Harry Windston doesn''t mind windows!!

[smitcompton]

Hi TL and All,

I took the time to look at the photos TL showed on gemstones at the Field Museum. I couldn''t believe the caliber of stones they had. In fact a few days later I thought i should get TL to make herself available to the Field Museum as their curator for colored gems as the one they have isn''t cutting it. I would think about it or anyone else who could do a good job with buying stones or getting collections. I think you just have to know your stuff.

I have thought PSers were a bit stringent in their assessment of some gems but a number of you are much more knowledgeable than I. I have seen photos where a window looked to be, but when I received the gem there was no such window. It seems to me to be reflections , perhaps from the camera.(flash) I think you would have to see the stone.

I love colored gems. I also live in the Chicago suburbs and would like to see a good collection at the Field Museum. Perhaps two of you could do it together. Promote yourselves. Something to think about.

I would expect more from Harry Winston if there is a window. It is no longer a first class stone. Seems Pala has the best gems .
Thanks

 

[smitcompton]

Hi Again.

I forgot. i went to Robert Genis web site. He publishes the Gem Firecaster. He has an untreated ruby with an obvious window that he tells you about. He says its smaller than it looks. I think( don''t hold me to it) it was 15,000 for a little over one carat.

Thanks

 

[T L]

Date: 1/23/2010 4:00:40 PM
Author: smitcompton
Hi TL and All,

I took the time to look at the photos TL showed on gemstones at the Field Museum. I couldn't believe the caliber of stones they had. In fact a few days later I thought i should get TL to make herself available to the Field Museum as their curator for colored gems as the one they have isn't cutting it. I would think about it or anyone else who could do a good job with buying stones or getting collections. I think you just have to know your stuff.

I have thought PSers were a bit stringent in their assessment of some gems but a number of you are much more knowledgeable than I. I have seen photos where a window looked to be, but when I received the gem there was no such window. It seems to me to be reflections , perhaps from the camera.(flash) I think you would have to see the stone.

I love colored gems. I also live in the Chicago suburbs and would like to see a good collection at the Field Museum. Perhaps two of you could do it together. Promote yourselves. Something to think about.

I would expect more from Harry Winston if there is a window. It is no longer a first class stone. Seems Pala has the best gems .
Thanks

I should have clarified myself earlier, when I say "museum quality," I was definitely NOT referencing the Field Museum's collection at all. There are some stones in that collection that even I wouldn't want

and I'm sure that most PS'ers wouldn't want either.

 

[T L]

Date: 1/23/2010 4:03:43 PM
Author: smitcompton
Hi Again.

I forgot. i went to Robert Genis web site. He publishes the Gem Firecaster. He has an untreated ruby with an obvious window that he tells you about. He says its smaller than it looks. I think( don''t hold me to it) it was 15,000 for a little over one carat.

Thanks

I think the exception with large windows lies in extremely saturated and top gem Burma rubies, Kashmir/Burmese sapphires and the finest Muzo emeralds. I will say that I would never recut a 5 carat top quality unheated Burmese ruby. However, I would recut a slightly greyish lavender color change sapphire.

 

[empress]

I would suspect that Harry Winston may use the web to move lesser quality goods.

Let''s face it, their typical customer is not cruising the web looking for jewelry or stones - they arrive at the curb in their limo, after having made an appointment, and order something to be custom made, reset a family heirloom or help their son buy an engagement ring.

 

[T L]

I do get your point. . . .

Then using that analogy, why would they even bother putting this up?

http://www.harrywinston.com/Product.aspx?alias=022-diamond-blue-ring&current=colored-diamond-rings&section=rings

 

[RockHugger]

Date: 1/23/2010 5:47:20 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
I do get your point. . . .

Then using that analogy, why would they even bother putting this up?

http://www.harrywinston.com/Product.aspx?alias=022-diamond-blue-ring&current=colored-diamond-rings&section=rings

Oooooooh baby!

 

[empress]

Because there is lots of press about colored diamonds lately?

 

[PrecisionGem]

I would bet that I could have cut the piece of rough that was used for the sapphire in this thread with out a window, and finished up with the same weight stone. From the owners of cutting houses I have talked to in the past, the yields they get are consistently lower than what I average. They are just cutting less innovated designs, with less planning and engineering going into the cut.

