Do you sell to the Public?

Yes, I certainly do sell direct to the public.

Do you sell to jewellers?

Yes, I do sell to jewellers and members of the jewellery trade. Contact me with any trade enquiries. I will require your business name, tax id/number along with a website or instagram page. I may also ask for references. I can do gems on consignment.

Appointments

STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT ONLY - NO DROP-INS

You are welcome to visit my office BY APPOINTMENT ONLY to discuss your gemstone needs or to view gemstones before purchasing.

Please contact me to arrange a day and time. If you simply drop-in I may be with another client, not in the office or I might be unable able to stop what I'm doing at that moment.

CONSULTATION FEES MAY APPLY at my discretion depending on the nature of the appointment and are payable on the day by cash, credit card or eftpos. Fees may be waived if making a purchase or having work done.

If you find that you cannot keep the appointment, need to reschedule or that you'll be running overly late then please let me know.

Commissions and Custom Orders

Yes, I do take commissions and custom orders. More information here.

Bespoke Gems... Is that you too?

Yes it is. I created the Bespoke Gems website back in 2008 and over the years it has grown quite considerably. Whilst it has a wealth of gems, pictures and information it does lack certain e-commerce functionality which is one of the main reasons for this website. I will continue to update the Bespoke Gems website and if you really want a deep dive into gems and what I’ve done have a look there. Pricing is not shown on the Bespoke Gems website.

Gem Treatments and Enhancements

Where known I will indicate any treatments or enhancements that may have been performed on a gem.

The treatment of gemstones to enhance their appearance and quality is a common occurrence in the gem trade and is as old as the custom of wearing stones itself. It probably first started when someone accidentally dropped a stone into a fire and upon removing it found that it had altered the colour. Using fire was the traditional way to treat many stones but has been superseded today through controlled heating in modern kilns. This method has wide acceptance in the industry and can be quite a specialised practice.

The types of treatments are many and varied, some are looked upon more favorably than others. Some treatments are done ubiquitously to certain gemstones such as with the oiling of emeralds whilst other gemstones have no treatments done at all.

Heating is probably the most common treatment performed. I personally do not have a problem with it. Heating is pretty much what it sounds. I'm not an expert on it but from my understanding the gemstones, such as sapphires, are placed in a kiln and heated to the requisite temperatures to achieve the desired effect. This is usually to remove or dissolve any silky rutile and mineral inclusions back into the matrix of the sapphire. This heating has the effect of improving the brightness, clarity and colour of the sapphire. It doesn't damage the sapphire and the changes are permanent.

Remember that sapphires and other gems are formed way down under the earth's crust where it is pretty hot and in the case of the Australian sapphires were brought to the surface through volcanic action which involves a bit of heat as well I'd expect.

How accurate are the colours in your photographs?

They are as accurate as I can make them given my equipment and ability.

Photographing coloured gemstones and especially Australian sapphires is very challenging particularly when trying to capture the beauty and interplay of colours in parti sapphires. Certain colours like yellows and pinks can also be difficult to accurately render.

All gemstones ideally need to be seen in the hand to fully appreciate just how wonderful and unique they are. If you’re in Sydney then you are most welcome to make an appointment to visit my office and view any of the gems.

In general, I have found that if you like the pictures you will love the gem. Pictures never really do justice to the gem.

I'm interested in a gem, can I talk to you first before I purchase it?

Yes, of course. Send through your order as per normal and include a message with any questions you might have.

Do you have other gems that are not listed?

Yes I do. I have a large inventory of gemstones that I can draw upon. If you are looking for something in particular and cannot find it listed on my website please contact me and let me know your requirements.

Do you provide valuations?

I do not provide valuations for gemstones. If you wish to have your gems valued then you will need to use the services of a registered valuer.

Do your gems come with a certificate?

Yes I can provide my own personal certificate upon request which will have all the details on it.

If you require a gem lab certificate report and the gemstone doesn't already have one then one can be arranged upon request but there may be an additional fee which at the moment is $200 AUD EX GST. When you send through your order please include a message to let me know you require a gem lab certificate report.

I use Gem Studies Laboratory here in Sydney.