Good sources for accessories..?

[arjunajane]

Hi all,

I need to buy some tweezers or a gem holder thingy, and probably some containres..does anyone have some good ebay stores or links where I can start looking?

Thankyou!

AJ

 

[Harriet]

www.kassoy.com

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 1/6/2009 9:41:56 AM
Author: Harriet
www.kassoy.com

Thankyou Harriett - in all honesty maybe a lil bit more than I was hoping to spend - just cuz I''m a novice and all

Does anyone have any vendors on ebay they''ve had a good experience with? I''ve had a look at the options, but would be keen to hear if anyone''s bought..
cheers in advance.

 

[Pandora II]

I buy my boxes from a guy on ebay - but they''re the same price as the ones on Kassoy.

Tweezers etc I buy from Gem-A in London.

Be careful buying really cheap equipment - good tweezers and loupes are worth the money.

I don''t use stone holders - too much danger of chipping stones. I also don''t buy tweezers with slide grips - I like the ones with vertical groves and a single horizontal groove.

Loupes I recommend Belomo.

Stone boxes - get the proper ones as they hold the stone safely - I also give each stone it''s own box - except matched pairs which can share.

 

[Harriet]

Try: www.jewelrytelevision.com I haven't bought from them, but their tools are well-priced.

 

[T L]

Date: 1/6/2009 9:10:24 PM
Author: Harriet
Try: www.jewelrytelevision.com I haven''t bought from them, but their tools are well-priced.

For the first time I finally ordered something from JTV. They had one of those expensive digital gem gauge on sale. I hope it''s not broken when it arrives. I got it for around $30, and I''ve seen them much higher priced elsewhere. However, I wouldn''t buy a gem from JTV unless I needed something to throw at someone''s head.

It''s this one that''s over $100 in this listing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Electronic-Digital-Gem-Gauge_W0QQitemZ330257293703QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item330257293703&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1326%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

 

[arjunajane]

Thanks Pandora, Harriett and TL for the advice - I will most likely grab something from JTV..

Pandora, I was wondering about this - so in your opinion tweezers are safer them the gem-holder things?

 

[Harriet]

As someone who learnt the hard way, do not ever use the gem-holder. It's not equipped to, and probably not meant to, hold gems, but diamonds.

TL,
What's a good rock to throw at someone?

 

[coatimundi_org]

AJ-I always use tweezers. Once you get used to them, you won''t want to use a stoneholder. Easier to manipulate a gem with tweezers.

 

[arjunajane]

Thanks Coats and Pandora, good to know

Coats, while I have you around, I would like to ask you something. My rhodolite project with Sally, I haven''t decided on a setting yet, but hopefully I will have something reminiscent of a J.M style, mixed with Sally''s magic. As soon as I saw her work, it reminded me of J.M''s style, which you know I''m a *big* fan of, unfortunately my wallet, not so much

I just wanted to ask, with the attention on this issue at the moment, as there''s a chance I would like something similiar to your design (of course it will be quite different as its a different artist, and I would like a "Sally", not just a "J.M copy", lol).
Please do say so if you do mind, I promise I won''t mind

 

[coatimundi_org]

Date: 1/7/2009 4:28:38 AM
Author: arjunajane

Coats, while I have you around, I would like to ask you something. My rhodolite project with Sally, I haven't decided on a setting yet, but hopefully I will have something reminiscent of a J.M style, mixed with Sally's magic. As soon as I saw her work, it reminded me of J.M's style, which you know I'm a *big* fan of, unfortunately my wallet, not so much

I just wanted to ask, with the attention on this issue at the moment, as there's a chance I would like something similiar to your design (of course it will be quite different as its a different artist, and I would like a 'Sally', not just a 'J.M copy', lol).

Please do say so if you do mind, I promise I won't mind

haha! You are sweet--sweets! You know I'd love for you to have whatever design you like! I'd love to see Sally's interpretation of a JM--and her prices are great! Go for it!

I asked JM for a quote on setting my aqua, and haven't heard back yet. If it doesn't work out with JM--I may have Sally set it--maybe your ring will be my inspiration!

I love your taste AJ--so that's a big possibility. Can't wait to see this ring you're planning. I want a yellow gold piece.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 1/7/2009 12:53:39 PM
Author: coatimundi

Date: 1/7/2009 4:28:38 AM
Author: arjunajane

Coats, while I have you around, I would like to ask you something. My rhodolite project with Sally, I haven't decided on a setting yet, but hopefully I will have something reminiscent of a J.M style, mixed with Sally's magic. As soon as I saw her work, it reminded me of J.M's style, which you know I'm a *big* fan of, unfortunately my wallet, not so much

I just wanted to ask, with the attention on this issue at the moment, as there's a chance I would like something similiar to your design (of course it will be quite different as its a different artist, and I would like a 'Sally', not just a 'J.M copy', lol).

Please do say so if you do mind, I promise I won't mind

haha! You are sweet--sweets! You know I'd love for you to have whatever design you like! I'd love to see Sally's interpretation of a JM--and her prices are great! Go for it!

