Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

What am I, chopped liver?

OreoRosies86

OreoRosies86

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
3,493
First off, my thread title is meant in a lighthearted joking way. This thread is in no way meant to detract any joy from the lovely pieces I am about to allude to. However, I am somewhat confused and a little upset.

For the past few months I have done an exhausting moonstone hunt with absolutely no luck. I reached out to all the highly recommended vendors here asking for a nice ring quality moonstone. I have been told no so many times because it "isn't a big seller" and other reasons. Brad from TGT was the most helpful, but the only moonstones he had in stock were either fantasy cuts or white/green.

So you can imagine my surprise when a while later I then see on PS, gorgeous perfect exactly-what-I-wanted moonstones from not one, but two vendors I had reached out to!

Color me confused :confused:

Is there much more I can do when reaching out to a vendor than say "Well, if you find a nice one, please keep me in mind, I'm very interested!" Maybe these moonstones had already been promised/sold, but I was flat out told "no" when I asked if they could be sourced.
 
Ah. Yes, nice moonstones have been hard to come by. How long ago did you ask these vendors?

ETA: What exactly are you looking for, anyway?
 
What kind of Moonstone are you looking for? When you mean "ring quality", a faceted Moonstone or a cabochon?
 
I first fired off a series of pretty serious "I'm ready to buy" emails 6 months ago. That is when I got the brunt of the nope sorry responses. I made a second round of "Any luck?" emails about 2 months ago to even less or no response. Then all of a sudden, moonstone! Moonstone everywhere! From vendors I had contacted previously and was told nothing was available.

Ideally I'd like a round or oval cab. 7mm up to 12mm. I would even go for a smaller matched pair and use them as side stones. I like that all over blue schiller effect.
 
I'm guessing that the reason moonstones started popping up is because you and other people had an increased interest in them. I know that star sparkle had been searching for one for quite some time before she got hers from Barry, I think about a year.

This might sound odd, but have you asked Dan Stair? I know he had bought some material a few years ago, I imagine that he might still have it?

Did you check again with Barry recently? I know that he has mentioned some in the past couple newsletters, so I'm guessing that's how star sparkle got hers.
 
I'm guessing that the reason moonstones started popping up is because you and other people had an increased interest in them. I know that star sparkle had been searching for one for quite some time before she got hers from Barry, I think about a year.

This might sound odd, but have you asked Dan Stair? I know he had bought some material a few years ago, I imagine that he might still have it?

Did you check again with Barry recently? I know that he has mentioned some in the past couple newsletters, so I'm guessing that's how star sparkle got hers.
 
I've never shopped for it, but I would think it would be easier to find than that. Sorry you're having a rough time finding some!
Basically a "Blue Flash" Moonstone is what you're looking for?
 
FrekeChild|1416026078|3783915 said:
I'm guessing that the reason moonstones started popping up is because you and other people had an increased interest in them. I know that star sparkle had been searching for one for quite some time before she got hers from Barry, I think about a year.

This might sound odd, but have you asked Dan Stair? I know he had bought some material a few years ago, I imagine that he might still have it?

Did you check again with Barry recently? I know that he has mentioned some in the past couple newsletters, so I'm guessing that's how star sparkle got hers.
Click to expand...

[self edited. I don't have an issue with any of the vendors I emailed. I just want a freakin moonstone! :lol: ]

I can't remember if I had contacted Dan Stair, but I will definitely do that. Thanks!

Cirrus-I guess blue flash is the effect, but not the occasional blue flash and heavily included or "rainbow" kind. My holy grail moonstone just glows blue.
 
Gotcha. The Feldspar family is so vast; it can be tough narrowing it down. I'm a gemstone miner and I know some cutters. I could ask around and see if they have any.
 
CirrusClouds|1416026585|3783919 said:
Gotcha. The Feldspar family is so vast; it can be tough narrowing it down. I'm a gemstone miner and I know some cutters. I could ask around and see if they have any.
Click to expand...

That's nice of you! I know it is difficult to find the good stuff, so when you have been trying to find the good stuff and you can't get to it... :wall:
 
I really need to visit the trade shows I missed going to back in the summer.
 
Wow, I honestly didn't think Moonstone even went that high. Just wanted to get an idea of what you're after. The cutters I deal with have high end stuff as well, so it's worth a shot. (They might even have a good source if they don't have some on hand.)
 
Elliot86|1416027219|3783928 said:
I really need to visit the trade shows I missed going to back in the summer.
Click to expand...

Absolutely! Nothing like getting a piece in your hands! I'm not sure where about you're located but we have them constantly down here in the mining district of the Appalachians.
 
The only stuff I've seen in that range was faceted Albite. Faceted Feldspars are rare.
 
Barry just had a lot of what he refers to as "top quality Sri Lankan" moonstone. His last two drops have had multiple pieces which almost all sold very quickly. I own a few of those that I got from Barry not too long ago - and I own a few others that are far lower quality. So as far as I can tell, his really are very nice, and the 3-5 ct range stones are around $150ish usually?

