Limited Amount of Available Gems?

[KarenFe]

As I read the forum and try to learn about gems and what gems I might be interested in the future when I'm ready to buy, I find myself looking at the recommended online vendors. I have put together several names that seem to be most frequently mentioned here, such as Gene, Barry, Doug, Jeff, Lisa, Andrew, Dana, and Roger, and matched them to their online site.

When I look through their sites, I don't see a large selection of gems in any particular stone. I would call the availability quite sparse. Do they get more in at certain times of the year? Or do individual stones filter in and out? In other words, I go to these sites expecting to see 15 cushion cut tsavorites, 10 round tsavorites, etc. But usually I see just a few tsavorite options all together.

In my mind I'm beginning to develop an idea of what I might like but it's specific to gem type, stone color, cut, and size. If I get that specific on what I might want, I'm thinking it might be difficult to locate it.

Thanks!

 

[Fly Girl]

Colored gemstones are not like white diamonds where there is lots of availability. If you have very specific requirements it can take some time to find exactly what you are looking for. I read once that it helps to be flexible in at least one area, be it type of gem, shape, size or color.

Availability of a particular gemstone can vary depending on what the mines are currently producing. A few years ago hot pink spinel appeared on the market. It will probably get scarce again soon, only to be replaced by the next big find. In the colored gemstone market, if you see a stone that you love at a price you can afford, you probably should grab it when you can.

 

[Edward Bristol]

Good question. A few remarks in random order:

1. As a retail trader you try to keep your inventory wide not deep. There is no use in having 10 round one carat tsavorites but rather you want to offer 1 round, 1 oval, 1 trillion …

2. Many part-time traders or semi-pros or hobby cutters lack the funds to maintain a full stock. We have a million dollar or so bound in inventory (at list value); and others like multicolor or NSC have even more standing around. If you could have that money in a good investment fund (not Bernie’s that is) it would earn well (without work).

3. You would have to go deep into one variety (say emerald or red spinel) to have all sizes, shapes and colors at all times. There are just too many varieties out there. Unless you go for cheap-cheap stuff you can hardly have it all.

4. There never is a shortage of gemstones. Silom road in Bangkok is made of gems, but 95% is waste material. Truly good quality is very rare. It is a continuing up-hill fight to push and keep your inventory into higher quality. The old traders won't even show their good quality to a stranger; and when they do you need to pay cash until they start to trust you. It is not an easy business and many want in.

 

[Pandora II]

As I read the forum and try to learn about gems and what gems I might be interested in the future when I'm ready to buy, I find myself looking at the recommended online vendors. I have put together several names that seem to be most frequently mentioned here, such as Gene, Barry, Doug, Jeff, Lisa, Andrew, Dana, and Roger, and matched them to their online site.

When I look through their sites, I don't see a large selection of gems in any particular stone. I would call the availability quite sparse. Do they get more in at certain times of the year? Or do individual stones filter in and out? In other words, I go to these sites expecting to see 15 cushion cut tsavorites, 10 round tsavorites, etc. But usually I see just a few tsavorite options all together.

In my mind I'm beginning to develop an idea of what I might like but it's specific to gem type, stone color, cut, and size. If I get that specific on what I might want, I'm thinking it might be difficult to locate it.

Thanks!

Tsavorite is 200 times rarer than emerald (which doesn't exactly grow on trees)and especially hard to find in larger sizes. I'd need to look it up but off the top of my head IIRC only 5-10% of the stones found are larger than 1ct and that is before cutting. You then need to look at the colour range which reduces the percentage of really fine stones to a very small number on the market. It's a reason why jewellers often don't promote a particular species - they couldn't fulfill potential demand: bring out a line of jewellery with premium colour Paraiba tourmaline and you'd need serious money to produce 20 pieces if you could even find that many...

I have a tsavorite in my e-ring in the desirable medium-dark with blue tones colour. If it smashed into bits it wouldn't be easy to find a replacement of the right size, shape and shade without a serious hunt. With a diamond it would probably take a couple of hours if that. Diamonds are not rare despite what the marketing departments of large jewellery houses might have you believe.

Also, what is available on a website isn't the vendors entire stock - so always worth emailing around to see what is lurking in the stock.

 

[KarenFe]

Thanks so much for the replies. It's all very enlightening and makes a lot of sense.

It amuses me because I now envision some cat fights or a little pushing and shoving that goes on in stores just before a holiday when there's a limited stock of a hot, latest-and-greatest gift item.

 

[Arcadian]

Here's a few more

http://www.ajsgem.com/

http://www.concavegems.com/main.html

http://www.djraregems.com/

http://gemcal.com/

http://www.gemrite.com/cubecart/

http://FlawlessFacets.com

http://www.westviewgems.com/

http://swalagemtraders.com

http://www.gemfix.com/

http://wildfishgems.com/

And there's plenty more. I don't doubt you'll see other sites pop up too.

