Help a rookie find an Emerald for an engagement ring...

[Donny Steele]

I stumbled upon this website and I'm looking for a quality emerald to be used in an engagement ring and would appreciate any help from this community. So far I've found Leibish.com and gemsny.com for online vendors and no luck finding a loose emerald in Houston, TX so far. See below for some general specifics in my search.

Loose Emerald Search
-Emerald cut (rectangular in shape)
-1.5 to 3 carats
-Intense green (stop light color) with nice color and brilliance (passes the eye test)
-Quality stone worth being the center piece of an engagement ring. Healthy stone w/ minor treatments
-$15,000 budget

What do y'all think about these loose emeralds below (not the vendor)? Are they priced appropriately? The images aren't the best but I would be able to get my eyes on them.

https://www.gemsny.com/loose-emerald/2.87-Carat-Emerald-Emerald-E5650EC/
https://www.gemsny.com/loose-emerald/2.69-Carat-Emerald-Emerald-E5652EC/
https://www.gemsny.com/loose-emerald/2.42-Carat-Emerald-Emerald-E5644EC/

 

[BigC]

I'm surprised none of the local jewelry stores are get in some stones for you.
It may take some time, but most can order in some gems for you to browse, with a $15,000 budget, I'm guessing they could get some in no problem. For that price, it would seem to be worth their time.
You can find some amazing stones for that price. I haven't had any experience with gemsny, but it would guess their markup is quite substantial and you can find better deals elsewhere.

 

[whitewave]

Maybe diamonds by Lauren?

 

[Bron357]

I just feel I need to comment on your engagement gem choice.
Emeralds are stunning, I have one myself BUT they are not the most robust gem and despite their hardness of 8, they are brittle.
The gem is normally included, it’s called jardin, but it’s actually a heap of tiny cracks. It’s just how emeralds are. A hard bump and an emerald can literally shear.
So, for an engagement ring, worn everyday and doing everyday activities, it may not be a great choice.
If you do go with emerald, I would definitely recommend a full bezel setting, to protect all the edges from any inadvertent bump.
Most emeralds are oiled, it’s an accepted treatment. Some emeralds are fissure filled, this is not as widely accepted so check what treatments are noted in any emerald you buy.
Colour is subjective, the “top” colour is a deeper emerald green, you will pay top dollar for this colour. However slightly lighter tone will be more economical and I prefer this colour. Basically the lighter you go, the cheaper the emerald should be, all other things being equal.
The emeralds you have chosen are quite dark toned, set into a ring with a full bezel I think you might find them too dark. They won’t be “lively” if you get what I mean.
Another aspect is origin, Columbian emeralds are the ones most people covert. It’s because of their tone which is bright and lively.
My ring is not a “top colour” but it is Columbian, it is also about 6 carats.
Whoever you buy from, just make sure they have a “return if you don’t like it” policy. You need to see gems, in person, in normal inside light, outside light as often times vendors photos or videos are making full use of specialized lighting to show a gem of to its best. These types of lighting conditions are not what you’ll be seeing the gem in on a daily basis.

 

[whitewave]

https://wildfishgems.com/

 

[princessandthepear]

For online purchases you may want to look into Embassy Emeralds. For curiosity's sake, have you stopped by Brian Gavin Diamond? They are now carrying gemstones. Maybe they could source a gem for you? If you decide against an emerald center stone, maybe you could have emerald side stones or an emerald wedding band?

 

[Donny Steele]

I'm surprised none of the local jewelry stores are get in some stones for you.
It may take some time, but most can order in some gems for you to browse, with a $15,000 budget, I'm guessing they could get some in no problem. For that price, it would seem to be worth their time.
You can find some amazing stones for that price. I haven't had any experience with gemsny, but it would guess their markup is quite substantial and you can find better deals elsewhere.

I went to one local place in Houston but they only had a few low quality emeralds but they were going to try and source some more. A big diamond and gemstone show was at the convention center this weekend but good emeralds were scarce too.

But I think you are right, I need to do some more work at some local jewelry stores.

 

[Donny Steele]

Maybe diamonds by Lauren?

I just checked her website and none of the inventory was what I'm looking for.

