Anybody familiar with Optima Gem?

[peridot]

I'm looking to purchase some loose stones. I'm not looking to spend a pile. I came across Optima Gem and it seems to have what I want at a price I'm willing to pay.

Optima Gem - Rare, Unusual and Fine Quality Gemstones

Optima Gem is your source for fine quality faceted Gemstones, the rare and unusual! Set yourself apart with Optima Gem quality and service! We have monthly Unique Gem Lists with closeouts, rough, and the unusual.

www.optimagem.com

Specifically I'm looking for 4mm round apatites and white zircons. I have some earring jackets and I'd love to be able to switch out the studs and have different colour options. Because the stones are so small and partially hidden in the jacket frames, I don't need to invest in really expensive, over-the-top stones for the earrings. The jackets themselves are sterling with white zircons.

Optima has AAA apatites listed as US$11.55 each (with free matching) and AAA zircons for $14.55.

I've had good advice from the forum before (I love the peridot that Gene at Precision Gems cut for me), so I'm hoping I'll get some good advice again.

I'm happy to take recommendations for other sellers. My preference is that they're Canadian (highly unlikely) or they're familiar with shipping to Canada.

 

[Autumn in New England]

I am not familiar with Optima Gem, but if the price is reasonable, the stones look good, and they'll ship to Canada, I think they may be a solid option for this project (in reading about them online).

When I needed all different 4mm CS for a large pendant halo I was working on, I went with Neil of NWGems, and he did an excellent job. All gems were top quality and well-cut. He does appear to be more expensive that Optima, but there may be a reason for that (I'm not sure). He has 4mm apatite, but I only see blue and champagne zircon. I'm sure he could locate white for you though. He has much more in stock than what's online. Good luck!

Loose Kyanite Gemstones | NW Gems & Diamonds

This loose kyanite gemstone is a natural earth-mined gem. All of our loose gemstones are inspected by a GIA certified gemologist. AAA grade and better.

www.nwgems.com

 

[peridot]

Love your avatar AiNE, but I'm a sucker for anything equine-related.

It's good to know that you haven't heard anything negative about Optima. That's mainly why I popped back onto the forum. I figured it if it was a scam operation or someplace that cheated its customers, somebody here would likely warn me off.

That NWGems sites looks really interesting. I'll definitely keep it in mind. Thanks for recommending it to me. It's always more comforting dealing with a well-respected business with a good reputation.

 

[LilAlex]

Wait is he a Transformer or a Decepticon?

 

[peridot]

Well, I placed an order. I'm told it will be shipped out this coming week. Fingers crossed.

 

[goringsari]

Love your avatar AiNE, but I'm a sucker for anything equine-related.

It's good to know that you haven't heard anything negative about Optima. That's mainly why I popped back onto the forum. I figured it if it was a scam operation or someplace that cheated its customers, somebody here would likely warn me off.

basket random​

That NWGems sites looks really interesting. I'll definitely keep it in mind. Thanks for recommending it to me. It's always more comforting dealing with a well-respected business with a good reputation.

Your feedback really means a lot to me. I will consider this in my upcoming transactions.

 

[peridot]

The photo is not the greatest but here are the stones. They are apatite and goshenite. When I inquired about the white zircons, the vendor said I likely wouldn't be happy with the ones he had as they were on the yellowish side. He said the alternatives he could offer were white topaz or goshenite. I had no personal experience with goshenite. He told me that they didn't have the same sparkle as zircons but that I'd be happy with the colour and clarity. He recommended them over the topaz, so I took a chance.

I think they'll be okay in the earrings, but I wouldn't buy goshenite again, at least not if there were alternatives available. I'll see how they work in the earrings. If I don't like them once they're in the jackets, I'll just keep my eyes open for something else and swap them out.

As for the company itself, the customer service was great. The owner was lovely to deal with and was very willing to answer questions.

The stones were stuck in Customs (on the Canadian side) for a dog's age. I'll post again when I get them back from the jeweller.

 

[peridot]

Okay, I promised pictures.

Overall, I'm okay-ish with how these turned out.

The baskets on the studs ended up being a bit too big (wide) to nestle comfortably in the jackets. They sit up a bit too much, making the posts a trifle short (even though I had to request longer posts in the first place because I know these jackets eat up a lot of depth). I had them set by a local jewellery store, but the store doesn't do the work in-house. There used to be a fabulous goldsmith in town who made the most beautiful pieces, but he closed up shop, so there is really nobody around who does good custom work or repairs. If anybody has any recommendations in southern Ontario (including Toronto) for a really good jeweller, feel free to pass them along.

I'm not a photographer, so the picture quality is not very good.

Set, the apatite looks lighter than when loose and the goshenite almost looks peachy in person (not quite as yellow as in the pictures). They're not exactly what I was hoping for, but I suspect they'll do just fine if I need a bigger-footprint, fancier, white-stoned earring. I've also included a shot of original emeralds, which look much better in person than they do in my photo.