AlternativesLapidary
Top shop for gifts.
Buyers bought gifts from this shop and gave them 5-star reviews!
Announcement
We are officially taking custom orders again on lab created sapphire and lab created spinel. Just shoot me a message to discuss your project!
Superlative quality loose faceted gemstones and cabochons, hand crafted by Philip Lagas-Rivera. Alternatives Lapidary provides a variety of natural and lab created stones for engagement rings, fashion and statement jewelry, daily wear and special occasion pieces.
Please be sure to read over my shop policies before completing your purchases, and let me know if you have any questions about my stones, jewelry or policies. I'll be happy to answer them!
Announcement
We are officially taking custom orders again on lab created sapphire and lab created spinel. Just shoot me a message to discuss your project!
Superlative quality loose faceted gemstones and cabochons, hand crafted by Philip Lagas-Rivera. Alternatives Lapidary provides a variety of natural and lab created stones for engagement rings, fashion and statement jewelry, daily wear and special occasion pieces.
Please be sure to read over my shop policies before completing your purchases, and let me know if you have any questions about my stones, jewelry or policies. I'll be happy to answer them!
Items
Featured items
All Items
Reviews
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nkyaya on Apr 16, 2021
5 out of 5 starsLOVED this sapphire! Beautiful cut and quality, came super quickly and Phil was so helpful in explaining coloring and how the gems are cut. Will definitely buy from him again!!
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Joe on Mar 27, 2021
5 out of 5 starsBeautiful stone! I took it to a local jeweler, and he was impressed by the quality. Phil was very responsive and easy to work with.
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Timothy on Jan 31, 2021
5 out of 5 starsPhil was wonderful to work with on this custom engagement ring! He never hesitated to answer all of my questions. His creativity brought my general idea of a ring to life and my now fiancé absolutely loves it! Highly recommended and will be coming back in the near future for more of Phil's work!
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Andy on Jan 26, 2021
5 out of 5 starsGreat custom work. I was given detailed communication and education about how and what this custom cut would be.
I highly recommend and would do business again! -
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jdbj5890 on Dec 14, 2020
5 out of 5 starsI heard about Phil's work through social media - mainly that he cut exceptional stones... and that was nothing if not an understatement. Phil did an absolutely phenomenal job and I couldn't be happier with the result. His work is frankly under-priced for the quality and craftsmanship and he should be considered a true artisan which seems rare nowadays. I will absolutely be back for more of his work. Thank you so much Phil!
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VintageBundy on Dec 11, 2020
5 out of 5 starsAbsolutely stunning gem and Phil is a wonderful lapidary to deal with. My now-fiancée loves it and so do I, and we have gotten so many comments about how beautifully cut it is.
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matthewpait on Nov 19, 2020
5 out of 5 starsAbsolutely stunning stone and ring. Phil's work is exceptional, and he was absolutely, hands-down, the easiest person to work with. I really cannot recommend his work enough.
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Quinton on Nov 2, 2020
5 out of 5 starsI honestly can't rate Phil's work high enough. As a shop owner Phil is extremely professional and knows exactly what's he's doing. He was willing to share his knowledge in a way that allowed me to understand why certain cuts and colors are done one way or another. Not only did I gain a gorgeous stone that my fiancé loves by choosing Phil's shop but I also now have a greater understanding of gems as a whole.
I will be purchasing from Phil again, no doubt. -
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Anthony on Oct 28, 2020
5 out of 5 starsI found Phil after doing a bunch of research online for a custom sapphire. Everyone pointed to him as the go to guy and he did not disappoint, his work is AMAZING!! He was easy to work with and took time to answer all of my questions. If you are looking to get some custom work done ABSOLUTELY go with Phil.
About AlternativesLapidary
Choosing the Extraordinary
From the time I was a child, I've loved two things above all -- gemstones, and things made by hand.
We live in a time of inexpensive mass production. Taking the time to lovingly craft something by hand has become the exception rather than the rule. This is true of the jewelry industry as well!
99% of commercially available gemstones are cut overseas, in the lapidary equivalent of sweatshops. The stones are often uneven, deeply windowed, and have a lackluster polish.
