I don’t understand how Stuller works

[Mreader]

I tried searching in forums for the answer to this question but the word Stuller pops up so much that it’s overwhelming. I’m trying to figure out how it works. When I click something it says “find retailer”. So do I contact the retailer, tell them the setting I’m interested in, and they tell me the cost?? Also, do the costs for the same setting vary from retailer to retailer? Finally, are these considered affordable settings? TIA!

 

[lovedogs]

I tried searching in forums for the answer to this question but the word Stuller pops up so much that it’s overwhelming. I’m trying to figure out how it works. When I click something it says “find retailer”. So do I contact the retailer, tell them the setting I’m interested in, and they tell me the cost?? Also, do the costs for the same setting vary from retailer to retailer? Finally, are these considered affordable settings? TIA!

Yup. Some dealers have webpages set up so you can 'see' their Stuller prices. Costs vary a bit between retailers. They are generally considered affordable but certainly not inexpensive.

See this thread, which includes a link that should show prices

Stuller Pricing

Hi everyone, does anyone have an account where I can get pricing and purchase a Stuller setting? My jeweler locally will set my stone. Thanks in advance.

www.pricescope.com

 

[lovedogs]

EDIT. Another link from Africa Gems w their prices. Note these won't be identical to your jeweler but should be a ballpark

AfricaGems - Trusted Since 1984

AfricaGems - Trusted Since 1984

africagems.jewelershowcase.com

 

[Karl_K]

yes

yes varies a lot but keep in mind that with a bit of work they can be improved and prices with the work done will be more.

Yes and no, they are probably in the lower price range of potential lifetime settings but you can get air weight stuff cheaper.

Out of the box the finish is sometimes a bit rough but serviceable but a little work by a good bench-person can improve them a lot for not a lot of money.

 

[Mreader]

@lovedogs and @Karl_K thank you so much.

 

[sledge]

Discount/price is likely based on the dealer and how much (or little) annual volume they do. I’ve had this arrangement with suppliers (not jewelry related) in the past. It can be very advantageous if you push large volumes.

Anyhow I was shopping men’s bands the other day and thought I’d give you a 3rd choice. Rhino / August Vintage / Distinctive Gems is a well respected person & vendor here.

Stuller Showcase

engagement rings, jewelry, pendants, diamonds, colored stones, precious gems, ruby, sapphire, moissanite,

www.distinctivegem.com

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

I believe Stuller sells only to the trade. I work with a retired gentleman who does jewelry as a side business and he says they supply the industry. I'm sure sledge is right about volume. My jeweler complains that Stuller is expensive and if he buys a ring in any other size than a 7 it's a special non-returnable order. I wonder if they treat the big dogs like this. And he says he doesn't think their melee stones are very high quality.
That said, I have two Stuller rings, both simple designs, but am very happy with them.

JCK has an interesting interview with Matt Stuller, how he started out selling findings out of the trunk of his car.

 

[Mreader]

I believe Stuller sells only to the trade. I work with a retired gentleman who does jewelry as a side business and he says they supply the industry. I'm sure sledge is right about volume. My jeweler complains that Stuller is expensive and if he buys a ring in any other size than a 7 it's a special non-returnable order. I wonder if they treat the big dogs like this. And he says he doesn't think their melee stones are very high quality.
That said, I have two Stuller rings, both simple designs, but am very happy with them.

JCK has an interesting interview with Matt Stuller, how he started out selling findings out of the trunk of his car.

Interesting. I was just looking at a simple solitaire but when I did see the pricing on the two websites it doesn’t seem that different from having the same thing done custom.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Interesting. I was just looking at a simple solitaire but when I did see the pricing on the two websites it doesn’t seem that different from having the same thing done custom.

I believe you, Mreader.

 

[MollyMalone]

Here's some additional information I posted in response to a similar question last year (post #42 in the thread);

Can anyone purchase Stuller settings?

