Pat Cark is the owner of Studio Sixteen (Ann Arbor) and serves her clients well. Unlike some stores, there's no pressure to buy and Pat will answer your questions--even the oddball ones about stones, etc.--without issue. She's a gifted designer and metalsmith, so if you have an idea of a piece you wanted created "from scratch", she can complete it for you. Also, she offers Skagen watches and silver jewelry from other designers, with the option of special ordering an item she's not carrying.
Other services, such as re-stringing pearls (which must be done every few years) or repairing existing jewelry/watches is available. Prices range from $50-$1,000 for jewelry and $90-$500 for insects, on average.
An oddity of her shop is the collection of framed insects and loose shells for purchase. "Environmentalists will be pleased to learn that the insects are farm-raised in rainforests for sustainable growth, and the shells are the discarded remains of food animals from the Phillippines." (For more information, see: http://detroit.citysearch.com/profile/5169007#editorialreview)
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