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JohnnyRnR posted:It's really hard to guess. Judging from the description it's probably a $25-50 piece unless the star is synthetically added then it's a $5 stone. Yeah, I only tore it apart because I needed money but wanted to keep the sapphire to put in another piece of jewelry. Now I'm bust rear end broke again so I thought about selling it too.
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Feb 9, 2012 21:55
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JohnnyRnR - just had a question on a diamond I'm looking at for an engagement ring and figured I'd see if you think this is a good deal or if I'm getting screwed. From looking around on Blue Nile the price seems to be ok but looking at the GIA cert it seems to have a lot of crystal inclusions around the center of the stone so I want to make sure it's going to be ok. .81ct Princess cut - SI1 Clarity, E color - GIA# 2125563042 and the price I've been given is $3345. It's going into a setting with 2 princess cut sapphires on the sides.
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Feb 11, 2012 20:09
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It seems like a fine diamond on paper and the price is definitely good if the inclusions aren't significant. If the center crystals are black then it's what we call a "lucky cert" that might look more like an SI2 than an SI1 clarity. Two things I would look for: Are the crystals black or brown? If they are, do they reflect within the diamond? Sometimes a single inclusion can look like ten or twenty if its in the right place to reflect multiple times. There's also a question of what the clouds look like since they aren't on the certificate (they can sometimes be hazy). But it looks like a fine diamond at a nice price.
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Feb 11, 2012 21:42
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JohnnyRnR posted:It seems like a fine diamond on paper and the price is definitely good if the inclusions aren't significant. If the center crystals are black then it's what we call a "lucky cert" that might look more like an SI2 than an SI1 clarity. Sounds good thanks for the info - to the naked eye when I was looking at it earlier it seemed great so I'll check it out more once I see it mounted and make sure everything is kosher. The jeweler said that the crystals are clear and 'll have to check on the clouds also.
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Feb 11, 2012 22:31
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Thanks for the great thread, I'm going to be buying an engagement ring soonish and I have no idea what I am doing. If you don't mind I'm going to ask a few questions! 1) Are there any particular stores or US cities where diamonds are inexpensive enough to warrant a trip? I was in Antwerp a few years ago and it seemed like people came from all over Europe to buy jewelry there because of the prices. Anything like that in the US? 2) Are there any online retailers you guys trust explicitly? Maybe I could buy a stone online then have a local mom and pop set it for me? 3) My girlfriend seems to really like a princess cut (of course), though she also seemed to like the ones that have 4 diamonds instead of one big one, like I drew below. Do you guys know what this style is called, and is it better to get a much smaller rock in a single or 4 small ones that add up to more in princess cuts? [+][+] [+][+] Thanks in advance!
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Feb 20, 2012 01:52
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1. No, diamonds are essentially the same price everywhere worldwide (Variations existing in taxes, etc). People will often tell you that you can get a deal buying a diamond on 47th St, but that's generally very far from the truth. 3. That's called an invisible set cluster or an assembled princess. The clusters are exponentially cheaper than a single diamond the same size.
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Feb 20, 2012 04:23
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Awesome thread! It would be great to get an actual jewellery megathread going...but I guess between jewellery techniques, gems, and metals it would be ridiculously long. I'm just coming up to the end of my first year of jewellery school, and to the person asking about CAD, it is by far the newest, fastest way of producing both custom one-off pieces and parts for pieces as well as more production type work (many reproductions of one ring or necklace). HOWEVER. Just like Johnny said, designing jewellery in CAD still requires all the principals of traditional metalwork, despite a few exceptions. My first designs before would be considered haggard by the jewellery community. A few years later and while i'm still learning they're getting a bit more on track  If anyone is curious about CAD I can try to answer some questions about milling and 3D printers as well. Also the ridiculously expensive jewellery CAD programs like gemvision matrix.https://www.gemvision.com EDIT: An actual question, Johnny do you do much in terms of repairs and engraving and re tipping? I got into jewellery from a more artistic background and everyone keeps telling me that I will probably need to offer repair services in my shop to keep money coming in. I however like to think that I will be able to not starve by only making my own jewellery, and maybe repairing pieces I have made, instead of repairing the random things that people bring in (like old women with costume jewellery tigers covered in foil backs). Please tell me I can live like this 
Claes Oldenburger fucked around with this message at 17:45 on Mar 2, 2012 |
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Mar 2, 2012 17:30
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Could you live like that? Sure! Do you want to? Probably not. You'll find that any customers you attract will always have other pieces they bought elsewhere, and they'll always need some kind of service. The margins on repair work are enough to make it worthwhile if you're able to quickly do the work yourself. And the thing about repair work is that there's a lot of it so it is a nice revenue stream for a new jewelry business. And in the American market customers expect their jeweler to be a one stop shop. But it all works out: I know several jewelers that pay their store rent monthly with all the watch batteries they change at $20 a pop. And you could always send your repairs to a specialist repair jeweler. That's what I do.