@SouthernGent Thanks for so kindly sharing your contact—I’ll give it a go!

www.pricescope.com

A couple more fyi's beyond the facts (1) that the pricing depends on how much the retailer is willing to discount the suggested retail price -- and (2) the price paid by the retailer to Stuller is the same regardless of how many Stuller sales the retail jeweler makes:

• Stuller's pricing is very market-sensitive. So their wholesale prices will fluctuate depending primarily on the costs of the metals. That can be why you get a price quote of $X from the retailer in response to your initial query, but are quoted $Y if you don't place an order until several weeks later.
• Their standard melee is "commercial quality," i.e., the same you'll find in the usual settings from the mall/chain jewelers like Kay or Jared. But Stuller offers melee upgrade options, so you can get better color, clarity -- and even hearts-and-arrows cut. The standard melee, and the possible alternatives, are described as you go through the selection menu that accompanies each online listing.
  • OR you can ask Stuller to send the semi-mount without the melee (price will be lower) and have your jeweler procure and set the melee.

* * * Out of the box the finish is sometimes a bit rough but serviceable but a little work by a good bench-person can improve them a lot for not a lot of money.

Following up on Karl's comment, here's a lovely example of how the bench, that Adam of Old World Diamonds uses, refined the prongs on the Stuller #122004 (one of my favorite Stuller mountings) that @PumpkinsAreAwesome chose (post #33 in the thread):

How do you get pointy claw prongs?

I wanted claw prongs and when I asked my jeweler he said it will drive me insane snagging on everything. Any truth to that? Have never had one of my prongs snag anything! That jeweler must not have a good enough bench to do them right.

www.pricescope.com

Hope this helps!

 

[MollyMalone]

P.S. Grunberger Diamonds offers what my late father-in-law, who was "in the trade" here in NYC, considered to be the crème de la crème of melee.

Ideal Cut Melee Diamonds - Grunberger Diamonds

Our Grunberger Precision Cut® has ideal proportions for melee diamonds and boasts the most brilliance and best light performance.

grunbergerdiamonds.com

Grunberger is the source of the melee that @Wink of Wolf|CBI (formerly High Performance Diamonds) uses, and this video is interesting-informative

 

[marymm]

Stuller can be a very good option especially if your stone is a calibrated size and you have access to a quality jeweler/bench person.

Depending on your setting choice, sometimes a jeweler can make a custom setting very similar/identical to a Stuller setting but customized to your stone size, at a price same/less than Stuller.

You probably already noticed this, but Stuller has many settings that seem similar to each other, until you read the specs and realize that one version has a narrower/thinner/hollow shank and/or less metal weight versus another Stuller setting.

Not sure what you're looking at, or if you've already contacted him, but it may be worthwhile to reach out to David Klass for a quote ...

 

[Mreader]

Stuller can be a very good option especially if your stone is a calibrated size and you have access to a quality jeweler/bench person.

Depending on your setting choice, sometimes a jeweler can make a custom setting very similar/identical to a Stuller setting but customized to your stone size, at a price same/less than Stuller.

You probably already noticed this, but Stuller has many settings that seem similar to each other, until you read the specs and realize that one version has a narrower/thinner/hollow shank and/or less metal weight versus another Stuller setting.

Not sure what you're looking at, or if you've already contacted him, but it may be worthwhile to reach out to David Klass for a quote ...

I did not know about the similarities within settings that you mentioned. It's not a project I plan on embarking on really soon (having just wrapped up some!!!) - basically I am interested in eventually finding a large rectangular lab emerald and I see Stuller mentioned so often on this forum that I wondered if using one of their settings vs going custom would be a less expensive option. I saw a simple bezel solitaire that was really pretty but was still about 1k before any type of gem setting fee. Based on past quotes that price isn't far off from a custom one at DK or Dan M and and they would have the stone in hand to make the setting perfectly match. In any case I am glad that I now know a way to get a ballpark price

 

[MollyMalone]

P.P.S.

* * * My jeweler complains that Stuller is expensive and if he buys a ring in any other size than a 7 it's a special non-returnable order. * * *

I'm surprised to hear that complaint. My now-retired (much to my dismay!) neighborhood "bench" would show me his wholesale price for any Stuller mounting/semi-mount I was considering for a colored gemstone & then give me his very reasonable (way below the MSRP of 3x the wholesale price) & none of the wholesale prices I saw were eyebrow-raising.

