| 6 Rules for Avoiding Ripoffs and Finding a Great | | | | prices? Who ships reliably? Who has a fair return |
| Stone at a Good Price | | | | policy? |
| Are there great bargains in gemstones on the | | | | These days there are many online gemstone |
| internet, as many people claim? Or it as risky as | | | | companies who are honest and reliable and sell |
| the tourist who buys gems on the street in | | | | quality product. If they're not, they don't stay in |
| Bangkok, hoping to sell them at a profit back | | | | business very long. Negative information travels |
| home, only to find out he's bought worthless | | | | fast in the global internet village and good |
| glass? | | | | companies guard their reputation as much as they |
| The simple answer is that some buyers of | | | | do their bottom line. So selecting a reputable |
| gemstones on the internet do get ripped off, or | | | | company is extremely important. Check the |
| at the very least, get less than they paid for. But | | | | search engines for negative comments on |
| at the same time, experienced buyers routinely | | | | companies you're considering - if their customers |
| find excellent buys - perhaps not the fantastic | | | | have been unhappy, you'll find plenty of |
| bargains that some claim, but choice and value | | | | references. |
| that far exceed what they can find in retail | | | | Here's a short list of what to look for: |
| outlets where they live. | | | | * Does the dealer provide his company name, |
| So what do you need to know to buy gemstone | | | | physical address, phone, fax and email? Don't deal |
| online? Do you need to be a gemologist in order | | | | with someone who tries to hide his identity. |
| to tell the fake stones from the real? What about | | | | * Has the dealer has been in business for at least |
| all the gem treatments that people talk about -- | | | | a few years? Bad companies rarely survive that |
| heating and "cooking" of gems? How can you tell | | | | long. |
| whether a gem has been treated? Or does it | | | | * Is the dealer committed to customer |
| really matter? | | | | satisfaction? Some dealers just want to make a |
| Here are 6 rules that will help you become a | | | | sale, but real businesses want you as a long term |
| successful buyer. Follow them faithfully and your | | | | customer. It's usually easy to tell the difference. |
| chances of finding excellent values in gemstones | | | | * Does the dealer provides photos and |
| online will be as good as the experienced buyers | | | | descriptions for each individual stone? Some |
| who had to learn the hard way. | | | | dealers have stock photos and descriptions and |
| 1. Know why you're buying | | | | can't be bothered to photograph every stone. |
| There are 3 main reasons why people buy | | | | Don't buy a stone without detailed information of |
| gemstones - because they are collectors, or | | | | that specific stone. |
| because they are investors, or because they | | | | * Is the dealer forthcoming with information about |
| want a lovely stone to set in a piece of jewelry. | | | | gem treatments? An honest dealer will disclose all |
| If you're an investor, you want a gemstone that | | | | treatments. Does he provide lots of reference |
| will appreciate in value so you can sell it for a | | | | information so you can educate yourself about |
| profit later. Our advice: don't even think about | | | | the gems he has for sale? |
| buying an investment-grade gemstone on the | | | | 4. Use a safe payment method |
| internet. The stones that appreciate most are | | | | Pay for online purchases with a payment method |
| rare stones, and rare stones are expensive | | | | that offers you some consumer protection, such |
| (we're talking tens of thousands of dollars). Find | | | | as a credit card or PayPal. Do not ever, repeat |
| reputable dealers near your home and establish a | | | | ever, pay by money order or wire transfer or |
| business relationship. Insist on lab certifications to | | | | any method that leaves you no recourse if you |
| protect your investment. And good luck. As much | | | | are unhappy with your purchase. |
| as we love gemstones, we think we'll stick with | | | | 5. If you can't return it, don't buy it |
| mutual funds for our retirement. | | | | Your best protection in any purchase is your |
| If you're a collector, you might want to buy | | | | ability to return the item for a full refund. Buying a |
| stones on the internet. There are many reasons | | | | gemstone on the basis of a photograph and a |
| to collect gems, just like collecting cars or stamps. | | | | description is not foolproof, and if you're not |
| A collector might aim for breadth in his collection, | | | | completely delighted with what you've bought, |
| and try to collect samples of all the different | | | | return it. If the dealer doesn't have a "no |
| varieties of gemstones. Or he might focus on one | | | | questions asked" return policy, buy from someone |
| gem and collect sapphires from all the different | | | | else. If the dealer stands behind his product, he's |
| regions where they're mined (Sri Lanka, Thailand, | | | | unlikely to be trying to pull any fast ones on you. |
| Myanmar, Madagascar, Tanzania, etc.). The | | | | His money-back guarantee mean he's very |
| possibilities are endless. | | | | confident that you'll be happy with your purchase. |
| The collector usually has a shopping list, so the | | | | Beware of unreasonable restocking fees -- |
| internet is a very good way for him to locate | | | | anything over 5% is not really a money-back |
| items for his collection from many different | | | | guarantee. |
| dealers. Of course if he is looking for very rare | | | | 6. Understand the economics of the gems |
| items, he becomes more like the gem investor - | | | | business |
| as soon there are very large amounts of money | | | | Use your economic common sense. The |
| on the line, the rules change. Then he's better off | | | | gemstone business is just like any other business |
