How much does *URGENCY* have to do with you buying colored stones?

[TravelingGal]

Every colored stone is different, right? So when those vendor emails drop, how many of you buy FAST because you''re afraid a stone you''re considering might be scooped up before you make your decision? If so, do you regret your trigger fingers?

 

[mercoledi]

Depends on the day.

But the stones that I love most are the ones that I didn't really think about before buying.



I try not to get sucked into the oh-my-god-new-stuff-just-posted madness, but some days I fail.

And then there's the one that I've been watching for months that I just can't seem to bring home...

 

[MonkeyPie]

I ALWAYS miss the newly uploaded images so yeah, that doesn''t happen to me. I can''t tell you how many times I have been mad at myself for not seeing something sooner, though.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I get that feeling sometimes, but so far I''ve resisted My trigger finger is slow anyways, I''m nervous about buying on impulse unless I absolutely fall in love with the picture, lol.

 

[FrekeChild]

Every colored stone is different, right? Yes.

So when those vendor emails drop, how many of you buy FAST because you''re afraid a stone you''re considering might be scooped up before you make your decision? I have bought fast, but it''s usually when I''m waiting for a particular stone, or color/shape and then pick something out if it calls to me, or if it''s on my *list*.

If so, do you regret your trigger fingers? Yes I have. But neither of those were really purchases I made in a hurry on a drop...

 

[Pandora II]

Never.

I tend to have enquires out for things, or people email me when something potentially interesting comes onto their radar and if it''s what I want I buy it before it ever makes a website.

I''m not very impulsive and when you''re looking at international shipping costs and the added hassle of returns it''s not worth it.

I look at vendor websites and definitely look at the emails, but I''ve only bought a few bits and pieces when it''s been worthwhile to add them to a parcel and so save on postage costs.

 

[coatimundi_org]

Nah, but I don''t buy stones off the web anymore. Seeing stones in person helps with that trigger finger. It''s easy to get swept up in vendor photos blown up to crazy proportions. I''d rather see them life sized. Helps the wallet.

 

[Harriet]

Nothing. I''m a fussy customer.

 

[Gailey]

Date: 4/6/2009 6:53:42 PM
Author: coatimundi
Nah, but I don''t buy stones off the web anymore. Seeing stones in person helps with that trigger finger. It''s easy to get swept up in vendor photos blown up to crazy proportions. I''d rather see them life sized. Helps the wallet.

Coati, I was the exact opposite!

I''ve only ever had one experience where a whole cornucopia of stones were laid out in front of me. Thank goodness my appetite was tempered by the determination I have to get some of my stones set this year, otherwise I think I would have gone completely overboard.

As it was all I bought was a pair of morganite pears, a small pair of amethyst cushions and a larger amethyst cushion. I am waiting for them to arrive back in Canada from Germany.

I was invited to the viewing by a jeweller I trust. That being said, I didn''t think to query treatments, authenticity etc. So it''s entirely possible I have been sold some complete fakes (I doubt it), but I certainly leapt in with both feet and didn''t ask any of the questions one ought to ask. I bet Travelling Gal is rolling her eyes at me as she reads this.

The point is, I am much more cautious when viewing stones on line. I am thankful that the direct sell vendor only visits once or twice a year!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Every colored stone is different, right? Right.


So when those vendor emails drop, how many of you buy FAST because you're afraid a stone you're considering might be scooped up before you make your decision?

For the small stones I am using to make my stacking rings (which are all under $100), I buy those very fast. I know that someone will get them, because money is not as much as a barrier. For anything more, I want to at least sleep on it, unless it was something that I was already looking for. For my more expensive stones, I have never had anything sold because I waited 2-3 days, but these are more expensive stones, and I don't think there is as much competition for them. For my Spess, Richard Homer did tell me that he would have to take it to a gem show in 5 days if I could not decide. I had been really indecisive though. I realize this is a business, and the vendors need to sell their stock.


If so, do you regret your trigger fingers?

