ArtCutGems online

[PrincessPeach]

Question: Has anyone purchased from Art Cut Gems, an online vendor? Can anyone vouch for their quality of stones? If so, I would appreciate it. I''ll post a link of what I might be looking to purchase from them.

(My quest for finding a garnet continues...I''ve gone to some local jewelry stores BUT they don''t have a great selection and are quite overpriced. If I should be specific, I am looking in the 2-4 ct garnet range (rhodolite or basically anything ''red''). )

 

[geoffreysnow]

I purchased these from artcutgems and they turned out great!

 

[D&T]

here is my peridot purchase and I love it!

 

[BWise]

I''ve purchased from them once and ended up returning the stone because the color wasn''t exactly what I was looking for. Rick the owner was very understanding and never had a problem with me returning the stone. It was a Mali garnet so the color was very hard to capture by pictures. In fact, Rick was very patient with me and offered 5 to 6 stones for me to choose from, all with pictures and good descriptions. I felt really bad for having to return the stone.

If you like the stone and the price from his site, I''ll say go for it. You cannot get wrong with it.

One thing I would like to note is that Rick''s stones seem to come from different cutters so you can see cutting quality ranging from native cut to precision cut. I''ve seen both ends on his site, based on my observations from pictures only. May sure you are comfortable with the cut before committing to a purchase.

Good luck!

 

[PrincessPeach]

Thank you all for your replies!!

Here is a link to the stone I am contemplating. My intent is to set the stone in a bezel rose gold setting, nothing fancy, to wear as a right hand ring (this is a first year wedding anniversary gift from the hubby). I haven''t found ANYTHING great, as I''ve said before. I never bought anything online so I''m a little weary of it.

Please tell me what you think of this stone...http://www.artcutgems.com/item.php?item_id=247&page=5&category_id=46


thanks again

 

[D&T]

http://www.artcutgems.com/item.php?item_id=247&page=5&category_id=46

made it clickable.

The color imo looks too dark to bezel. maybe something lighter?

ETA: maybe you can tell us what color ranges you are looking for and what shape you would like, there are plenty of us looking to shop vicariously through others

oh and a budget of course

 

[BWise]

I agree it will be too dark. Did you see this Barry stone? BB garnet It is smaller, but a better color, assuming this is the color you are after.

 

[PrincessPeach]

Date: 7/13/2009 10:56:29 PM
Author: D&T
http://www.artcutgems.com/item.php?item_id=247&page=5&category_id=46

made it clickable.

The color imo looks too dark to bezel. maybe something lighter?

ETA: maybe you can tell us what color ranges you are looking for and what shape you would like, there are plenty of us looking to shop vicariously through others

oh and a budget of course

Thanks for the clickable link - I don''t have many computer skills sheeeeesh!

I prefer emerald or cushion cut garnets. To the best of my knowledge, rhodolite garnets seem to be clearer and less included from what I''ve personally seen at the jewelry stores (but I may be wrong). My budget for a complete ring is $500 USD. A nice size stone would be great, and I like EC for finger coverage. The color should be red, preferably a medium red (I don''t know stone terminology for color), not too deep.

I would prefer to bezel, but am open to other settings, too.

Now, the jewelry store I went to had a cushion checkerboard cut 3.90 garnet (a deeper red), in a rose gold setting with accent diamonds. The price was around 475.00 which wasn''t too bad...but I truly think checkerboard cuts are too fancy for every day wear for me, at least.

 

[PrincessPeach]

Date: 7/13/2009 11:02:59 PM
Author: yingh
I agree it will be too dark. Did you see this Barry stone? BB garnet It is smaller, but a better color, assuming this is the color you are after.

WOW! I love that stone! It''s pretty much everything I''m looking for...except I would have wished it to be about 2cts. That is the exact cut and color! I wonder if Barry has something a tad bigger, I should email him.

Thanks so much for the link!!!

 

[Gailey]

Date: 7/13/2009 10:52:49 PM
Author: PrincessPeach
Thank you all for your replies!!

Here is a link to the stone I am contemplating. My intent is to set the stone in a bezel rose gold setting, nothing fancy, to wear as a right hand ring (this is a first year wedding anniversary gift from the hubby). I haven''t found ANYTHING great, as I''ve said before. I never bought anything online so I''m a little weary of it.

Please tell me what you think of this stone...http://www.artcutgems.com/item.php?item_id=247&page=5&category_id=46


thanks again

Stick with us Princess Peach and you''ll very quickly pick up on which vendors are reputable. Barry Bridgestock is Pricescope royalty.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 7/13/2009 11:03:16 PM
Author: PrincessPeach

Date: 7/13/2009 10:56:29 PM
Author: D&T
http://www.artcutgems.com/item.php?item_id=247&page=5&category_id=46

made it clickable.

The color imo looks too dark to bezel. maybe something lighter?

ETA: maybe you can tell us what color ranges you are looking for and what shape you would like, there are plenty of us looking to shop vicariously through others

oh and a budget of course

Thanks for the clickable link - I don''t have many computer skills sheeeeesh!

I prefer emerald or cushion cut garnets. To the best of my knowledge, rhodolite garnets seem to be clearer and less included from what I''ve personally seen at the jewelry stores (but I may be wrong). My budget for a complete ring is $500 USD. A nice size stone would be great, and I like EC for finger coverage. The color should be red, preferably a medium red (I don''t know stone terminology for color), not too deep.

I would prefer to bezel, but am open to other settings, too.

