pinkprincessnovo
Rough_Rock
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- Jan 15, 2008
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- 36
Diamond Mine?
- Thread starter pinkprincessnovo
- Start date
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- Apr 22, 2004
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- 38,363
1. No it is not possible to buy raw or cut diamonds direct from the mines.
2. Even if it is possible, it isn't cheaper because dealers get better prices by buying in bulk and having the right contacts.
3. How do you even know how to shop for the rough? Can you "read" the stone for its final colour and clarity? How do you know if it'll fracture during the cutting process? The yield of the rough? The final shape that the rough is suited for? Who's going to cut the stone for you?
All in all, a very bad idea. Just stick to buying an already cut diamond from a jeweller.
2. Even if it is possible, it isn't cheaper because dealers get better prices by buying in bulk and having the right contacts.
3. How do you even know how to shop for the rough? Can you "read" the stone for its final colour and clarity? How do you know if it'll fracture during the cutting process? The yield of the rough? The final shape that the rough is suited for? Who's going to cut the stone for you?
All in all, a very bad idea. Just stick to buying an already cut diamond from a jeweller.
DiamondExpert
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2003
- Messages
- 1,245
Chrono gives you sage advice.
1st, you/me/anyone can't get physically anywhere near a diamond mine for security reasons...probably the one exception in the world is in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, where you can pay about $5/day and dig - and you get to keep whatever you find without further cost (except for your back ache!).
2nd, jewelers do not cut diamonds (they don't have the knowledge/specialized equipment/rough sources/etc.)...diamond cutters cut diamonds.
It is no more to your advantage financially to try to buy a piece of diamond rough and have it cut, than it would be to buy any piece of colored gem rough and have it cut...as an exercise, or curiosity, or just to say you did it, or for deep personal reasons - sure, give it a try - but don't attempt it to save a few $'s this way!
It's very risky!...I speak from experience (not with diamonds, but colored material - lost my shirt on a spectacular piece of Muzo emerald rough which broke 3 times on the wheel!! - fool me once, shame on me; fool me twice - ain't gonna happen - no how, no way!!).
1st, you/me/anyone can't get physically anywhere near a diamond mine for security reasons...probably the one exception in the world is in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, where you can pay about $5/day and dig - and you get to keep whatever you find without further cost (except for your back ache!).
2nd, jewelers do not cut diamonds (they don't have the knowledge/specialized equipment/rough sources/etc.)...diamond cutters cut diamonds.
It is no more to your advantage financially to try to buy a piece of diamond rough and have it cut, than it would be to buy any piece of colored gem rough and have it cut...as an exercise, or curiosity, or just to say you did it, or for deep personal reasons - sure, give it a try - but don't attempt it to save a few $'s this way!
It's very risky!...I speak from experience (not with diamonds, but colored material - lost my shirt on a spectacular piece of Muzo emerald rough which broke 3 times on the wheel!! - fool me once, shame on me; fool me twice - ain't gonna happen - no how, no way!!).
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2004
- Messages
- 6,633
CaptAubrey
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2004
- Messages
- 863
Actually, it is possible to buy diamonds at the source, provided:
-You're willing to travel to lawless areas in West Africa where rough diamonds can be bought off the street
-You're brave enough to cart around a big wad of cash for the purchase (these guys don't take credit cards)
-You're capable of separating the real diamonds from the piles of glass, CZ, topaz, etc., that you will be offered first, just to see if you have a clue
-You know enough about diamonds to be able to pick out the useable rough from the garbage
-You're savvy/brave/rich enough to negotiate/cajole your way through the export restrictions, many of which will be nothing but bald-faced attempts to curry bribes
Having done all that, unless you're an experienced diamond broker, you're certain to have spent far more than you would save by having your own rough cut over just buying a good stone online.
Good luck.
-You're willing to travel to lawless areas in West Africa where rough diamonds can be bought off the street
-You're brave enough to cart around a big wad of cash for the purchase (these guys don't take credit cards)
-You're capable of separating the real diamonds from the piles of glass, CZ, topaz, etc., that you will be offered first, just to see if you have a clue
-You know enough about diamonds to be able to pick out the useable rough from the garbage
-You're savvy/brave/rich enough to negotiate/cajole your way through the export restrictions, many of which will be nothing but bald-faced attempts to curry bribes
Having done all that, unless you're an experienced diamond broker, you're certain to have spent far more than you would save by having your own rough cut over just buying a good stone online.
Good luck.
JohnQuixote
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2004
- Messages
- 5,212
The Cap'n speaks true. Thar be dragons.
...And it won't stop there if you intended to have it polished stateside. Rough coming into this country must have Kimberley Process certification to file with the Census Bureau upon arrival at US Customs and Border Protection. This isn't a routine FTC issue either; enforcement comes from the Treasury department, Homeland Security and the US Justice department. Even if you managed to get through with a small amount, you'd be asked to produce appropriate documentation by most professionals you approached.
As an example; traders from Guinea recently visited our offices selling rough. We would not have admitted them without the proper documentation & seals.
