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LOCAL LIFESTYLE PUBLICATIONVOLUME 5 | ISSUE 12
Tis The Season To Shop Local! Stephanie Langlois of Time Wise Jewelers in Clairemont
Happy Holidays from all of us at
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16 VOL. 5 ISSUE 12
Happy Holidays, San Diego
Tis The Season to Shop Local!
Stephanie Langlois of Time Wise Jewelers in Clairemont Classic gift-giving remains a time-honored holiday tradition – even in the midst of these unprecedented pandemic times. Time Wise Jewelers honors that classic gift-giving tradition with great opportunities to buy jewelry at some of the most competitive prices anywhere. Time Wise Jewelers is offering 25 to 50% off any item in the entire store for this holiday season (excluding watch bands, chains, repairs and findings). It’s the perfect time to buy a gift for a loved one or even to splurge on a special piece for yourself. Owner Stephanie Langlois is offering excellent holiday deals because she understands what her customers are going through. “I have completely changed the way I do business during this pandemic. I’ve made many cuts and sacrifices in order to keep my doors open. I’ve had to lay off staff members and increase my own hours. I’ve sought out more reasonably priced vendors and suppliers. I’m facing challenges during this pandemic just as my customers are, and we’re in this together.” Stephanie has also invested in many COVID safety measures, like installing plexiglass around the high-traffic cases in the store, supplying hand sanitizer and masks for customers who walk in, and constantly disinfecting areas throughout the day. Since the start of COVID, her business cycle has been a bit of a ride. “At the beginning of the pandemic, we had a high influx of repair jobs. Then after a month or so after being able to reopen, all sales pretty much halted. No one was really buying merchandise and most of our customers had already been in to have their items repaired. A few months after that, business started to pick back up slightly -- some anniversary gifts, missed birthday presents, graduations that still needed to be celebrated. People were slowly coming back to buying.” Stephanie fosters a sense of community with her customers, and that didn’t stop once the pandemic hit. “Many customers just came in to see how we were faring. They didn’t need much done, maybe a battery or what not. They were just concerned about how we were doing, and wanted to make sure we would still be around in the months to come,” she explains. Like many other shop owners, Stephanie has had to face the challenges of doing business during a pandemic. During the leanest months, she worked solo with her husband to keep the operation afloat. She had to lay off five employees. But she maintains a great attitude and takes things “one day at a time.” Despite the hurdles, something surprised her in a positive way during this time. “The support and love from the community,” she says. “Loyal customers just wanting to stop by to make sure we’re still open and find out how we are doing, trying to give us any business they can. I even got a few emails letting me know a certain customer would be in to make a purchase because this is where they want to spend their money.” Time Wise Jewelers has been operating for almost forty years (since 1981) in Clairemont in the Balboa Mesa Shopping Center. The previous owners, Glen and Linda Blumenthal, retired a couple of years ago after operating the story for 38 years. That’s when Langlois decided to buy the store and become its owner. “I worked for Glen and Linda for eight and a half years,” Stephanie explains. “I bought it from them when they decided to re-
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tire. I am not related to them but consider them family -- a second set of parents, if you will. I love them like they are family. They taught me everything I know and showed me how to run an honest business.” Time Wise Jewelers carries an impressive array of different jewelry and stones – some that you can’t commonly find in other jewelry stores. For example, the store has an extensive selection of Iolite, Lapis, Spinel, Turquoise, Moissanite, Appatite and other favorite stones which are unique. The store also has a wonderful array of estate jewelry and one-of-a-kind pieces. They also specialize in engagement rings and custom-designed jewelry. The store offers free jewelry cleaning and inspection while you shop. And Time Wise’s experienced appraiser can provide you with all the paperwork you need to insure your treasured pieces. They’ll even replace your watch battery while you wait, or while you get your shopping done at Vons. Stephanie strives to deliver the best customer service around because, as she puts it, “We want to be your personal jeweler for life!” Time Wise Jewelers prides itself on having the lowest prices with the best service and the most knowledgeable staff around. When COVID hit, Stephanie realized she had to take a hard look at what was important to her and make changes accordingly, just like all small business owners. She realized that her family and her business were her top priorities and worked to keep both of them safe and healthy. When asked what’s the most important thing she’s learned since taking over the business, she replied, “Take it one day at a time and believe in yourself.” Time Wise Jewelers is located in the Balboa Mesa Shopping Center at 5643 Balboa Avenue in Clairemont, right next to Mr. Fish & Chips and to the left of Vons. You can call them at 858560-5503 or go to timewisejewelers.com for more information. Store hours are 10 am to 6 pm Tuesday through Friday, 10 am to 5 pm Saturday, and 12 noon to 5 pm on Sundays.
