Gemstone Sales
In addition to having an extensive trusted network of gemstone dealers both here in the US and abroad, when possible I travel directly to the source in order to bring my customers the highest quality stones at the best possible prices. Sri Lanka, often referred to as the Island of Gems, is my personal favorite place to travel when looking to source fine quality gems. They are most known for the beautiful quality sapphires they produce, but the island also produces stunning tourmalines, zircons, chrysoberyls and spinels in a wide range of alluring colors.
Exploring small scale artisinal mining opeartions in Sri Lanka allows you to truly bring the stones from mine to market. These are some of the hardest working and most genuine humans that are simply trying to provide for their families. Being able to purchase from them directly, instead of from a larger conglomerate or middleman helps to ensure the money they deserve for their hard work goes directly into their pockets.
In addition to the smaller family run artisanal mines, there are also larger scale mechanical mining operations in Sri Lanka that are certainly worth a visit. Sri Lanka has worked hard to keep their operations in the hands of Sri Lankans and not allow foreign interests into their communities to take money from the hands of their citizens. The age of the internet has also allowed for their citizens to make much fairer wages as they now can see what consumers are purchasing these stones for that they work so hard to mine. It can make the job more difficult, but puts an extra emphasis on the importance of negotiation to achieve the best prices for my customers.
Heat treatment is an accepted industry practice that allows for stones that would be otherwise worth very little, or even worthless, to undergo a transformation that enhances both their color and clarity. 95% of the sapphires on the market have undergone this treatment, so understanding and being able to identify the treatment is extremely important as the difference in price between an untreated and a heat treated gem can be substantial. I have visited treatment facilities, and even assisted in the implementation of heating processes, so I am confident that my knowledge and experience will lead me to make measured decisions when it comes to the purchasing of gemstones.
The cutting process is also of great importance as a the cut of a gem determines the depth of color as well as how much brilliance and sparkle it will produce. A poorly cut gem will leave something to be desired, but an expertly faceted gem will leave you speechless. Knowing when a gemstone could benefit from being recut is knowledge that you gain over years of experience and it’s a skill that I have gained via hours of examining stones. This knowledge also gives me the ability to purchase poorly cut stones with good color at low prices and transform them into a stunning perfectly faceted stone through a well thought out recut.
Visiting the bustling marketplaces of Sri Lanka provides you with an experience you have to see to believe. Gem merchants are everywhere making deals out in the open, on the street and in small offices along the main strips. Hundreds of merchants all looking to convince you that their stone is worth buying and engaging you in negotiations to make a deal happen. It can be overwhelming, but at the same time invigorating, as you take what you’ve learned throughout your years of experience and put it to the test in a stressful environment. Mistakes are bound to happen, but that is just the nature of the business, and for every mistake there are hundreds of successful purchases.
Watch this short video below to get an idea of what it’s like to purchase gems in some of the marketplaces of Sri Lanka that many dealers simply prefer not to go to. I personally love these marketplaces as I think you can find exceptional deals on gorgeous stones!
Sifting through parcels of rough and faceted stones also offers you the ability to cherry pick some fine quality stones. It takes time and a keen eye, but the painstaking work is well worth it in the end as you can leave having found some exquisite stones that you otherwise may not purchased had you not put in the time and effort.
