Going to a gemstone dealer can be difficult and confusing if you don’t know what to expect. Gemstone dealers trade with trade for a reason. Jewellers tend know the details of what they want.

When we deal with the public, or someone new to the trade, we spend a long time talking them through gemstones. Whilst we will always be patient with anyone new coming into the trade, as we all have to start somewhere, if you can come with a good idea of what you want, we will be much more help to you.

We have put together a quick guide to help you out.

Trust is key in the trade. Approbation is where gemstone dealers lend out gemstones, trusting that the jeweller will use them for sale or return them in the same condition. To be approved for appro you will need two trade references. This can be difficult for people starting out, however don’t be afraid to talk to us about it. Your first few deals with us may be a sale-or-return (where you buy the goods upfront with the option to return them in the condition brought) whilst we get to know you better. Returns will not be accepted if the stone has been set in a mount. When both parties are happy, we can set you up with an account and you can take appro.

Have a clear idea of what you want. Most gemstones dealers will have a huge variety of stock. Whilst being specific is good, an understanding of which gemstones are common, and which are harder to source is useful. This may come with time and practice, but having a little knowledge will go a long way. If you let us know the following, we can usually help:

• Size of the gemstone in mm
• Budget per stone (or bonus points for ppc (price per ct)
• Design (colour, how tough the stone must be etc. This is where you can brush up on the MOHS scale of Gemstones)

Size matters. Some gemstones are commonly stocked in larger sizes, whereas others only go down to 1mm. As a rule of thumb 1.5mm is where most gemstones start. Be aware that in smaller sizes gemstones follow standard calibration. If you design around calibrated sizes or wait until you have selected a stone, designing around its dimensions, you will be making your life a lot easier. Most gemstone packets will also have a tolerance of about 0.2mm so do prepare for this in your design.

Be prepared to make swaps. Design is about colour and shape. Whilst we may not have the gemstone you are looking for, be open to suggestions e.g. A teal tourmaline can make a great alternative to a teal sapphire! Don’t be afraid to show us your design, sometimes with a complex design it can be much easier for us to picture what you need when we see an image- we are all visual people!

Communicate with your client. Clients can be specific, but gemstones are natural and vary in size, shape and colour. You will not always be able match to an exact image that they produce for a gemstone. Being transparent with your customer about this from the beginning and letting them know what is and isn’t available will help you hugely.