Advice for a newbie

[gem_newbie]

Hi all,

So I'm new to the gem game. After some difficult personal circumstances recently, I decided to get a morganite ring designed to remind me of getting through tough times.

I began trying to source morganite (I'm UK based so I'm struggling to find places to buy), and then became interested in starting to collect gems.

I haven't really got a clue where to start, but started looking at inexpensive stones as a starting point. If a post a few pictures, I wondered if you'd be so kind as to critique so I can start to learn what look for.

First - danburite. Two different stones.





Second up - kunzite



Any feedback on positives/negatives of these would be great. Feel like I've got a lot to learn!

Thanks

 

[gem_newbie]

One other thing I meant to add - if anyone in the UK has any recommendations as to where to buy, I'd be forever grateful!

 

[chrono]

The stones look as though they have been photoshopped to look like they are being held by the tweezers...
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-to-coloured-gemstone-buying-read-this-first.174284/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-to-coloured-gemstone-buying-read-this-first.174284/[/URL]

 

[gem_newbie]

Thanks for your reply - they're from a company that I know is not a rip off merchants (researched and definitely real stones) I'm just not sure about the quality. All these above are around £30 each so not expensive, I'm not looking for perfection at this price just more to learn what to look for

Thanks

 

[chrono]

My comment was more geared towards the accuracy of the gem as shown, not that the gem isn't real. Because the stones are photoshopped onto the tweezers, I have no clue as to what they look like in person. Even though the stones are not expensive, I recommend that you do a lot of reading and learning first before spending/buying. This will save you a lot of money in the long run; a few stones here and there can add up to a lot of money by the time you decide you are ready for your first serious gemstone.

 

[gem_newbie]

Ok I understand, thanks so much for your advice. So you have any recommendations of the where I could window shop to learn?

 

[chrono]

I hope the UK based posters will chime in soon. I don't know if there are gem shows in UK but I know there are some fantastic ones in other parts of Europe.

 

[T L]

I believe irradiated morganite and kunzite tend to fade, so be careful as the treatment is not detectable, unless its already fading.

 

[JewelFreak]

Welcome to PS! Hope you stick around -- it's fun & we all learn all the time. The best place to start is to read the info in the link Chrono posted -- it can save you time & money. I hope some of the UK folks will pipe up too & give you hints on places to check in real life.

 

[Justin_Cutter]

I believe irradiated morganite and kunzite tend to fade, so be careful as the treatment is not detectable, unless its already fading.

This is correct, Direct sunlight with speed up the fading process.

~Justin

 

[dk168]

I live in UK, and have yet to attend a gem show. However, I recently joined the mailing list for Rock Gem and Bead UK, and am hoping to attend one of their shows soon. Link to their site: http://www.rockngem.co.uk/

As for reliable sources of gemstones, I would highly recommend Jeff White of Whitegems (check out his gorgeous Morganites in his sold gemstone gallery for Beryls: http://www.whitesgems.com/berylgallery.html), and Gene Flanagan of Precision Gems, both listed as trusted vendors for coloured stones.

I have not purchased any jewellery of significant value in the UK for many years, as I found I could save money even after I had paid for import duties and shipping/handling charges when buying from abroad.

There are risks involved with buying and importing from abroad for certain, and I have always treated such transactions as one-way, as it would be too much of a hassle to try and claim back the import duties etc...

Luckily I have not made any significant purchases that I have regretted. In fact, I managed to sell some unloved items as second hand goods in UK via eBay and got more than what I paid for originally!

Good luck with your search, and happy shopping!

DK

 

[dk168]

I forgot to add, for something inexpensive, I would recommend Jeff Davies of eBay store Fine Gemstones and Jewelry: http://stores.ebay.com/finegemstonesandjewelry, again, listed as a trusted vendor for CSs. He currently does not have any Morganite or Danburite listed though.

Another vendor I would recommend is Multicolour: http://www.multicolour.com/front.html for something inexpensive.

DK