It's entirely possible that things have changed, but it used to be that not every Stuller setting in the non-standard ring size (size 6 or 7 depends on the setting) would be a special non-returnable order. E.g., Stuller used to keep a stash of their trademarked Solstice mountings in stock in different ring sizes, and those were not deemed non-returnable.

Although he couldn't return a special order to Stuller, my neighborhood bench would accept a customer's return of a Stuller setting (and refund the customer) if it was a setting in a style and ring size that he thought he could turn over fairly readily. Of course, that's something that you shouldn't count on -- but I wouldn't be shy about asking at the time you're considering whether to go with a Stuller setting from a jeweler.

Interesting. I was just looking at a simple solitaire but when I did see the pricing on the two websites it doesn’t seem that different from having the same thing done custom.

Here are a couple of advantages I see to Stuller, not that I think Stuller is for every stone, every time, for everyone.

• Their products are "known", WYSISYG; their descriptions are very detailed (note, how often a setting's metal weight is not provided by jewelers, whereas that is no mystery with Stuller; it's right up front & the online listing will change the weight after you select the ring-stone sizes); and Stuller's quality control is almost always reliable (my neighborhood bench said that in all his years, he received only a couple of duds, which Stuller took back with no hassle). If you've ever seen the botched job of things that resulted from a custom order of what one would expect to be an easy-to-execute piece of jewelry, Stuller's appeal is more apparent, especially for those who aren't hooked in to PS, so aren't aware of options beyond their locale.
• Stuller will work with the stone dimensions sent them; stone does not have to be perfectly cut to a calibrated size. There's a reason PumpkinsAreAwesome affectionately named her asymmetrical old cut diamond Wonky And 6 years later, Stuller is now offering endless variations, albeit for an upcharge, because it's smart business sense for them and their retailers:

Jewelry Customization | CAD/CAM Services | Stuller

With Stuller on your side, you can make every customer feel special by giving them exactly what they want, every time.

www.stuller.com

• Stuller is usually very speedy, altho' that's not true for every item they offer & I imagine delivery also depends on where the retailer is. But, e.g., Adam of Old World Diamonds received the setting for PumpkinsAreAmazing in less 48 hours. Longest wait time I remember hearing anyone report was 10-14 days.

@Mreader - for a custom, bezel mounting of a lab emerald, also take a look at Janish Jems (Jill) and Metalicious (Stephanie). I myself would choose either of them for a bezeled setting over DanielM.

JanishJewels - Etsy

Shop Janish Jewels - Handmade Contemporary Classic Jewelry by JanishJewels located in Bradenton, Florida. Smooth shipping! Has a history of shipping on time with tracking. Rave reviews! Average review rating is 4.8 or higher

www.etsy.com

metalicious - Etsy

Shop Handmade Gemstone Jewelry and Unique Engagement Rings by metalicious located in New York, United States. Rave reviews! Average review rating is 4.8 or higher

www.etsy.com

Unique Handmade Jewelry | Sustainable & Ethical | Metalicious

Metalicious is your go-to destination for unique handmade jewelry. Made from recycled materials and sustainably sourced gems, treat yourself or a loved one.

metalicious.com

 

[Mreader]

@MollyMalone thanks for the recs! And how awesome to have had that neighborhood bench I’m sorry that they have now retired.

 

[Karl_K]

@MollyMalone thank you... you rock!!

 

[new-beginning]

Kris Kildow Jewelers is another good option; he has done two rings (sterling) for me. I probably will use him for next project.

 

[Rubymal]

I have two Stuller rings and a pendant (the one in my avatar). My jeweler sourced the little side diamonds for me and I'm happy with them.

I wear one of my stuller rings daily as a stand in for my much more expensive and delicate wedding band. It's held up surprisingly well.

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

I have a Stuller ring and am happy with how solid and tidy it is.

