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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 10:29:37 GMT -5
My name is David Fortier and I am an American, a gemstone collector, gemstone dealer, and custom jeweler living in Bangkok, Thailand. My wife and I have an office in the gemstone district of Silom. From time to time when we aren't too busy making custom jewelry we list some interesting gemstones on eBay. Please take a look at our auctions, and if you have any questions at all please holler! Paragon Universal Trade listings on eBayWe've started a couple of auctions at only $5 this week. These are our "loss leaders"; we might lose money on these stones but it gets eyes on our more expensive stones and also on our CAD listings for people who want to make custom jewelry. By the way, I am not just a random guy selling gemstones- I am actually a GIA Graduate Gemologist: linkIf you have any questions about gemstones or jewelry, don't hesitate to ask! I am not just a retailer, but also a passionate collector of stones so I don't mind talking about gems! ~Dave |
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 11:49:39 GMT -5
Here is a finished 18K white gold ring that is available right now- $599 plus shipping and insurance. The center stone is a superb 1 1/4 carat Ceylon blue sapphire, only heat (no filled fissures and no chemicals to enhance the color): www.youtube.com/watch?v=1no_aMQwm9IThis is USA size 7, bit it can be resized for a reasonable cost. Note that this is European style white gold that is alloyed with palladium, a noble metal, not the cheaper type of white gold that is alloyed with nickel. Most people who are allergic to white gold aren't allergic to the gold at all, they are allergic to the nickel alloy. Nickel is much cheaper than palladium though, so many jewelers who are trying to cut costs use it. We prefer to cast the higher-quality, more valuable white gold alloy that is hypoallergenic. |
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 11:52:15 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 11:54:04 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 11:57:44 GMT -5
Several months ago I came across an absolutely amazing parcel of three stones. I had seen sillimanite cat's eyes before, in fact I have sold many of them over the years as they are a desirable, beautiful, and rare collectible gemstone. But I had never seen such large and beautiful ones. Most sillimanite is dark-colored and can be reddish-Brown or purplish. Only on very rare occasions have I seen colorless stones and they were always tiny- less than a few carats. When I came across this parcel of stones I knew I had to have all three! The smallest stone was about 14 carats but it has been sold to a collector/dealer in Canada. The two that I have left weigh 28.48 carats and 38.26 carats. Keep in mind that the vast majority of the sillimanite cat's eyes on the market are under three carats. In the event that you see one that is 4+ carats, it is generally a very dark stone. These are like water- amazingly clear. It is hard to describe what it is like to hold one in your hand and have the light play over it as the "eye" moves- it is quite surreal. www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJSj1_IK6-I Please take the time to look over the sillimanite cat's eyes on eBay if there is any question how rare these stones are! I have never seen any approaching this size and quality and I would go as far as to say that the 38.26 carat is the finest and largest sillimanite cat's eye in existence. If you see anything online that contradicts this please forward it to me. I've been selling colored gemstones for over a decade and have sold hundreds of cat's eyes but have never seen one anything like this. I looked very hard to find comparables at the Tucson gem show this year- NOTHING. I priced the 28.48 carat stone at $600 per carat, but I've offered it to wholesalers for $300 per carat. I will sell it for $249 per carat. The 38.26 carat stone was being offered at $800 per carat retail, or $400 per carat wholesale. I will take $369 per carat for this one. This 38.26 carat stone belongs either in a museum, or in the collection of a connoisseur of fine, rare, and exceptionally large gemstones. It would also make an astounding pendant that would gather attention and questions from anyone who sets eyes upon it. Most large cat's eye gemstones are very rare, but sillimanite in this size is simply unheard of. I believe it to be the largest and finest sillimanite cat's eye stone ever unearthed. Both of these fine stones have independent laboratory reports:   GIT is one of the most respected independent gemological laboratories in Thailand. Because these are both