This Week in Bermuda

shopping

Debbie Jordan from Swiss Timing

Interview with Scott Hill

You and Master Watchmaker Leopold Jordan founded Swiss Timing in 1988. Please tell our readers how Swiss Timing has led the way in jewelry & watch making in 22 years of business in Bermuda?

Service, service, service. When we started Swiss Timing it was never intended to be a retail jewelry store – we were really only going to sell a couple of brands of watches and clocks and, being that Leo is a Master Watchmaker, just service watches and clocks. In fact, I wasn’t really going to be involved in the business. But customers liked our service and kept asking us to get jewelry items for them and so the jewelry side of the business was born. So when we shop for jewelry we try to find the very best products for the money, so I guess customers feel that they are getting that.

Swiss Timing has recently moved locations. What can our readers experience at your new store on Front Street?

We tried to make our shop look completely different than the other stores: elegant, with more of a boutique feel. It is very light inside, but still with a very comfortable un-intimidating atmosphere.

One of a kind, personalized hand crafted jewelry means so much more when it comes to love. Please take our readers on the journey of creating the perfect jewelry for that special occasion when it comes to Swiss Timing.

First of all it helps if the customer has some sort of idea of what they want. The only limitation in our workshop is their imagination. So bringing in pictures is always helpful. But our jeweler John is very skilled and has a knack for feeling what the customer wants. He is very happy to meet with the customer and sketch designs for them. Sometimes customers have ideas but in reality don’t work very well and he is great on advising them about that so that they will not be disappointed in the end.

Diamonds, they say, are a woman’s best friend. With such an important investment, what do our readers need to know about choosing the perfect stone?

First of all the four C’s – colour, cut, clarity, and carat weight. If they don’t understand the four C’s then it is very difficult to comparison shop because not all one-carat stones are the same. The perfect diamond will look different in everybody’s eye. Some people will lean towards the biggest possible stone that their budge allows – others want the highest possible quality. There is no right or wrong to either group. In general we find that the happy medium usually works the best, but everybody needs to please their own eye. Definitely it is important to buy the diamond from a reliable source and from someone who knows what they are talking about. Also important, that there is a recourse if problems arise. Customers can be sure that Swiss Timing is competent and reputable for all jewelry purchases.