Three rings listed on DB and a pendant

[colorluvr]

I just listed three rings with natural (earthmined) center gemstones, one of which has a matching pendant.

I bought these center stones and had them set in these rings - all were sold to me as 100% natural - no treatment.

http://www.diamondbistro.com/other/636/seller.html

I also have some gemstones listed on DB, but some of the "lots" and less expensive stones will be sent to a wholesaler this week if they don't sell, so if you see something you are interested in, please feel free to shoot me a reasonable offer.

 

[marymm]

colorluvr - I'm not buying right now but would like to know more about this wholesaler you reference... do you send over your stones and then they let you know how much they'd pay for them or do you get store credit or something? are they open to the public? could you provide the name and contact info? But no worries - I will understand if you choose not to provide the wholesaler particulars. Thanks, and good luck with your DB listings!

 

[colorluvr]

Marymm,

This company does not normally act as wholesalers to individuals, but in this instance, he (the owner) is takings some of my stones "as a lot". After he sees them, we will discuss how we are going to handle the transaction. When you buy gemstones from various vendors over a period of time, you often develop a "relationship" with some of them and that is what has happened in this instance, I don't know a better way to explain it. I trust him to be fair with me, but know he is in the business to make money, so I do NOT expect to get much for these stones... that's just the nature of trying to resell gemstones if you aren't in the business. I may not even get any cash for my stones, but instead may work out some kind of a swap or a "credit" against a future purchase.

DB is a wonderful first step for anyone who wants to resell their stones or jewelry, but in most cases, it is often not sucessful. I know some people go on to list on ebay if DB doesn't work out for them, but I don't sell on ebay and have no desire to start. I almost always loose money when I resell anything on DB, and only in a couple of instances do I break even (usually only on precision cut gems by a recognized cutter).

I don't (knowingly) list stones on DB for more than I paid for them, and usually for much less, but as a "reseller" he may recognize some stones that I got a really good bargain on a few years ago, as something that can be resold by him at a profit, and that is his incentive in taking my stones and giving them a look; my incentive is to "move them out" and perhaps get a few dollars or a nicer stone in exchange.

I started collecting about 6 yrs ago and my tastes (and pocketbook) have changed a lot since I began, so I am now trying to pare my "collection" WAY down and selling stones for $10 to $20 individually on DB just isn't worth the time and hassle that it takes (to me) to package up the stones individually, take them to the PO and end up with $5 - $10 net after fees/shipping costs, etc., which is why I offer them on DB as a lot - that way it's worth it to me to make the sale, even if I loose a lot on each stone individually. If the lots don't sell in a week or two, then I stop listing them.

I apologize for the long explanation, but I know there has been some discussion on here about buying and then selling on DB for a profit, and I just wanted to let you (and others) know that is not what I am doing. All of my stones (and there are going to be a lot more of them over the next few weeks) were purchased by me (many of them several years ago) with the intent of keeping them, but as I said, my "collection" and taste is constantly evolving and I bought a lot of "less expensive stones" in the beginning that I no longer choose to keep, and the only reason I mentioned that they are going to a wholesaler, is to let anyone "thinking" about purchasing them know that many of them won't be available for sale on DB much longer..... My more expensive stones or ones that I think might sell, will stay on DB for longer.

 

[marymm]

Thank you for the detailed explanation - and just to make it clear, at no time did I think you were buying and then selling on DB at a profit or anything like that - I thought that (like me) you had amassed a gem collection that you were now paring down due to changing tastes and/or wish to downsize.

 

[colorluvr]

Thank you for the detailed explanation - and just to make it clear, at no time did I think you were buying and then selling on DB at a profit or anything like that - I thought that (like me) you had amassed a gem collection that you were now paring down due to changing tastes and/or wish to downsize.

Exactly - don't you wish we knew then what we know now.