exceptionally large and rare stones virtually unheard of in this size, I will include (at my expense) an additional report from Tokyo Gem Lab for the buyer. Very rare stones often have more than one report, and this increases liquidity in the event that you or your heirs desire to resell the gemstone. Two reports from different independent and well-respected laboratories that both offer the same conclusion in regards to variety and species offers a lot of credibility. These stones came from a dealer who purchased them in Mogok, Burma and since Mogok Valley is known to produce fine sillimanite this isn't a surprise. Either of these stones would make a superb addition to a gemstone collection, or would make an exceptionally attractive pendant in 18K white gold or 950 platinum.     |
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 11:59:51 GMT -5
"Why don't you live in America?" Although my mother is the person who asks this question most often, I also get it from clients when my wife and I visit them in the states. And the answer is really very simple- "sustainable competitive advantage". It's expensive to manufacture anything in America, as you can see from so many manufacturing jobs going overseas. The cost of providing health care is downright insane. Skilled workers in the states make more money than they do in Thailand, and that means that our jewelry would have to sell for a lot more if we made it there. Of course every other part of business life is more expensive in America too- and in the West in general. Monthly accounting fees, taxes, and office space are just some of the expenses that would be higher if our business was based in the West. But there is another reason behind us basing our business in Thailand, and that is the cost of colored gemstones here. The supply chain in this industry is long, convoluted, and inefficient. If you see a ruby, sapphire, or emerald ring offered for sale in a jewelry store in San Francisco, Detroit, New York, or London or Sydney- it will be expensive. The jeweler did not buy that gemstone in the colored stone capital of the world, where my wife and I live and work. They bought it from a wholesaler, who bought it from another wholesaler, who bought it from a dealer who travels here, who bought it from a dealer who lives here! See the problem? Of course every person along the way has to eat- they have business expenses to cover and they have to support themselves by making a profit. But by short-circuiting this supply chain, we can offer you heirloom-quality custom jewelry for much, much less than you would have to pay at home in a Western consumer market. We can buy gemstones for a very reasonable price here, add a modest markup, and offer them directly to you with no middle-man. Some people are shocked to hear that we can produce a CAD drawing for $85-100. There are custom jewelers in the West who charge $400 or more for the same service! But it all goes back to the lower cost of living here in Bangkok, and reasonable business expenses and lower wages. Because the stones cost less here, and the labor to draw a piece of jewelry and finish it in precious metals also costs less, the end result will cost less. I also don't live as expensively here as I would if I was in New York or Los Angeles. I can live in a high-rise apartment with a great view of the city for a tiny fraction of what I would pay for a comparable living space in an American our European city- so no need to mark up my product by 500%! If you are looking for a gemstone or are interested in custom jewelry, don't hesitate to get in touch. I am extremely confident in our sustainable competitive advantage, and when you see how Paragon Universal Trade works, you will be too!  |
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:00:58 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:06:06 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:08:44 GMT -5
The ruby market is going through a huge change right now. For decades Burma has supplied most of the world's fine and commercial-quality ruby but as supplies there have dwindled a new deposit in Montepuez, Mozambique has exploded onto the scene. What is most exciting to me as a gemologist is that the majority of rubies from this mining area do not require treatment. They aren't heated, or heated with chemicals, or infused with oil or resin in order to increase their beauty. They just don't need to be! Only a few short years ago if you wanted a 3-carat ruby with no treatment, you would be limited to a Burmese stone that would cost as much as a very nice house in many Western countries. Because Mozambique is producing such an amazing quantity of stunning stones, prices have come down as this material makes