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Mar 2, 2012 22:48
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Maybe its somewhere else in the thread, but do I tip a jeweler? I'm having a ring made at a B&M bench jeweler. If so, how much?
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Mar 3, 2012 06:07
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No, don't tip. Each jeweler sets their own prices so they'll be comfortable with the bill.
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Mar 3, 2012 15:44
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JohnnyRnR posted:Could you live like that? Sure! Do you want to? Probably not. This makes lots of sense! How do you price that then? I mean it's obviously good that you're giving your customers the ability to have repairs done, but is it at that point more for marketing? I can't believe you would make much profit off repairs when it's being sent to someone to do them. Unless he does it pretty cheap? Funny we learn all about making jewellery but not much about business practices :P
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Mar 5, 2012 01:30
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There are pricing guides that you can buy which will help you price out repairs. They generally have all the component prices you'll need, an estimate of how much time each repair takes, and a suggested markup. The shop price books just help to make you aware of how much you should be charging if your goal is to make money on repairs. The money from repairs isn't in high dollar markups, but more in a steady volume of business at good margins relative to your costs. For a new retail jeweler the steady flow of business can be a big help in keeping the bills paid. I pay perhaps 20% more cost on my repairs than another jeweler that might do all his own work, but I have much lower overall costs (no shop in house). I share a master jeweler with Tiffany so I see it more as paying for an assurance of quality. And my customers don't mind the small additional costs since their pieces are more important.
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Mar 5, 2012 02:06
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JohnnyRnR posted:
Is that tacky? Like, would a woman be proud of that?
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Mar 9, 2012 04:33
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JohnnyRnR posted:There are pricing guides that you can buy which will help you price out repairs. They generally have all the component prices you'll need, an estimate of how much time each repair takes, and a suggested markup. The shop price books just help to make you aware of how much you should be charging if your goal is to make money on repairs. I really like that idea. Thanks!
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Mar 9, 2012 05:18
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JohnnyRnR posted:It seems like a fine diamond on paper and the price is definitely good if the inclusions aren't significant. If the center crystals are black then it's what we call a "lucky cert" that might look more like an SI2 than an SI1 clarity. Finally got around to looking at the stone under a scope and the crystals are black but are all bunched together in a single spot and from everything I can tell it's not affecting the reflections. Everything looks great so i went ahead and picked it up - Thanks again for your help.
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Mar 9, 2012 14:55
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Umph posted:Is that tacky? Like, would a woman be proud of that? It really depends on your social circle and what her friends are wearing. Some women love them, but others wouldn't be caught dead in them. It's definitely a lower cost option and some women that are dreaming of a single big stone consider them low class. Your mileage may vary. 
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Mar 9, 2012 16:52
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Is normal CAD software ok for jewellry design? Are specialist programs like gemvision linked earlier worth it? I'm building a 3d printer at home atm and would like to try my hand at some simple jewelry designs when I'm done... I guess I should ask are there any tips & tricks for this before I delve in?
