[Jewelry making - Article 01219] - Re: [Orchid] Gem Names

[Galarneau's]

========[ Invite a Friend - http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm  ]========


    Don & All, I can not see the difference between Rosetta Stone and
    crazy lace ether. There are many varieties of crazy lace like
    Cathedral Lace, Paisley Lace, Eye Agate, etc.  I have heard this
    carried to many extremes.  One example of extremes is the naming and
    trade marking of "Velvet Obsidian".  At a couple of gem shows the
    people that trade marked the named were telling everyone that no one
    else had the right to market the material without their permission. 
    A real serious argument erupted.  The reason for the argument? The
    person with the trade mark was charging $35.00 US per pound for the
    material.  Another dealer selling the stone as a variety of obsidian
    was charging $7.50 US per pound.  Real differences erupted when the
    person with the trade mark claimed the material they were selling
    came from a unique location in the USA and the other dealer claimed
    they were lying and all the material came out of Mexico. I did a
    little checking with a couple of my suppliers in Mexico and the
    people with the trade mark bought their material from one of my
    Mexican suppliers.  In the opinion of my suppliers the people with
    the trade mark were lying.  My suppliers also said that the find of
    obsidian was not new.  They had been mining it for years and put it
    to one side because they did not think  they could sell it.  My
    supplier asked me if I could use a truck load of it.  He could easily
    deliver. 

    Another case is "Royal Lavulite".  Remember when it was said to be a
    very rare gemstone from Africa  and only one suitcase full existed in
    the whole world.  That suitcase must have been awfully big as
    sugilite is now available by  the 55 gallon drum if you can afford
    it. 

    Trade marks, trade names, "branding" all exist to mislead and create
    value where none exists.  I do not play these games.  When someone
    talks to me about names I try to explain to them the basics of the
    mineralogy and how the stone they are contemplating will hold up in
    normal use.  I do not sell investment gemstones, precious gemstones,
    semi precious gemstones, rare stones, collector stones, etc.  In my
    business I have got it down to as basic as I can.  My slogan "We Cut
    Rocks (WCR)". Every thing from agates and jaspers to the beryl and
    chrysoberyls (even an occasional diamond).  All are rocks to me. 

    Gerry Galarneau 



____________________________________________________________________
T h e   O r c h i d   L i s t
Open Electronic Forum for Jewelry Manufacturing Methods and Procedures
____________________________________________________________________
Orchid FAQ:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/faq.htm
Orchid Archives:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive
Orchid Galleries:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm
Invite a Friend:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm
____________________________________________________________________
Tips From The Jeweler's Bench - Article Archive
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm
The Jeweler's Selected Bibliography List
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/jewelry-books
Buy Orchid Jewelry:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/shop
____________________________________________________________________
-Unsubscribe:
-Email: orchid-request AT ganoksin.com Body=unsubscribe subject=blank
____________________________________________________________________