Any Boston-area sapphire/jeweler recommendations?

[dreamwalkblue]

My SO and I are looking for a sapphire engagement ring and we wandered into the Jeweler''s Building in Downtown Crossing a little while ago and were overwhelmed by the number of shops and the selection.

I tried on a ring at Barmakian Jewelers that I really loved but would like to shop around to see what else is out there. I also looked at Lux Bond & Green and Shreve Crump & Lowe but didn''t really like most of what I saw (lots of three-stone rings and I am more interested in halos). Most of the jewelry stores we saw seemed rather small and focused more on diamond jewelry/engagement rings.

Any ideas on where to look, please? Thank you!

 

[brendaman]

Someone asked about finding jewelers in the Boston area, here''s the link on it.

Also, Richard Wise (you can read some chapters from his book, Secrets of the Gem Trade here) has a shop in the Berkshires, but I guess that''s a few hours from Boston.

 

[Rizajj]

Hi

I just got a great setting that I am very happy with through International Exchange (the owner is Kevin). I was referred to him by a friend of mine who used to be in the business himself. He''s in the Jeweler''s building. I know what you mean about being overwhelmed though!

good luck! I''m also in Boston and would be happy to help you in any way I can, since people on here have done so much for me.

good luck!

R

 

[dreamwalkblue]

Everyone, thanks so much for your suggestions - now I''m really excited to go back to the Jeweler''s building!

Rizajj, do you have any pictures of the setting/ring that you got? I''d love to see!

I also noticed in your previous posts that you purchased the sapphire itself from an online vendor...may I ask why you chose that route, instead of working with a local retailer and seeing the stones in person? I find myself waffling back and forth between whether or not I want to purchase the stone separately from a popular cutter on pricescope.

 

[Rizajj]

I''m so sorry I didnt respond to you earlier! Anyway, to address your questions:

I bought the stone online because I felt that there was a far greater selection of UNTREATED stones online than I would find in a local B&M shop. If I was not going for untreated, I doubt I would have looked online quite as much. Secondly, I felt very comfortable with most of the online gem dealers, if only because PS members would vouch for their credibility. Finally, I emailed many different vendors and all of them replied back with some great info and were all very helpful. So I would absolutely do it again, if I were to do it all over again.

I ended up doing the setting locally because, as I mentioned, I had a friend who was previously in the diamond industry and knew who locally was worthwhile to work with (hence International Exchange, though that was only one of several places/people he recommended to me). Also, I wanted to be able to see what the stone looked like in different settings, which I couldnt'' do over the ''net, so that was also a key reason to do that part locally.

Hope that helps!!!