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Mar 9, 2012 17:05
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Xipe Totec posted:Is normal CAD software ok for jewellry design? Are specialist programs like gemvision linked earlier worth it? I am deep in the midst of figuring out a "reasonable home printing jewellery solution". So far hobbyist 3D printers (the ABS and PLA plastic kind) are just not able to reproduce the details required for finer jewellery (anything with stone settings, most rings, small earrings and so on). I've seen the lower cost printers pull out some awesome bangles, drop earrings and things that are generally larger and not so complex. In terms of printers a good guy to follow is Junior over at http://3dhomemade.blogspot.com/ because this form of 3D printing can actually achieve the small details in jewellery down to about 50 microns or 0.05mm (I have no idea what that is in inches :P) and while that's still not as small as the $50,000 machines, it's getting pretty close. Okay so software, I wholeheartedly believe that gemvision matrix is worth it, but not to start out. Artcam jewelsmith is a program my school teaches, and it is very good to start with, and i'm sure it's much more reasonably priced. Lots of people make jewellery in Rhino and ZBrush (both cheaper programs) and if you're familiar with CAD software already, i'm sure you wouldn't have too much trouble making things in Rhino. And if you need help, go to youtube! Chances are people have done what you've tried to do (or something similar) and have made a tutorial about it. The thing that really sets matrix apart is the presets. It has setting for every kind of standard gemstone, and can create settings in any surface you present it with. It's got all the standard ring sizes ready to go, and has automatic signet ring and eternity band builders. On top of that it has a ton of other features to help you tweak and make whatever you're working on look great. It's a pretty amazing program, but obviously that $7,000 price tag is kind of a hurdle :P Oh and the fact that it's an add-on means you would have to purchase Rhino as well.
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Mar 9, 2012 19:05
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The main problem with a 3D printer is going to be burn-out when casting. You can trial and error it with any material, but there will be standards for known materials like the fancy machines. You could do great jewelry in any CAD program. It's just a matter of how much time and energy you'll spend to get to the finish line. Gemvision is definitely the race car that can get you there easiest. Here is a new ring that I just finished. It's a nice little classic style with a 2.25 carat orange BE sapphire flanked by a pair of pear shaped diamonds.  This sapphire's color has been enhanced by defusing Beryllium into the stone at extremely high heat. It's a treatment that makes the color amazingly more vivid, and since it's a color enhancement it puts higher colors of sapphires at lower price points. The color is permanent unless the stone would be chipped or repolished. It's hard to convey in a photo, but the color of this sapphire is orange with an overtone of pure red. It's almost ruby-ish. As natural color this sapphire would be close to $10,000 alone, but the Beryllium sapphire ring would only sell for $2,000. So it's a great way to get a higher color.
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Mar 10, 2012 22:07
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I don't think I could justify buying jewelry from someone other than you when the time comes. That piece is stunning, even in picture form on my cell phone.
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Mar 10, 2012 22:59
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I'm working with a local jeweler on an engagement ring. He just tracked down a fantastic looking sapphire and now it's time to choose the metal for the band. It'll be a bezel-set ring with a brushed, maybe even rough finish. The sapphire is blue, about 6.25mm, round, and just over 1 carat. Does a brushed/rough finish work better with any particular type of metal? My budget is pretty much the estimate he gave me for 18k white gold, so I wouldn't be able to swing any metal more expensive than that.
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Mar 11, 2012 18:06
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Thank you, Lawnie. Maultaschen, a brushed finish takes extremely well in 18k gold. It's the simplest metal to put the finish on and it's the one that looks the best in my opinion. Over time the brushed finish may be smoothed out, but that would be over many years and the finish can always be freshened up.
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Mar 11, 2012 20:57
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In previous years I've done a lot of fancy diamond work, but this year I've gotten more interested in designing with colored gemstones gain. I'm also concentrating more on phenomenal effect color that's extremely rare. This is a bi-color Imperial/Precious Topaz. It's orange on the bottom and pink on the top, and the colors are 100% natural. Definitely one in a million.  (You'll see a lot of this material online in VIBRANT colors, but it's almost all synthetic or coated to fake the color. eBay & Etsy have more fakes than real gems)
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Mar 13, 2012 04:31
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JohnnyRnR posted:In previous years I've done a lot of fancy diamond work, but this year I've gotten more interested in designing with colored gemstones gain. I'm also concentrating more on phenomenal effect color that's extremely rare. I live near St Louis Johnny, do you do engagement rings for people who can't afford a lot (2-3 grand)? Do you have a shop I could see your work at in St Louis? Ive always bought local hand made jewelry but never a big ticket item so I want to go to the right place and your stuff is super cool.
