I want to start a small collection of colored gemstones so I can start studying them on my own before I apply for GIA (would start in around a year from now if all goes well). I’m currently in New York and I of course am aware of the diamond district but I’m wondering if thats the place to start? I’m looking for any unfaceted stones with enough variety in hardness, color, cut etc. To compare and contrast. Any suggestions on where to buy them from, and which stones to start with? Also where can I find a loupe?
Hi and welcome to the wonderful world of gemstones.
I can recomend you to have a look at www.gemrockauctions.com. They have both rough and cut stones and you may get them for a good price. When it comes to loupes, i recomend Ebay or Amazon. They have cheap loupes that not costs a fortune. Good for beginners.
Regards.
Pierre
Thanks for the tips and the link I’ll check it out!