 

[colormyworld]

Well you certainly seem to have a talent for blowing your own horn.

 

[chictomato]

Date: 1/23/2010 9:50:56 PM
Author: colormyworld
Well you certainly seem to have a talent for blowing your own horn.

Well I think that Gene is just being direct, speaking from his own professional view. That is what the forum is all about, I appreciate this straightforwardness, rather than some superficial comments I had a peridot cut by him and have no doubt in his professional execution

 

[colormyworld]

Date: 1/23/2010 10:36:19 PM
Author: chictomato

Date: 1/23/2010 9:50:56 PM
Author: colormyworld
Well you certainly seem to have a talent for blowing your own horn.

Well I think that Gene is just being direct, speaking from his own professional view. That is what the forum is all about, I appreciate this straightforwardness, rather than some superficial comments I had a peridot cut by him and have no doubt in his professional execution

Maybe so. Not being able to see anything but the top of the stone would seem to make his boast quite a statement though.

 

[RevolutionGems]

Gene has cut one or two stones in his time. I suspect he knows EXACTLY what he is talking about.

 

[ma re]

Don''t want to drag this into a completely other direction, but I have to adress one point made by TL, that she would do a lot of browsing and careful picking if she''d be filthy rich - that may or may not be. If you''d have piles of money TL, don''t you think you would care a bit less (and worry a bit less) about how much you spend and what you spend it on - as long as it''s something people from your social circles know about?

 

[T L]

Date: 1/24/2010 9:31:50 AM
Author: ma re
Don''t want to drag this into a completely other direction, but I have to adress one point made by TL, that she would do a lot of browsing and careful picking if she''d be filthy rich - that may or may not be. If you''d have piles of money TL, don''t you think you would care a bit less (and worry a bit less) about how much you spend and what you spend it on - as long as it''s something people from your social circles know about?

I wouldn''t care how much I spent, as long as the gem was a top quality piece, IF and only IF I was filthy rich. I would rather do that, then overspend on that greyish lavender overly windowed sapphire from HW.

My mom had some millionaire cousins, and I was shocked at how ugly some of their jewelry and gems were. They were just large, but the color was

. I think just because you''re wealthy, that doesn''t truly mean that you have a fine eye for colored gems. Some wealthy people do collect, and have a great eye of course, but it''s not given. For example, Richard Burton was a wealthy person with a great eye for color. Personally, I think places like HW, and Tiffany, might take advantage of that fact. You know, it''s comes from HW, so it HAS TO BE THE BEST, so the wealthy just buy from there and are blind to the fact that there are other places with smaller names, but even more fabulous material. I''m sure HW has some awesome gems, but that ring, the subject of this thread, was dismal for what I would expect from such a jewelry house.

I''m still shocked at how much celebrities pay for colorless diamonds when they could be wearing fine colored ones, with all the money they have.

Basically, the whole point of this thread is to point out that just because a place has a "name" in the industry, doesn''t mean you are going to be receiving the best of the best, as they often tout.

 

[RockHugger]

I have browesed Genes page, and I think he has the right to toot his horn once in a while. He I havnt purchased from him personally, but from pictures, and pictures from those who have, his stones are beautiful.

I agree the stone is windowed. I have stones with windows that arnt bad enough to see straight through it, but its enough to show an obvious hole in the color. I dont know how much that sapphire is, but I wouldnt pay top dollar for it.

 

[LD]

If I was uneducated about gemstones and filthy rich would I buy it? Possibly yes.

If I was educated about gemstones and filthy rich would I buy it? No.

As a non-filthy rich collector would I buy it? No because that sapphire has a horrible window - granted it MAY disappear once on the hand but I suspect not. For me, that would be an unforgiving eyesore and for that price it wouldn''t be welcomed at all. I can forgive small windows if the colour/clarity/price are all great but not when I''m paying tons of my hard earned cash!

 

[PrecisionGem]

If I as filthy rich, I wouldn''t buy it. I''d pay lobbyist and lawyers to help stop the puppy mills. I''d rest a lot better with an end to the mills, than owning a stone.

