Spill! Who got Gene's new beauties?!?!

[endless_summer]

I missed the email by a couple hours, and I think each and every one is spoken for…cripes, those were gorgeous stones, especially the tourmaline! Hope they went to PSer's - and, if you snagged one, please post pics when you receive it!

 

[the_mother_thing]

I have been admiring his offerings for awhile but always missed out. His "calico" sapphire was impossible for me to pass up. I cannot wait to see the flashes of color for myself.

 

[purplesparklies]

I have been admiring his offerings for awhile but always missed out. His "calico" sapphire was impossible for me to pass up. I cannot wait to see the flashes of color for myself.

Uh oh. Ditto this. I wonder which one of us actually ended up with it. :-/ My payment went through but I assume yours did as well.

 

[the_mother_thing]

I have been admiring his offerings for awhile but always missed out. His "calico" sapphire was impossible for me to pass up. I cannot wait to see the flashes of color for myself.

Uh oh. Ditto this. I wonder which one of us actually ended up with it. :-/ My payment went through but I assume yours did as well.

Yikes! My payment also went through.

Was your order for this one (below) or the more purple one?

 

[purplesparklies]

I wondered if I made it but figured I would certainly have heard by now if there was an issue. Obviously not. Guess I will hold off on the search for a setting. Who knows how many others are thinking they got it as well. Good luck! Either my sparkly obsession will be happy OR my wallet......

 

[purplesparklies]

Yep. The one pictured. Blue/yellow. My paypal shows it went through at 10:10:18 PDT. We'll see.....hopefully soon....

 

[the_mother_thing]

I wondered if I made it but figured I would certainly have heard by now if there was an issue. Obviously not. Guess I will hold off on the search for a setting. Who knows how many others are thinking they got it as well. Good luck! Either my sparkly obsession will be happy OR my wallet......

Does that happen often with his items? I know they go fast, but thought I finally lucked out as well since I saw his email within 10 or so mins of it coming in and it still showed available. I haven't heard/seen anything from him on it yet either, so good luck to you as well! Promise me if you get it you will share a picture or two. It's really a beauty of a sapphire!

 

[hippi_pixi]

It's hard to catch any of Gene's stones. I was pretty annoyed the one occasion i thought i had one (and it was a beauty!), only to find out that I'd been refunded. except that i lost quite a bit to currency conversion, so i paid for the experience. He needs a new system that is more accurately up to date and doesn't allow us to pay for something already sold. Makes me nervous to buy in the future.

To add insult to injury, I never saw the refund email until I'd waited patiently for the stone for a month.

On a nicer topic, whoever is the lucky new owners of this stones must post pics!!

 

[purplesparklies]

[quote

Does that happen often with his items? I know they go fast, but thought I finally lucked out as well since I saw his email within 10 or so mins of it coming in and it still showed available. I haven't heard/seen anything from him on it yet either, so good luck to you as well! Promise me if you get it you will share a picture or two. It's really a beauty of a sapphire![/quote]

No idea. This was my first attempted purchase. I will post pics if it is mine and you must if it is yours! I think it looks like a fascinating stone. So unique!

 

[purplesparklies]

It's hard to catch any of Gene's stones. I was pretty annoyed the one occasion i thought i had one (and it was a beauty!), only to find out that I'd been refunded. except that i lost quite a bit to currency conversion, so i paid for the experience. He needs a new system that is more accurately up to date and doesn't allow us to pay for something already sold. Makes me nervous to buy in the future.

To add insult to injury, I never saw the refund email until I'd waited patiently for the stone for a month.

On a nicer topic, whoever is the lucky new owners of this stones must post pics!!

Oh no! That had to be incredibly frustrating! It seemed like the system was pretty updated because some were already showing sold out when I purchased. Hopefully I wasn't too slow but I know there is something else fabulous out there waiting for me if I was. I would think the notifications would be prompt informing those who missed it but clearly that isn't the case. This was my first attempt as I am just starting to collect. We'll see!

 

[katharath]

I saw the email maybe an hour after it went out...looked like everything was probably long gone. Unfortunately I also missed Barry's drop today too, not by much time either - and there were a few things I really wanted there, of course already sold. Such a depressing feeling, isn't it?? *sigh*. First world problems, I guess.

 

[PrecisionGem]

It's hard to catch any of Gene's stones. I was pretty annoyed the one occasion i thought i had one (and it was a beauty!), only to find out that I'd been refunded. except that i lost quite a bit to currency conversion, so i paid for the experience. He needs a new system that is more accurately up to date and doesn't allow us to pay for something already sold. Makes me nervous to buy in the future.