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Happy Holidays, San Diego
Leah Christensen
VOL. 5 ISSUE 12
What People Are Saying About Their Shopping Experiences at Time Wise Jewelers: Time Wise Jewelers is a local gem in Clairemont. From their quality jewelry to their supportive customer service, I love stopping in and finding something old or new. I don’t know that I’ve ever left the store without having purchased something or putting it on layaway. You have to act quickly sometimes because her pieces and prices are hard to pass up! I choose purchasing jewelry from Time Wise because my personal jeweler, Stephanie is relatable, creative and understands the value of helping young women like myself find new ‘forever’ heirlooms. She cares about sourcing ethical pieces that make us feel empowered and beautiful. She listens to her customers and works to find jewelry that will make a positive impact in a person’s life. Growing up, I loved my mother’s fine jewelry but never felt that it was my style. Stephanie has done a beautiful job at deconstructing outdated pieces and repurposing them to be more my style. She has such a tasteful, creative eye and I trust her implicitly. Her prices are always fair and I can’t get enough of the unique and beautiful estate gems she show cases. It is so rare to find a humble and patient jeweler – specifically those who let young professionals like myself play ‘dress up’ with the more expensive earrings and necklaces I could only ever dream of. Stephanie is the most reputable, fair and honest jeweler in all of Clairemont. She always tries to support her local clients by offering discounts and holiday specials. Not only does she care about the jewelry’s legacy and it’s story, but also the impact it has on a new owner. She quickly learns people’s taste and is keen to go the extra mile to source difficult to find gems. I’d love to see the community support Time Wise as a business during the pandemic because it’s a local, family run shop that continues to keep their prices affordable for those of us who have a passion for fine jewelry. She is very sacrificial, often not paying herself in order to continue supporting her staff and store. She puts love into everything she does and into every conversations she has. She truly bonds and connects with everyone. I have purchased a white solitaire diamond necklace, a roman coin in 24K sold gold setting, sapphire and diamond earrings, gold ring with three diamonds, 2 sets of pearl earrings, a yellow gold solitaire diamond necklace, and a gold Japanese crane ring, two white gold paw necklaces, a gold pendant and I’m sure a few others that I can’t think of. I also re-purposed my mothers sapphire into a diamond necklace.
Katie Munroe I choose to purchase jewelry from TimeWise because it is always high quality jewelry at really good prices. In addition, they offer custom jewelry and can take an older heirloom and modernize it to create something new very inexpensively. Stephanie is wholeheartedly committed to her customers and their experience. She has done amazing customization for me. My mom passed away last spring and I had some of her jewelry that meant a lot to me but was very dated. Stephanie designed and recreated several rings Of my mom’s that I probably never would have worn. Now I have amazing show pieces that have a total “wow” factor in addition to still being a part of my family’s history. I would go in with no idea of what to do with a ring or necklace. Stephanie came up with the most amazing designs which she then created for pennies on the dollar in comparison to any new piece of jewelry. She works with a small set of quality craftsman and she oversees the design process personally. Stephanie has literally created a whole collection of new jewelry for me. Why should the community support Time Wise as a business during the pandemic? Stephanie is a new business owner who is bringing life back into small local businesses. She has a young family and is devoted to her community! What kinds of jewelry have you purchased from Time Wise? When I first went into Time Wise, I was just browsing. I never thought I could afford jewelry from a “real” jewelry store. I was so surprised at the reasonable prices. I have purchased new jewelry including rings, earrings and bracelets with gemstones including diamonds, sapphires, rubies and Iolite. I have also purchased custom pieces that Stephanie has remade for me including my mother’s wedding band, my grandmother’s engagement ring, and a ring that was made out of my grandmother’s earrings and a necklace. It’s rare in this day and age to meet a truly kind person (who is also a business owner) and who strives every day to offer the best service and quality merchandise to her customers. Stephanie is just such a person!
Leah Christensen
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HOLIDAY SALE!
25%-50% OFF 858-560-5503 5643 Balboa Ave. • San Diego, CA 92111 Visit Our New Website TimeWiseJewelers.com Expires 12/31/2020. Not valid with any other offers. Not valid on watch bands, repairs, chains and findings.