pointing out there is a problem “if every three months, a new rep comes to see me.” Main also considers where the product is created, favoring American-made designs. “There is a romance to having them made in the U.S.,” he says.
Built in 1894, the store was originally a bar, shower and card room for employees of the railroads. Main initially only had half the store, but in 2004, he purchased the entire 2,500-square-foot building, of which 1,500 is showroom space. In 2008, he undertook a $1 million remodeling project, including restoring the original floors with reclaimed Douglas fir and keeping the rustic brick walls. The solid walnut with maple inlay cabinets were designed by Main and produced locally. “The tops come off for easy access,” he points out. Bridal has its own area, while the other jewelry is merchandised by designer. The store also boasts a unique design feature: a Shinola bike. Main carries the brand’s watches — but he is also an ultra-distance cyclist.
Main has embraced out-of-the-box thinking to build customer rapport with events that did not include selling jewelry. For several years, he hosted a Cinco de Mayo party, complete with mariachi band. The tattoo show that he held for three years in a row “really set us apart,” he points out. A video of the popular event is available on YouTube.
Throughout his career, Main has maintained the attitude that he “could always do better” to which he credits his success and suggests others should emulate. “The industry needs to be dynamic. You have to keep learning. Look at the challenges today, especially with the internet, selling to Millennials and geotargeting — online marketing based on the user’s location. It’s scary but cool.”Article from the Rapaport Magazine - March 2017. To subscribe click here.
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