a newbie on the hunt...

[kas baby]

Sorry for the length...

I''ve been engaged for a while and have a lovely little sapphire band because my fiance wanted us to pick out ''the really nice one,'' as he puts it, together. We just recently started the hunt for a sapphire. I''m super new, but I''ve looked through the whole ''colored e-rings/eye candy'' thread, checked out all of the ''sites that sell colored gems,'' and have done quite a bit of thread searching.

What I seem to be having a problem with is getting the type of color(s) I like to be present in a stone that has the type of cut I like as well. We already have a setting picked out (Designs by Vatche ''Swan'') so the gem has to be a round. I''m quite drawn to the Portugeuse flower cuts, as well as the round brilliant. The hard part is finding unique color. The violet-blue stones grab my attention quite more readily than even the purest blues, but everything I seem to find is step cut.

Does anyone have a suggestion as to a cutter who would be willing to cut a mixed color stone? I''m really open to suggestions as I am certainly not familiar with this trade at all.

 

[Ryon]

The best thing to do is to forget finding that perfect stone sitting on someones website (would be gone by now) and email them asking for your specific stone and they will cut it.

Finewatergems.com (Gary is my favorite, the nicest guy and quickest to reply)
Concavegems.com (Richard very nice, very informative)
ACStones.com (Barry is a great guy also, very resonable prices)
Precisiongem (Gene has some very unique cuts and will lead you down the right path, he has gone way out of his way to help me at times)

As far as I know Gary and Barry will send pictures and tell you everything about the stone they can.

 

[kas baby]

thank you for the advice! I had been looking at one site and they had the mix of colors I like, and the cuts, but I wasn''t sure about how reputable of a source they were. It''s good to know that there are cutters out therewith a good rep who are willing to work with you.

 

[brandy_z28]

I have personally dealt with Barry at http://www.acstones.com/ , Dan at http://www.customgemstones.com/ , and Gene at http://www.precisiongem.com/. I would contact them and let them know what you''re looking for and go from there.

Oh, and then when you get it, come back and post lots of pictures for us to enjoy.

 

[D&T]

Michael at http://www.gemshoppe.com/ is very personable as well I''ve had day long email communications with him at lengths, I don''t use his website at all, just email him. I just bought a stone from http://www.artcutgems.com/ but I haven''t spoken to Richard they have quite a large selection at some really great prices. oh and John at http://www.gemrite.com/cubecart/ very nice guy as well. These guys are fine men to speak with... You really can''t go wrong with any of the suggestions

 

[kas baby]

Thank you all very much. New question though: would it be ''bad business'' to contact more than one? I''ve already contacted Gary from Finewater (who currently doesn''t have what I''m looking for but said he would look in his upcoming trip and show.) He was very nice and extremely timely in his responses and was willing to indule pictures. However, I will be getting the setting from Wink, who I''ve recently found out is a dealer for Palagems. He''s asked if I''ve ever looked at them of Richard Homer.

I suppose I''d want to shop around and compare. Color is a tricky thing, to get the right color and cut in the same gem seems even trickier. To get both of those within the budget... The setting is extremely nice, but expensive-ish, so we certainly don''t want to put a crappy gem in there but we also don''t want to ''bust open the piggy bank'' to purchase a nice one.

wish me luck! and I''ll certainly post pictures, though, my camera doesn''t do the up close and personal pics

 

[Pandora II]

My e-ring stone is from Pala via Wink - he also did the setting.

If you are buying a setting from a particular vendor, I would recommend getting them to help with the stone - that way you are protected during the setting process if the stone gets damaged etc (obviously if the vendor is also a coloured stone vendor)...

I''ve also had gorgeous pieces from Rick at Art Cut Gems - I''m pretty sure he can deal with Pala as well.

Palagems website is a great place to see amazing stones - there aren''t any prices as it''s trade only.