can any diamond vendor get any stone?

[Ann]

and do all vendors have access and COULD get the stones.?

So if I ask one vendor to look for a stone, how do I know he has looked every possible place he could for the stone?

Do all vendors know every source for the good stuff?

 

[denverappraiser]

Some of your answers are in this article.

Dealers don’t all work equally hard for you. In fact, some are hardly willing to work at all while others will do almost anything to make you happy. I recommend shopping with the later.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[Ann]

If I contact 2, maybe 3 vendors looking for the same thing, would they all call the same sources?

I know there are good guys and bad guys. Say I ask for a 3ct fancy cut, extremely well cut, would every vendor know where/who to call?

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/14/2005 8:35:59 AM
Author: Ann
If I contact 2, maybe 3 vendors looking for the same thing, would they all call the same sources?


I know there are good guys and bad guys. Say I ask for a 3ct fancy cut, extremely well cut, would every vendor know where/who to call?

No to both
on the first question there would likely be some overlap if they were all PS vendors.

Some vendors deal mainly with one or 2 suppliers where others deal with several dozen.

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 10/14/2005 8:41:47 AM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 10/14/2005 8:35:59 AM

Author: Ann

If I contact 2, maybe 3 vendors looking for the same thing, would they all call the same sources?



I know there are good guys and bad guys. Say I ask for a 3ct fancy cut, extremely well cut, would every vendor know where/who to call?

No to both

on the first question there would likely be some overlap if they were all PS vendors.


Some vendors deal mainly with one or 2 suppliers where others deal with several dozen.

Storm is quite right, and there are literally thousands of dealers out there, some who have their inventory on the net, some who do not. Currently it is often easy to find the same stone listed on dozens of web sites at dozens of prices, but there are tens of thousands of diamonds that are owned by jewelers and only available at that jeweler, whether he is on the web or not.

When you see a web site with thousands or tens of thousands of stones to choose from, chances are VERY good that these are not stones that are owned by the website. These stones you can usually shop around until you find the best bargain.

The larger the stone the fewer their are and the harder you must look to find the right one. If the one that you want is not on one of the large data bases that is when you need the best vendors to be looking for it for you.

Wink

 

[Ann]

So, let''s assume I ask Wink (who I know is a great jeweler) to find a stone that I know and have been told is difficult to find, how does he start his search? Would he know that ABC has access to and can source for him a hard to locate stone? Or does he call probably the same sources jeweler #1 did? Do I give up trying to find a tough stone or try different jeweler til we find the stone?

I know I am not wording this question correctly. But I just wonder if the good guys all know the best sources and if it ain''t there, it ain''t there!!?!

 

[perry]

Ann:

It all depends on what you are looking for in a stone. There are general suppliers, and their are suppliers who specialize.

Thus, should you be looking for a run of the mill stone. Your vendor of choice would first call his normal suppliers. Should you be looking for something a bit unusual - or something that is more of a specialty item. Then they would call the suppliers that are known to focus in that area (they might check with their general suppliers first to see if they just happen to have one).

So, they do not look every possible place - just the likely ones - and the ones that they have had a good experience or know have a good reputation (I am sure that there are some suppliers they would not buy from).

I went looking for a very specific set of diamonds about a year ago. Both NiceIce and Good Old Gold indicated that they would contact some specific suppliers who would be more likely to have what I was looking for. Even then, it took months to find what I was looking for.

Today, I am the proud owner of an interesting matched set of 1/4 carat diamonds that were meant to be special "side" diamonds in a 3 stone ring. My local jewelers indicate that they did not even know where to look for them (other than chance).

I would suggest that you decide what you want - and let them look for it. Alternativly, they might get it cut for you from one of the better cutters.

Perry