I’m new at doing jewelry, but I’ve launched into making a gold
sculpture with a number of emeralds and rubies in the base. I need
them to be certain sizes that are not standard sizes I can find on
the internet at places like Gem Hut, etc. Is this a big mistake?
Should I just design the piece around known and easily available
sizes? Or is there a company that will cut and facet stones for me at
a reasonable price? At present I need emeralds and rubies cut with an
emerald cut, but they are narrower than advertised sizes. Are there
other companies that have a bigger selection in calibrated sizes than
Gem Hut? I sure would appreciate some advice.
Never heard of Gem Hut, but I would suggest any of the following:
Pioneer Gem Corporation - www.pioneergem.com (NOT to be confused
with www.pioneergems.com - I don’t know them at all); Crescent Gems - www.crescentgems.com, and Rio Grande (you have to have a retail
license to buy from them). For custom cuts and really unusual stones
you might also try Robert Lowe of Lowe Associates in Brazil. He sells
rough and specimens, and will custom cut. He comes to the
states a couple of times a year - I always spend way too much money
when he comes to town ! His e-mail is robertplowejr@juno.com; I
don’t have a web address for him.
I have ordered a range of sized and stones from all of these, and
always been very pleased.
You won’t need a business license to buy from Rio Grande. Rio sells
to the trade (not consumers), so they do screen new buyers carefully.
But a significant aspect of their mission is to serve students and
apprentice-level jewelers, so they make it possible to buy from them
without a business license. In addition to offering a really broad
range of faceted stones, they also do special orders - though there
are minimums involved.
You won't need a business license to buy from Rio Grande. Rio sells
to the trade (not consumers), so they do screen new buyers
carefully. But a significant aspect of their mission is to serve
students and apprentice-level jewelers, so they make it possible to
buy from them without a business license. In addition to offering a
really broad range of faceted stones, they also do special orders -
though there are minimums involved.
What Andrea says is true. I live in the UK and am still learning the
craft of making jewellery from precious metals and stone and as
such, have not started selling anything yet (and therefore obviously
have no business licence). I wanted to open an account with Rio
Grande and so sent them an email telling them my circumstances. I
received a swift reply email from Ashley (in Online Customer Support)
saying that they had happily opened me an account and told me the
login details and my customer number. They are extremely pleasant to
deal with and I will happily give them repeat business, having just
received my new Foredom machine from them. I also have an account
with Otto Frei but although I have bought from them, I have either
had problems or they have completely ignored any email questions
I’ve submitted. So my business will go to Rio Grande from now on.
Just visit their website and use the “Contact Us” facility to ask
for an account. I’m sure they’ll happily oblige.