its way onto the market. What is just as exciting is the way it is mined and distributed by Gemfields. The process is entirely transparent to ensure that the source country participates in their own natural wealth instead of being exploited by shady deals, as so often happens with gemstones. Rough ruby is sold at public auction in Singapore, ensuring that the taxes are paid and the Mozambican government gets their fair share. We don't have any guarantee that the current system will go on forever though. Mozambique has had its fair share of political and economic strife and we can't be sure that the mining concession with Gemfields will stay in place. But for now, you can buy some amazing ruby for much, much lower prices than you've ever been able to in the recent past. Let me show you a 3-ct sized stone that is available at the moment:             This stone has an independent report from one of the world's foremost ruby experts, Dr. Adolf Peretti (GRS/Swisslab). He is known for his encyclopedic research in ruby and sapphire so it is easy to find his research online. Note also that he calls this stone "pigeon's blood", which is the most desirable and rare color of fine ruby. Don't think of it as a needle in a haystack, but rather a bit of hay in a haystack! Ruby of such intense color is extremely rare. It's even more amazing when you consider that it didn't require heat or any other treatment to produce this color- this crystal was mined from the earth in northern Mozambique, cut and polished ONLY. I am asking $37,880 for this stone. Please inquire for details, or if you would like a one-carat or two-carat stone (or a five-carat stone!) just ask. If I have the stone that you want in inventory I can give you a price and details, and if not I can visit some of the other dealers here in the gemstone district of Silom and I can find the right stone at the right price. |
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:10:14 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:11:17 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:13:04 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:17:03 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:21:29 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:24:26 GMT -5
Before you buy any jewelry please contact me. My wife and I live and work in Silom, in the center of the gemstone district of Bangkok. We can source any stone that you desire and produce custom jewelry for less than you would pay to buy a comparable piece "off the shelf" in Western consumer markets. Thailand has a very business-friendly climate, and because it is both a cutting and trading center for gemstones I am certain that we can save you money. It is a straightforward process that starts with your idea for a beautiful piece of heirloom-quality jewelry, and ends with a FedEx or UPS Express parcel at your door! We can cast in any metal that you desire such as yellow gold, white gold, platinum or palladium. Because labor costs are lower in Thailand we have a sustainable competitive advantage. You don't need to have knowledge of jewelry to get started. Many people contact me and say "Hey Dave, I found this beautiful sapphire ring online- can you make one like this?" We can find the right stone for the client's budget, then have our CAD artist draw an image showing how the piece will look. It is then milled in jeweler's wax, cast in the metal of choice, and the stones are set. At that point all that is left is the shipping. Insurance is available of course.   We select each stone by hand, and our bench jeweler works to an extremely high standard to ensure a quality finished product. If you are curious about the process please get in touch and I will do my best to fill in the blanks. Making custom jewelry is neither as complicated or expensive as you think! |
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:32:33 GMT -5
Please get in touch with me if you are looking for any gemstone. Whether it is ruby, sapphire, emerald, diamond, or one of the less popular stones like tourmaline, spinel, tsavorite garnet, or a rarity like alexandrite- I can supply it.
I would be more than happy to talk with you about getting the most value for your money. As a Graduate Gemologist, I can also advise you on treatment methods and how to protect yourself in what is basically an unregulated market. You want to be sure that you not only get a good value, but that you are getting a gemstone that is being represented accurately. There is nothing wrong with ruby that is filled with glass, or sapphire that is heated to high temperature in the presence of beryllium to enhance the color. But if you pay "untreated" price for such stones you are not being treated fairly.