With my work, I try to offer people a chance to choose the Alternative to commercial mass production, to choose a stone that was hand selected and hand cut to be the most beautiful stone possible from the rough rock.
It's not that the overseas cutters are unskilled! Quite the contrary! But these cutters are being paid pennies to produce as many stones as possible as quickly as possible. I am VERY lucky to have been born and raised in the West; I have the luxury of being able to take my time with a stone. I often try to emulate certain styles of cutting I see in commercial stones, styles that would be truly beautiful if the cutter had only had a bit more time.
I first learned to cut cabochons from my dad, who had taken some lapidary classes before I was born. I learned to facet as a teenager. At 20, I purchased my own faceting machine, and I've had stones on the brain ever since.
Shop members
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Phil Lagas-Rivera
Owner, Maker, Designer
Born and raised in West Raleigh, North Carolina, the son of two artsy people, a love of handmade things, underdogs, and doing things the hard way was instilled in him. He was pretty much doomed from the start.
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Hana B
Guest Poster
Lived all over the place, currently lives in the hottest city in the US. Loves to make things by hand. She is new to both lapidary arts and silversmithing, and is making up for it by being obsessive in both collecting and learning.
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Djinn aka Doodles
Shop Dog
Almost indistinguishable from a large ball of lint most days, DJ is a nine year old rescue toy poodle. He's more than a little neurotic, but precious. His favorite things are walks, scritches and puppy play time.
Production partners
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Best in Gems
Dublin, OH
Manufacturer of semi-mounts.
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Brilliant Earth
LA, CA
Diamond Retailer
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Custom Jeweler
Lebanon, PA
This ring was a collaboration between me and a fellow jeweler friend of mine. He loved this stone and designed this stunning unique platinum ring with it.
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Jewelry Appraiser
Raleigh, NC
Certified Jewelry Appraiser
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Casting House
Raleigh, NC
Full service casting, engraving and finishing house.
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Stuller
Lafayette, LA
High quality manufacturer and supplier.
Shop policies
Why buy from us, when commercially cut stones are so much cheaper?
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There are several reasons. Here you will find only top quality, custom, hand-cut gemstones. You may be used to seeing commercially cut gemstones that are lopsided, poorly polished, and mostly lifeless. Commercially cut stones are a function of mass-production; they are cut for speed and weight, without attention to quality craftsmanship. Our concern isn't churning out product as quickly as possible, but to bring out the best the raw material has to offer. Another reason to buy from Alternatives Lapidary is to help support local, American creators. Too many jobs in all sectors are being shipped overseas. It's important we don't lose all of the skills we're now outsourcing, and buying from an American craftsman helps keep money and jobs here.
Are your stones natural? What about treatments?
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We offer a mixture of natural and lab created stones. All stones that are lab created will be CLEARLY marked as such in both the titles and descriptions. Often when we buy rough, treatments are not disclosed to us, but whenever a stone we offer is known to be treated, that treatment will be clearly and visibly disclosed in the item listing. However, it is important to realize that in this day and age, nearly 100% of gemstones are heat treated before they ever reach the cutter's table. Heat treatment to enhance color is a common practice, in almost all cases stable for the life of the stone, and does not mean that a stone is less valuable.
Accepted payment methods
Returns and exchanges
No returns will be accepted on custom orders.
No returns will be accepted on stones marked as on sale.
No returns will be accepted on stones once they have been set in a piece of jewelry.
All jewelry pieces are sold "as-is," with no warranties, other than a guarantee your piece will arrive in new condition, with all stones securely set. It is important to evaluate your jewelry purchase expediently. As stated above, no returns will be accepted after a period of 14 days, and no exchanges will be considered after 30 days.
Absolutely no returns or exchanges will be considered on a piece of jewelry that has been sized, altered, customized, or repaired in ANY way.
Payment
I accept PayPal and direct payment through etsy.
Shipping
All orders under $100 will ship without tracking or insurance. All orders over $100 will be shipped by USPS Priority Mail with tracking and insurance to the value of the order. If you would like to upgrade or modify your shipping, please get in touch before placing your order so we can make arrangements.
We are not responsible for any items lost or damaged in the mail, and will not offer refunds in the case of either situation.