Honestly I'd love to see some extra fine moonstones that sell for thousands - I've never heard of that! I mean I guess unless it was a huge one, as someone else said. If anyone knows of moonstone like that please post :)

Oh I think I remember JuliaB has one that I thought was pretty, it was maybe $500? Around 5 cts if I recall? I'll look at her etsy store and see if I can find it...

Eta found JuliaB's, it is 11 carats! So I was way off there but right about the price :). I think it's a pretty one. Pic included:

_24196.jpg
 
Email Barry and hassle him again - he has been polishing some nice moonstones the past month or so....
 
arkieb1|1416035249|3783959 said:
Email Barry and hassle him again - he has been polishing some nice moonstones the past month or so....
Click to expand...

I definitely will, thank you!
 
katharath|1416028508|3783940 said:
Barry just had a lot of what he refers to as "top quality Sri Lankan" moonstone. His last two drops have had multiple pieces which almost all sold very quickly. I own a few of those that I got from Barry not too long ago - and I own a few others that are far lower quality. So as far as I can tell, his really are very nice, and the 3-5 ct range stones are around $150ish usually?

Honestly I'd love to see some extra fine moonstones that sell for thousands - I've never heard of that! I mean I guess unless it was a huge one, as someone else said. If anyone knows of moonstone like that please post :)

Oh I think I remember JuliaB has one that I thought was pretty, it was maybe $500? Around 5 cts if I recall? I'll look at her etsy store and see if I can find it...

Eta found JuliaB's, it is 11 carats! So I was way off there but right about the price :). I think it's a pretty one. Pic included:
Click to expand...

That is what I am so confused about. Why tell me no, not possible and then stock them and sell them to others when I twice emailed interested and ready to buy? It's very disappointing.

Maybe I was totally off on pricing, the best moonstones I have seen are pretty pricey though. I just want the best I can find in a wearable size for a ring. I was also looking at a lot of antique moonstone rings and that would also account for the high price ( they were already set).
 
Barry, as well as other vendors, prefer to sell their stones in drops, and not by request usually. They may make exceptions for very good customers though. However with them, first come (or click on the internet), first serve. He could of at least told you that the stones would be in the next drop and to watch out for them.
 
TL|1416062208|3784085 said:
Barry, as well as other vendors, prefer to sell their stones in drops, and not by request usually. They may make exceptions for very good customers though. However with them, first come (or click on the internet), first serve. He could of at least told you that the stones would be in the next drop and to watch out for them.
Click to expand...

Thanks TL. Exactly. How am I supposed to know that? The reason I say Brad was the most helpful is because he gave me all the info I needed; that he sells in drops, that he would have some moonstone coming up, he wasn't sure if it would fit my requirements, and if he found anything suitable he would email me first.

I absolutely love cultivating loyalty with a seller. If you make me feel valued as a buyer, I'll stick with you forever! Guess I missed out this time.
 
I'm sorry your search has proved to be so difficult! Like Frekechild mentioned, I spent about a year searching for an awesome moonstone for use in a ring. The one I ultimately used in my ring was purchased from one of Barry's drops a few months ago after he mentioned it in a newsletter. I literally set an alarm on my phone for a few minutes before the drop was scheduled and sat at my computer just waiting for it, because I had missed out on a different one of his a few months prior by being 20 min late after it was posted. I was pretty much all up in moonstone's business for quite awhile, and as you've already learned, it isn't easy.

That said, Barry has been mentioning moonstone in many of his most recent newsletters as available stones in future drops, so definitely sign up for that if you haven't already. Best of luck!!!
 
the Andrew Sarosi line always has amazing moonstone rings
 
star sparkle|1416066930|3784121 said:
I'm sorry your search has proved to be so difficult! Like Frekechild mentioned, I spent about a year searching for an awesome moonstone for use in a ring. The one I ultimately used in my ring was purchased from one of Barry's drops a few months ago after he mentioned it in a newsletter. I literally set an alarm on my phone for a few minutes before the drop was scheduled and sat at my computer just waiting for it, because I had missed out on a different one of his a few months prior by being 20 min late after it was posted. I was pretty much all up in moonstone's business for quite awhile, and as you've already learned, it isn't easy.

That said, Barry has been mentioning moonstone in many of his most recent newsletters as available stones in future drops, so definitely sign up for that if you haven't already. Best of luck!!!
Click to expand...

Star sparkle - first off, I just saw your moonstone ring pics, it is GORGEOUS!!! I think that's one of the nicest ones I've seen Barry offer, how beautiful and the setting is wonderful.

Also, that's how I always have to get my gems from Barry too, lol - alarm setting and stalking :). I got my moonstones from him by being very vigilant. It is time consuming but worth it to get Barry's gems.
 
You should email Barry again. I feel very bad now Elliott. Immediately after I saw star sparkle's ring I emailed him and he got back to me this morning with a stone that is a bit bigger but he says it is very like hers. I even sent him a pic of her ring so he knew exactly what I wanted (hope that is ok star sparkle). He is sending it to me next week. He did say he looked through his moonstone-s plural so maybe he has more? I am so sorry that he did not let you know ahead of time. I do not check in as much here and was amazed to see her ring and the quality of the stone.
 
Very nice piece Tourmaline!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP

Featured Topics

Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top