2. Use yellow gold instead of white. White gold is almost always plated or “flashed” with rhodium, so using yellow gold will eliminate this step.  Less labor, less materials= less cost!

3. Use a picture as a guide to make the wax model instead of CAD. It is exciting and gratifying to see your jewelry come to life in the form of a 3D rendering. It is also convenient and offers insurance that the finished product will be just what you want. But it’s not free!

4. Use fewer stones. Are you considering different designs that vary in the number of gemstones? One stone costs less because it reduces the labor involved.

5.  Use palladium instead of gold. Exotic metals are in, and most people don’t know the difference in price between platinum and gold and palladium. Your blue sapphire will look stunning in palladium and it will save you money while giving your finished jewelry an exotic and exclusive appeal.

6.  Recycle old stones into a new design. Most people have unused jewelry that has lost appeal over time. Don’t let those 2mm diamonds go to waste! They will accent a new ruby or tanzanite ring or pendant really well to create a stunning look. You can’t beat free; the flash for the cash is superb!

7.  Scrap that gold! Yes, we do take gold as payment for jewelry or stones- and we pay A LOT more than most jewelers or pawnshops. At current prices you shouldn’t ignore this source of jewelry-making capital lying in a drawer.

If you have a question you can always send me a note at dave@tiptopgem.com.  We would love to hear from you!

The Gem Vault is under construction for the first few days in June.  We appreciate that you came by and we hope to have new content for you soon. Please check back!!!

I am flying out to Bangkok the week of March 21st, 2011 so please get in touch with me if you would like me to find the perfect emerald, sapphire, tanzanite, ruby, watermelon tourmaline, tsavorite or demantoid garnet, or any other specialty/collectible gemstone.

I intend to explore the stones on offer in both the Silom district in Bankgok as well as in the Chanthaburi gemstone market several hours to the southeast of Bangkok- where Melanie and I used to live.  Surely whatever your heart’s desire I can find it!

This is us by the way- Melanie and I run the business together and we hand-select every stone that we buy.  When I started Tip Top Gem in 2005 that was how I did it and I have found that clients appreciate our attention to detail.

I hold a Graduate Gemologist diploma from the Gemological Institute of America, and Melanie and I are industry members of the Jeweler’s Ethics Association.  The JEA is a superb organization that is working hard for us all to bring about changes in how gemstone treatments are disclosed.

You can reach me at 800-607-1425 or send me an e-mail at dave@tiptopgem.com. Independent laboratory certificates are available for all gemstones, and I will do my best to find the stone you want.   We can also turn your treasure into a magnificent piece of heirloom-quality jewelry.  Don’t hesitate to add me as a friend on Facebook- “David Fortier”.

I hope to hear from you soon-

PS- if you are interested in learning more about Tip Top Gem and seeing first-hand the benefits of having a GIA Graduate Gemologist shopping for you at the markets in Thailand, watch some of these videos below!

Videos on Multiply.com

http://tiptopgemdotcom.auctivacommerce.com

If you are an Inner Circle member please do not hesitate to contact me at dave@tiptopgem.com or at 800-607-1425 so I can give you log-in credentials that reflect your discount.

We are just getting started and this represents only a very tiny portion of our current inventory.  If you have questions about other gemstones or custom jewelry please do not hesitate to ask.  Also note that I am adding new inventory nearly every day so if you don’t see what you want and are too shy to e-mail or call me just stop back!!!

I know what you’re thinking.  “Dave, that’s not your store.  That’s the Apple store in the meatpacking district of New York and you just pasted the words ‘tip top gem’ on the signs out front.”   Well, OK- be that way.  But our REAL store is coming soon and maybe it’s not as fancy as this one but it’s still DARN nice.  And those of you who have been asking us to “show us the gems” will finally get your wish granted.  So stick around…

****special note to Inner Circle members- e-mail me today at dave@tiptopgem.com and tell me what you want your username and password to be for the site and I will set you up to browse the site NOW!

We are thrilled with our growth, and also with our opportunity to help people who are hard-working to achieve their goals.  Independent business is a challenging way to make a living, and we salute these people and our clients who make our support possible!

We are thrilled that our entrepreneurs have been so diligent in repaying their loans and this just strengthens our resolve to continue supporting entrepreneurs in countries that produce the gemstones that we sell.

Rarity is our Passion!

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If you are a colored stone enthusiast or a member of the trade and you are interested in what happens in gemstones and jewelry in Thailand, please add your e-mail to our list.  On average once per month I send a newsletter that is generally entertaining and informative to people involved with gemstone in one fashion or another.  I never spam, and over the last year I have averaged less than one e-mail per month.  I might do more than that this coming year but your inbox will NOT be inundated with junk from Tip Top Gem.

Yeah, we do that.

And you have a world of options open to you. In Chanthaburi at the world’s largest gemstone market I can find the ideal center stone for your taste from sphene to ruby and sapphire to tsavorite garnet, tanzanite, or aquamarine- or any other stone no matter how exotic or rare. At Tip Top Gem, we speak “gem”!

We understand the needs of clients who want luxurious and exclusive gemstones in vivid colors that form the focal points of a fabulous custom ring, pendant, or earrings that will be enjoyed for generations. We also understand the needs of discerning clients who require independent third-party grading reports for colored stones.  As a member of the Jeweler’s Ethics Association, we are 100% committed to disclosing colored stone treatments.

High quality accent diamonds are readily available and very competitively priced, although some of our clients choose white sapphire instead or accent their masterpiece with more exotic stones like round demantoid garnet or yellow, orange,  green or blue sapphire.   Our connections in Thailand ensure highly competitive pricing for top-quality custom jewelry built-to-order. If you want the ultimate control of the process our CAD artists can bring your dream to life.

Our most popular metal choices are 18K white or yellow gold or platinum. If you want heirloom quality that is close to mass-production prices, nobody does it better. Can you believe after all these years Melanie and I are still choosing every single stone by hand?  Clients who have recently designed custom jewelry with us know it to be true.

Call or e-mail now and let’s talk about your dream: 800-607-1425, or dave@tiptopgem.com.