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 1/24/2010 9:31:50 AM
Author: ma re
Don''t want to drag this into a completely other direction, but I have to adress one point made by TL, that she would do a lot of browsing and careful picking if she''d be filthy rich - that may or may not be. If you''d have piles of money TL, don''t you think you would care a bit less (and worry a bit less) about how much you spend and what you spend it on - as long as it''s something people from your social circles know about?

Dear fellow PS-ers, you may be wrong here. Many years ago I happened to work for a very well-known company. Well, the owner flied coach and bought a moderately expensive car which had been (mildly) used by his vice-president. (I am positive he won''t mind the disclosure because it was imentioned n many articles about him). I mean, REALLY rich people may not buy this stone because every dollar they make they pump back into their business to make more dollars. I think these stones are more for people who think they are rich and, as you said, have joined certain social circles. Like Nicholas Cage who bought a dinosaur''s skull for $ 200,000.00 and is now claiming bankrupcy. (Actually, I love his acting and hope he''ll get better financially - but these baubles are for people like him. Their resale value is not high either).

 

[T L]

Date: 1/24/2010 6:13:28 PM
Author: crasru

Date: 1/24/2010 9:31:50 AM
Author: ma re
Don't want to drag this into a completely other direction, but I have to adress one point made by TL, that she would do a lot of browsing and careful picking if she'd be filthy rich - that may or may not be. If you'd have piles of money TL, don't you think you would care a bit less (and worry a bit less) about how much you spend and what you spend it on - as long as it's something people from your social circles know about?

Dear fellow PS-ers, you may be wrong here. Many years ago I happened to work for a very well-known company. Well, the owner flied coach and bought a moderately expensive car which had been (mildly) used by his vice-president. (I am positive he won't mind the disclosure because it was imentioned n many articles about him). I mean, REALLY rich people may not buy this stone because every dollar they make they pump back into their business to make more dollars. I think these stones are more for people who think they are rich and, as you said, have joined certain social circles. Like Nicholas Cage who bought a dinosaur's skull for $ 200,000.00 and is now claiming bankrupcy. (Actually, I love his acting and hope he'll get better financially - but these baubles are for people like him. Their resale value is not high either).

Wealthy people collect all kinds of things. For example, Bill Gates bought a notebook drawn by Leonardo D'Vinci, but there are some wealthy collectors of fine gems, especially those that are into colored diamonds. Wealthy people from the Middle East and Japan are particularly into colored gems and diamonds.

 

[LD]

Date: 1/24/2010 6:52:33 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 1/24/2010 6:13:28 PM
Author: crasru

Date: 1/24/2010 9:31:50 AM
Author: ma re
Don''t want to drag this into a completely other direction, but I have to adress one point made by TL, that she would do a lot of browsing and careful picking if she''d be filthy rich - that may or may not be. If you''d have piles of money TL, don''t you think you would care a bit less (and worry a bit less) about how much you spend and what you spend it on - as long as it''s something people from your social circles know about?

Dear fellow PS-ers, you may be wrong here. Many years ago I happened to work for a very well-known company. Well, the owner flied coach and bought a moderately expensive car which had been (mildly) used by his vice-president. (I am positive he won''t mind the disclosure because it was imentioned n many articles about him). I mean, REALLY rich people may not buy this stone because every dollar they make they pump back into their business to make more dollars. I think these stones are more for people who think they are rich and, as you said, have joined certain social circles. Like Nicholas Cage who bought a dinosaur''s skull for $ 200,000.00 and is now claiming bankrupcy. (Actually, I love his acting and hope he''ll get better financially - but these baubles are for people like him. Their resale value is not high either).

Wealthy people collect all kinds of things. Bill Gates bought a notebook drawn by Leonardo D''Vinci, but there are some wealthy collectors of fine gems, especially those that are into colored diamonds. Wealthy people from the Middle East and Japan are particularly into colored gems and diamonds.

Yep, you only have to buy the book recounting the jewellery of Elizabeth Taylor (a self taught jewellery collector) to know that there are some that know EXACTLY what they''re buying! Or read the book about Graff''s life story and his clients around the world! Some of the stories in there are mind-boggling! I hate to say it but a quick peek at Victoria Beckham''s jewellery is like dipping into a high class candy store!

 

[Sagebrush]

I think it is important to note that the people here on the forum are atypical. Case in point, the current debate. Also, there is a question of taste. In Europe they regularly sell what we call "flat" stones that are windowed but have a bigger face per carat. They are not so interested in brilliance as in size. That attitude is also typical of Asian buyers outside of Japan. Twenty five years ago it was also typical of the U.S.

