Today we’d like to introduce you to Joel McFadden.
Joel, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
When I was young, I would often be sitting at my grandfather’s workbench making toy models. Grandpa decided if I was going to sit there and use his tools, I was going to learn how to use them correctly. So he taught me to set diamonds at the age of twelve. It’s not surprising that I got such an early start in the jewelry business. Researching my family history, I discovered the McFadden family has been Master Goldsmith Jewelers since the 1500’s. It’s so deeply ingrained into my genetics I couldn’t have done anything else. I tried for a while to find other avenues for a career path. The military helped me focus on details better. My engineering degree helped me with creating structural designs that were built to last. Being a professional paintball player, professional video gamer and musician all added aspects of creativity, and important business lessons. Regardless of what other avenues I ventured into, I always came back to the true passion of my heart, making beautiful jewelry.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When you put your heart and soul into something you cherish so much, it becomes a big part of your life. Sometimes life throws a curve ball that you didn’t see coming. We had a very successful 1.25 million dollar store in Greenfield Massachusetts with 13 employees and plans for further expansion into building our own free standing 5,000 sq foot Jewelry Store at a prime location. When my wife and business partner of nearly 35 years destroyed our marriage, it destroyed our business too. We wound up in Redbank NJ with a business barely able to stay afloat, that she and her new boyfriend kept in the divorce and still struggle to keep open.
I drifted for a couple of years, exploring other aspects of the jewelry business and experiencing working with different business models. When I came back to old friends and settled in this area is when I met Bonnie. Running a successful business is a team effort. As one person, you can only do so much in a day. Having the right person there to help you makes all the difference. It’s not been an easy road that led me to this point of opening a new store in this local area, but I believe it is a very bright future that will be very successful and deeply personally rewarding.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The passion and drive to achieve excellence in my craftsmanship gave me the distinct honor of being elevated by my peers and accreditation organizations to be raised above Master Goldsmith to be named the first Mentor Class Master Goldsmith in the United States. Currently there are only 3 individuals who hold this honor in the US and only a handful world wide. I was the first Director of the Council of Custom Jewelers. I created the Bench Jewelers Challenge, that is a high end craftsmanship competition held at industry tradeshows. I developed the original pricing models for custom jewelry and repair work for the Independent Jewelers Organization (IJO) Prototype Store in Greenfield, MA. I still write for industry publications, speak at industry events, as well as consult with other Jewelry stores to assist them with improving their business. My passion in the jewelry industry is always first to my own customers who want that special unique piece, but it goes further than just that. I want the true craftsmen across the industry to elevate their work to the same level of excellence. Generations of people have passed down the details of excellence for whatever craft they have made with their own hands. It’s almost become a lost skill in our modern world, but I believe deeply that those of us who have reached a level of excellence must pass on the knowledge to the next generation. That is why we not only craft custom pieces for our customers, but we are also starting an educational program to teach other jewelers.
What makes you happy?
Creating beautiful jewelry is the passion of my heart. To put the detail into a piece that makes it exceptional and exquisite beyond what the average person will ever see or know is there brings me great personal satisfaction. When I create something that makes other jewelers impressed, amazed and wondering how I did it, that’s the satisfaction that lets me know I’ve surpassed well beyond average work.
Creating the engagement ring she’ll wear forever, or the heirloom piece passed down for generations brings me a great humbled sense of joy that I am so honored to be allowed to have given my craftsmanship to something so incredibly special to others.
It is a very rare opportunity for me to bear witness to the recipient receiving their surprise gift. However, when I made the HBO Boxing Championship ring for Sergey Kovalev, I was in the audience when it was presented to him. Watching him closely examining every little detail and expressing his deep appreciation of it brought me great joy and pride in my work.
There are no words that can express the joy of those moments when I get that excited text message with the picture of the ring on her finger and the exclamation “SHE SAID YES!!!”.
The customer that calls me to take a look at their ring because I made it for them 35 years ago and they don’t want anyone else to touch it. That level of appreciation for the craftsmanship I pour into my work is deeply touching. The fact that after all these years it only needed a good cleaning and polish to return it to its original beauty made me very happy.
Pricing:
- Using your own gold is not going to save you as much money as you think, if at all.
- Buying your own parts and pieces for us to put together for you is not something we recommend or do.
- A design deposit is required to begin a new project. It covers all the time and work to get from the “I would like” to “That’s it! Let’s make that!”
- Have an idea of what your budget is and we will do everything we can to make your design within your budget.
- The price for a custom design varies depending on complexity and materials. A typical price range we frequently see is $2,500 – $5,000 plus gemstones.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jmdjewelry.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JMDjewelry/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnfsG2lemuvX3iMWmv60_Tw