No, I have only bought expensive things on impulse, so it is no big deal if it is not exactly what I wanted. I do sometimes felt like I have actually missed out on a couple stones because I take my time to think. My next big project (most likely next year), at least right now, will be a bright pink spinal or sapphire. I will probably spend months looking. I find myself very picky with the color pink.

 

[marcy]

I try to only buy things I really want these days. Of course I am also subject to impulse buys.

 

[Barcelona]

While every stone is different, if you fall in love with a sold stone it never hurts to ask if they have more rough available. This has worked out really well for me.

Unless it''s a stone that is on my "list", I will wait a few hours or even days after a new release to make any purchases. If it''s gone, it wasn''t meant to be. I also tend to like interesting/uncommon colors and/or cuts, so there are a few stones I''ve been looking at for a couple months that still have not sold.

I only "regret" my purchases when something becomes available that I really want and I''ve already spent my budget for the month!

 

[cushioncutnut]

I consider myself extremely picky so I have never bought without inquiring first. Also, anything that I would be interested in gets scarfed up...so that may help with the trigger finger!!

 

[chrono]

I like to look but never buy. All my purchases are thought out several years in advance. For example, my spessartite took 1 year to purchase, my cobalt spinel took 3 years, my red spinel (currently in the works) has taken nearly 9 months. My tsavorite has taken 6 months so far and I still have nothing to show for it. There''s always a lot of email exchanges to minimize returns.

 

[hoofbeats95]

I''ve only bought 2 stones so far. The first was my pink spinel from Dan. I inquired about the rough and had first chance. So that was a thought out purchase.

The tourmaline from ACS was bought in the March drop. Total impromtu purchase and to be honest I like it better. It''s a better size for me. That''s the biggest reason. I totally bought that quick because I know all the other PSers are watching the drop. And some people buy multiple stones. So I acted quickly. I held back this month and it was hard. The one I was thinking about was snatched up by Karee rather quickly so that made the decision for me.

I''m honestly surprised by those that say all purchases are well thought out. As fast as some of these drops are snatched up . . . who is doing the snatching if it isn''t PS people?

 

[Fly Girl]

I will definitely grab stones on a drop if the price, color, and size are right. I don''t always get them set right away, but I love looking at my pretties. If I can afford them, I try not to overthink my purchase. If it is a stretch moneywise, I try not to buy on impulse, unless it is the perfect stone, and it has been on my wishlist for a while.

 

[karee888]

Date: 4/7/2009 9:43:39 AM
Author: hoofbeats95
I''ve only bought 2 stones so far. The first was my pink spinel from Dan. I inquired about the rough and had first chance. So that was a thought out purchase.


The tourmaline from ACS was bought in the March drop. Total impromtu purchase and to be honest I like it better. It''s a better size for me. That''s the biggest reason. I totally bought that quick because I know all the other PSers are watching the drop. And some people buy multiple stones. So I acted quickly. I held back this month and it was hard. The one I was thinking about was snatched up by Karee rather quickly so that made the decision for me.


I''m honestly surprised by those that say all purchases are well thought out. As fast as some of these drops are snatched up . . . who is doing the snatching if it isn''t PS people?

sorry hoofbeats....but i''d been waiting for that color!

 

[hoofbeats95]

Date: 4/7/2009 10:10:08 AM
Author: karee888

Date: 4/7/2009 9:43:39 AM
Author: hoofbeats95
I''ve only bought 2 stones so far. The first was my pink spinel from Dan. I inquired about the rough and had first chance. So that was a thought out purchase.


The tourmaline from ACS was bought in the March drop. Total impromtu purchase and to be honest I like it better. It''s a better size for me. That''s the biggest reason. I totally bought that quick because I know all the other PSers are watching the drop. And some people buy multiple stones. So I acted quickly. I held back this month and it was hard. The one I was thinking about was snatched up by Karee rather quickly so that made the decision for me.