The best of what is seen here may not be the biggest but it is truly the best in the world. I regularly attend auctions and I can tell you that most of what the auction house tout as the "Magnificent Jewels" of the past hardly hold a candle to their more contemporary counterparts.

The original L. C. Tiffany, Pierre Cartier, Harry Winston were truly giants, but they are all gone. Those that have taken over lack the passion and the vision of their company''s founders. Quick story: I was working with a very well known dealer. I had been at his office all week and purchased some great stones. I was missing two carat sapphires. I asked if he had any since I had not seen any on offer. "Oh, he said, wait a minute." He went to the safe took out a box and handed it to me. "Take what you want he said, I''m holding these for (insert big name store) but they want to pay net six months." He told me further, their buyers come to town with a list made up by the bean counters. They see a fabulous 3 carat ruby, if its not on the list, they can''t buy it. Any real gem dealer will tell you that you can''t work that way, If you see something fabulous you have to buy it! I regularly go on trips with a list then I buy what is available. The corporate types who run these famous companies don''t understand. You must seize the opportunity!

Gene gets better yield because he can innovate and conjure the finished stone from the rough. The modern Tiffany and Cartier would never consider one of his cuts! On the other hand, G. F. Kunz, Tiffany''s legendary gemologist of the early 20th Century would have bought them in a minute and figured out how to sell them later.

 

[T L]

Date: 1/24/2010 7:38:51 PM
Author: Richard W. Wise

I think it is important to note that the people here on the forum are atypical. Case in point, the current debate. Also, there is a question of taste. In Europe they regularly sell what we call ''flat'' stones that are windowed but have a bigger face per carat. They are not so interested in brilliance as in size. That attitude is also typical of Asian buyers outside of Japan. Twenty five years ago it was also typical of the U.S.

The best of what is seen here may not be the biggest but it is truly the best in the world. I regularly attend auctions and I can tell you that most of what the auction house tout as the ''Magnificent Jewels'' of the past hardly hold a candle to their more contemporary counterparts.

The original L. C. Tiffany, Pierre Cartier, Harry Winston were truly giants, but they are all gone. Those that have taken over lack the passion and the vision of their company''s founders. Quick story: I was working with a very well known dealer. I had been at his office all week and purchased some great stones. I was missing two carat sapphires. I asked if he had any since I had not seen any on offer. ''Oh, he said, wait a minute.'' He went to the safe took out a box and handed it to me. ''Take what you want he said, I''m holding these for (insert big name store) but they want to pay net six months.'' He told me further, their buyers come to town with a list made up by the bean counters. They see a fabulous 3 carat ruby, if its not on the list, they can''t buy it. Any real gem dealer will tell you that you can''t work that way, If you see something fabulous you have to buy it! I regularly go on trips with a list then I buy what is available. The corporate types who run these famous companies don''t understand. You must seize the opportunity!

Gene gets better yield because he can innovate and conjure the finished stone from the rough. The modern Tiffany and Cartier would never consider one of his cuts! On the other hand, G. F. Kunz, Tiffany''s legendary gemologist of the early 20th Century would have bought them in a minute and figured out how to sell them later.

In a way, that''s really what this thread is about. It''s rather sad.

 

[chrono]

Date: 1/24/2010 8:03:38 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
In a way, that''s really what this thread is about. It''s rather sad.

Indeed.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 1/23/2010 2:37:12 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 1/23/2010 2:28:06 PM
Author: Kim Bruun
This forum has made me really critical about windows - having learned that it is a result of the cut, I have really come to appreciate how a window can kill an otherwise good stone. If this stone does indeed have a window, it deserves to be recut. The colour is absolutely gorgeous - why sacrifice some of it for the sake of a little extra weight?

I''ve actually seen better colored color change sapphires than that one, if that''s what the color looks like IRL. To be fair, it''s an ad, and it could look worse, or better, than the ad. Now if it was truly a unique, rare, museum quality piece, like the Whittelsbach for example, I could see the huge gaping window left in place. The Whittelsbach, which I keep referencing is not only important because it''s one of the largest blue diamonds in existence, but also because of it''s historic value, so while not enirely a fair comparison, I think it brings the point across.

