Umm..wow..

[arjunajane]

Yeah, I asked him where we can buy his stones than - no reply as yet - it''s really a shame!

I love many of his designs, but don''t think I would feel comfortable telling another cutter to copy one of his designs..?
What are others thoughts on this, is it normal practice?


The rose cut does remind me of Gene''s star80 design

 

[arjunajane]

And Jeff also seems to have alot of awesome rough - especially the mali garnets.

I wonder how this works? Can you ask someone like Dan to purchase the rough from him and try one of his designs?
I see there are step by step instructions on most of his cuts there on his site..

Would love any info anyone can offer!

Finished mali gem - yum!


ETA: when I emailed Jeff, he did actually suggest I go to Dan instead. I have emailed Dan
asking to get a better picture of how Jeff's operation works, and if we as customers are able to access his
rough/gem designs - will update if I get any info

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Date: 4/25/2009 12:59:02 AM
Author: arjunajane
Yeah, I asked him where we can buy his stones than - no reply as yet - it''s really a shame!

I love many of his designs, but don''t think I would feel comfortable telling another cutter to copy one of his designs..?
What are others thoughts on this, is it normal practice?


The rose cut does remind me of Gene''s star80 design

Jeff not only sells his designs in cutting books, but also has many free patterns on his website (just because he is a great guy!). This is similar to buying a dress pattern and asking a seamestress to sew it for you. His books are aimed at professional cutters, not amateurs who don''t sell. He has a book dedicated to "money cuts": designs that are striking and fast to cut, so they maximize a cutter''s profit.

Since Jeff seems to make most of his money selling rough, not finished gems, this makes a lot of sense. He is enabling his customers to make money and, therefore, buy more rough and keep Jeff''s business rolling.

This is a different situation from, say, asking a jeweller to make a replica of a JM ring, where the designer loses a sales and loses his intellectual property by unathorized copying.

PS - it is worth looking through Jeff''s online diagrams. They are gorgeous, have tons of different shapes and interesting effects. I really want a stone in his Glitter Mine #2 design.

 

[chrono]

Thanks AJ. It''ll be great if we can get someone like Dan to purchase Jeff''s rough and cut it in Jeff''s fancy designs.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Beautiful. I''m glad that PSers are working on a way to make these stones/cuts available. Of course I''d like one too!

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 4/25/2009 9:59:50 AM
Author: Lady_Disdain

Date: 4/25/2009 12:59:02 AM
Author: arjunajane
Yeah, I asked him where we can buy his stones than - no reply as yet - it''s really a shame!

I love many of his designs, but don''t think I would feel comfortable telling another cutter to copy one of his designs..?
What are others thoughts on this, is it normal practice?


The rose cut does remind me of Gene''s star80 design

Jeff not only sells his designs in cutting books, but also has many free patterns on his website (just because he is a great guy!). This is similar to buying a dress pattern and asking a seamestress to sew it for you. His books are aimed at professional cutters, not amateurs who don''t sell. He has a book dedicated to ''money cuts'': designs that are striking and fast to cut, so they maximize a cutter''s profit.

Since Jeff seems to make most of his money selling rough, not finished gems, this makes a lot of sense. He is enabling his customers to make money and, therefore, buy more rough and keep Jeff''s business rolling.

This is a different situation from, say, asking a jeweller to make a replica of a JM ring, where the designer loses a sales and loses his intellectual property by unathorized copying.

PS - it is worth looking through Jeff''s online diagrams. They are gorgeous, have tons of different shapes and interesting effects. I really want a stone in his Glitter Mine #2 design.

Thanks LD for the explanation,
I see what you mean for sure. However, I still think it will depend on the style/personality of the cutter - as in, I personally view Dan and Barry for example
as quite easygoing.
While I may not be comfortable asking this kinda thing of Gene..

I did have fun looking through Jeff''s online patterns, but I find it just a tad difficult to imagine the finished product..?
He certainly is very creative !


Turns out the vendor Jeff was referring to was another faceter named Dan Starr, not Dan Stair - who would''ve thunk it right? And I unfortunately assumed it was just another one of Jeff''s spelling mistakes

oops

So, Dan Starr cannot take on any new projects until Jan!

Let''s hope Dan Stair may be a lil more accomodating/enthusiatic..? It sure looks like whoever gets in on this will have a great deal of requests from PSers!


No worries Chrono, I will continue to update as I learn more.

 

[Porridge]

Oh. My. God. Dear Santa...

 

[T L]

Also remember that if the vendors source the rough from Jeff Graham, it would probably cost much more for a custom cut gem than if they sourced it through one of the vendors from Africa. I know many of the cutters we all know and love do like to souce gems from as close to the mining operations as possible, and that lowers the price on to the consumer. However, that being said, Jeff is able to get his hands on some mighty fine rough, so the prices will probably be much higher than what we're normally used to paying. That's my two cents on it.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 4/25/2009 6:03:36 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Also remember that if the vendors source the rough from Jeff Graham, it would probably cost much more for a custom cut gem than if they sourced it through one of the vendors from Africa. I know many of the cutters we all know and love do like to souce gems from as close to the mining operations as possible, and that lowers the price on to the consumer. However, that being said, Jeff is able to get his hands on some mighty fine rough, so the prices will probably be much higher than what we''re normally used to paying. That''s my two cents on it.

Ding Ding!
As usual, TL is right, lol..

Dan looked into it for me as I really liked the looks of Jeff''s malaya and mali rough (and of course finished gems).

Basically there wasn''t going to be anything in a size suitable to what I was after, and Dan did comment it had the potential to get very pricey.

Fwiw, I didn''t enquire about having Jeff''s designs reproduced, if anyone else is game

Dan did say he was unaware Jeff had stopped selling to the public.

*sigh* someone must know how this guy sells his gems lol!

 

[marcy]

Wow!

 

[icekid]

wow, that baby throws off some COLORS