Newbie Seeking Advice: Best Online Gemstone Retailers

[hatsumomo]

Hi Everyone,

I'm newly interested in collecting colored gemstones and commissioning custom jewelry pieces. I got great advice from this site and learned so much when my now husband and I were buying my diamond engagement ring. I'd like to begin making colored stone purchases but I don't know what to look for and where to start. I've done a little reading and research online and occasionally watch (but don't buy from) the loose stone shows on jewelry television yet I feel overwhelmed as the world of colored gemstones is so much more complicated than that of white diamonds .

I'd be so appreciative if you could offer a few pointers of where to get started. I want to know what to look for, what stones make good foundations for a collection, and what treatments, clarity grades, and colors are acceptable in quality, collectible gems. What stones make durable, beautiful choices for jewelry? Which stones are becoming more rare and are increasing in price? What makes a good investment? What traps should I make sure to look out for? How do I know if I am paying a reasonable prices for different stones?

Also, what are the most reputable dealers--both online and b&m (I live in NYC)--for buying stones?

Thanks in advance for the your expert pricescoper advice!

 

[Pandora II]

Hi Everyone,

I'm newly interested in collecting colored gemstones and commissioning custom jewelry pieces. I got great advice from this site and learned so much when my now husband and I were buying my diamond engagement ring. I'd like to begin making colored stone purchases but I don't know what to look for and where to start. I've done a little reading and research online and occasionally watch (but don't buy from) the loose stone shows on jewelry television yet I feel overwhelmed as the world of colored gemstones is so much more complicated than that of white diamonds .

I'd be so appreciative if you could offer a few pointers of where to get started. I want to know what to look for, what stones make good foundations for a collection, and what treatments, clarity grades, and colors are acceptable in quality, collectible gems. What stones make durable, beautiful choices for jewelry? Which stones are becoming more rare and are increasing in price? What makes a good investment? What traps should I make sure to look out for? How do I know if I am paying a reasonable prices for different stones?

Also, what are the most reputable dealers--both online and b&m (I live in NYC)--for buying stones?

Thanks in advance for the your expert pricescoper advice!

Basically you need to look at lots and lots of stones in person and online and see what appeals to you most. It also depends on how much money you want to spend and what your parameters are.

I like lots of species but garnets are what won my heart and what I collect. The bonus is that they are a species with many varieties and even the most expensive of stones is considerably less than a comparable sapphire or ruby. I collect stones between 1 and 3 carats and as good as I can find and afford. Colour for me is paramount.

There is lots of information available online on every gemstone out there so from a quick google you should be able to learn how hard and durable a stone is and whether or not it has cleavage.

There is no quick way to learn about gemstones. Even qualifying as a GG or an FGA doesn't give you a true appreciation of what makes a premium stone for the market. It's a case of looking and learning and asking. Your local museum's natural history section may have a gem display, stalk jewellers shops, even watch Jewellery TV (and ignore most of what they say re. rarity or value) and look at lots of websites. That is how you will learn what makes a bad stone and what makes a great stone. You will also build up an idea of what such stones will cost.

Please don't buy stones in the hope of them being an investment. Pricing is often dependent on quantity. Paraibia tourmaline is excrutiatingly expensive right now but if they find a huge deposit tomorrow you may find that your very expensive rock is 50% less the day after tomorrow. On the other hand, if you can afford to buy $6 figure Kashmir sapphires then it's probably a pretty sound investment.

There's a sticky at the top of the page with details of PS vendors and other recommendations.

Hope that helps and hope you're ready to spend every spare penny on these little pieces of rock as it's very addictive!

 

[Arcadian]

a lot of the answers your seeking can be found by a lot of reading (I would use the search function, theres really a lot of info already here!)

Another place I'm going to recommend is Palagems. They have a buying guide section that has been very informative to me

http://www.palagems.com/home.htm

The other section of great reading is the learning vault

http://www.palagems.com/learning_vault.htm

Colored gems are very complicated, moreso than white diamonds, so start with a few ...like maybe 3-4 gems that you happen to be interested in and read about those. Then, as your knowledge base expands, you'll already have something to build upon and will have a better idea of where to look.

Its hard to provide a general overview as there are so many species of gems out there.

As far as ideal colors and prices, Do read the buying guides as they can give you some idea about both. Just remember in some cases if you're wanting idea colors, be prepared to pay ideal color money!

I personally buy what I like. I've always told people to buy what you like as long as you're aware of how to read the color of the stone. There's a lot of people who can help as much as its possible through pictures, but just know its always a best guess. I have been wrong about pictures before let me tell you As long as YOU like what you have, thats what matters the most. I have some gems in ideal colors, but many that aren't.

I don't buy gems as an investment. In order to do that you'd better buy very big stones and that takes big money. I buy and collect them because I enjoy them, they intrigue me, and they're pretty.

As I grow and learn, my collection changes. I think thats the fun part of collecting (at least to me). There are SOOOO many places to buy gems, many are in the sticky at the top of the page, but some aren't in there (It sorely needs an update!!) I would recommend doing some digging around in this forum for where people like to buy since the buying thread is so out of date.



-A

 

[hatsumomo]

Thanks so much, everyone. This is great advice.

 

[nojs]

Based on my own experiences, I would advise starting with smaller and less expensive stones just to get a feeling of what you like. I have about 60 different stones, and I feel that I'm still learning. The sticky posts have been a great help, but I understand what I'm reading a lot better now that I have hands on experience with various stones, than when I first was reading them.