-A

 

[movie zombie]

I now envision some cat fights or a little pushing and shoving that goes on in stores just before a holiday when there's a limited stock of a hot, latest-and-greatest gift item.

not a bad vision: many are disappointed that when they finally decide to "go for it" that the stone in question had been bought by someone else.

i would also add that many of the vendors also have cut stones not listed at their websites....as well as rough they have purchased. many would be more than glad to custom cut a stone for you.

MoZo

 

[Jim Rentfrow]

[/quote]
i would also add that many of the vendors also have cut stones not listed at their websites....as well as rough they have purchased. many would be more than glad to custom cut a stone for you.MoZo[/quote]

I cant speak for the others but I know for me, this is where most of my business comes from. I very rarely cut rough for the sake of cutting anymore. I usually post the rough and then custom cut for customers based off their preferences.

 

[minousbijoux]

...and I happen to know of cases where you acquire rough at the request of a client and cut it for them...

 

[Jim Rentfrow]

...and I happen to know of cases where you acquire rough at the request of a client and cut it for them...

Very true

Should be done by the end of the week!

 

[Arcadian]

Thats true MoZo I admit I have some favorite haunts so its hard to remember everyone. There's some really great cutters out there that will work with you on on custom cutting if thats the preference.

a few I forgot...

Bob Kast also takes requests. http://bobkast.com/

Oh and there's http://www.africagems.com/ Marc is lovely to work with. Not a custom cutter but Hes got some nice stuff on his site if you look through it. there's also some pricier stuff on his site though he also has a sales section (its where I found my red spinel...which I LUV). I love going into the vault section, just to look and drool.

BTW Jim, I sometimes get excited when I go through my bookmarks folder. I remembered you had some cut stuff on your site, but wasn't for sure how much. I knew it wasn't the amount of like ajs or multicolour lol they carry tons.

-A

 

[T L]

Thanks so much for the replies. It's all very enlightening and makes a lot of sense.

It amuses me because I now envision some cat fights or a little pushing and shoving that goes on in stores just before a holiday when there's a limited stock of a hot, latest-and-greatest gift item.

Not sure if you're talking about jewelry stores, but most of your typical mall and chain jewelry stores carry your typical non-rare items such as

colorless diamond
diffused sapphire
lead glass filled ruby
washed out aqua
Chinese peridot
Dark red pyrope garnet
Pale amethyst
and various varieties of treated quartz and topaz
synthetics and man made simulants

So you will rarely see the kinds of gems in mall stores that you see people have on this site. If I walked in a mall store and saw a tsavorite like Pandora's, my eyeballs would roll on the floor from the shock.

 

[KarenFe]

I generally don't shop at the malls but more at a local family owned stores. Is the jewelry from a locally owned family store generally the same as a mall store or maybe a little better?

So many great links. I already had a few bookmarked and have added the rest. I now need to match names to websites for Edward and Jim. There sure is a lot to keep track of!

 

[T L]

I generally don't shop at the malls but more at a local family owned stores. Is the jewelry from a locally owned family store generally the same as a mall store or maybe a little better?

So many great links. I already had a few bookmarked and have added the rest. I now need to match names to websites for Edward and Jim. There sure is a lot to keep track of!

There are some decent B&M stores, so my comments are specifically meant for those chain stores, like Jared's, Zales, Rogers & Holland, you get the idea, etc. . .

Most B&M stores do lots of colorless diamond sales, as I believe that is still their bread and butter. For exotic gems, I find the best places to shop are online.

 

[KarenFe]

Most B&M stores do lots of colorless diamond sales, as I believe that is still their bread and butter. For exotic gems, I find the best places to shop are online.

Perfect. Then being on this forum and learning means I'm barking up the right tree.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Harriet]

Hi,
There's also: www.artcutgems.com.. You'll be in good hands with Rick.

 

[movie zombie]

[quote="KarenFe|Then being on this forum and learning means I'm barking up the right tree. [/quote]


oh, yes, you are definitely barking up the right tree here....but i hope you have a $ tree because the more you learn and develop your eye, the more you'll see the difference in gems....yes, little cindy, there really is a difference between $100/carat spinel, $1000/carat spinel, and $1800/carat spine. but no matter your color stone preference, you will be an informed consumer and aware of the tradeoffs you are making if you have budget constraints as do most of us.

mz

ps welcome to the color stone addiction club. most here know more about color stones than the people working in the stores. you're in for a wild but colorful ride!

 

[chrono]

The local family owned stores might carry some coloured gemstones but even those are generally of poorer quality, more expensive and limited in choice compared to what PSers are able to find on the internet. Not only that, many are not well versed about treatment if that is one of your concerns.