Now, the jewelry store I went to had a cushion checkerboard cut 3.90 garnet (a deeper red), in a rose gold setting with accent diamonds. The price was around 475.00 which wasn''t too bad...but I truly think checkerboard cuts are too fancy for every day wear for me, at least.

Here is a link to my thread about my Royal Rhodolite garnets that I got from Rck. Link I asked him about larger ones, and they do tend to get too dark in larger sizes. But, those are beautiful garnets, and Art Cut Gems is a reputable vendor.

Gemline has a nice emerald cut Tanga garnet, 2.49 ct for $110. Link

 

[D&T]

oooh FlyGirl - I likey...

here is one from Gemrite. but its a modify Emerald cut, not the tradional facet pattern, but kinda cool, i''m just not sure about the bezeling though.

http://www.gemrite.com/cubecart/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=15

 

[PrincessPeach]

Date: 7/13/2009 11:23:41 PM
Author: Fly Girl

Date: 7/13/2009 11:03:16 PM
Author: PrincessPeach

Date: 7/13/2009 10:56:29 PM
Author: D&T
http://www.artcutgems.com/item.php?item_id=247&page=5&category_id=46

made it clickable.

The color imo looks too dark to bezel. maybe something lighter?

ETA: maybe you can tell us what color ranges you are looking for and what shape you would like, there are plenty of us looking to shop vicariously through others

oh and a budget of course

Thanks for the clickable link - I don''t have many computer skills sheeeeesh!

I prefer emerald or cushion cut garnets. To the best of my knowledge, rhodolite garnets seem to be clearer and less included from what I''ve personally seen at the jewelry stores (but I may be wrong). My budget for a complete ring is $500 USD. A nice size stone would be great, and I like EC for finger coverage. The color should be red, preferably a medium red (I don''t know stone terminology for color), not too deep.

I would prefer to bezel, but am open to other settings, too.

Now, the jewelry store I went to had a cushion checkerboard cut 3.90 garnet (a deeper red), in a rose gold setting with accent diamonds. The price was around 475.00 which wasn''t too bad...but I truly think checkerboard cuts are too fancy for every day wear for me, at least.

Here is a link to my thread about my Royal Rhodolite garnets that I got from Rck. Link I asked him about larger ones, and they do tend to get too dark in larger sizes. But, those are beautiful garnets, and Art Cut Gems is a reputable vendor.

Gemline has a nice emerald cut Tanga garnet, 2.49 ct for $110. Link

Fly Girl, thanks for your links. I like that tanga garnet, and loooove EC, I just don''t quite know if it will be substantial enough for finger coverage. I also saw a cushion cut they had which seemed nice but the color was more pinkish...http://www.litnon.com/viewgem.php?gemid=7055&id=29717 (of course I don''t know how to make a link)....

Keep in mind, I wear a size 5. It will end up being a RHR. My ering is .75 (diamond), solitaire, and of course I don''t want a RHR that will be enormous to take away from my ering. I hope that makes some sense!!!

I''m so glad to have a few more ideas! Yaaaay!

 

[SparkleSparkle]

I bought a 7x5 EC from Rick - it''s just gorgeous! I don''t have a pic of it, but Fly Girl''s pics capture the color and quality of these stones.

 

[Liane]

Just popping in to vouch that Rick is great to deal with and the stones I''ve bought from Art Cut Gems have been superb (which reminds me: should get off my butt and do a picture thread). All of mine were as good as or better than the website pictures, the descriptions were completely accurate, and the prices were very very reasonable. I''ve been totally satisfied with all my purchases.

If the vendors don''t have exactly what you''re looking for on the websites, you can always try contacting them directly to ask. Both Rick and Barry are super nice.

Good luck!

 

[Harriet]

Date: 7/13/2009 10:36:37 PM
Author:PrincessPeach
Question: Has anyone purchased from Art Cut Gems, an online vendor? Can anyone vouch for their quality of stones? If so, I would appreciate it. I''ll post a link of what I might be looking to purchase from them.

(My quest for finding a garnet continues...I''ve gone to some local jewelry stores BUT they don''t have a great selection and are quite overpriced. If I should be specific, I am looking in the 2-4 ct garnet range (rhodolite or basically anything ''red''). )

I bought my very first gem from Rick, and he''s been generously teaching me about gems and minerals since. If you''re looking for a garnet, look no further. Rick knows tonnes about them.

 

[Nomsdeplume]

Rick is great. He''s very honest, professional and helpful. I''ve contacted a few vendors and Rick has honestly been the most helpful of the lot.

 

[Harriet]

There are vendors who Photoshop their pictures to the point of fraudulence. Rick''s pictures are unvarnished. I respect him for that.

 

[icekid]

I agree; Rick is lovely!

I''ve only bought (and returned) one stone from him. The color was not quite what I was looking for. He was very pleasant about it and the return was easy.

 

[mochi]

My second colored stone purchase was from Rick... He''s such a sweet person. This is a 7x9, beautifully cut. As you can tell, depending on the lighting, it looks different.

 

[chrono]

Mochi,
What stone is that? The purple to pink shift is very pretty and dramatic.

 

[Babyblue033]

Mochi, at a quick glance I had no idea those two were the same stone!

I have bought 2 stones from him, returned 1 of them, but he was extremely nice both times. I found both his photos and descriptions very accurate and would buy from him again.

 

[PrincessPeach]

Date: 7/15/2009 3:33:59 AM
Author: mochi
My second colored stone purchase was from Rick... He''s such a sweet person. This is a 7x9, beautifully cut. As you can tell, depending on the lighting, it looks different.

Wow Mochi that stone is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing your pics!!!