We travel extensively around the world and have relationships with the miners and brokers of the mining towns we visit. Buying from these sources is a good start to knowing how authentic the stone is. However it is not fool proof, as fake/treated stones make it to the mines all the time. We have the tools and connections for up to date knowledge to avoid being fooled. If there is ever any question as to a stones origin, authenticity, or treatment we will opt to get it certified or we will educate you on any possible uncertainties so you can decide if you want to invest in it accordingly.

It's our mission to provide the most competitive prices as well as some of the highest quality stones available anywhere to you. Our main business is wholesaling to others in the gem industry who believe it or not often don't need the added value of a cert for various reasons. We work on much smaller margins, and rely on repeat business to keep a steady flow of gems selling.

It really depends on what's best for you. Many are content without one. Gem dealers and jewelers enjoy the immediate value addition it adds. Others find peace of mind having third party verification and validation of knowing everything is exactly as agreed upon.

I like to shoot in my back yard if it's a nice overcast day out or with daylight LED's. Before every single photo shoot I set the white balance to get the truest color possible for the exact lighting, My photos are saved as Adobe RBG files which encompasses a larger range of color than a typical photo. I shoot on a 18% grey card that the camera's light meter is calibrated to so I don't over or underexpose. Every gem behaves differently in different light. Some wildly so. I will always make a note if it's the latter. Unfortunately it just takes too long to calibrate the camera for different lighting of every gem. If I'm in the shop I can usually send a quick video of it performing in unique lighting situations if you like.