To add insult to injury, I never saw the refund email until I'd waited patiently for the stone for a month.

On a nicer topic, whoever is the lucky new owners of this stones must post pics!!

I was surprised to read this. I had no idea that you would not get a complete refund, and have never had anyone comment to me that they had not. I looked on Paypal's site and found this:

"Thanks for your query. When PayPal refund back to a customer, we refund back exactly what was taken from the funding source. To give an example, if you today were to make a payment of £100GBP to a US company that take payment is USD. Tomorrow that payment gets refunded in full. Regardless of currency conversions we return £100GBP to your account. That is for all transactions that get refunded. The amount taken from the original funding source is returned in full when refunded by the seller.

If the buyer has had issues with their bank or card issuer in processing that refund back, then they must deal directly with that financial institution. Please have them review the “History” in their PayPal accounts for your refund, to confirm the amount returned by you."

 

[hippi_pixi]

It was at least a year ago. I would have said something but i put it down to another frustration of being international. It wasn't a huge amount of money just an annoying amount. Maybe it was my bank and not paypal, either way i lost money somewhere in the line of hands. I can't check that far back in my banking history until I get on my laptop.

It would be great if the availability of stones was automatically updated so its not possible to be the second or third person to 'buy' the same stone.

I really do love your work just not the refunding!

 

[the_mother_thing]

It would be great if the availability of stones was automatically updated so its not possible to be the second or third person to 'buy' the same stone.

Agreed ... I just saw my refund notification and email letting me know it was already purchased before my purchase. How does one know if a stone that shows available really IS still available to buy?

What a bummer ... The color flashes were similar to the sapphire earrings I just got back from my jeweler, so I was really excited about it. I hope it went to another PSer at least so maybe we can see pictures.

 

[endless_summer]

JoCoJenn, I'm sorry you got the refund notice…that has to be a bummer - it looks like it would have been a beautiful stone (like every single other stone that Gene has ever cut!), but Purplesparkles, I'll still keep my fingers crossed for you!

Katharath & Hippi_pixi, I so feel your pain (minus the international part)! It's amazing how quickly all of these little guys to go to homes - My phone has decided to delay all of my email notifications by a few hours, so unless I'm literally logged in on a computer, the lag gets me every time!

Gene, all of the stones were gorgeous - the system probably just overloads from everyone jumping on them the minute you post them We'll all look forward to the next drop!

 

[purplesparklies]

I received an email that it will be shipped to me tomorrow. I'm excited but I feel bad for you, JoCoJenn. Sounds like it is perfect to go with your earrings. If it isn't exactly what I am looking for, I will pass it on to you. I will post when I have had a chance to check it out.

On another note, what is the website where I can sign up to receive notice for Barry's drop? .....I can see that this can be dangerous to my bank account....

 

[the_mother_thing]

I received an email that it will be shipped to me tomorrow. I'm excited but I feel bad for you, JoCoJenn. Sounds like it is perfect to go with your earrings. If it isn't exactly what I am looking for, I will pass it on to you. I will post when I have had a chance to check it out.

On another note, what is the website where I can sign up to receive notice for Barry's drop? .....I can see that this can be dangerous to my bank account....

Congratulations, and I do hope you love it!

Gene's posting for this gem noted he bought a couple of them, so I emailed him asking if he might have another comparable one sometime soon that I might be able to buy/reserve.

 

[marymm]

I was actually online and saw his email yesterday as soon as it came in - of course I took a look and saw one or two I liked - but last month I came to the decision to stop trying to purchase stones from Precision Gem - I tried Jan / Feb / Mar 2014 but each purchase was refunded - and looking back at my emails all the purchases I tried to make in 2013 were also all refunded - and as sometimes the refund is not sent/received until the next day, it is even more disappointing/frustrating as I've allowed myself to believe "this time it might really be mine." But I do enjoy seeing pics of Precision Gem pretties, and that will be enough for me .

 

[OreoRosies86]

Gorgeous gems, crappy purchasing system. I hope he changes it to something more straightforward because after several attempts I too have given up on his drops.

 

[JewelFreak]

I stopped trying for Barry's stones a long time ago for the same reason. I never succeeded in landing one. I don't even look at his site anymore. The sad fact is that competition has multiplied like crazy but cutters can only cut so much. There are a lot of people buying gems & a handful of really superb vendors. At least different buyers snag things each time -- the luck (or not) is spread around.

