Gems

[db8juggernaut]

hey all.
i am a college student and thinking of going overseas for a part of summer, any suggestions or areas that would be good places to buy rough colored stones from the natives? also, one other question, there are many "bags" of ore available on ebay.com that has possible gems in them but need cutting. has anyone had any experience with any of these sellers or recommendations for buying low priced rough gems? thanks.

 

[Nicrez]

Question is, do you have a cutter, or a crew of cutters at your disposal? Note that it takes one cutter, working a 40 hour week. This cutter could effectively get through each step of the cutting process and fully finish about 4 carats worth of rough. What are you looking to do? Make a profit, because admittedly there is a lure to diamonds and their wealth, but if you are not equipped for the job, you could stand to lose a lot of money and be fleeced without realizing that you overpaid for rough. Small potatoes in this industry is ignored, so bigger facilities that buy and sell make the best profits, because they get the best deals. Have you any training or experience? That may help align yourself with a larger group and work through them...?

 

[DiamondExpert]

It also depends where "overseas" is...if your thinking of Africa and diamonds, make sure you have a large amount of cash on you when you go into the back country, and wear the appropriate body armor...

Oh ya, also don't let anyone stand behind you while you negotiate - those machete chops to the side of the neck will mess up your business model!

If your thinking of Burma/Thailand, just stay out of the poppy fields, and don't carry any packages from point A to point B for any reason.

Seriously, I think you should travel to wherever you like, have a good time and then buy your rough/gems after you get back.

Good luck!

 

[db8juggernaut]

i appreciate your laundry list of rhetorical questions and sarcastic quips. i didn't think debeers let you surf the internet at work. if anyone has an actual location for me that might produce worthy rough gems private message me.
thanks

 

[elmo]

DB8 - I think Gary's advice is pretty good.

One of the foremost experts in the industry Dick Hughes has come up with something called Dick's Law: The closer you get to the mine, the more synthetics you find, and: The quality of synthetic and imitation gems (ease of deception) varies inversely with the distance from the mines.

I think Gary was just showing some of the same sense of humor that Hughes was

.

 

[katbadness]

I have to agree with Dick Hughes, Elmo.

Knowing your stuff is paramount when you're thinking of going to the source to get some material.

 

[Mister Stone]

Hi,

There are many countries were you could buy colored gems, but people are right saying that you should be careful. I'm a french people living in Madagascar and in the colored gems business for more than 5 years, and I've seen lots of tourists buying blue glass instead of sapphires!! On the other way, as the prices here are quite low, you won't lose much...
Anyway, there are some good stores here (in Madagascar), where you could buy pretty "secure" cutted stones much cheaper than in your local store, even if it's still 5 times the price you could expect trading near the deposits.

Talking about minerals, Madagascar is a dream, because you can get almost any stone God made on this earth, and even some not existing anywhere else (Pezzotaïte raspberyl...), at nice prices.

Talking about synths, if you consider buying rough and are skilled enough, Madagascar is still a lucky place, compared to thailand or burma, because there are not a lot of rough synth in the trade here (I never seen one in 5 years of trading)!

Apart from stones, Madagascar is a really extraordinary place to visit, even if you won't find accomodations usually expected by occidental people.

 

[DiamondExpert]

db8juggernaut:

I'm LOL, and flattered that you think De Beers has any interest in what I am doing...

My point was that it's unlikely you can gain adequate knowledge and experience between now and summer to go into a gem trading area without possibly losing your shirt and your shorts.

However, it never hurts to just look or go with a trusted and experienced agent. That way you aren't such easy pickings.

Ooops! Gotta get back to work...Big Bro is watching

 

[mike04456]

Unless you have the training and experience to separate the good from the bad and the fake (in which case you would already know the answers to your questions) I suggest you just send whatever money you were planning to spend directly to me. It would be a lot less work, and save you the heartache of realizing that you've blown next year's tuition on a pile of glass and flame fusion synthetics that aren't worth the cab fare home from the airport./idealbb/images/smilies/9.gif/idealbb/images/smilies/12.gif




And to answer this question

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i am a college student and thinking of going overseas for a part of summer, any suggestions or areas that would be good places to buy rough colored stones from the natives?
----------------

in a more serious manner, there are NO good places for random college students to buy rough colored stones direct from the natives unless you're pursuing a master's in mineralogy.

If you're dead set on doing this, I would follow Mister Stone's advice and go to Madagascar. Even if you get ripped off, it's still a great place to visit for anyone who loves gems.

 

[db8juggernaut]

ok, how about we NOT assume that i am a complete moron when it comes to the gem trade. i can tell the fakes from the originals, i KNOW WHERE GEMS COME FROM AND HOW TO CUT THEM. i ASSUMED this might be a place to get some BETTER knowledge than i CURRENTLY know instead of getting stereotyped as a "random college student." why can't people just answer the direct questions instead of trying to speak down to others?

never mind, apparently its too much trouble.

