Good Reliable Gemstone sites

[MustangFan]

Please list any good sites for fine gems, or even bad experience with different ones. I have no clue what''s out there except cherrypicked, and natural sapphire.

thanx!

 

[Kismet]

There''s this list by Colored Gemstone Nut.

Personally, I''ve purchased from AJS, ACStones, Wildfish Gems, Lapilia and GemCal. They were nice and prompt in answering my questions and in sending out the stones. I''ve only returned a stone from GemCal so I don''t know how the others are about setting up a return (GemCal was fine with it). I know they have decent return policies but I''ve never had to use them. I haven''t purchased anything really expensive though. My purchases range from $25 - $800.

 

[riogems]

Hi Mustang,

You''re looking for a hard-to-find stone... (approx 9x7 pear shape?) so you may want to consider broadening your scope. There are stones that are in that size/shape range listed on the stuller website (you will need your local jeweler to be able to get any of those stones for you). Also, you have to consider if you really want an unheated stone and assess your reasons for that decision.

 

[MustangFan]

Rio--

The woman I was dealing with said she can''t find that specific stone, could I give her that website? Or is it possible that they are only allowed to work with certain vendors only?

 

[MustangFan]

great information on that list, but someone should do a revision of it for the more high end gemstones. I think I''ve looked at 38 of those websites and still haven''t found what I''m looking for yet.

 

[riogems]

Hi Mustang -- on the stuller site the pear shapes are heated. And everyone I know carries primarily heated sapphires -- high-end or not. I think if you don''t mind relaxing your search a little (ie not calibrated to 9x7 - but accept free sizes within a range) and giving yourself some time -- like 6 months or so, you should be able to find what you''re looking for. Don''t hesitate to contact vendors you see to ask them if they have what you''re looking for (or if they can get it). It is much easier to do this type of thing with someone you have an established relationship with -- because I would imagine almost any of these vendors can find this stone if they really want to.... but nobody wants to go through the effort to find one, to have you either change your mind (and then they get stuck with it or have to return it to their vendor). And you don''t want to commit to buy if you haven''t seen it either. So those two variables make it hard to find a stone like this quickly. But if you take your time, I''m sure someone will end up with something like it in stock -- and then it won''t be an issue of tasking them to buy something for you. For starters, try to contact your top five vendors of choice, and send them an email telling them you are looking for a stone like this, and if they can have anything like it, or if they may get anything like that in stock.

 

[MustangFan]

I talked to the guy from NSC and he said they only use poorer quality sapphires for pear shape because you lose a lot of carat weight when cutting it that way. This is why you see so many more cushions and ovals because it maxmises the carat weight. I''m guessing this is true because it makes sense to me. He said that if I''m willing to work with him he can cut an oval into a pear, but this is very radical because you lose at least a quarter carat weight and paying for it as well.

 

[DiamondExpert]

Mustang - searching for a difficult to find stone may not be meet with success by plowing through countless vendor web sites.

Find a vendor you think you can work with and rely on their experience, contacts and judgement to come up with what you are looking for - or at least come up with a few possibilities...and allow some time for this to happen.

If that vendor isn''t successful (for whatever reason), move on to another. Let the vendors do the work, while you do the waiting (not always the easiest part!).

Good luck.

 

[elmo]

Echo what Gary and Adam say. Also, once you find someone to look for you for something hard to find, if one of the big events is coming up (JCK in Vegas in a few weeks, Tucson in February), you might improve your chances when everyone is together at the same place.

 

[bar01]

Pears are difficult to find - I have some future projects - earings and pendant that I am keeping an eye out for . I am glad I am not in a rush - because pears are among the hardest shapes to find. I did find a stunning pear shapped for a pendant (almost 3 cts) - untreated and stunning - but don''t have the cash right now ! Darn it !

 

[movie zombie]

great experience with www.rwwise.com . he is definitely high end.

movie zombie

 

[MustangFan]

Talked to Gene he sent me to Wildfish and also got a hold of the person Movie Zombie suggested.
Hopefully Ed can cut a stone for me. This is very exciting, hopefully I''ll have my ering by the end of the summer!!!