| dealing in person with dealers near his home. | | | | - people buy material, they add value to it, and |
| Finally, we have the most typical buyer - | | | | then they find a way to reach the market. If the |
| someone who is looking for a very nice stone to | | | | seller buys a lot of material, he gets it at a lower |
| have set in a custom piece of jewelry. This | | | | price. If the goods have to pass through many |
| includes craftspeople who are making jewelry, | | | | hands before they reach the consumer, then |
| either for their friends or as a small business. If | | | | those goods are going to be more expensive. If |
| you're willing to spend a little time, you can find a | | | | the dealer has a lot of expenses - high labor |
| tremendous choice of gems and many excellents | | | | costs, a big marketing budget -- you're the one |
| values online. But you need have some idea of | | | | paying for it. Companies become successful when |
| what you want. If you don't make a list of | | | | they are committed to their business and have |
| requirements you'll be overwhelmed by the | | | | many happy customers. |
| variety of gemstones, colors and shapes. You | | | | So what does all this wisdom mean for you? I |
| need to focus on specific gems and educate | | | | can sum it up for you in this way: |
| yourself about the specific kind of stone you | | | | * Buy close to the source. If you're buying on the |
| want to buy. | | | | internet, your supplier is never further away than |
| 2. Know what you want | | | | 3 days by air courier. So cut out the middlemen |
| So what do you want this gemstone for? A ring? | | | | whenever possible. |
| A pendant? Earrings? It's an important question | | | | * Buy from suppliers who have a significant stock |
| because some gemstones are suitable for some | | | | - it means they are volume buyers and have |
| "applications" but not for others. Every gemstone | | | | lower costs. |
| has a hardness rating (on a scale of 1 to 10). | | | | * Buy from a vendor who is committed to the |
| Some stones are very hard (like diamond, ruby | | | | online business. Check to see if new content is |
| and sapphire) and some are quite soft (like opal, | | | | added regularily to his website, and if the gem |
| sphene and fluorite). Softer stones are not | | | | stock is current. Don't buy a gem unless the |
| suitable for rings, because rings typically take a lot | | | | vendor can guarantee that the specific stone is in |
| of knocks and scrapes. But softer stones are fine | | | | his stock. |
| for pendants or pins or earrings, where they are | | | | OK, so you're still a little worried, right? What |
| less likely to be damaged. | | | | about all those ripoffs? What about the fake |
| Next, think about your preference for gem type, | | | | stones and the heat treatments and all the |
| color, shape and size. If you have your heart set | | | | technical stuff that gemologists go on about? |
| on a sapphire, that makes your search easier. But | | | | A large part of your problem is solved by |
| if you know only that you want a brilliant | | | | choosing a reputable dealer. Reputable dealers |
| red-orange stone for a pendant, you want to | | | | don't sell fake stones. As a business strategy, it's |
| narrow your search to a group of gems, such as | | | | simply stupid and risky. No one wants to put his |
| citrine, fire opal and garnet. | | | | whole business at risk for the sake of a little |
| Finally, decide how much you're willing to spend. | | | | extra profit. Do be aware that there is a market |
| Attractive natural gems come in all price ranges, | | | | for synthetic (i.e, lab-created) stones. In the case |
| from $5 to thousands. You're not going to find a | | | | of a sapphire, for example, this is a not a fake |
| nice sapphire or ruby for $5, but you can find | | | | stone - it's real corundum, the same stuff as a |
| many beautiful stones in the garnet and quartz | | | | genuine sapphire - but it's not a "natural" stone. A |
| families, for example, for very affordable prices | | | | dealer selling such a stone will always label it as |
| (under $25). | | | | "synthetic". |
| The key to a successful buy is getting the best | | | | As far as gem treatments are concerned, |
| possible stone for the best price. It's all about | | | | assume that the gems you are buying are |
| value. | | | | treated, with heat or irradiation or chemicals or a |
| But it's not just about buying the best possible | | | | combination. For the most part, these treatments |
| sapphire, for example, that you can buy for $300. | | | | are permanent and do not affect the physical |
| The fact is, the sapphire that meets that | | | | integrity of the stone. It's a fact of the gem |
| description might not be the right thing for you at | | | | business today that most gems are routinely |
| all. The best sapphire for $300, based on | | | | treated to improve color. It's the reason why |
| gemological critieria, might be only 1/4 of a carat! | | | | there are affordable gemstones at all in the |
| But you may be looking for a stone of at least 1 | | | | market. If you're buying a $10,000 ruby that the |
| carat for a ring. So it's a question of what you | | | | seller claims is untreated, then you need to get a |
| can find that meets all your criteria. The | | | | lab certification on that gem before you pay that |
| gemological critieria are actually only one factor in | | | | kind of money. We don't recommend buying |
| this buying decision. You need to buy the best | | | | $10,000 rubies online. But when you're buying a |
| stone for you. | | | | very nice sapphire for $300, you can be fairly |
| 3. Know who you're buying from | | | | sure that it's a treated stone. What matters is |
| Five years ago it was hard to find online | | | | that you find it beautiful, and that you're delighted |
| gemstone dealers. Now there are thousands of | | | | with the the final result. |
| them. Who can you trust? Who has the best | | | | |