I asked JM for a quote on setting my aqua, and haven't heard back yet. If it doesn't work out with JM--I may have Sally set it--maybe your ring will be my inspiration!

I love your taste AJ--so that's a big possibility. Can't wait to see this ring you're planning. I want a yellow gold piece.

Thanks Sweets, you're the best

Yes, I agree sally's prices are very reasonable for handmade 18k, and I lurve the colour of her YG - you should totally get a YG piece !



ETA: hrmm, anyone else think that kiss emotie kinda creepy, lol!

 

[coatimundi_org]

haha! Yes-that emoticon disturbs me, but mwah back!

 

[PrecisionGem]

You might want to pay just a few pennies more, and buy the white square plastic gem jars with the glass lids, rather than those round plastic ones. The round plastic ones scratch really fast, and then look ugly, and after you open them several times, the tops tend to pop off of them.

I get my gem jars from Rio Grande, I think you can order from them with out opening an account an being a member of the trade. A pack of 30 jars costs around $11.

For tweezers I use the Dumont swiss made ones in a medium. I have tried out every set they have at Kassoy and feel these are the best for most gemstone sizes, plus they have the red Swiss logo on them which makes them look really nice. I think they are around $23.

 

[coatimundi_org]

I use Dumont Swiss too--medium for diamonds and B for colored gems. They work really well.

http://cgi.ebay.com/SWISS-MADE-DUMONT-GROOVED-TWEEZERS-FOR-DIAMONDS-GEMS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQitemZ300260312251QQsalenotsupported

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 1/7/2009 10:29:02 PM
Author: coatimundi
haha! Yes-that emoticon disturbs me, but mwah back!

ha! I know, its weird, but thankyou none the less xx (also for the ebay link, me be spending some money this week! lol)..

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 1/7/2009 11:40:39 PM
Author: PrecisionGem
You might want to pay just a few pennies more, and buy the white square plastic gem jars with the glass lids, rather than those round plastic ones. The round plastic ones scratch really fast, and then look ugly, and after you open them several times, the tops tend to pop off of them.

I get my gem jars from Rio Grande, I think you can order from them with out opening an account an being a member of the trade. A pack of 30 jars costs around $11.

For tweezers I use the Dumont swiss made ones in a medium. I have tried out every set they have at Kassoy and feel these are the best for most gemstone sizes, plus they have the red Swiss logo on them which makes them look really nice. I think they are around $23.

Hey Gene,

Thankyou thats great info. You read my mind, as I was just about to post asking which size tweezer is more practical etc.

Cheers!

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 1/7/2009 11:40:39 PM
Author: PrecisionGem
You might want to pay just a few pennies more, and buy the white square plastic gem jars with the glass lids, rather than those round plastic ones. The round plastic ones scratch really fast, and then look ugly, and after you open them several times, the tops tend to pop off of them.

I get my gem jars from Rio Grande, I think you can order from them with out opening an account an being a member of the trade. A pack of 30 jars costs around $11.

For tweezers I use the Dumont swiss made ones in a medium. I have tried out every set they have at Kassoy and feel these are the best for most gemstone sizes, plus they have the red Swiss logo on them which makes them look really nice. I think they are around $23.

Hi Gene, and also Coati -

do you use the Dumont locking or non locking in medium tip?

And, diamond tip/ teflon tip?

Sorry, I''m just not sure what the difference is. Would like to buy some asap.

 

[Pandora II]

I HATE locking tweezers - for that reason I always carry my own as so many people seem to have the locking ones.

Once you are used to the normal ones it''s very easy and I don''t drop stones or send them pinging across the room the way I have with the locking ones.

 

[Harriet]

I couldn''t handle the Teflon tip at first, but it''s perfectly easy to use now.

 

[coatimundi_org]

AJ--I use non locking stainless steel.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 1/18/2009 7:24:20 PM
Author: coatimundi
AJ--I use non locking stainless steel.

Thanks Pandora, Harriet and Coats - thats what I''m paranoid about, sending one flying while I''m learning!

Harriet - so would you recommend teflon over diamond tip? Or does it depend on what its for? (I would really like a "multi - purpose" for gems and diamonds, seeing as I don''t have much of a collection yet)..

 

[Harriet]

I don''t know. I''ve never tried a diamond tip. I really like the teflon for handling softer stones.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 1/18/2009 8:33:27 PM
Author: Harriet
I don''t know. I''ve never tried a diamond tip. I really like the teflon for handling softer stones.

Cool thanks Harriet.

 

[Harriet]

No worries.

 

[arjunajane]

One last question - does anyone have advice on whether buying a black loupe is an ok idea? As in, is there a chance it would reflect on your stone in a negative way?
Is plain silver one safer?
I like the appearance of black one better

 

[Pandora II]

Black, definitely black - the chrome ones are a PITA as they do reflect into the stone.

All my loupes are black cased - I also try to buy tweezers that are black cased as well.

 

[arjunajane]

Thanks Pandora, I figured as much. So, I just bought a 10x triplet black loupe, some dumont black tweezers and some polishing cloths
- yay!

Cheers all for the help, no more dropping my stones hopefully