 

[Donny Steele]

I just feel I need to comment on your engagement gem choice.
Emeralds are stunning, I have one myself BUT they are not the most robust gem and despite their hardness of 8, they are brittle.
The gem is normally included, it’s called jardin, but it’s actually a heap of tiny cracks. It’s just how emeralds are. A hard bump and an emerald can literally shear.
So, for an engagement ring, worn everyday and doing everyday activities, it may not be a great choice.
If you do go with emerald, I would definitely recommend a full bezel setting, to protect all the edges from any inadvertent bump.
Most emeralds are oiled, it’s an accepted treatment. Some emeralds are fissure filled, this is not as widely accepted so check what treatments are noted in any emerald you buy.
Colour is subjective, the “top” colour is a deeper emerald green, you will pay top dollar for this colour. However slightly lighter tone will be more economical and I prefer this colour. Basically the lighter you go, the cheaper the emerald should be, all other things being equal.
The emeralds you have chosen are quite dark toned, set into a ring with a full bezel I think you might find them too dark. They won’t be “lively” if you get what I mean.
Another aspect is origin, Columbian emeralds are the ones most people covert. It’s because of their tone which is bright and lively.
My ring is not a “top colour” but it is Columbian, it is also about 6 carats.
Whoever you buy from, just make sure they have a “return if you don’t like it” policy. You need to see gems, in person, in normal inside light, outside light as often times vendors photos or videos are making full use of specialized lighting to show a gem of to its best. These types of lighting conditions are not what you’ll be seeing the gem in on a daily basis.

Thanks for the info but I didn't choose the emerald....just following orders haha. I have been advised that by several people and let the future Mrs. know the risks. She does not want a halo and just a solitaire setting but I may override that!

 

[whitewave]

I bought my sandawana emerald from wild fish gems.

 

[MollyMalone]

Gem2000 (in Ohio) is a wholesaler that seems to be a source for a number of jewelers, even online vendors. They sell only to the trade, but we consumers can still search the inventory database (although we can't see the wholesale prices). So you might see if there's anything in their current inventory that catches your eye & see if your preferred local jeweler can "call in" the stone(s).
https://www.gem2000.com

Be aware, however, that many of the stones in Gem200's inventory do not yet have lab reports. This Columbian emerald (which I think looks promising) does have a lab report (or "certificate") -- and I would have no qualms about buying an emerald that has a CDTEC report. Enter 8448 into the Item Number box on Search function & you'll see the complete listing that includes a PDF of the CDTEC reports, which includes the lab's finding of just minor clarity enhancement.

 

[Donny Steele]

For online purchases you may want to look into Embassy Emeralds. For curiosity's sake, have you stopped by Brian Gavin Diamond? They are now carrying gemstones. Maybe they could source a gem for you? If you decide against an emerald center stone, maybe you could have emerald side stones or an emerald wedding band?

What do you think of this one from Embassy Emeralds?

http://www.embassyemeralds.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&manufacturers_id=&products_id=615

I haven't heard of Brian Gavin but will give them a call tomorrow. I guess he's kinda a big deal after a quick google search.

 

[Bron357]

With the emerald Molly posted (very nice btw) a full delicate bezel with milligrain (little dots sort of) would look fabulous for an “antique” look, or high polished for a “modern” look.
Do you know if her preference is Plat, yellow gold, rose gold?
Also has she put a little cutout (just green paper) of the approx size onto her finger to get an idea of scale.
I’m a size 8 finger so 2 carat would look a bit small on me, whereas if she is a size 4 she will get much more finger coverage.

 

[Donny Steele]

With the emerald Molly posted (very nice btw) a full delicate bezel with milligrain (little dots sort of) would look fabulous for an “antique” look, or high polished for a “modern” look.
Do you know if her preference is Plat, yellow gold, rose gold?
Also has she put a little cutout (just green paper) of the approx size onto her finger to get an idea of scale.
I’m a size 8 finger so 2 carat would look a bit small on me, whereas if she is a size 4 she will get much more finger coverage.

Her preference is yellow gold. I've seen the milligrain on some pictures and really like it and think she would too. I'm actually torn between a plain yellow gold solitaire setting and then stacked with lively bands over time or going a more halo diamond bezel/milligrain antiquey look but she wants emerald cut and not a cushion cut. She's a size 4.5 to 5.

