where can i find nice gemstones?

Question

im a collecter iv got amethyst, turquoise ,quartz lots but i just really need to find some more gemstomes to complete my collection and i live in hampshire so please dont tell me theirs some good stones in america, austraila ect.

Answer 1

There are only few gem dealers on the Internet who specialize in the loose gemstones.

1. Multicolour gems http://www.multicolour.com/
( they have huge selection of rare and valuable gemstones)

2. Icgems http://www.icgems.com/
( they have huge selection of rare and unusual gemstones)

Both traders based in Bangkok, run by westerners, speak english and actually answer emails. Delivery from Bangkok to Hampshire will be probably faster and cheaper than from London. Sad, but true.

Notes:

- Avoid Ebay. Mostly crooks, and re-sellers of junk.
- Avoid GemTV. It's original Thaigem.com and they sell reall junk mounted in horrible quality jewellery.

Answer 2

I know how frustrating it is for a gem collector to live in an area that consists mainly of sedimentary beds from the Tertiary period - ever thought of collecting fossils as there are some some good collecting areas near you. You can take some time beach combing along the East coast as you can often find amber washed up, in particular after a good winter storm. I know it may sound boring but flint and chert when cut into slabs and polished can be very attractive in particular the pebbles that consist of fossil sponges.
There is a good book (I do not know if it is still in print but your library may be able to help) called "Gemstones of the British Isles" by Val Axel Firsoff. Published by Oliver and Boyd ISBN 0 05 002472 8.
You have got a fascinating hobby so don't get disheartened. It was my hobby as a child and later became my profession which I have followed for the last 45 years. It has taken me around the world several times and you have no idea how much fun it is to have a hobby that people pay you to do. Good luck and keep collecting.

Answer 3

There are many many shops popping up all over the place that sell gemstones.

A few shops that shouldn't be too far from you (all reachable by train if you don't have a car) are:

Stepping Stones in Farnham
Apache Tears in Guildford
Hocus Pocus in Brighton
Crystals in Brighton
Watkins Esoteric Bookshop in London

There are probably a few in Southampton and Portsmouth, though I've not been there to look yet. Sometimes town markets will have people selling crystals.

If you're wanting to go a little further afield Glastonbury has loads of shops selling them. Cornwall has a lot of mines that a variety of different crystals have come out of and Derbyshire has the famous Blue John (flourite) mine.

Online there are a lot of different shops, but be careful, look around as some charge ridiculous prices. I've found eBay quite good for collecting some of the more unusual stones, and the prices are usually very reasonable there. Though nothing beats going into a shop and picking your own crystals!

Answer 4

Where in Hampshire are you? If you're from the west then there's a good place near Poole quay called Broadstone minerals. You can see their website www.broadstoneminerals.com/frame.htm (go to 'About us' to find the address.
The owner is a very knowledgable man who's very enthusiastic about minerals and gems! I have a few pieces from him myself.
There are some gem shows around the UK that he'll have on the website also. These give you a huge choice and because the stall holders sit next to each other they can't really charge more than anyone else otherwise they'd never sell anything!!

Answer 5

There are many people who collect gemstones, rock specimens, and fossils. You might want to look up sites like the one below. They have stones still in the parent rock, uncut stones, and cut stones, depending on what you're looking for. eBay is an online option. Good luck.

Answer 6

Couple of Suggestions for you:

1) If you have DirecTV...Channel 228 is GSN ( Gem Shopping Network ). The have a wide variety of collector gemstones ( loose and mounted ). Prices are very good as they cut their own rough. Stones include: Scapolite, Mandarin Garnet, Tanzanite, Tourmalines ( all varieties ), Tsavorite, Demantoids, Heliodors, Aquamarines, etc...You name it, they have it.

2) EBAY: They have just about everything, however, just be careful there. Know your stones before you purchase.

3) I am a stone buyer/broker. If you send me a list of what you are looking for, I can give you relative price and turn around.

Hope this helps...

Answer 7

You might want to read up on what makes a good gemstone first. If you are uneducated in the subject, it will be easier to be taken advantage of. I would reccomend taking a trip to Barnes and Noble and getting a few books on gems and reading up.

If you want good sites to look for gems - after you know what makes a good one - you can get them on Ebay. There are a huge range of quality on there - but make sure to ask questions and ask for lots of pics.

Answer 8

Hi,

I buy my gems at http://www.icgems.com/. The selection, quality and price is very decent. I collect gem cabochons. I use registered mail for delivery (I live in Riga, Latvia), it takes around 10 days. Never have a problem.

As for eBay - please don't buy there. Really bad place for the gemstones. I had a horrible expirience and not just me.

Hope it could help you.

Answer 9

if you mean rough gemsones and crystals there is a nice shop called avalon gemstones in romsey that do a wide variety,

they have a website where you can buy online if you cant get up there but if you go to the shop you can get a better look and ask any questions you have

http://www.avaloncrystals.co.uk

Answer 10

There are a lot of fairs around europe, specially in Belgium, France and Italy. You can do your search through Google.

Avoid to buy through stores, once their prices are higher than you can find within these fairs.

Its amazing and is cheaper go to these fairs.