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Mar 13, 2012 07:08
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Thanks a lot, Umph. Please shoot me a PM and I'd love to help if I can. A lot has changed in the 18 months we've been posting in this thread. I've moved to the east coast for a little while to be closer to the companies I deal with in New York and Europe. I don't have any of my jewelry placed with St Louis stores, but I have been thinking about it recently. Things for me have gotten extremely busy in the last year and I've had to make some changes to accommodate everything. The hardest change to make was to admit that I needed to concentrate on pieces over $5,000. I was fielding many requests for lower price point jewelry and with my wholesale business rocking as well I wasn't able to give those customers the service they deserve. But I'm in the middle of making some changes so I will be able to do more everyday. I'll have a new website going live in the next two months and I'm planning some special categories of cool stuff I find at all different price points. I always have a blast doing business with everyone on SA.
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Mar 14, 2012 23:41
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JohnnyRnR posted:Things for me have gotten extremely busy in the last year and I've had to make some changes to accommodate everything. The hardest change to make was to admit that I needed to concentrate on pieces over $5,000. I was fielding many requests for lower price point jewelry and with my wholesale business rocking as well I wasn't able to give those customers the service they deserve. Johnny, what's the best way to get in touch with you besides SA? Also, any word on that ring? 
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Mar 15, 2012 01:07
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Umph posted:I live near St Louis Johnny, do you do engagement rings for people who can't afford a lot (2-3 grand)? Do you have a shop I could see your work at in St Louis? Ive always bought local hand made jewelry but never a big ticket item so I want to go to the right place and your stuff is super cool. I just got engaged a few weeks ago - I also live in St. Louis, but I bought the engagement ring online from JohnnyRnR. Ring shopping with him was a great experience! He is, of course, extremely knowledgeable, and the ring turned out to be perfect. I really can't recommend him enough, especially if you don't know any local jewelers in your area. Thanks again, Johnny!
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Mar 15, 2012 02:08
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This is a really low-roller question compared to most of the things being discussed in this thread, but since it's indirectly inspired by it, I figured I'd ask here. I just bought a small amber cabochon from a dealer linked earlier in the thread, and I'd like some advice as to how to set it in a pendant. It's a standard pale yellow but has some dark striated markings on the top and bottom surface; when sitting flat on something opaque, it's dark brown and looks a bit like a tiger's eye, but with light passing through it, it's got a gorgeous array of amber tones. I'd like to have it made into a pendant, but I'm not sure how to do that while letting it keep its translucence. A standard cabochon mount would cover up the back and remove the translucence, but since it's only about 3/4" long and does have the flat cabochon cut, I'm worried that wire-wrapping or drilling a hole in the top wouldn't work well for it either. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to display the stone to best effect? (I'd prefer it be in a pendant just because I wear necklaces more than most other jewelry, but I'm open to other ideas.) For the record, here's a picture of the stone the dealer took for scale. You can see the tiger's-eye-like look it has against opaque surfaces there. Thanks for your help! I've really enjoyed reading this thread -- it's taught me a lot about jewelry materials construction, and I hope to use the things I've learned here when I'm next in the market for the good stuff.
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Mar 16, 2012 11:54
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WAFFLEHOUND posted:Johnny, what's the best way to get in touch with you besides SA? Also, any word on that ring? sa-goons|@|brookheart.com still works (pull the | out). I like to keep those emails separate so I can prioritize them. And I'm working on the other thing.... give me a day. Antivehicular posted:Does anyone have any suggestions for how to display the stone to best effect? If this stone were mine I would get creative with it. Have your jeweler build a small white gold concave disk then polish it to a mirror finish. If it's done right the cabochon can be set over the top of the disk in an edge bezel supported by four small posts. Then any ambient light will bounce off the disk and up through the stone.
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Mar 16, 2012 15:30
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Here is a really unusual piece. This is a 2.47 carat Madagascar Blue Color-Change Garnet. It's green-blue in fluorescent light or daylight, but it's vivid red in incandescent or candlelight. These are sometimes referred to as an "Evening Stone" because they're most impressive at night. Here is a bit of information on them. http://www.secretsofthegemtrade.com/articles_8.htm  Sotheby's is preparing to sell a very large example of this gem and I'm hoping the auction will stir up some consumer interest.
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Mar 24, 2012 15:35
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JohnnyRnR posted:Here is a really unusual piece. This is a 2.47 carat Madagascar Blue Color-Change Garnet. It's green-blue in fluorescent light or daylight, but it's vivid red in incandescent or candlelight. These are sometimes referred to as an "Evening Stone" because they're most impressive at night. Here is a bit of information on them. Goddamn these are beautiful. How do they compare to alexandrite? It looks like they have similar color shifts. I actually learned about alexandrite from this thread when you posted about it a long time ago and I instantly fell in love. 