I''m honestly surprised by those that say all purchases are well thought out. As fast as some of these drops are snatched up . . . who is doing the snatching if it isn''t PS people?

sorry hoofbeats....but i''d been waiting for that color!

No prob! I''m on a mission for a perfect blue-green color. That probably wasn''t "the one" but it''s still a color I like. I have a feeling I''m going to get several stones on the path to finding "the one"! You saved me money I shouldn''t have spent anyways.

 

[icekid]

I''m not an impulse buyer either- I look when the new drops come, but even if I get there early, it takes me too long to decide!

 

[loriken214]

Date: 4/7/2009 10:07:57 AM
Author: Fly Girl
I will definitely grab stones on a drop if the price, color, and size are right. I don''t always get them set right away, but I love looking at my pretties. If I can afford them, I try not to overthink my purchase. If it is a stretch moneywise, I try not to buy on impulse, unless it is the perfect stone, and it has been on my wishlist for a while.

Ditto! I''ve missed out on some really pretty stones during the drops, but have asked for something similar and have received it from the cutter.

Right now, I have a couple of custom projects in the works. I''m learning that quality, not quantity, is working best for me...I have a bad case of OCD, too, and it is hard to resist all of those pretties!

Lori

 

[chrono]

Date: 4/7/2009 9:43:39 AM
Author: hoofbeats95
I''ve only bought 2 stones so far. The first was my pink spinel from Dan. I inquired about the rough and had first chance. So that was a thought out purchase.

The tourmaline from ACS was bought in the March drop. Total impromtu purchase and to be honest I like it better. It''s a better size for me. That''s the biggest reason. I totally bought that quick because I know all the other PSers are watching the drop. And some people buy multiple stones. So I acted quickly. I held back this month and it was hard. The one I was thinking about was snatched up by Karee rather quickly so that made the decision for me.

I''m honestly surprised by those that say all purchases are well thought out. As fast as some of these drops are snatched up . . . who is doing the snatching if it isn''t PS people?

Definitely not me. All mine are custom cut aka special order or non PS vendors.

 

[Harriet]

If you have to return something, does the postage and sometimes restocking fee bother you? My new spinel is my only purchase from overseas.

 

[chrono]

I only buy from places with no restocking fee. I rarely return items as I grill the vendor about the stone to the nth degree (as seen in my tsavorite thread

) before making the purchase.

 

[Harriet]

Date: 4/8/2009 2:36:03 PM
Author: Chrono
I only buy from places with no restocking fee. I rarely return items as I grill the vendor about the stone to the nth degree (as seen in my tsavorite thread

) before making the purchase.

Which thread?

Congratulations on making a decision!

 

[stacy]

This is a good question... When Jeff White''s emails go out, I know I have to pounce if there''s something I really want. Usually, I contact the vendor first looking for a specific color though. I''ve never regretted any of my gem purchases, but I haven''t really made that many of them, and I usually don''t buy anything very expensive.

 

[mochi]

OMG... I must be the only one that requests the first day of the month off so that I can be at home waiting for Barry to post his new stones. I must be a nut case, I must have a problem.....

 

[T L]

I''m a bargain hunter, so I skim ebay and lesser known dealers quite a bit scavenging for good deals because all you PS''ers buy up Gene and Barry''s stones before I can get to them.

I have found some recently good deals that way, but I do have an affinity for Gene and Barry''s cuts, so I can understand why everyone loves them.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I have an impulse buy budget, so I can be trigger happy on occasion. However, I am usually much too slow for what I like.

Other stones are much more thought out and take much longer.

 

[oldmancoyote]

I buy jewelry more than stones, but I''ve been regretting more often leaving what I have not bought than what I have bought. Then again, I have a few select people I buy from, and I trust them implicitly with quality and honest prices.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

To answer the question: YES! I''ve definitely bought more than one gem quickly before someone else got it. Don''t regret it - I love my gems. But lately I''m on a REAL hold from buying (too much money going elsewhere) so I purposely miss drops when they open (like Barry''s) so that all the ones I like are already gone by the time I look