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:33:06 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:38:29 GMT -5
Several auctions are below $50, some are even below $10 at this point: www.ebay.com/sch/paragonuniversaltrade/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=I combine shipping so if you win more than one gemstone, you only pay a single shipping fee. I can supply any gemstone that you need from untreated ruby from Mozambique and sapphire from Ceylon to Zambian emerald treated only with colorless oil. If you have a penchant for the truly exotic and rare, whether you want Burmese or Tajik clinohumite or Brazilian alexandrite, or any other collectible gemstone just get in touch with me. I would be happy to answer your questions via e-mail if you send a private message on this forum, or just go to tiptopgem.com or paragonuniversaltrade.com which forwards to my business Facebook page.  Unlike 99.999% of the gemstone retailers on eBay, I am actually a gemologist. I am qualified to answer your questions and I would be more than happy to do so- just get in touch. Whether you have a question about jewelry applications for a certain stone, or about gemstone treatments, or about the current market conditions in the world's largest gemstone trading center here in Thailand, I am happy to hear from you and share what I know! I am easy to get in touch with. If you are in the USA, you can just call my toll-free number- 800 607-1425. It's been the same for over a decade, and it rings on my desk in Bangkok. If I am out of the office please leave a voicemail so I can call you back! Also you can type "tiptopgem.com" into your browser and that re-directs to business Facebook page where you can leave me a message. Paragonuniversaltrade.com also defaults to Facebook. If you see a post from "David Fortier" on that page, please add me as a friend! You can also send me a personal message on this forum if you have a question. I am passionate about gemstones because I am a collector myself, so I never mind talking about stones! |
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:41:55 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:43:41 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:45:47 GMT -5
Please follow me on Twitter! @tiptopgem
I often tweet stones that I have recently sourced, or new auctions that I have posted on eBay. If you don't add me you might miss out on a great stone at a low price!
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 12:49:40 GMT -5
Please get in touch with me if you are looking for any gemstone. Whether it is ruby, sapphire, emerald, diamond, or one of the less popular stones like tourmaline, spinel, tsavorite garnet, or a rarity like alexandrite- I can supply it. My wife and I especially enjoy sourcing fine gemstones for engagement rings and for anniversary jewelry!
I would be more than happy to talk with you about getting the most value for your money. As a Graduate Gemologist, I can also advise you on treatment methods and how to protect yourself in what is basically an unregulated market. You want to be sure that you not only get a good value, but that you are getting a gemstone that is being represented accurately. There is nothing wrong with ruby that is filled with glass, or sapphire that is heated to high temperature in the presence of beryllium to enhance the color. But if you pay "untreated" price for such stones you are not being treated fairly.
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 13:04:48 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 13:09:48 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 28, 2016 13:11:31 GMT -5
No matter which laboratory you prefer, I can get a report for any stone that you buy from me. Most often clients choose GRS/Swisslab, GIT, Tokyo Gem Lab, or Lotus. I think it is important for anyone who buys a gemstone to have accurate documentation so they know what they are buying. It's just good business sense.  |
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 29, 2016 3:35:35 GMT -5
My wife and I are constantly listing new gemstones on eBay so please take a look at our listings, and if you have any questions please ask! eBay auctionsThe easiest way to get in touch with me is to type "tiptopgem.com" into your browser; that takes you to Paragon Universal Trade's Facebook page where you can use the Facebook messaging system. If you would rather, just dial toll-free 800-607-1425. I have had that same toll-free number for more than a decade and it rings on my desk in Bangkok. If we are out of the office just leave a voicemail and I will return your call. You can also send a message on this forum and I will give you my personal e-mail address. I don't like to put my email out in public view because of all of the spam these days. Don't hesitate to ask me a question- I'm happy to help! |
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 29, 2016 13:37:05 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Jul 30, 2016 13:58:09 GMT -5
If you would like to see my latest newsletter you can go here: t.co/aZWAwhnhqKIf you would like to be included in future mailings (I use Mailchimp so it's SUPER EASY to un-subscribe), just send me a message on this forum with your e-mail address and I will add you to the list. I don't send them out crazy-often; sometimes months go by with nothing, and sometimes when I am doing a ton of eBay auctions I might send one out weekly or every-other week. |
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Aug 1, 2016 3:17:08 GMT -5
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Post by tiptopgemdotcom on Aug 4, 2016 10:51:15 GMT -5
Today was a very exciting day! I was out on the gemstone bourse in the Jewelry Trade Center in Silom and found a really exciting treasure. This stone is a bi-color dravite tourmaline from Taita Taveta mining area in Coast Province, Kenya. Please take a look at this rarity! 1.64 carat trillian dravite bi-color tourmaline, Taita Tavita Kenya |
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