It's snow joke, free diamonds

COEUR d’ALENE — Clark’s Diamond Jewelers, again, wants to give away diamonds and more jewelry for Christmas.

It just needs a little help from Old Man Winter.

“We really want this to happen,” said “Jeweler Jane” Clark, who oversees operations at the Sherman Avenue business.

The family-owned store’s “Let It Snow” campaign is in full swing. What that means is that purchases there between Nov. 22 and Dec. 31 will be 100% refunded — if it snows 4 inches or more on Jan. 11 at the Spokane International Airport.

Coeur d’Alene Climatologist Cliff Harris, who helped select the date for the program, said he expects it will be snowy Jan. 3-5 and Jan. 11-12.

He said since 1895, there has been measurable snowfall 42 times on Jan. 11 in Coeur d’Alene.

So “there’s a pretty good chance” of at least 4 inches on that date in 2022, he said.

He is predicting 83 inches of snow this winter in Coeur d’Alene. A chunk of that could come in early to mid-January.

“The coldest weather is really around the 11th of January for the winter,” Harris said. “And you’ve got to have cold to have snow.”

He noted that in the previous times he has been involved with the Let It Snow campaign, it has snowed enough twice for folks to get refunds.

“We’ve done pretty well,” he said.

The promotion ran into a snafu two years ago when it offered refunds if it snowed more than 3 inches on Jan. 11, 2020, in Coeur d’Alene.

While Harris measured 3.6 inches of snow that day at his Player Drive home, the insurance company initially declined to pay the claim after using measurement data by another source that recorded 1.8 inches of snow.

Later, the insurance company agreed to cover the policy that paid out an estimated $500,000.

Jane Clark said this year’s promotion, as with previous years, is covered by insurance.

Clark said the Spokane airport has the nearest official weather station, which is why it was elected as the measuring site.

“So there will be no arguing about it,” she said.

And Clark wants no fussing. Just the joy of the season, which is why staff members were wearing Christmas sweaters, Santa hats and antlers on Friday.

“I think it makes it fun,” she said.

A lot of snow can be a drag for those shoveling, working and driving in it.

But for those who buy jewelry at Clark’s, snow is something to get excited about.

“We’re all in it together,” Clark said. “Not just one person wins, everybody wins.”

More than three-quarters of a million dollars has been refunded in the two years enough snow has fallen. Refunds ranged from $25 to $30,000. Some reinvested in fine jewelry at Clark’s, an independent store that has been around since 1907 and is still at its original location, 307 Sherman Ave. Three generations of Clarks have worked there.

Jane Clark says they have had two-time winners among their loyal customers.

“It’s collective luck. It’s everybody all together," she said. "We’re pooling everybody’s luck, so even the unlucky people win.”

Clark said the Let It Snow campaign is “an experience” and much more fun than online shopping.

“It’s the only place you can buy something and it could be free,” she said. "We think it’s a pretty good chance."