 

[Karl_K]

A few more things about stuller that are my opinion:
stuller x1 14k white gold is outstanding for being white and durable.
What I like doing is ordering parts from stuller and having a local bench put them together for a complete item.
For example a shank and a head and put them together and set a stone.
Or necklace or earring findings to have stones mounted in.

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

ETA: A lot of people here seem to use Stuller settings as placeholders for when they spend a lot of money on a diamond and want to wait a while before buying their dream setting. Or when they are on an upgrade trajectory. A lot of the vendors with good upgrade policies sell Stuller settings. And if you buy a diamond and a Stuller setting from the same vendor, you might find you get a bit of a deal.

 

[sledge]

A few more things about stuller that are my opinion:
stuller x1 14k white gold is outstanding for being white and durable.

Since seeing your Octavia in that other thread, I have been drooling at the thought of finding a way to make it work. Had me searching the Stuller site for men's bands that may work.

It's no big secret I am a fan of white metals. My favorite being platinum, but it can be costly. I kept noticing the WG X1 and saw there was minimal price difference to upgrade (about $10-20 on the rings I viewed) so I became curious.

Below are some FAQ's I found concerning X1 that others may also find as helpful as I did:

Stuller, Inc.

Stuller, Inc. is the #1 supplier of fine jewelry, findings, mountings, tools, packaging, diamonds and gemstones for today’s retail jeweler.

www.stuller.com

Bench Jeweler: Library: Articles: All About X1 White Gold®

 

[denverappraiser]

Stuller sells only to the trade and they make a LOT of different things. Way more than any jeweler can stock. The printed catalog is inches thick and is bound into several books. It's a giant company. The result is that they use their online catalog to show pictures and such to the public but they won't sell directly do you. Almost every jeweler in the country has an account with them and those who do can get everything they sell. They do have suggested retail prices and most jewelers I know stick to them, but there is no requirement. As mentioned above, be prepared for additional charges like setting, sizing, rhodium, etc.

 

[yssie]

I didn’t know that I had so many questions about how Stuller sells until I read this thread.

Thank you for starting it @Mreader, and thank you to everyone who contributed their insights - and an especial thank you @MollyMalone for sharing your knowledge! I’ve learned quite a bit here today!

 

[distracts]

A few more things about stuller that are my opinion:
stuller x1 14k white gold is outstanding for being white and durable.
What I like doing is ordering parts from stuller and having a local bench put them together for a complete item.
For example a shank and a head and put them together and set a stone.
Or necklace or earring findings to have stones mounted in.

Yes - I have several pairs of earrings in the Stuller X1 metal. As well, while it does contain nickel, it meets the EU nickel release requirements. And it's really quite white! I'm allergic to nickel and regular white gold sometimes bothers me so I avoid it but X1 has never caused an issue. YMMV of course.

When I want a Stuller thing, I either go to my jeweler and ask to see the catalogue and then flip through it with him, or I find what I want online and bring a printout or the item number to my jeweler.

If Stuller doesn't have a setting you want but you still want a stock setting, most jewelers seem to have tons of catalogues of these things they can produce at will, that seem to have way more options than the websites do.

 

[Karl_K]

Since seeing your Octavia in that other thread, I have been drooling at the thought of finding a way to make it work. Had me searching the Stuller site for men's bands that may work.

Few things to keep in mind the numbers on the report are on the flats, windmill to windmill is longer so you need a bigger opening than the report #s.
High depth % asschers with high crown % will fit in normal settings because the depth is in the crown not the pavilion and also asschers are shallower in the pavilion than princess cuts.
That will give you an idea of what it needs to be to fit one.

 

[Rhino]

yes and some jewelers who publish their inventory include various things like setting charges etc. some add it after the fact

 

[musicloveranthony]

EDIT. Another link from Africa Gems w their prices. Note these won't be identical to your jeweler but should be a ballpark

AfricaGems - Trusted Since 1984

AfricaGems - Trusted Since 1984

africagems.jewelershowcase.com

Thank you! I just used this and the pieces are about $40 less than the other I was looking at (Yates Jewelry's stuller portal)