| Many people would love to own a piece of | | | | finer gems which are rare, but not yet expensive. |
| custom jewelry with a fine natural gemstone. But | | | | These are gems which, due to their scarcity, |
| they are put off by the belief that fine | | | | have not been heavily promoted in the market. |
| gemstones are very expensive, costing thousands | | | | These include spinel, peridot, zircon, beryl, |
| of dollars. | | | | toumaline and spessartite garnet. All of these |
| One couldn't say that such a belief is mistaken, | | | | have good hardness, clarity and brilliance. |
| since many fine gems do cost thousands of | | | | Depending on size and color, quality specimens can |
| dollars. But having said that, many prospective | | | | be found at prices from $20 to $150 a carat. |
| buyers are surprised to discover that it's possible | | | | Another thing to consider is that where you buy |
| to buy fine gemstones of reasonable size for well | | | | your gems can affect the price as much as which |
| under $500. You just need to know where to | | | | gems you buy. The same 1.5 carat blue sapphire |
| look and what to look for. | | | | from Madagascar may cost anywhere from $400 |
| The prices of gemstones, like the prices for many | | | | to $1500, depending on where you buy it. The |
| other products, fluctuate with supply and demand. | | | | distribution chain for gemstones can consist of |
| If there is heavy demand and very limited supply, | | | | many steps, and each additional step in the chain |
| then prices will be high, as they are with gems like | | | | can increase the selling price by 50%. Buy close |
| blue sapphire, tanzanite, tsavorite garnet and | | | | to the source for the best prices and you can |
| Burmese ruby. | | | | save hundreds of dollars. |
| Yet there are many gems which are consistently | | | | In fact it is still possible to good quality sapphire, |
| in good supply, and many of these are reasonably | | | | tanzanite, tsavorite garnet and even Burmese |
| priced indeed. They include amethyst, citrine, | | | | ruby at prices under $500 if you find the right |
| ametrine, blue topaz and many of the common | | | | source. Of course you won't get the finest |
| red garnets. Good quality pieces can sell for as | | | | specimens of those gems at under $500; they |
| little as $10 a carat. The quartz family in particular | | | | really do cost thousands of dollars! But you can |
| is very good value, with fascinating stones such | | | | find high quality specimens with good color and |
| as bloostone and carnelian. | | | | clarity in the 1 to 1.5 carat size at that price range. |
| However, amethyst or citrine or may not be | | | | Just remember that you can also pay $2000 for |
| quite what you have in mind when you think "fine | | | | the very same gems if your supplier is many |
| gemstone." Another strategy for finding | | | | steps removed from production of the stone. |
| affordable gems is to look at certain varieties of | | | | |