Dude, I do enjoy your content. Even beyond the knowledge (with is great), you present the info in such an unpretentious way it becomes smooth. Well done.
I wholeheartedly agree. Ive purchased many gems online. The biggest problem i found has not been outright fake gems or treatments but misrepresentations of color and clarity Remember even if everything is accurate, it may only be only be for certain lighting and viewing angles, most likely it will be the best the gem will ever look, unless you spend your whole day under a special halogen lamp.
Good explanation! Really brings home how valuable it is to have someone you trust. You really need a discerning eye to see all the color nuances in a stone and someone who speaks your same color language.
I think the answer is it really depends on how reliable the seller is with the information they give, and how knowledgeable you are with different lighting. Stones in light images will often be darker than anticipated and vice versa. It can really ruin your plans when you're expecting the stone to look a certain way. I bought some chrome diopside from a seller and because they were backlit in the images I thought they would be much lighter. The stones were too dark in anything but direct sunlight. (A fools mistake I know, but was still a schmuck at the time) I've also bought pink tourmaline from a seller on Etsy who showed it in ambient lighting and when the stone arrived it was exactly as described but the colour was even greater than expected, because the lighting they showcased the stone in was underplaying how the stone looked. Its a mixed bag online but you can find a few diamonds in the rough, at good prices too. Though, there's a little gambling invovled.
I'm glad that it has worked out for you, and I definitely agree that the dependability and character of the seller is critical. Cameras cannot capture the information to make a fully informed decision. An honest and transparent vendor has to fill in that gap. Cheers~
Good stuff again Peter, 1 thing to note if possible is to look at the provided photo/vidoe of the stoneon different devices to try and counter the colour space, I use the smartphone/laptop and PC to compare the same images, because not all of us are in Bengkok we have to buy from the net. Trust still being the number 1 no matter if inperson or not. Thanks.
A great observation, yes. The one issue we've noticed though (particularly in the covid/post-covid era) is that stones above a certain price point... are not sold online. A trusted intermediary would be necessary, and at that point, it's not really a strictly online deal. Someone is present physically to see the stone. I agree with your idea that multiple devices are useful, and also that Trust is number 1 at the end of ALL the days. Cheers~
watched your gemology for newbies and it was absolutely fascinating and enlightening. you are a great teacher. i,ve loved gems for a long time but felt it was out of my league. now i have hope that its something i can learn and start a career with. subscribed immediately. i,ve registered for gemology training because of you. thanks
The issue I have is my gem dealer in Thailand uses incandescent light to photograph the stones. In the US, we use fluorescent and LED now. What a stone looks like under incandescent light is about as relevant to me as what it looks like by gaslight or candle light. I got a color change sapphire that way without paying extra. They can't see the color change under their lights, but it changes color under mine.
Gracias Martin (Mil disculpes. Hace muuuucho tiempo que no he escrito por Español) Sí, ocurre los mismo entre PC, pero como utd entiende, depende en la computadora también. Todos son diferentes, pero no hay ningun computadora que es la misma calidad de imagen con nuestros ojos.
I tried buying gemstones online from someone, but they told me they couldn't sell to me because I was not a professional jeweler, they were kind enough to direct me to an auction site and when I received my gemstone, it was a completely different color and cut and size I appreciate the video now I know what to look for in the future
Howdy - there are some sources that only do Business to Business sales to protect their loyalty position in the industry. If they sell wholesale and retail, they lose opportunities of regular business in wholesale to try and make a larger margin in retail a handful of times. The retail people make their money and position by curating the stones they offer, which is why it seems safer to buy from a brand or jeweler than it does to buy off an auction site. There is not yet an effective way to guarantee ethical sales practices with people who dont actually put their reputation on the line. I don't buy from them either.
To add.. The lighting used over the stones varies too. I usually try to ask my online dealers to send across stones in two light natural light and room light... Maybe even yellow and white light to reflect the color. I ask the dealers to send across videos of stones with their hand. If it is edited, then I reduce down their saturation levels to bring their realistic hands :).. Its not only the color displayed on the screen but should also display the true colors from a trusted dealer. Maybe buy a cheaper stones from that dealer before moving ahead with a more expensive stones from the same person.