I do think HW can afford to recut the otherwise horrible native cutting on that stone. I''m not saying it needs a top end precision cut, but I do think it would be more of a beautiful and valuble stone if it was truly a quality colored gem. HW''s buyers have connections to some of the world''s most beautiful gems, so I''m clueless why they would buy THAT??? I think it''s totally about major profit in this one ring''s particular case. I also wonder if they left it like that because it might be a very deep stone, and therefore, if they recut it, it would greatly, not just a little, lose saturation of color, which in the end, would mean it''s not the best quality to begin with.

Check out the obviously brown padparadscha they have on their site as well. There''s one that''s quite beautiful, and another, when in comparison, looks very brown.

I would expect windows to be a lot more common than people seem to indicate here. Its just not a criteria that HW or their customers really focusses on even if it was as big as the picture indicates. This isn''t just HW but virtually all high end B&M stores (and middle and low end too), they aren''t going to mess with native cuts. Now maybe this is a bigger deal because its 8 carats and its a super high priced item but i just don''t see it as out of the ordinary. Am I wrong?

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 1/23/2010 9:28:25 PM
Author: PrecisionGem
I would bet that I could have cut the piece of rough that was used for the sapphire in this thread with out a window, and finished up with the same weight stone. From the owners of cutting houses I have talked to in the past, the yields they get are consistently lower than what I average. They are just cutting less innovated designs, with less planning and engineering going into the cut.

Gene,

I have only spoken to you briefly when I was researching my aqua project but I would tend beleive you. I would also say that about a number of cutters that frequent these forums and like Richard Homer would probably say the same thing and it would be true.. Maybe one day you will get your gems bought by Harry Winston but it seems the best artists and cuttes never seem to get their stuff bought by high end jewelers any idea why that is?

 

[RevolutionGems]

Thats easy. Supply and price.

Big name places are not, in general, particularly interested in one-off pieces. They want to be able to design a piece once and sell it a number of times. Stones like we cut don''t fit that mold. Plus, even the best cutters can''t do more than one or two stones a day. There is simply no way we could supply their demand. Finally, they are not willing to pay the prices we have to charge. We pay more for our rough and expend significantly more time on each cut. How can we compete with cutting houses that have a labor investment of a few 10''s of cents in a given stone and much lower rough costs?

 

[T L]

Date: 1/24/2010 11:14:05 PM
Author: ChunkyCushionLover

Date: 1/23/2010 2:37:12 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 1/23/2010 2:28:06 PM
Author: Kim Bruun
This forum has made me really critical about windows - having learned that it is a result of the cut, I have really come to appreciate how a window can kill an otherwise good stone. If this stone does indeed have a window, it deserves to be recut. The colour is absolutely gorgeous - why sacrifice some of it for the sake of a little extra weight?

I''ve actually seen better colored color change sapphires than that one, if that''s what the color looks like IRL. To be fair, it''s an ad, and it could look worse, or better, than the ad. Now if it was truly a unique, rare, museum quality piece, like the Whittelsbach for example, I could see the huge gaping window left in place. The Whittelsbach, which I keep referencing is not only important because it''s one of the largest blue diamonds in existence, but also because of it''s historic value, so while not enirely a fair comparison, I think it brings the point across.

I do think HW can afford to recut the otherwise horrible native cutting on that stone. I''m not saying it needs a top end precision cut, but I do think it would be more of a beautiful and valuble stone if it was truly a quality colored gem. HW''s buyers have connections to some of the world''s most beautiful gems, so I''m clueless why they would buy THAT??? I think it''s totally about major profit in this one ring''s particular case. I also wonder if they left it like that because it might be a very deep stone, and therefore, if they recut it, it would greatly, not just a little, lose saturation of color, which in the end, would mean it''s not the best quality to begin with.

Check out the obviously brown padparadscha they have on their site as well. There''s one that''s quite beautiful, and another, when in comparison, looks very brown.

I would expect windows to be a lot more common than people seem to indicate here. Its just not a criteria that HW or their customers really focusses on even if it was as big as the picture indicates. This isn''t just HW but virtually all high end B&M stores (and middle and low end too), they aren''t going to mess with native cuts. Now maybe this is a bigger deal because its 8 carats and its a super high priced item but i just don''t see it as out of the ordinary. Am I wrong?

