The lovely trio above is a custom order that I filled for a natural Zambian emerald at 1.38 carats and a pair of carre cut VS diamonds at 32 points total. This picture is a superb example of the failings of modern digital cameras at reproducing the color green. While most colors are true-to-form, the modern sensors are just not capable of accurately reproducing greens with the same precise hue, tone, and saturation that you see when the stone is viewed in real life.
As with virtually all green stones that I have ever photographed the color appears flat and dead in the photo even when it is spectacular in real life. This leads to very happy clients who trust my jugement, but it also leads people away from otherwise very beautiful stones when they believe their eyes and attempt to judge it by the picture instead of my description. Pictures are important, of course- but often do not tell the whole story!
Melanie and I spend our time looking for gemstones that are a great value- that represent a whole lot of beauty and rarity for the price. This is the primary consideration for every stone that we choose- and we still choose every single stone by hand. Very likely we always will. It is better to have a few dozen ecstatic customers than a few thousand that are just "satisfied". While many dealers are continually honing their photography and their Photoshop skills, adding a new "dazzler" array to their lighting studio or buying the latest video equipment, we are busy buying the best stones. Sometimes I think the same folks who are selling a 20-year-old Madonna are also selling stones online. (See photos!) It's absurd, of course, but we the public BUY those images! We swallow it hook, line, and sinker.
Remember that there is never any risk involved in trusting my judgment. If you ever buy a stone from me that is not 100% what you want, return it for a full refund. Color can be subjective. While we strive to choose the best stones and also to very accurately describe things like hue, saturation, and clarity- sometimes there are misunderstandings. I am reminded of a client who returned a stone to me and explained that she was looking for precisely the same hue but a medium to medium-light tone. I found one promptly and she was thrilled with the end result.
Communicating with your gemstone dealer is like communicating with your accountant. Are you on the same page? Do your definitions match? You can not trust that the net result will meet your needs when there is not a meeting of the minds. Does your accountant understand how conservative or aggressive you expect him or her to be with your return, and does he know that you are willing to pay more for specialized advice that will shelter your income and preserve capital? How much creativity do you expect from him? How much flexibility do you have?
When I work with a client on a stone many of the same issues come up. Is the client married to a particular origin? Will they accept heat only if their budget does not allow unheated? Do they expect me to share insight with them on different sources and different treatment methods, or is it simply my job to find their color and carat weight at their price point? How much flexibility does my customer have in their budget? Would they rather wait a year or two for the right stone at the right price, or would they prefer to buy one this month or this quarter?
I also work with clients who need a stone NOW to meet a deadline for a gift or to fill a request from a client of theirs. This is generally not a problem. Remember the similarity to the old engineering axiom. You can pick two of the three: fast, beautiful, cheap. I can give you beautiful and fast, but not for cheap. Fast and cheap, but not beautiful. I can call a wholesaler and add a very modest markup and get you virtually any stone right now- but this is not as cost-effective as me finding the same stone of the same quality and size at the market in Chanthaburi. Make sense?
If you've had the idea to purchase a particular stone but have not found it easily and do not know where to start feel free to give me a phone call or send me an e-mail (800-607-1425; dave@tiptopgem.com). I am happy to discuss your needs and to do my best to find the perfect gemstone for you- whether it is a gift, an addition to your collection, or for a client of yours. I'm a small dealer and I have time to give individual attention to my customers. In fact, this is the most interesting part of the trade to me- working with people who want to find their ideal stone at an ideal price.
