Jewelers' Guild

The Jewelers' Guild was one of the official guilds of Waterdeep. It was responsible for the acquisition and distribution of gems throughout the city, as well as the cutting, mounting, and appraisal of gemstones.

Organization
The Jewelers' Guild was small, secretive, and extremely wealthy. Its members were known to be always accompanied by large contingents of bodyguards, usually up to the maximum limit of sixteen guards per non-noble person.

Guild members wore deep purple robes with a triangular crown-cut white gem placed on the chest, with the point downward. They also wore purple hats adorned with white feathers.

Activities
All work of cutting, polishing, and mounting gems was handled by members of the Jewelers' Guild. They also performed repairs and resetting of gems upon request, as well as appraisal of gemstones at the behest of other merchants. The guild also provided exchange of currency to and from Waterdhavian-minted coins, at guild-standard rates. Together with the Guild of Trusted Pewterers and Casters, they were known for having the most accurate scales.

The guild also took it upon itself to police illegal gem traffic and gem theft within the city. They relentlessly pursued suspected perpetrators and enacted quiet vendettas upon them.

Tactics
The guild typically handled the acquisition of gems by privately hiring mercenaries and adventuring parties to bring hauls of uncut precious gems from distant locations. The most common expeditions were hired to steal such gems from the South.

It was common for guild members to hire dwarven artisans and mages to create traps to protect their gems and gold.

Base of Operations
The guild's headquarters was the House of Gems, located on the north side of Gem Street in the Castle Ward.

Relationships
All external activities of adventurers commissioned by the Jewelers' Guild were closely monitored by the Red Sashes and Shadow Thieves. It was rumored that at least two high-ranking members of the guild had ties with the Shadow Thieves.

History
During the Guildwars of the mid–13 century DR, Lord Parnak Deepwinter allegedly conspired with Jewelers' Guildmaster Yivvik Chourm to create a powerful faction by merging the Jewelers's Guild with the Guild of Silversmiths and Gilders (then controlled by the Deepwinter family). Lord Parnak was the fourth son and not likely to become the leader of the guild, but assassination of all the other noble members of the clan brought him to power and the merger was accomplished. After Lord Parnak died in the fire that consumed his family villa, the Deepwinters and the Guild of Silversmiths and Gilders ceased to exist.

In the mid‒14 century DR, the Jewelers' Guild donated a copy of the book Jewel and Gemcutting to the library of Bard Keep near Silverymoon.

Members
By the, the guildmaster of the Jewelers' Guild was Master Jeweler Stromquil Halazar, who also owned the shop Halazar's Fine Gems in the Sea Ward. The spokesperson for the guild was Gentleman Speaker for the Jewelers Jhauntar Olmhazan, who also owned and operated the shop Olmhazan's Jewels in the Castle Ward.

Membership into the guild cost an initial entry fee of 40 gp, plus an annual membership fee of 25 gp.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Dungeon #29, "Ex Libris" • Waterdeep: Dragon Heist