--- Laurie

 

[iLander]

I was actually online and saw his email yesterday as soon as it came in - of course I took a look and saw one or two I liked - but last month I came to the decision to stop trying to purchase stones from Precision Gem - I tried Jan / Feb / Mar 2014 but each purchase was refunded - and looking back at my emails all the purchases I tried to make in 2013 were also all refunded - and as sometimes the refund is not sent/received until the next day, it is even more disappointing/frustrating as I've allowed myself to believe "this time it might really be mine." But I do enjoy seeing pics of Precision Gem pretties, and that will be enough for me .

See, I'm not getting these emails at all, and I used to. I check the blog literally every day, sometimes twice a day, and always seems to miss them. But I do love the stones I've managed to snag, so I can't complain too much.

 

[VapidLapid]

I think Precision Gems' inventory is on Gene's server, while checkout is handled by paypal from their's so the lag happens if Gene doesn't sit home after posting new stones for hours waiting to remove their availability from his site manually as they sell. Paypal ought to have a system so that it doesn't process more than one transaction for any inventory number. I think paypal enjoys having the float of so many people's money for the few days while the transfer of funds clears to them plus the time it takes for the refund to process. I wouldn't fault Gene for that. Small businesses of one person can't really afford to own their own credit card processing, and many consumers like the protection they feel with paypal. I have noticed over the years Gene has tried to shake things up with his drops, sometimes sending out email announcements sometimes via twitter saying that sometime that day or another the drop will happen, but no specific time to make things more fair. The fact is Gene has quality product in limited supply with high demand and very fair pricing. The global market of internet shopping means that (m)any of the seven billion people can be trying to snag on of five stones in a drop. I would not call it an injury if I didn't get the purchase of a unique item that paypal processed more than once. More than that I would not call it an added insult to have waited a month for delivery only to find that I had been emailed regarding the refund, but hadn't read my email. If you are lucky enough to triumph on the transaction you are likely burning someone else just as they burn you when you lose out.

 

[JewelFreak]

Excellent post on all points, VL. What I was thinking but couldn't manage the words as well as you did.

 

[estelle]

I saw the email maybe an hour after it went out...looked like everything was probably long gone. Unfortunately I also missed Barry's drop today too, not by much time either - and there were a few things I really wanted there, of course already sold. Such a depressing feeling, isn't it?? *sigh*. First world problems, I guess.

I looked at Barry's new postings. I took note of all of the cabs. I find cabs easier to resist than his faceted stones. He is a magnificent lapidary. What were your thoughts?

 

[endless_summer]

Excellent post on all points, VL. What I was thinking but couldn't manage the words as well as you did.

+1 - very well thought out & perfectly articulated

 

[the_mother_thing]

Was I bummed? Sure, but I had big girl panties on and know there are worse things in life than missing out on a gem. Like someone else noted: first world problems.

Gene does offer beautiful cuts and gorgeous gems so it's easy to see why they are so in demand.

 

[dk168]

My gentleman friend came to stay for the weekend, and I did not check my e-mails until an hour or so earlier, and found the gorgeous Topaz being sold already by the time I opened Gene's e-mail, so well-done to whoever bagged that stone.

DK

 

[hippi_pixi]

I didn't mean my comments to be an attack on Gene but to say that the system is creating a lot of extra work for him and disappointment for his customers. It's not about competition and missing out on stones, theres nothing wrong with getting the email and finding out everythings been sold thats fair game. But being able to purchase things that arn't available creates dissatisfaction for customers, in any business.

Theres no need for blame but maybe theres a better system? the simplest thing would be to sell through the blog but instead of the customer being able to add to cart and generate their own paypal payment, have the customer process a sale through the website and for Gene to send a paypal payment request manually to the first successful person. It would still be less work than processing all the refunds.

 

[endless_summer]

I didn't mean my comments to be an attack on Gene but to say that the system is creating a lot of extra work for him and disappointment for his customers. It's not about competition and missing out on stones, theres nothing wrong with getting the email and finding out everythings been sold thats fair game. But being able to purchase things that arn't available creates dissatisfaction for customers, in any business.

Theres no need for blame but maybe theres a better system? the simplest thing would be to sell through the blog but instead of the customer being able to add to cart and generate their own paypal payment, have the customer process a sale through the website and for Gene to send a paypal payment request manually to the first successful person. It would still be less work than processing all the refunds.

I think that's similar to how Jeff White does his drops - folks request the stone(s) they would like to purchase via email, and then he contacts the first to respond about the purchase. It's not automated, but I think it is a way to avoid multiple people thinking that they have purchased the same stone.

 

[chrono]

Jeff White and Brad Payne both use a more manual system - have buyers email interest and the first email that gets through for a particular stone is the "winner". Payment then follows. If there is a change of mind, then the runner up "wins" the gem. Is this way really less work for those vendors, compared to Gene's current system?