 

[mike04456]

We know nothing about you beyond what you tell us. Most of the people who come to PS for information, especially those who start out asking about buying bags of random rocks on eBay, don't know a spinel from a spessartite. We have also seen a fairly steady stream of clueless people who think they can go overseas and buy diamonds and other precious gems for peanuts because, you know, the natives are too dumb to know what they're selling. Based on your first post, you seemed to be no different. Our intent was to save you some trouble--we've also had posts from people who have lost all kinds of money buying overseas without knowing what they were doing.




This doesn't change my last answer, though--Madagascar is the best place to go, though be prepared to rough it in a major way.

 

[Mister Stone]

Hi DB8,

I understand that you are angry about people here laughing on you. Anyway, I answered you the way you were waiting for, and didn't get any feedback about it! Did you get my private msg?

Don't be upset on people trying to make you VERY careful about the dream of fast and easy money on "stones bought from natives". Even if people here are somewhat sarcastic, they readed loads of true stories talking about money throwed by naive people buying broken electrical isolators as "rough stones" (that's an example)...

Anyway, should you ever come to Madagascar northern area, I could help you as a trusty to buy some *real* rough or cutted stones at good prices. BUT, I strongly advise you to never trade too close of mining fields if you have no knowledge at all on the country you are travelling in, if you want too keep both your money and life!

good luck, and remember that being humble is the first step to knowledge.

 

[mike04456]

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On 3/18/2004 5:22:38 PM Mister Stone wrote:





BUT, I strongly advise you to never trade too close of mining fields if you have no knowledge at all on the country you are travelling in, if you want too keep both your money and life!
----------------

I'll second this--I know people who have been shot at after straying too close to someone else's claim while exploring in Madagascar.

 

[Mister Stone]

That's true!

Ilakaka area and the region surrounding it (southern Madagascar) is very well known for its "western style" way-of-life (way of death?)! Bush bandits are just ruling the area, with Kalachnikov ready to shoot anyone for some nuts or maybe because you pissed on a holy rock!

Other areas, like center-east ruby deposit of andilamena are dangerous too, with middle-age style bandits sometimes throwing nails on the road, and waiting you on the track with knives...

This happens not so often in the North of madagascar, where people are pretty cool (that's why I do most of my biz here), even if a lot of people are happily waiting fatty pink colored white people with shorts and digital camera, to sell them their milky cracked garbage rough opaque sapphires, left after dozens sorting by more skilled buyers! Well, I cant't blame them, it was a lot of work to mine it!!

 

[mike04456]

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On 3/18/2004 6:18:56 PM Mister Stone wrote:

Ilakaka area and the region surrounding it (southern Madagascar) is very well known for its 'western style' way-of-life (way of death?)!

----------------

Yep, that's the place. My friend visited the area late last year, and he told me there was a lengthy gun battle going on the first night they arrived in Ilakaka. Personally, I'm willing to pay the mark-up to let other people handle that kind of thing.

 

[mogok]

So I would advise you to go to Burma...
Burma is a really safe country, you can see stones all the day. You have there unexpensive gemological schools and you can also learn how to cut. I've studied gemology 6 months in Burma, I've never seen there a poppy field because before to see them you will be arrested at a military road block... But in Burma if you stay in foreigner allowed areas you will be in a much safer place than in any big western city. Burmese people are really nice of course doing business they will fight to get their profit (and most of the time your profit also) but its ok. I agree with Law Gem for the fact that you will first probably overpay everything that you buy. I did also but I'm still alive.
Thailand is also an interesting place as you have the gem trading center of Bangkok Mahesak and the market in Chanthabury, Mae Sot, Mae Sai... So many gemstones around here in such a convenient country.
Burma is more quiet: Very limited possibilities for Internet: Noo Hotmail, No Yahoo,... No credit card accepted,... Etc...Burma is an other world but you can go there to visit real mining areas in a really secure environment. Of course it is expensive as you have to go with a "military intelligence related travel agency". You will have driver, security guard and a guide with you all the time. But you can go to visit the famous Mogok mines, the Jadeite mines in Hpakant, the ruby mines in Mong Shu, the pearl archipelago in Myek... Such a great place.
One point as an american May be your goverment will not like you to visit Burma as the country is under a US embargo. But if Aung San Suu Kyi situation improve may be the ban can be cancelled... Sounds like things could move in this way in april...
For the rest in the area you can also go in Vietnam: There you have pearl farms, ruby, sapphire and zircon mines... Many great places to visit. The country gem mining areas there are less safe than in Burma but its still an interesting place to go.
The students in the gemological school I'm working in: The Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences are planning a trip there in few weeks (as it will also be the best time to visit the famous Ha Long Bay)...

Anyway Its now 8 years I'm running south east asia gem mining places and markets so if you need any help, I will do what I can.
All the best,