Loose Stone Prices

[tiptoe]

I know there''s a lot of variation in cut, color, size, etc. of any stone. But is there a web site that gives an updated "ball park" figure for the price of cut stones?

What would be the best is one that has "approximate" wholesale and retail prices for different stones.

Any URL''s come to mind?

Thanks!

 

[Ymanda]

Hi Tiptoe,

I am really sorry to start like this for my 2nd post ever on PriceScope but...

Yes, i know a place where you can compare the wholesale prices to retail prices.

- But the point is that you have to scroll your self the stones which are ranged and dispatched in categories depending on their quality (FSCR).

- For each quality you can see the wholesale price discount on this page.

- The problem is that you will have to go on each stone''s details to see its FSCR rank (left of the screen) and then calculate what would be the wholesale price per carat. You don''t have to calculate this price if you have access to the Trade Area on this site. But i guess it is not your goal.

CONCLUSION:

The prices of gemstones depend mostly on the local market in the country you are buying them.
For exemple if you go in Cambodia at Pailin City, you will be shocked by the price of pyrope Garnet because they are quite rare in that region. You would be very happy to have a rare cambodian garnet but i am afraid that nobody else cares....
Have a look in Pailin on a ruby cabochon of 50 carats, full of cracks and matrix, not even translucent, which people would use as pavement material in Burma (it''s a little bit to much... let''s say for carving).
Well, that stone will be very expensive in Cambodia (crazy price) compared to the same stone in Burma (2 hours flight).

So ... I don''t know what to say... the site i gave you sells mostly Burmese Gems and the warehouse is in Bangkok. So you can picture out the prices in Thailand for Burmeses Gemstone...

There will be no magic for you mister Bond. If you want to know wholesale prices, you must go on the field and buy. If you want to learn by yourself the prices, you will have to loose a lot of money before you understand how it works. The best choice would be to work for a while with someone who already knows the market you aim (buying place and selling place).

Sorry if i was not a big help. You can still ask some price lists to wholesale dealers but you wont have bargain prices anyway.

Regards.

 

[lonewoodminer]

Good reply Ymanda

The price is certainly controlled simply on supply and demand not cost of production in certain for eg our cost of production in Australia is much higher then say Nigeria ,with our wage costs and conditions far better yet our wholesale price of sapphire is remarkably the same.

Cheers
Andrew Lane
www.aussiesapphire.com.au

 

[tiptoe]

Thanks! It''d be nice to have a general comparison.