How We Decide What Makes It to jujujems
- jujujems
- Mar 1
- 4 min read
After we shared our Tucsonpalooza blog — the one where we admitted we got lost in buildings labeled North, South, East, and West — a jujujemster asked us something that honestly made us say, “hmmm.”
“How do you decide what actually comes home with you?”
It’s such a simple question, yet we’ve never really answered it. We’ve shown you the sparkle, the shows, the maze-walking, the vendors, the giant geodes, and the carved bathtubs. But we haven’t talked about the very persnickety conversations that happen in the middle of all that.
So here it is — how something goes from “ooh, pretty, but …” to “yep, this belongs at jujujems!”
And this process doesn’t just apply to Tucson. It applies everywhere we source.
We See a Lot — and We Mean a Lot
When you walk into a gem show or a vendor’s warehouse, it’s sensory overload in the best possible way. Tables stacked high. Shelves lined deep. Trays of polished stones. Towers, spheres, carvings, jewelry cases that sparkle from across the aisle – and the specimens — OH, MY! Some pieces make you stop mid-sentence, and others make you forget what you were talking about in the first place.
It would be very easy to start grabbing. Gorgeous rocks have a way of convincing you that everything is a good idea. But over the years, we’ve learned that being dazzled and buying wisely are not the same skill set. So we slowed down — thankfully.
That’s where the persnickety part comes in ...
Yes, We Are Persnickety, and We Don’t Care
We’ve used that word before, and we mean it. And we like it.
If something catches our eye, we don’t just admire it and move on. We pick it up and turn it over. We look at the polish, the edges, and the color. If it’s a carving, we study the details — does it look rushed? We feel the weight of it — is it balanced? Does it sit straight?
We compare it to similar pieces we’ve seen. We ask whether the quality justifies the impression. Sometimes something dramatic from across the aisle feels less impressive up close. Other times, a quieter piece tucked in the back ends up being the real standout.
If something doesn’t quite sit right, even if we can’t immediately explain why, we pay attention to that feeling. We’ve learned that tiny hesitations usually turn into bigger ones later.
Being persnickety isn’t about being difficult. It’s about being intentional. And smart.
The Attic Test (It’s Real, and We Use It)
There is an actual conversation that happens between us at shows.
One of us will hold something up and say, “Okay … but picture this sitting dusty in someone’s attic five years from now.” If we both pause, that’s information.
For instance, we’ve seen carvings of everything and anything that are absolutely charming. They make you smile. They’re creative. They catch attention immediately. But then we ask: is this timeless, or is this a moment?
We don’t want to carry pieces that feel like they belong in a “remember when that was everywhere?” box. Not because they aren’t any good, but because jujujems is built around things that feel steady, beautiful, and lasting.
If we try to talk ourselves into buying something, the answer will be nope! Whether we like it or not.
We Do the Math Like It’s Our Own Money (Because It Is)
Here’s the part our customers don’t see. We stand there and quietly run numbers.
Not just cost and margin. We ask ourselves whether we would feel good paying this price. Because when we buy something, we do so on behalf of our jujujemsters.
We imagine you holding it. Would it feel worth it? Does the quality match the price? Is it a thoughtful purchase instead of a flashy impulse buy?
If the math isn't mathing ...
... it stays, and we go.
We don’t want you opening a box and wondering if it was a smart decision. We want you to feel completely comfortable with your choice. Value and quality have to align. Sparkle alone doesn’t carry the weight.
We Ask Questions — and Then We Listen Carefully
The crystal world is global. Material moves across countries and through many hands before it lands on a show table. We are not in the mines ourselves, and we don’t pretend to be.
What we can do is ask questions. Where was this sourced? How long have you worked with this material? Has anything changed in pricing or availability? Who cut this? What should we understand about it? What else do we need to know?
Sometimes vendors know every detail, and sometimes they know part of the story. Global supply chains are complex, and transparency isn’t always neat and tidy.
But over time, patterns show themselves. We build relationships. We notice who answers clearly and consistently and who aligns with how we operate. Integrity tends to be steady rather than loud.
That matters to us just as much as the piece itself.
We Don’t Chase Every Trend
Every show has a draw. Certain shapes suddenly multiply into infinity. Novelty pieces appear everywhere. It’s fun to see what’s trending, and we genuinely enjoy that part.
But we always come back to one question: does this feel like jujujems? Not just today. Not just under bright lighting. But in your home, on your shelf, a year or two from now.
We are not trying to stock the most inventory and variety. We are trying to stock the right inventory with enough variety. If something makes it into jujujems, it has passed through our look test, attic test, math test, gut test, and of course, our own hands.
Sometimes we leave a booth and circle back because something lingers in our minds. That’s usually a good hunch. But even then, it goes through the same persnickety review before it lands in the truck.
When you see something new in the shop, it wasn’t random. It wasn’t filler. It wasn’t a rushed decision under bright lights.
It was chosen slowly, carefully, and persnickety-ly, and always with you in mind.
Stay Sparkly! ✨
The jujujems Team
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