Supplying Loose stones

[T L]

I thimk it's easier to have loose stones certified then set stones. If you can and it's viable for the stones, maybe you could get certificates. As a consumer I value it highly

I think a lab report only makes sense for certain stones. AGL just sent out their new price list, and the prices are higher, then when you factor in shipping both ways to NY, it really does add cost to the stone. Is the buyer always willing to pay this extra cost? I don't think so.

A basic Prestige report is not $150, a Prestige Grading report, which really provides the most for consumers who are not experienced in color grading, for a 3 cut stone is $525. Add in $50 for shipping, and in many cases the report cost more than the stone.

Unless the stone is over a few thousand dollars, I don't think these reports make sense, nor are the average customer willing to pay for them.

Why the original posted made the comment that "they are loose stones, they obviously don't have certificates", I don't know. Maybe he was referring to the value of the stones not warenting the cost of the report.

One last thing: The word "certificate" or "certified stone" is often used here, and that is not really correct. These lab reports don't certify anything. They are reports on findings and called "reports".

Is AGL still supplying the gem brief? That is less expensive. They also have different levels of prestige report last I checked. I agree that if there is only one expensive report, it only makes sense for certain stones.

 

[mastercutgems]

Yes Reports on gems over 1k to me is important for the sake of resale and/or comfort level within yourself you got what you paid for.

I think there are merits to all comments in this thread and my only thought on this was to invest wisely no matter what you invest in and it was taken wrongly that I was pushing the investment in gems; on the contrary; be diverse and prudent in your investment whether you are rich and only consider 50k an investment; heck 500 dollars is an investment to me in any item; but I guess this comes from the ole dirt farmer in me that has seen hard times and also seen a loss in stock, gold, silver, land, gemstones, etc...

You deal with anything long enough it will have a down-turn...

I for one think investing in things of the heart are more important than material things, faith, family, friends, country, animals, etc. are all commodities that will give you richness of your soul and that lasts an eternity...

As Gene said; buy all the gems you can afford haggle for the best price you can to get that deal; but never put a gem, car, stock, home, etc. above the love of others...

I think this is a testament to others; we as a group all may have different ideas on investments; but in the end we are ALL Sisters and Brothers to one another; so invest in the happiness of each other and to ourselves...

And Remember as Gene said " buy stones" as no one really knows how much time us cutters haven involved in getting them from the dirt to your lovely hands... But it is a labor of love and it has been a rich investment to me and my family not so much with money but with great friends and clients we have made over the years...

PRICELESS !!!

I promise you will not hear another word out of me on gemstone investments

Be well and enjoy your lives

Most Respectfully;

Dana Reynolds
ASG Certified
Supreme Master Gem Cutter
#96CGE42

 

[skoons6694]

You are using the example of a $100,000 car. Very bad investment. Let's take the same example of Apple Stock. Had you 20 years ago invested just $10,000 in Apple stock, today you would over 2.3 million dollars. There is no way your stones would ever have such gains. For the most part you are buying at retail price, and will need to sell at wholesale. So you are already looking at a big loss that any increase in value must over come. The bottom line, these things are pretty to look at, useless for any practical thing, and a bad investment.

Buying and selling individual stocks is a rigged game and no novice should be doing it. By your example, yes, someone who purchased apple stock would be wealthy. In the same respect, if someone 20 years ago purchased all the paraiba tourmaline they could get their hands on, that person would be wealthy as well. Go back to that same 20 years and see how many of those tech companies like apple are no longer around and trust me when I say, there were many times when apple wasn't guaranteed to survive the downturn. Look up Exodus Communications which was one of the largest internet data storage companies. They went belly up during the tech downturn. Look up Infospace which was the leader in internet technology for cell phones 15 years ago ( a cutting edge idea back then which most people thought would never happen). I believe they went bankrupt as well or were bought out for pennies on the dollar. People lost their entire retirements in the stock market during the early 2000's.

I would never recommend anyone and I mean anyone purchase individual stocks unless they could afford to loose every cent they've invested. Mutual funds are a different story, but individual stocks are a huge no, no, especially tech stocks. Just my opinion, however, I've seen the goods times and bad.

I think you mean had the person purchased $10,000 or Paraiba tourmaline 20 years ago. Could they sell those stones today for $2.3 million? No.

But I do encourage everyone to buy as many gemstones, especially precision cut ones as they can possible afford! Dig into your retirement and 401 accounts buy buy buy!

Mayber not 2.3 million, but they would be worth more than 90% of those tech stocks from the same time period. I never suggested anyone dip into their retirement accounts to buy gemstones, just as I wouldn't recommend anyone take their life savings and buy extremely risky individual stocks.

 

[Ceaho]

This one can be sold on auction at Cristie´s? 15,5 ct emerald + 2,15 ct diamond in almost 1oz .800 gold

 

[Ceaho]

This untreated rough and after i have cut with some fellas.

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

Apple shares, yes? But you could also have bought one of the many dot.com stocks or ENRON or Lehman Brothers or Madoff and have nothing now. With paraibas, you at least have those and no trouble but all beauty.

 

[PrecisionGem]

Norman, I encourage you to buy as many stones as you possible can afford. Take a lean against your home and use the money to buy more..... buy buy buy!

 

[Ceaho]

Me too! I did something like it! Instead of buying a house or a new car, or even maintaining some mistresses, i spent all my profit buying stones and some gold bullion. Now i live in a rent house and drive an old car. I have no helthcare also

 

[Ceaho]

Nowadays i only have money for probe eating and basic expenses like gas, light, internet, car maintance, toiletries. For 3 years now i dont buy clothes or shoes. And i have women that dont work and children to support, im good in low cost lifestyle!

 

[Ceaho]

I have many different items for the loose precious gemstones and thus, wanted to learn new channels. Currently, my only market is local retail stores so it is too limited. And as they are loose stones, they obviously don't have certificates.

What channels or methods can there be suggested. Are there any good trading platform ?

I guess u should go overseas to mining areas, like Teofilo Otoni. There is a safe place where foreings are welcome and you will find many reputable dealers with very large amounts of samples and variety of precious stones.

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

Norman, I encourage you to buy as many stones as you possible can afford. Take a lean against your home and use the money to buy more..... buy buy buy!

I guess you are being sarcastic. But setting apple shares as an example for 'normal' stock market investments is not really close to reality. I'd never go into debt to buy gems, but I like my money in gems much more than the 0.5% p.a. my bank is offering.

 

[PrecisionGem]

I use Apple because I buy a lot of Apple stock., But if I look at my 401K that is mostly mutual funds, it has done much better than had I 'invested' in cut stones purchased are retail prices.

Norman, why don't you test the waters? Take a stone you purchased last year and try to sell it, see what you get for it.

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

Nah, won't fall for it I buy pretty and durable valuables for my grandkids, something that causes no headaches, no taxes, no maintenance, that can lay till the end of the century or next. I know I can't sell any of my recent buys (aside that I would miss them dearly). That it would be as bad as selling the Mercedes after 100km. I have no illusions there. I think part of the problem we're talking about is not so much the value-development but the access to a sales-channel. Stocks can be sold anytime, anywhere, gems can't.
Of course, if I'd bought apple stocks early, I'd have no need to work or earn money ever again, which is true nevertheless but not thanks to apple, thanks to inventing something useful.