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Can we do a 'recent vendors we've had good experiences with' thread?

B

Brightshiny

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 24, 2025
Messages
87
Nothing negative, no self-promotion, just people/businesses you've had a positive interaction with - maybe they were really helpful with a question, maybe they sold you your white whale, or maybe you're currently wearing everything they've ever made...

Share the people who have recently helped make your CS dreams come true. Who can you recommend from a recent (within 6-12 months) positive interaction?

I'll go: I've never had a bad experience with Yvonne at CRD. When I had a ring turn out slightly wonky, she went above and beyond to fix it. And her work is beautiful! I'm waiting now for ring #3, and have plans for ring #4.
 
A few! I have spent a lot of time weeding through Instagram sellers overseas! So far my favorite who has been very nice, has good prices, has some nice things on his page and will look for stones for you and can cut them as well is gemoplanet. He seems eager to please. I found him by noticing a designer followed him. Finding who jewelry designers you like follow can be a good way to find good sellers.

On gemrockauctions I have had a great experience with gemrough. I have only bought stones, not rough, despite the name. He is a gemologist, in the US, and has precision cut stones he has cut himself. Prices are very fair. Took many pictures under multiple light sources when I asked! Probably the most I have ever received.

On Etsy Richard Homer's site has a great customer service person who basically told me every single stone they had available in a color I was looking for, complete with pictures. I think she may be his wife? I did not ask. All the stones are concave cut, but I really like the one I bought. Pricy but not crazy. His cutting is concave perfection.

Jeff White of course, always great to work with. He is meticulous and understands my preferences very well and remembers them. I have something coming from him shortly! He is really nice to talk to.

I have had some not very good experiences too. It is so important to find people you can trust, not just to take a return back, but to accurately represent a stone in the first place in pictures and videos and answer your questions truthfully. Also, unless I have bought from a seller before, I now refuse to buy unless I can use a credit card/paypal. I was burnt once and never again! It provides some safety on Instagram especially. I have nothing but praise for how Platinum Amex handles disputes.

Nice idea for a thread so we help each other. Now I will go plan for my trip to ban island. I keep saying I need to go and never make it!! This thread may not help me get there.
 
I had a good experience with gemstock. I’m in the US and they’re in Dubai and Thailand so it was a gamble. The stone is better in real life than their videos (as they told me emeralds always are.) I had a custom ring made and they still offered returns as long as I didn’t remove the tag. Good communication through WhatsApp. They even helped me getting it though customs with new US regulations.
 
Recent? Well, I've bought little in the past 6-12 months but: Inken at Enhoerning (custom piece within the past year), Ivan at Adamant (not within past year, but several times prior), Lang (little over a year?). Good price on an eBay find (maybe a year ago) at juwelierfineart_koenigsallee -- no communication before the sale ("vendor does not respond to questions about this item" so a bit of a gamble) but terrific after the sale and the item and value exceeded expectations. Oh, and a nice small purchase from our own @Dr_Diesel!
 
I just purchased a gem from Jason Brim off his IG. He was wonderful. Very quick to respond and kept me abreast of everything such as when it shipped from Sri Lanka and when he received it. I highly recommend working with him.
 
I always keep an eye out for MasterCutGems at the start of every month haha. Swooped up the 0.26 carat yellow diamond they released for July 4th. They almost always have some unusual, cool items. Also super friendly. I hate having to sign a signature for a package since I’m away from home sometimes, so I always try to email them to ask if they can ship my order out at a specific time line. And they always go through the effort to do so. Also every order I get they draw a smiley face on it with like “goodies for (name)”. It’s wholesome hahaha
 
I recently had a great experience with Ceylon Blue Sapphires, based out of Sri Lanka. I purchased a lovely padparadscha from then and I’m very happy with it. The customer service was top-notch. They showed me many videos of different sapphires until we found one that met all of my criteria. They also got an additional certificate for it before shipping. Dinuka is very knowledgeable and easy to communicate with via WhatsApp.

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Hello all. I am a bit of a newbie here. Have not posted in a long time. And i like to ask you some questions about a company. Called The Rare Gemstone Company. Tanzanite being their specialty they say. I did see them mentioned here favorably. I am looking into their called "investment" grade Tanzanite. In the 10 carat range and above.
I noticed some of these stones. The proportion scan in the Gemological Report looks way off? Even them mentioning exceptional cutting? Also since i am bit of a newbie. I don't know if the extinction i am seeing in some stones. Is too much, or natural extinction?
Please note. I am not pointing fingers here. Or nothing negative towards them at all. Just wondering since i am new. Sorry if i should of started my own thread. But since this thread is about good experience with vendors. Is why i posted here. Thanks!
 
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Tsavomn said:
Hello all. I am a bit of a newbie here. Have not posted in a long time. And i like to ask you some questions about a company. Called The Rare Gemstone Company. Tanzanite being their specialty they say. I did see them mentioned here favorably. I am looking into their called "investment" grade Tanzanite. In the 10 carat range and above.
I noticed some of these stones. The proportion scan in the Gemological Report looks way off? Even them mentioning exceptional cutting? Also since i am bit of a newbie. I don't know if the extinction i am seeing in some stones. Is too much, or natural extinction?
Please note. I am not pointing fingers here. Or nothing negative. Sorry if i should of started my own thread. But since this thread is about good experience with vendors. Is why i posted here. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Welcome back!
I think a few here have bought from them and will tell you their experience. I've heard positive things.
Could you link to a stone you find has problematic off proportions/has extinction? That may help people provide an analysis.
There is quite a lot of leeway with colored stones, even a non-precision cut stone with some extinction can be considered fairly 'well cut' - just not great.
Personally, I took a look, while many of their stones are fairly priced, their large tanzanites seem to be on the high side. I would rule them out for tanzanite based on this. With that budget and if cut was particularly important to me, I'd reach out to a precision cutter.
Here is one precision cutter who has some excellent tanzanite but I am sure there are others. This is about 13.5k for 23ct (586/ct) after it is placed in the cart (the vendor you mentioned has a 23ct emerald cut for 18+k, may or may not be precision cut). He stocks quite a bit of fine tanzanite so he may have something smaller.
www.moregems.com