 

[MollyMalone]

Even though David Friedlander (Diamonds by Lauren) doesn't have anything of interest to you showing up online, he is smack-dab in NYC's Diamond District, where there is a lot of gemstone "traffic." Plus, he could easily take a "paperless" stone to AGL's lab, which is within spitting distance of his office -- that would save you some angst and the money for shipping a stone to/from AGL. So I don't see a downside to reaching out to him to see if he's interested in sourcing an emerald for you & his MO for that.

FWIW I personally would not make a ~$15,000 purchase from Wildfish Gems, primarily because I'm not really comfortable with what's been reported here in the past re returns (which are not clearly spelled out on his website). Plus, I think his prices generally run high.

But I'm happy to give positive reinforcement for your fiancée's desire for an emerald e-ring! My e-ring, a Victorian, peachy gold ring with 2 prong-set emeralds accented by diamonds, was more than 100 years old when I received it. I wore it daily for 20+ years & the only damage inflicted was an eensy "flea bite" on one of the emeralds that was visible only with a loupe. So an emerald e-ring is doable in my book : - )

 

[Donny Steele]

Gem2000 (in Ohio) is a wholesaler that seems to be a source for a number of jewelers, even online vendors. They sell only to the trade, but we consumers can still search the inventory database (although we can't see the wholesale prices). So you might see if there's anything in their current inventory that catches your eye & see if your preferred local jeweler can "call in" the stone(s).
https://www.gem2000.com

Be aware, however, that many of the stones in Gem200's inventory do not yet have lab reports. This Columbian emerald (which I think looks promising) does have a lab report (or "certificate") -- and I would have no qualms about buying an emerald that has a CDTEC report. Enter 8448 into the Item Number box on Search function & you'll see the complete listing that includes a PDF of the CDTEC reports, which includes the lab's finding of just minor clarity enhancement.

Thanks for providing the link for Gems2000. I see a few that are viable options but I guess I now just need to find a local jeweler since I don't have a preferred one.

How does that work? Do they just request it w/o buying it and then I then I can view it and decide to purchase or not?

 

[MollyMalone]

Thanks for providing the link for Gems2000. I see a few that are viable options but I guess I now just need to find a local jeweler since I don't have a preferred one.

How does that work? Do they just request it w/o buying it and then I then I can view it and decide to purchase or not?

The retailer/jeweler needs to have an account with Gem2000; setting that up requires trade references and proof of credentials-fiscal soundness. The application form is here:
https://www.gem2000.com/register.php
Gem2000 sends the stone(s) to the retailer "on memo," meaning no money exchanges hands unless-until you buy; understandably enough, Gem2000 expects the retailer to either return the stone(s) or remit payment within X number of days. The price you pay will depend on how much of a mark-up the retailer adds to the wholesale price; there may be some "wriggle room" on the purchase price, depending on how the retailer conducts business (never hurts to ask if they can "do better").

 

[MollyMalone]

fyi, Brian Gavin Diamonds is an authorized retailer for, e.g., Sholdt (which also does custom designs). Sholdt's website is annoyingly difficult to navigate -- e.g., you can't ask it to pull up depictions of solitaire or accented settings for emerald-cut stones -- but think it might be worthwhile to stroll through the website.
http://sholdtdesign.com
Or perhaps BGD has a paper catalogue you can peruse. I'm thinking one of Sholdt's Fern rings might appeal to both a woman who's expressed keen interest in a solitaire & a man who'd like the ring to have a bit more oomph. I've seen these in person & the proportions and workmanship were excellent (although the prongs in one were kinda blobby for my taste, but that's easy enough to tweak). Examples:


BGD and Whiteflash (another PS favorite, in Houston) also take care of custom design and fabrication themselves, so that's another way of doing one-stop shopping. Similarly, Diamonds by Lauren uses several different benches in NYC for design and fabrication so that a customer can avoid back-and-forth shipping.

One question to ask anyone is whether they will assume liability for the emerald while it's being set into the mounting. Much to the surprise of most people, the vast majority of jewelers here in the US do not have an insurance policy that covers "outside" stones and/or colored gems, but Jewelers Mutual will issue a policy that covers a loose stone for the first 30 days of your policy, so as to cover damage to/loss of the stone while in the custody of the jeweler/the bench.

 

[hobbitfancier55]

These are probably a little smaller than what you’re looking for, but it can’t hurt to show them to you.