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2004
- Messages
- 9,159
Even after you get the rough, assuming you get some rough, and get back into the country with your skin and wallet intact, there’s another problem. Cutting.
Cutting is a terribly specialized skill set involving a lot of practice at some very unusual talents and some unusual and moderately expensive equipment. It’s noisy and messy and in most towns there are not very many people who are good at it and who are looking for a job. The result is that jewelers don’t do it in house, they ship it out to specialty firms to do this work for them. This is not a magic box where you insert the rough and the perfect job comes out the other end but rather a craftsman or a set of workers who do the various steps using careful planning and a systematic approach. There are a fair number of decisions to be made involving things like shape, size and specific results you want. There’s a breakage risk associated with the process and the results at the end aren’t always what was expected going in. All risks are borne by the client, that’s you.
With most cutters and with most of their clients, the objective is pretty straightforward. Cut the stone in a way that will produce the most money. Sometimes this will result in a princess, sometimes a round. Sometimes they’ll cut it for optics and sometimes for weight. Hopefully it results in enough money at the end that they can cover the cost of the stone, cutting, shipping, insurance, certification, sales costs and other expenses with a bit left over for themselves. Sometimes they get it, sometimes they don’t. Many of these decisions were made at the shopping step where they specifically chose stones that suit their own cutting style and market but, as an individual you didn’t have the opportunity to do this. You had to rely on the advice of the seller about what to expect in terms of yield, what would be appropriate for the shape you want and the like. To say the least, it’s unlikely that this advice will be given in your best interest. Plan on needing to revise the expectations you had when you bought the rough when you talk to the cutter. Perhaps drastically. When you get offered a 2 carat piece of rough that you are told will produce a 1.15 carat ideal cut VVS2/F, how do you decide what to pay? What if that advice turns out to be wrong and you only get a 0.77ct, SI1/I? What if it’s an I1 or if it would best be cut into a marquise or pear shape and you wanted something else? Are you really prepared to tell the difference? After you get home and have the opportunity to show it to your cutter it’s too late. Check out the prices for finished goods in the database here. These differences are HUGE.
Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver
Cutting is a terribly specialized skill set involving a lot of practice at some very unusual talents and some unusual and moderately expensive equipment. It’s noisy and messy and in most towns there are not very many people who are good at it and who are looking for a job. The result is that jewelers don’t do it in house, they ship it out to specialty firms to do this work for them. This is not a magic box where you insert the rough and the perfect job comes out the other end but rather a craftsman or a set of workers who do the various steps using careful planning and a systematic approach. There are a fair number of decisions to be made involving things like shape, size and specific results you want. There’s a breakage risk associated with the process and the results at the end aren’t always what was expected going in. All risks are borne by the client, that’s you.
With most cutters and with most of their clients, the objective is pretty straightforward. Cut the stone in a way that will produce the most money. Sometimes this will result in a princess, sometimes a round. Sometimes they’ll cut it for optics and sometimes for weight. Hopefully it results in enough money at the end that they can cover the cost of the stone, cutting, shipping, insurance, certification, sales costs and other expenses with a bit left over for themselves. Sometimes they get it, sometimes they don’t. Many of these decisions were made at the shopping step where they specifically chose stones that suit their own cutting style and market but, as an individual you didn’t have the opportunity to do this. You had to rely on the advice of the seller about what to expect in terms of yield, what would be appropriate for the shape you want and the like. To say the least, it’s unlikely that this advice will be given in your best interest. Plan on needing to revise the expectations you had when you bought the rough when you talk to the cutter. Perhaps drastically. When you get offered a 2 carat piece of rough that you are told will produce a 1.15 carat ideal cut VVS2/F, how do you decide what to pay? What if that advice turns out to be wrong and you only get a 0.77ct, SI1/I? What if it’s an I1 or if it would best be cut into a marquise or pear shape and you wanted something else? Are you really prepared to tell the difference? After you get home and have the opportunity to show it to your cutter it’s too late. Check out the prices for finished goods in the database here. These differences are HUGE.
Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver
strmrdr
Super_Ideal_Rock
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- Nov 1, 2003
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- 23,295
MrYoung
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2007
- Messages
- 47
Does anyone know of sources to buy rough stones? Glassies? Wholesale? You can email directly-
[email protected]
Thanks!
[email protected]
Thanks!
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2004
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- 5,096
MrYoung
Rough_Rock
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- Jun 27, 2007
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DiamondExpert
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2003
- Messages
- 1,245
I would suggest you contact Ken Glasser at www.diamondrough.com
I don''t know him personally, but he deals in rough out of Las Vegas.
Also, Nizam Peters at the American Institute of Diamond Cutting, Deerfield Beach, FL, sells a bit of rough. http://www.diamondschool.com
I don''t know him personally, but he deals in rough out of Las Vegas.
Also, Nizam Peters at the American Institute of Diamond Cutting, Deerfield Beach, FL, sells a bit of rough. http://www.diamondschool.com
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