I have a hobby of collecting gems and crystals which is uncut and in original rock form. Where would I go to sell them or would it be more profitable to learn to cut them myself to ensure value prior to sell?
You know it’s take skilled hand to make precious cuts on the rough diagrams and and things like that where you can get the most light to refract at your gym so unless you’re willing to take the time to learn the proper way to cut then taking the gyms to a jeweler I would suggest.
If you don’t mind me asking what type of rough gems do you have ?
I, too, would love to know the answer to this! I have an uncut raw ruby that I had appraised & would love to sell. Thanks in advance for any information!
The other thing you need to take into account is the cost of all the necessary equipment, tools and supplies needed to do lapidary work. None of which come cheap.
Brandy
2 Likes
I know there are a lot of serious jewelers here that probably cringe at the thought of amateur gem cutting, but if you have an interest, you might look for a gem and mineral club in your area that runs classes. A good place to start is at gem & mineral shows. Most were cancelled for 2020-2021, but a few are happening in open air. If you are fortunate to have one coming up in your area, GO!
Find a club that has shop facilities and join. You will never meet a nicer bunch of folks than rockhounds. Learn on someone else’s equipment before you sink big bucks into lapidary kit.
Do not start with precious materials, start with jasper or marble or something cheap & easy to work. Try cabochons first, and then maybe some free-form work for artistic expression. It is the calgon bath of hobbies!
After a year or two, you may be able to appreciate the rigors & joys of faceting. Faceting requires precision, and the equipment is specialized. I know several very brilliant hobbyist gem cutters that can command some impressive prices for their pieces. Most of them love to take on students.
Some will even take commissions to cut you something special, if you decide faceting isn’t for you.
So if you have a real interest, go for it!
Im curious too… what kinds of gemstones do you have? If you dont mind me asking… I collect raw stones too! I might be interested : )
1 Like
My husband and I have jade, rose quartz, smoky quartz. To be honest we have quit a bit that we are still working on identifying as well. Is there any particular kind that you are interested in?
as a newer lapidary I can absolutely confirm this, initial costs before making a penny can be 10,000 USD+ not to mention the cost of the rough and all the material wasted as “practice”
You would be surprised how valuable clear quartz is to you once it starts to actually look like something 
1 Like
Hi,
do you still have this available? I will send you a PM.