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Mar 26, 2012 03:49
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Color change garnets come in a few different types. There's a brown/orange, a lavender/teal, and this type which is blue/red. This material is exactly like Alexandrite, but at 50% of the cost. This stone is essentially brand new and isn't very well known. I'm hoping that changes after the upcoming auctions. This is some of the rarest material in the world now, and what's crazy is I only have the one. I've been looking hard and I can't find any more in this size! (Sorry for the delay. I've been traveling)
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Mar 29, 2012 14:14
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JohnnyRnR posted:Color change garnets come in a few different types. There's a brown/orange, a lavender/teal, and this type which is blue/red. This material is exactly like Alexandrite, but at 50% of the cost. That's amazing! Alexandrite is my favorite stone, but it's unfortunately also known for it's huge price tag on any piece that has a decent colour change 
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Mar 29, 2012 22:13
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I have a "sterling silver" ring that I bought for about $12 probably 7 years ago in Seattle. I love this ring to death, but it's so drat fragile. I've broken the band at least 3 times, the "onyx" eyes (it's a cat face, I can post pictures if needed) fell out years ago, and it bends out of shape all the time. I'd really love to get it recast in a much more durable material, since I'm very hard on my hands. What metal would be good for this, in the non-gold colored family? What could I expect to pay for something like this? Where would I even go? Any information is appreciated.
Starter Wiggin fucked around with this message at 09:02 on Mar 30, 2012 |
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Mar 30, 2012 08:55
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On Thursday I picked up an engagement ring that I commissioned from a local jeweler. Today I read the appraisal and noticed that the replacement cost is 15% higher than what I actually paid, not including tax. Is this normal?
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Mar 31, 2012 20:01
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Starter Wiggin posted:What metal would be good for this, in the non-gold colored family? What could I expect to pay for something like this? Where would I even go? Any jeweler can do this. They'll either take a mold of your ring or have a carver make a copy freehand. White gold would be the least labor intensive, but you might want to look at Palladium. It all depends on the jeweler. Assuming it could be made fairly light I would expect to pay $500-1,000 for it. Maultaschen posted:appraisal ... replacement cost is higher than what I actually paid Jewelry appraisals are almost all worthless. Many stores will write them higher than the sale price as "that's what you would pay from my competitors" but honestly that usually isn't the case. I've seen appraisals written for 300% of the customer's purchase price and they think "I got a really good deal!!!!," but they could have had those prices or less anywhere. It's actually responsible to write an appraisal for a small amount over the purchase price since the assumption is that prices will rise over time, and if a customer has a loss 5 years later they'll need to replace at current pricing. 15% is a responsible number, but more than that is probably the jeweler trying to fake a customer into believing he's getting a sweet deal.
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Mar 31, 2012 20:31
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I looked through the thread a bit but didn't see any mention of it. Do you have any opinions regarding the Hearts on Fire line of Diamonds? Are they inherently better in any way to other diamonds or am I paying for marketing and brand recognition?
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Apr 1, 2012 04:43
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It's all branding. The pricing is exorbitant and their quality is average. They're nicely made, but similar products are available anywhere else for significantly less.
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Apr 2, 2012 03:43
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My fiancée and I decided to get married at the end of this month, so we need to pick up a couple of wedding bands. We aren't looking for anything fancy; we just want very basic white gold bands, probably 14k, without stones. Of course, prices are all over the place online - big chains and "name brand" sites will charge more, but I don't know what I'm getting with smaller sites. Does anyone have any recommendations or experiences to share?
THESE SOCKS? fucked around with this message at 17:57 on Apr 11, 2012 |
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Apr 11, 2012 17:40
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Can someone tell me a bit about what lab-created is all about? As in, stones like alexandrites, as compared to their natural counterparts? What are they, exactly? I read here they are something like 16K per carat if natural, that blows my mind. Is a lab created stone the same as a synthetic? Is, say... Moissanite (sp?) 'real' if it's grown in a lab instead of over a bazillion years in the earth? Thanks in advance. I am really girling out on this thread and all the lovely photos.
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Apr 15, 2012 04:31
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