As a beginner, do you think it would be more cost-effective to just pay a jeweler to set the stones for me? Every video I’ve seen on even the simplest mounts is using very specialized equipment that I don’t want to invest in just yet
The basic facts are these: setting gems historically has been a discipline undertaken by experienced professionals. Until very recently, some "jewelers" were only gem setters and did effectively none of the fabrication work. In the process of gaining that experience, the chances that you break stones are statistically very high, as even experienced setters break stones from time to time. How many stones get broken? what are the values of those stones? This is all before diving into the tools as you mentioned. So to answer your question, whether in the short or long term, unless you're certain that you're head over heels in love with setting, paying an experienced setter will likely win out financially.
Thank you Ishan ~ the crystal systems are more important for researchers to understand than the average gem dealer. If you're buying rough, it can help to know more about the systems and the way that influences the properties of the gems, but for most folks its just over-kill academia. The basic facts that everyone should keep in mind is that there is only one crystal system that is singly refractive: the cubic system, which includes diamond and spinel and garnets etc. Aside from that, all of the other systems include doubly refractive gems. Each of the systems is based on how many axes of symmetry a crystal's unit cell has (the smallest most sub-microscopic building block of a crystal that has all of its basic properties). There's whole chapters if not books devoted to this topic, and its an important area of research in crystallography. For gemstone dealers though - a cursory understanding is enough.
@@GemologyforSchmucks thankyou so much for replying. Actually I am about to start gemstone business. I am just trying to make sure that I sell original gems to my customer and for that i am trying to gather as much knowledge as I can. Your videos are very helpfull.
@@ishangoenka4539 I totally support your desire - and i appreciate that you're looking to educate yourself more and do business with integrity. That's what i'm looking to do too 🤝.
Buying online is definitely tough, and fraught with danger. One site that "tries" to verify its sellers and the claims on their stones' qualities is gemrockauctions.com. You'll still need to be careful when shopping.
Thank you again and again for your amazing videos would like to ask you for books and websites where I can get more detailed information about the subjects you being explaining just to keep some kind of a hard copy to remember the terms and the materials you're giving us thank you
There's a lot of information definitely. Several people have been asking for recommended reading, so i'll be working on that in the near future. Thanks for the suggestion.
I suspect the difference you're experiencing is that the display will show "a" difference, but not the complete difference in experience that your eyes can recognize in natural circumstances. Our eyes are still much more sensitive at detecting light and colour than our tech at this stage in history (as far as I am aware. Who knows what is hidden in a lab somewhere...)
I bought a tanzanite once online that was shown as a vivid blue/purple and then showed up as this washed our lavender with a hint of green. I immediately wrote the company and complained. Luckily for me they made the situation right.
A good thing to look for indeed. There are many under-championed beautiful stones that have opportunity. The tough part is predicting which ones will catch the whims and fancy of the mainstream consumers.
@@GemologyforSchmucks well basically supply chains are breaking down for the moment and we can expect sustained inflation with transitory hyperinflation so any of the gems that are correlated with precious metals or commodities in general will do well. I think there will be a rush to get out of dollars at some point and i want to be ready. I honestly think diamonds will do well even though they aren't inherently as valuable as they cost (like doge coin). Anything the common person has good feelings towards. I think mid to lower quality precious stones will be good because retail investors can get in with a low price, lower risk, and less education necessary. I think the most visually beautiful stones will do well like opal. Birthstones should be easy to sell. Thats all i got for now
One thing i thought id mention is that i just want gems that are real. I have scrolled through countless listings that have garbage reveiws or no reviews and am unable to find a seller i trust. I dont live near gem stores, and am asking if you know of any reputable online sellers. Btw i subscribed
Me too, on the real gems only thing~ Synthetics are only a passing fancy simply because of how amazing the technology behind them are. If you need help sourcing specific stones, you're welcome to send me an email at thegemshepherd@gmail.com and we can talk over the options~
My personal opinion is yes, with traditional heat. As long as no additional chemicals are being introduced from outside the stone, heating effectively mimics a process that happens inside the earth, so i'm good with it. Its not going to be the same price as an unheated stone with the same characteristics, but that doesn't mean it isn't unworthy.