1.48 Carats
https://www.earthstreasury.com/product/1-48-carat-ethiopian-emerald/





1.29 Carats
https://www.earthstreasury.com/product/1-29-carat-zambian-emerald/

 

[qubitasaurus]

There is another emerald vendor Lee Wasson who doesnt come up much as his stuff is a little more pricey. But it is nice. By the way you shouldnt buy anything without a lab report (preferably from AGL or GIA).

Since you mentioned yellow gold, bezel and milgrain, I am attaching a link to yanaazul's sapphire ring (which was coppied from a singlestone ring so you might like to flip through their website too)

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/sapphire-bezel-ring-david-klass.216659/

However I would be a bit hesitent about the bezel to be honest. I am with MollyMalone in the sense that you will probably have to assume all liability for the stone while it is being set. This is standard practice whenever you source the stone, as the jewler does not have insurance for setting outside stones.

So I would probably try instead to prong set it in a halo. Keeping the girdle (outer rim) below the halo (like this one -- edit this wasnt the best example afterall, you want the stone set even lower than this. Maybe someone else can find you an appropriate picture as i am running a bit to late.).

If you didnt want such a bulky halo then I would try to add some detail which helped protect the stone (i.e. something like this). Or something similar to the rings on cvb id's etsy page. The tricky bit is that you will need to be careful who you give this to complete the setting, as emeralds are brittle and you want a bench that is used to setting softer stones.

tldr -- please add a little protection to the setting. And dont just give it to anyone to set. You need a bench who is adept at setting softer coloured stones.

 

[whitewave]

Well, David Klass is setting my emerald in a bezel pendant— he already has my emerald, so we shall see how he does.

 

[binay1702]

I don't know if mention of Facebook seller is allowed here or not.But Gem Hunter Acquisitions on facebook has nice 2.15ct emerald for sale.He is trustworthy seller.https://www.facebook.com/GenhunterA/

 

[minousbijoux]

I don't know if mention of Facebook seller is allowed here or not.But Gem Hunter Acquisitions on facebook has nice 2.15ct emerald for sale.He is trustworthy seller.https://www.facebook.com/GenhunterA/

If that is your business, Binay, and you are a member of the Trade, then no, it is not allowed to post your own stones for sale.

 

[whitewave]

Dana has some: https://www.mastercutgems.com/Products/254-Aquamarine_Emerald_and_Beryl-Gems.php

 

[binay1702]

If that is your business, Binay, and you are a member of the Trade, then no, it is not allowed to post your own stones for sale.

Not my business though

 

[meely]

But I'm happy to give positive reinforcement for your fiancée's desire for an emerald e-ring! My e-ring, a Victorian, peachy gold ring with 2 prong-set emeralds accented by diamonds, was more than 100 years old when I received it. I wore it daily for 20+ years & the only damage inflicted was an eensy "flea bite" on one of the emeralds that was visible only with a loupe. So an emerald e-ring is doable in my book : - )

I would love to see this! I couldn't spot a thread on it?

 

[Anne111]

WildFish has a giant collection of emeralds, especially Sandawana emeralds:
https://www.wildfishgems.com/emerald
I have bought there and though I did not need to return, the policies are pretty clear:
"Returns: Loose Gemstones
Our 7-days return policy for gemstones is simple:
No exceptions. No discussions*. No delays.
(We might politely ask 'Why?' but only to learn and serve you better. Answer you must not.)
Returns from the USA can be shipped to our office in the USA.
Returns from the EU can be shipped to our office in the EU.
You have seven days to decide if you want to keep your stone, starting with the day you have received it (if you need longer, no problem, but please let us know).
If you don't like your stone, you ship it back to one of our offices and we'll recharge your paypal or bank account as soon as we have received it.

 

[whitewave]

That’s the thing about ed at Wildfish—he has emeralds in stock. I did get mine at 40% off as he ran a special promotion. I love my Sandawana Emerald: it is so glowy. I had a great experience with him.

 

[whitewave]

Maybe Yoram? Gemconcepts.net

He posts emeralds on IG occasionally

 

[Donny Steele]

What do you think of this one from Embassy Emeralds?

http://www.embassyemeralds.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&manufacturers_id=&products_id=615

I haven't heard of Brian Gavin but will give them a call tomorrow. I guess he's kinda a big deal after a quick google search.

I called Brian Gavin in Houston and I was told they do not have deal with emeralds.