I hope someone can help me with a small problem: a customer came into the
shop today and wanted to replace 3 out of 15 bead set [3 rows] MINE cut
diamonds 2.4mm dia. My regular supplier told me that it was almost
impossible to find these type diamonds anymore.
My question for the group: is it best to recommend to the customer that
we replace the chipped diamonds with single cuts, or should I recommend
they shop around for estate jewelry to match? Any advice greatly
appreciated!
Greg Feddema
bench jeweler in Colorado
email: @belasius
Give me the exact details of the diamonds you want. If possible give me a
top view sketch and the exact dimensions of the diamonds you want in old
mine cut diamonds that you want and I can set up an enquiry for you in the
Bombay market . You do get mine cut diamonds here in Bombay, India. Since
Bombay, is a manufacturing centre you can even get them cut to your
specifications if you are willing to pay.
THE dealer in Old Mine and Old European cuts is David Atlas, address:
D. Atlas & Co., Inc.
732 Sandom Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
He is the guy who provides all the info about these cuts to The Guide.
Maybe you can buy what you need. Otherwise, maybe you can sell her on
buying all new. Some people think the antique look of the old stones goes
with the old jewelry, but with stones that small it is hard to see, and
the new ones will be more brilliant. Then take the old and make a new
piece for them! Two sales!!
My question for the group: is it best to recommend to the customer that
we replace the chipped diamonds with single cuts, or should I recommend
they shop around for estate jewelry to match? Any advice greatly
appreciated!
Greg, If you try hard enough you can find mine cut stones for
replacements. Some antique and estate dealers keep some around also. It
just takes some time to locate the right size and they should cost a
little more to compensate you for that. I believe that if at all possible,
old jewelry should not be contaminated with modern findings and stones.
Greg I am also a bench jeweler and if I had that customer I would go to
the local pawn shops and ask to purchase possible matches from them. My
experience as a pawn shop jeweler has been to pull old miners and scrap
the mountings. Pawn brokers usually hoard diamonds and scrap gold for a
"rainy day" in case money looses it’s value or something like that. You
should be able to buy at about $3 to $5 per point and make some kind of
profit on them. I hope my suggestion is helpful.