[Jewelry making - Article 00077] - Re: [Orchid] Speed vs. Quality

[craigbe]

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    I can't answer as a jeweler per se but I can answer as a
    faceter/stone cutter.. I far to often see/hear people complaining
    about having to devalue their stones (and time) because they are in
    competition with the foreign markets. They feel that the overseas
    stones have damaged teh ability to sell their items for the true
    value. 

    My response is always the same, that it's stupid to be in
    competition with cheap overseas jewelry. It's not top of the line,
    it's got no resale value, it'll never be a collectors item, and
    anyone who wants one can have one so their is no uniqueness to it.
    If all someone cares about is price they are going to by the cheap
    stuff no matter how much work you put into a gem. These people need
    to be educated that they have a jewelry box full of junk that they
    could only sell at a yard sale. Some might not care, some might be
    surpised. 

    Retailers who push this stuff as if it's top of the line, great
    jewelery are the ones to blame for the problems in our field. 

    I've never seen a stone from overseas look as good as something cut
    by a member of the US Faceters Guild, or even a fringe member who
    might not be a full member. Those people cut stones for competition
    that have such strict standards it's impossible to compare them to
    anything (some of you might be familiar with this). 

    Anyway, that's my.02.. I refuse to try to compete.. if someone says
    my stones are too expensive or over priced I always say go find one
    like it.. you can't.. either it's a custom cut, or a standard cut
    that is well executed so it's brilliance is higher than a chop-shop. 

Craig
www.creativecutgems.com
The online emporium for excellence in gems!
(well soon to be anyway)

 
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