Describe your first purchase and following progression....

[blingbunny10]

I'm curious.... How did you get interested in colored stones and what was your first purchase? Most importantly, how do you keep yourself from overindulging?!! Please post if you are willing to share!

I''ll start:
I got into colored stones last fall, enamored with all the glowy colored stone legacy halo rings posted here! I was prudent at first... buying a garnet and a mixed parcel. I've gotten pickier about stones/vendors, but can't resist buying when I see an especially pretty picture and/or a great price. I have NOT been able to curb my buying! And DB/Loupetroop? Yikes, soooo bad for my checkbook with all those pretty loose stones up for grabs!! Do you have any restrictions or rules you put into place AND are able to enforce?

 

[chrono]

Re: Describe your first purchase and following progression..

I started umpteen years ago and no longer own the first stone purchased. I've developed a much better eye and have a healthier budget since then, so my current purchases are unlike what it used to be. I've become extremely picky, wanting the best quality stone I can afford and it must be at least 3 carats and up, depending on the rarity. Such stones are rarely on DB or LT, nor in the monthly gem drops. This also forces me to save up for a longer time, not get sidetracked with other purchases and I very much enjoy the thrill of the hunt.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Re: Describe your first purchase and following progression..

I first got into it as a kid and loving garnets (my birthstone), but got more invested when hunting down a padparadscha for my wedding jewelry. I"m still mostly a noob compared to many, but I've enjoyed all I've learned here and still enjoy the thrill of knowing a new shiny is in the mail!

 

[FrekeChild]

Re: Describe your first purchase and following progression..

My first was a silver topaz from Barry. After that, I bought lots of little cute stones, a few precision spinels, random other stones along the way.

A lot of my stuff has been sold off. I've been lucky to jump on a few really nice stones along the way, and my taste has certainly solidified. I am much much much pickier than I was when I started. I know what I like though.

But I still have my first silver topaz!

What's a thread without pics?

7.41ct silver topaz from Barry
2.35ct color shift Umba sapphire from Gene
2.74ct blue spinel from Barry
2.32ct Namibian tourmaline from Barry
3.39ct Hot pink spinel from AJS gems

 

[LD]

Re: Describe your first purchase and following progression..

When I started collecting it was many many many years ago and I have no idea what my first purchase was!!!! I got into jewellery and gemstones from a very early age (under 10) because my Mum had some stunning jewellery and her job meant that she had lots of it as well as some stunning costume jewellery. I sort of "fell" into collecting and was more attracted to design and colour rather than the stones to begin with. I then moved into being curious about natural gemstones and the slippery slope started from there!

To begin with, I bought tons of fish tank gravel! Thankfully, I then moved on as my eye and knowledge developed and began to focus on several gemstones (because of the colour), Paraiba Tourmaline, Tanzanite, Alexandrite (as I was fascinated by the colour change) and fancy coloured diamonds. I decided to buy only 1ct stones and above and wanted one of every cut in those families (with the exception of the FCDs)!!!!! Luckily after amassing a fairly healthy collection I branched out to other gemstones!

What is really interesting is how many outlets there are now for us to buy from. When I started there wasn't Ebay, DB, Loupe Troope or any of the other places people take for granted. For me it was all about contacts!

If I could turn the clock back my advice to me would be "don't buy fish tank gravel - save up and buy the best of what you can afford on the market at that time" and also "only buy what you like, NOT what the current fad is"!

 

[smitcompton]

Re: Describe your first purchase and following progression..

Hi,

Around 2004, I found the TV channels, mainly HSN. I have the complete opposite story of the above posters in that I didn't care for jewelry--had a few rings and some costume jewelry. But I was sickly at that time and wanted to leave something for my 4 nieces to remember me by, so I believed what the TV shows told me and bought for 4 nieces. My first purchase was a skyblue topaz for 30.00 which my niece loved. I knew nothing.

JTV came next. I regarded it as graduating from those other TV channels. My best buys were tanzanite, tsavorite and spessertite.
I still love these, but the Spess was not as good as I thought. Thats how I arrived here. It turned up on my search. I thought I had hit the jackpot. Spess was 1800 a carot at the time. I found mine was not top color, had the awful brown in it , and emeralds I bought were the same(not top color.) I was disappointed and stopped buying for a long while. Read alot of books.

I now only buy if the opportunity is right for me. I got some yellow diamonds, .83, .64. ,51 that were well priced. Got some demantoids, so not top color, but I didn't pay top price and knew what I was getting.

I have Kunzites, and ametrines that I wish I didn't buy, but those are set with a few others I don't like and perhaps will sell them when gold prices get higher.

I set goals for myself. Jewelry is not a priority for me. If I have left over cash, I might be interested in something, but other things come first now. Setting the stones has become more expensive than the stone itself, so that puts me off. To spend thousands on settings is something I don't want to do.

I prefer to go to Las Vegas and spend money there.

Don't overspend and please do get what you like. Sometimes some people on the board make you feel as if you must get the best stone. Everyone can't do that. Choose carefully. Think about it. Sleep on it.
Annette

 

[LD]

Re: Describe your first purchase and following progression..

Hi Smit! Long time no see! It's nice to have you back!

Apologies - threadjack over.

 

[FrekeChild]

Re: Describe your first purchase and following progression..

Oh, my tip for not overindulging:

Make a list of what stones you want/have to have. If you see one of those stones, grab it. If you see a setting for one of those stones, grab it. Don't just buy everything that makes you say, "Oooooo.....pretty!" Because then you end up with a bazillion loose gemstones, like I did!

 

[OTL]

Re: Describe your first purchase and following progression..

My very first gemstone is a pink spinel. The stone has a huge window, I am talking more than 50%. Back then I don't know what to look for in a gemstone and I thought that was pretty because it sparkles near the gridle

I still don't have enough skill avoiding impulsive purchases, can't really help on that department...Just wish there is a way to clean all and start over.

 

[demantoid]

Re: Describe your first purchase and following progression..

I was 16 and got a part time job at the mall for some "pocket money". I began to frequent one of the jewelry stores on my breaks and became friendly with the manager. One day she told me I could layaway an emerald and diamond ring I had been admiring. While my friends were spending their money on movies and roller skating, I was making weekly payments toward that ring. I was hooked! I no longer have that ring, and it was horrible quality but I loved it at the time. I've learned a lot and become much pickier over the years.