Stepped Trilliant Cut Tanzanite 23.20 Carats

One 23.20 carats stepped trilliant tanzanite, violet blue exceptional (40%violet/60%blue) color, VS1 clarity, cut grade excellent, measuring 17.7 mm wide, 17.7 mm long, 12.4 mm deep; with excellent polish and excellent symmetry. The proportions of the tanzanite are as follows: total depth 70%...
www.moregems.com www.moregems.com
 
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toomuchB said:
Welcome back!
I think a few here have bought from them and will tell you their experience. I've heard positive things.
Could you link to a stone you find has problematic off proportions/has extinction? That may help people provide an analysis.
There is quite a lot of leeway with colored stones, even a non-precision cut stone with some extinction can be considered fairly 'well cut' - just not great.
Personally, I took a look, while many of their stones are fairly priced, their large tanzanites seem to be on the high side. I would rule them out for tanzanite based on this. With that budget and if cut was particularly important to me, I'd reach out to a precision cutter.
Here is one precision cutter who has some excellent tanzanite but I am sure there are others. This is about 13.5k for 23ct (586/ct) after it is placed in the cart (the vendor you mentioned has a 23ct emerald cut for 18+k, may or may not be precision cut). He stocks quite a bit of fine tanzanite so he may have something smaller.
www.moregems.com

Stepped Trilliant Cut Tanzanite 23.20 Carats

One 23.20 carats stepped trilliant tanzanite, violet blue exceptional (40%violet/60%blue) color, VS1 clarity, cut grade excellent, measuring 17.7 mm wide, 17.7 mm long, 12.4 mm deep; with excellent polish and excellent symmetry. The proportions of the tanzanite are as follows: total depth 70%...
www.moregems.com www.moregems.com
Click to expand...
 
As always, I have had a recent ‘good’ experience with Dr D, Etsy shop Gemnjewelry, Sin City Finds and EBTH IMG_2871.pngIMG_2865.pngIMG_9579.jpegIMG_9578.jpegIMG_2704.png DK.
 
Thank you. And thanks too for your reply and help. That trilliant is very nice. Maybe the discount because it's VS1 clarity? Or a trillion? =)2Nothing against trillions. I like them. Just saying. Here's a link to a stone where the proportions are off. Whether it's an issue or not.
https://www.theraregemstonecompany.com/gemstones/tanzanite-oval-14-12-carat-tzc4412
Here's a few more. Proportions seem better. As far as extinction. All have black areas. Again being new. I don't know what extinction is bad or ok.
https://www.theraregemstonecompany.com/gemstones/tanzanite-trillion-16-48-carat-tzc4223

Tanzanite Cushion 24.00 Carat - Rare Gemstone Company

A quintessential investment Tanzanite. If you are looking for a deep blue Tanzanite in the 20+ carat range, look no further. This absolutely amazing 24.00 carat sparkling Cushion Brilliant is truly exceptional. Like gazing into a bottomless pool, the color is unfathomable - an ethereal, almost...
www.theraregemstonecompany.com www.theraregemstonecompany.com
 
Tsavomn said:
Thank you. And thanks too for your reply and help. That trilliant is very nice. Maybe the discount because it's VS1 clarity? Or a trillion? =)2Nothing against trillions. I like them. Just saying. Here's a link to a stone where the proportions are off. Whether it's an issue or not.
https://www.theraregemstonecompany.com/gemstones/tanzanite-oval-14-12-carat-tzc4412
Here's a few more. Proportions seem better. As far as extinction. All have black areas. Again being new. I don't know what extinction is bad or ok.
https://www.theraregemstonecompany.com/gemstones/tanzanite-trillion-16-48-carat-tzc4223

Tanzanite Cushion 24.00 Carat - Rare Gemstone Company

A quintessential investment Tanzanite. If you are looking for a deep blue Tanzanite in the 20+ carat range, look no further. This absolutely amazing 24.00 carat sparkling Cushion Brilliant is truly exceptional. Like gazing into a bottomless pool, the color is unfathomable - an ethereal, almost...
www.theraregemstonecompany.com www.theraregemstonecompany.com
Click to expand...

I am not an expert on gemstone cut by any means, but I think you may be seeing expected contrast as problematic extinction. When you look at a well-cut modern round diamond, there will be 8 clear black arrows. Those are contrast because they flash on and off. I believe that problematic extinction is when one area stays dark no matter what or the gemstone is overall excessively dark, and I don't really see that in your videos.

These arrows here are contrast, not extinction:
1752273547608.png

Here's a previous discussion on the topic: https://www.pricescope.com/communit...es-extinction-vs-contrast.241300/post-4351967

You also may want to start your own thread on buying tanzanite, I'm sure you'll get more feedback there!

And of course people should feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on this!
 
Brad from The Gem Trader has always been very patient with my newbie questions.
 
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