I buy all my gems online. Sometimes I an pleasantly surprised. Other times I am very disappointed. Usually, Spinel is a disappointment when it shows up. I was once super surprised by the actual color of a yellow sapphire I bought for a song online. In real life it was so much better.
I'm glad that luck favours you in your purchases. Online buying using pictures really is a roll of the dice at times. On occasion I hear about gem professionals buying through photos/ online but almost exclusively with dealers that they already know, and then they ask specific questions regarding colour with the dealer directly before purchasing. Cheers
![How to Become a Pro Gem Buyer with Spessartite [Gem Buyer's Guide]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_deZdjyypAo/mqdefault.jpg)
![Windows of DOOM!: How They Ruin Your Gemstone [Gem Buyer's Guide]](/img/n.gif)
Dude, I do enjoy your content. Even beyond the knowledge (with is great), you present the info in such an unpretentious way it becomes smooth. Well done.
Thank you Victor, you're too kind ^_^
I wholeheartedly agree. Ive purchased many gems online. The biggest problem i found has not been outright fake gems or treatments but misrepresentations of color and clarity
Remember even if everything is accurate, it may only be only be for certain lighting and viewing angles, most likely it will be the best the gem will ever look, unless you spend your whole day under a special halogen lamp.
Absolutely - what's more dangerous than a lie? a half truth that one doesn't recognize.
Good explanation! Really brings home how valuable it is to have someone you trust. You really need a discerning eye to see all the color nuances in a stone and someone who speaks your same color language.
I think the answer is it really depends on how reliable the seller is with the information they give, and how knowledgeable you are with different lighting. Stones in light images will often be darker than anticipated and vice versa. It can really ruin your plans when you're expecting the stone to look a certain way.
I bought some chrome diopside from a seller and because they were backlit in the images I thought they would be much lighter. The stones were too dark in anything but direct sunlight. (A fools mistake I know, but was still a schmuck at the time)
I've also bought pink tourmaline from a seller on Etsy who showed it in ambient lighting and when the stone arrived it was exactly as described but the colour was even greater than expected, because the lighting they showcased the stone in was underplaying how the stone looked.
Its a mixed bag online but you can find a few diamonds in the rough, at good prices too. Though, there's a little gambling invovled.
I'm glad that it has worked out for you, and I definitely agree that the dependability and character of the seller is critical. Cameras cannot capture the information to make a fully informed decision. An honest and transparent vendor has to fill in that gap. Cheers~
Good stuff again Peter, 1 thing to note if possible is to look at the provided photo/vidoe of the stoneon different devices to try and counter the colour space, I use the smartphone/laptop and PC to compare the same images, because not all of us are in Bengkok we have to buy from the net. Trust still being the number 1 no matter if inperson or not. Thanks.
A great observation, yes. The one issue we've noticed though (particularly in the covid/post-covid era) is that stones above a certain price point... are not sold online. A trusted intermediary would be necessary, and at that point, it's not really a strictly online deal. Someone is present physically to see the stone. I agree with your idea that multiple devices are useful, and also that Trust is number 1 at the end of ALL the days. Cheers~
I f****ing love this channel. down to earth explanations, without making me feel stupid lol
Glad to serve, Alex. Thanks for watching, and for the comment :D
watched your gemology for newbies and it was absolutely fascinating and enlightening. you are a great teacher. i,ve loved gems for a long time but felt it was out of my league. now i have hope that its something i can learn and start a career with. subscribed immediately. i,ve registered for gemology training because of you. thanks
I am so happy to hear that Cynthia~ I hope that as you watch more videos, you gain more confidence in stones and feel comfortable to ask questions ^_^
The issue I have is my gem dealer in Thailand uses incandescent light to photograph the stones. In the US, we use fluorescent and LED now. What a stone looks like under incandescent light is about as relevant to me as what it looks like by gaslight or candle light.