I don''t think all high end B&M stores are like that though. I hear wonderful things about Graff, and the man in charge is still around to make sure quality is #1, and I''ve read he will recut a colored gem when necessary. Kaufman de Suisse is another high end jeweler (NYC) that I also hear excellent things about. I''m sure there are others.

 

[PrecisionGem]

Date: 1/24/2010 11:20:36 PM
Author: ChunkyCushionLover

Date: 1/23/2010 9:28:25 PM

Author: PrecisionGem

I would bet that I could have cut the piece of rough that was used for the sapphire in this thread with out a window, and finished up with the same weight stone. From the owners of cutting houses I have talked to in the past, the yields they get are consistently lower than what I average. They are just cutting less innovated designs, with less planning and engineering going into the cut.

Gene,


I have only spoken to you briefly when I was researching my aqua project but I would tend beleive you. I would also say that about a number of cutters that frequent these forums and like Richard Homer would probably say the same thing and it would be true.. Maybe one day you will get your gems bought by Harry Winston but it seems the best artists and cuttes never seem to get their stuff bought by high end jewelers any idea why that is?

Individual cutters will never get their stone purchased by Tiffany''s and the likes of Harry Winston, since they fabricate pieces in quantity, and we could never provide the quantity of a particular stone. But, that''s not to say that the private cutters don''t sell stones to high end jewelers. Many high end jewelers and goldsmiths buy from individual cutters, and make one of kind custom pieces. These goldsmiths want unique stones, and the more exotic cuts... it''s sets their product apart, and increases it''s value.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 1/24/2010 11:45:58 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 1/24/2010 11:14:05 PM
Author: ChunkyCushionLover

Date: 1/23/2010 2:37:12 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 1/23/2010 2:28:06 PM
Author: Kim Bruun
This forum has made me really critical about windows - having learned that it is a result of the cut, I have really come to appreciate how a window can kill an otherwise good stone. If this stone does indeed have a window, it deserves to be recut. The colour is absolutely gorgeous - why sacrifice some of it for the sake of a little extra weight?

I've actually seen better colored color change sapphires than that one, if that's what the color looks like IRL. To be fair, it's an ad, and it could look worse, or better, than the ad. Now if it was truly a unique, rare, museum quality piece, like the Whittelsbach for example, I could see the huge gaping window left in place. The Whittelsbach, which I keep referencing is not only important because it's one of the largest blue diamonds in existence, but also because of it's historic value, so while not enirely a fair comparison, I think it brings the point across.

I do think HW can afford to recut the otherwise horrible native cutting on that stone. I'm not saying it needs a top end precision cut, but I do think it would be more of a beautiful and valuble stone if it was truly a quality colored gem. HW's buyers have connections to some of the world's most beautiful gems, so I'm clueless why they would buy THAT??? I think it's totally about major profit in this one ring's particular case. I also wonder if they left it like that because it might be a very deep stone, and therefore, if they recut it, it would greatly, not just a little, lose saturation of color, which in the end, would mean it's not the best quality to begin with.

Check out the obviously brown padparadscha they have on their site as well. There's one that's quite beautiful, and another, when in comparison, looks very brown.

I would expect windows to be a lot more common than people seem to indicate here. Its just not a criteria that HW or their customers really focusses on even if it was as big as the picture indicates. This isn't just HW but virtually all high end B&M stores (and middle and low end too), they aren't going to mess with native cuts. Now maybe this is a bigger deal because its 8 carats and its a super high priced item but i just don't see it as out of the ordinary. Am I wrong?

I don't think all high end B&M stores are like that though. I hear wonderful things about Graff, and the man in charge is still around to make sure quality is #1, and I've read he will recut a colored gem when necessary. Kaufman de Suisse is another high end jeweler (NYC) that I also hear excellent things about. I'm sure there are others.

We have a Kaufman De Suisse in Montreal, very limited selection of colored stones to choose from there and poorly educated salestaff (they got confused over which pieces were Aquamarine versus Blue Topaz).
They had well cut diamonds especially fancy shapes like a pear but nothing interesting in colored stones.
I would expect the NYC location to be better (much better economy and people with more money) but not impressed at all with the Montreal location.