I don't, but my friend does. I shop online and I have gotten some real bargains.
I took a ring to a jewelry store and he was amazed when I told him what I paid for it. He had appraised it at twice as much as I paid.

Here is a link that might be useful: jtv

I'm obsessed with gemstones, but they have gotten so expensive, it's a much better deal to buy the already made jewelry now. And I don't even *wear* jewelry!

I took some mandarin garnets to a jeweler who was hot to put them in gold with diamonds - until I told him where I got them, and then he pooh poohed them from here to eternity. shill.

Hmmmmm.

I am learning to make it.

Yes I buy some on line, but not on TV.

Yes, there are good buys on line.

Beware the cost of gemstones. Diamonds are especially questionable, as to value, due to an artificially controlled market.

Semi-precious stones are fairly expensive, but affordable.

Today, the best values in jewelry are in Sterling Silver, due to the high price of gold, at present. (Sterling is also up, significantly, but not unaffordable.) For a gold look, select Vermeil, which is gold plated sterling.

Back in 'the olden days', my friend's DH had a friend who was in Tokyo on business. He had promised to bring her something nice.

He purchased a nice string of jade beads in a little shop at the Tokyo Hilton and presented them to her.

Fast forward about 20 years, she was getting an adendum on her homeowners insurance for her jewelry. A few items, including the jade beads were appraised to be 'special' and she had to send them to New Orleans to be appraised by someone more qualified in the field.

Bottom line was...............the jade beads were of such a quality, EXTREMELY RARE, EXTREMELY VALUABLE!

Her DH's friend had paid $21.00 for them. They have their own insurance policy. LOl

Janie

P.S. and no, she did not offer to cut the friend in on the beads. Her DH was bad, and ran off with the friend. Paybacks can be tough.

Rick, I'd love to learn to cast jewelry. I dream of finding a huge gold nugget so I wouldn't have to buy it to melt down. :)

What is your favorite colored stone?