I got a color change sapphire that way without paying extra. They can't see the color change under their lights, but it changes color under mine.
Sounds like you got a good deal. Its strange to me that they weren't willing to accommodate your desire for a different lighting situation.
Another gem from Peter!!!! My brain is about to explode with all this new information :) I now have a new found love for my job!
Muy buena explicación. Ocurre lo mismo si se envían las fotos por la PC? O sea se pierden características de un archivo dependiendo de la computadora?
Gracias Martin (Mil disculpes. Hace muuuucho tiempo que no he escrito por Español) Sí, ocurre los mismo entre PC, pero como utd entiende, depende en la computadora también. Todos son diferentes, pero no hay ningun computadora que es la misma calidad de imagen con nuestros ojos.
I tried buying gemstones online from someone, but they told me they couldn't sell to me because I was not a professional jeweler, they were kind enough to direct me to an auction site and when I received my gemstone, it was a completely different color and cut and size I appreciate the video now I know what to look for in the future
Howdy - there are some sources that only do Business to Business sales to protect their loyalty position in the industry. If they sell wholesale and retail, they lose opportunities of regular business in wholesale to try and make a larger margin in retail a handful of times. The retail people make their money and position by curating the stones they offer, which is why it seems safer to buy from a brand or jeweler than it does to buy off an auction site. There is not yet an effective way to guarantee ethical sales practices with people who dont actually put their reputation on the line. I don't buy from them either.
To add.. The lighting used over the stones varies too. I usually try to ask my online dealers to send across stones in two light natural light and room light... Maybe even yellow and white light to reflect the color. I ask the dealers to send across videos of stones with their hand. If it is edited, then I reduce down their saturation levels to bring their realistic hands :).. Its not only the color displayed on the screen but should also display the true colors from a trusted dealer. Maybe buy a cheaper stones from that dealer before moving ahead with a more expensive stones from the same person.
You're a wise one, Nash ~ you may or may not have just revealed next week's episode XD
@@GemologyforSchmucks and I continue to look forward for your future episodes... :)
As a beginner, do you think it would be more cost-effective to just pay a jeweler to set the stones for me?
Every video I’ve seen on even the simplest mounts is using very specialized equipment that I don’t want to invest in just yet
The basic facts are these: setting gems historically has been a discipline undertaken by experienced professionals. Until very recently, some "jewelers" were only gem setters and did effectively none of the fabrication work. In the process of gaining that experience, the chances that you break stones are statistically very high, as even experienced setters break stones from time to time. How many stones get broken? what are the values of those stones? This is all before diving into the tools as you mentioned.
So to answer your question, whether in the short or long term, unless you're certain that you're head over heels in love with setting, paying an experienced setter will likely win out financially.
Hii your all videos are very informative. I have a question. Can you explain me the crystal system with a real example?
Thank you Ishan ~ the crystal systems are more important for researchers to understand than the average gem dealer. If you're buying rough, it can help to know more about the systems and the way that influences the properties of the gems, but for most folks its just over-kill academia. The basic facts that everyone should keep in mind is that there is only one crystal system that is singly refractive: the cubic system, which includes diamond and spinel and garnets etc. Aside from that, all of the other systems include doubly refractive gems.
Each of the systems is based on how many axes of symmetry a crystal's unit cell has (the smallest most sub-microscopic building block of a crystal that has all of its basic properties). There's whole chapters if not books devoted to this topic, and its an important area of research in crystallography. For gemstone dealers though - a cursory understanding is enough.
@@GemologyforSchmucks thankyou so much for replying. Actually I am about to start gemstone business. I am just trying to make sure that I sell original gems to my customer and for that i am trying to gather as much knowledge as I can. Your videos are very helpfull.
@@ishangoenka4539 I totally support your desire - and i appreciate that you're looking to educate yourself more and do business with integrity. That's what i'm looking to do too 🤝.
@@GemologyforSchmucks hi wow nice introduction let know how can contact buyer's
More valuable information, Thanks Peter
My Pleasure~
I have some ruby a good quality and quantity want to sell them in France but I have no buyer for now, what should I do ?
Thanks. I'm getting some for my daughter, she loves them.
Glad I can be of service~
Can you please share the best websites to buy gemstones from online?
Buying online is definitely tough, and fraught with danger. One site that "tries" to verify its sellers and the claims on their stones' qualities is gemrockauctions.com. You'll still need to be careful when shopping.
@@GemologyforSchmucks thank you💕💕
I have little collection I am from srilanka would you like contact if genuine
Thank you again and again for your amazing videos would like to ask you for books and websites where I can get more detailed information about the subjects you being explaining just to keep some kind of a hard copy to remember the terms and the materials you're giving us thank you
There's a lot of information definitely. Several people have been asking for recommended reading, so i'll be working on that in the near future. Thanks for the suggestion.
I have blue sapphire oval royal blue
I hope you thoroughly enjoy your stone.
me thinking in my head at 2:51 .... wait so if my screen can only display that triangle... why... can I see... my brain hurts
I suspect the difference you're experiencing is that the display will show "a" difference, but not the complete difference in experience that your eyes can recognize in natural circumstances. Our eyes are still much more sensitive at detecting light and colour than our tech at this stage in history (as far as I am aware. Who knows what is hidden in a lab somewhere...)
I bought a tanzanite once online that was shown as a vivid blue/purple and then showed up as this washed our lavender with a hint of green. I immediately wrote the company and complained. Luckily for me they made the situation right.
Tanzanite with trichroism is a challenge indeed. Physics!~
Im looking for gems that could increase in value
A good thing to look for indeed. There are many under-championed beautiful stones that have opportunity. The tough part is predicting which ones will catch the whims and fancy of the mainstream consumers.
@@GemologyforSchmucks well basically supply chains are breaking down for the moment and we can expect sustained inflation with transitory hyperinflation so any of the gems that are correlated with precious metals or commodities in general will do well. I think there will be a rush to get out of dollars at some point and i want to be ready. I honestly think diamonds will do well even though they aren't inherently as valuable as they cost (like doge coin). Anything the common person has good feelings towards. I think mid to lower quality precious stones will be good because retail investors can get in with a low price, lower risk, and less education necessary. I think the most visually beautiful stones will do well like opal. Birthstones should be easy to sell. Thats all i got for now
One thing i thought id mention is that i just want gems that are real. I have scrolled through countless listings that have garbage reveiws or no reviews and am unable to find a seller i trust. I dont live near gem stores, and am asking if you know of any reputable online sellers. Btw i subscribed
Me too, on the real gems only thing~ Synthetics are only a passing fancy simply because of how amazing the technology behind them are. If you need help sourcing specific stones, you're welcome to send me an email at thegemshepherd@gmail.com and we can talk over the options~
Should anyone ever purchase "heated" gemstones?
My personal opinion is yes, with traditional heat. As long as no additional chemicals are being introduced from outside the stone, heating effectively mimics a process that happens inside the earth, so i'm good with it. Its not going to be the same price as an unheated stone with the same characteristics, but that doesn't mean it isn't unworthy.
Great logic, I love minerals! They calm my mind and soul. Have a great day...
Beautifully explained ✅ touch of humour ✅ this is why I always enjoy your videos!
Thank you Wayne~ more to come ^_^
I buy all my gems online. Sometimes I an pleasantly surprised. Other times I am very disappointed.
Usually, Spinel is a disappointment when it shows up. I was once super surprised by the actual color of a yellow sapphire I bought for a song online. In real life it was so much better.
I'm glad that luck favours you in your purchases. Online buying using pictures really is a roll of the dice at times. On occasion I hear about gem professionals buying through photos/ online but almost exclusively with dealers that they already know, and then they ask specific questions regarding colour with the dealer directly before purchasing.
Cheers
🤔
You want srilanka jemstons ❤
I have bought many Sri Lankan stones, but not online.