AlternativesLapidary
Announcement
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. All stones (except for diamonds or accent stones) are cut in-house.
I offer custom gemstone cutting in lab created sapphire, ruby, spinel, emerald and moissanite. Some other lab grown materials may be available on request. I offer custom jewelry services as well. Send me a message to discuss your project!
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
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. All stones (except for diamonds or accent stones) are cut in-house.
I offer custom gemstone cutting in lab created sapphire, ruby, spinel, emerald and moissanite. Some other lab grown materials may be available on request. I offer custom jewelry services as well. Send me a message to discuss your project!
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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Leela on Apr 14, 2022
5 out of 5 starsGorgeous gem and the cut is amazing. In love with the gem, great shine and it looks otherworldly! Phil used it in my engagement ring and it’s perfect for me.
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Todd on Mar 17, 2022
5 out of 5 starsPhil's artistry and personalized approach to creating a unique custom gemstone is fantastic. Open and frequent communication is 10 out of 10
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Rochelle on Feb 2, 2022
5 out of 5 starsWe love this beautifully cut sapphire from Phil! He was very easy to work with and knowledgeable about what is realistic and not for a particular gem. You won't regret getting a custom stone from him instead of cookie cutter, mass produced. Pictures don't do it justice. We will definitely be ordering from him again in the future!!
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BA on Jan 6, 2022
5 out of 5 starsPerfectly designed and made to our specifications. Phil is great to work with on custom jewelry.
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BA on Jan 6, 2022
5 out of 5 starsBlown away by Phil’s design and execution. We have purchased multiple pieces and our expectations are always exceeded. Quality craftsmanship you see and feel in the finished product. Thanks again Phil!
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Hedge on Dec 14, 2021
5 out of 5 starsIt was great to work with Phil on this ring! The design was exactly what I was looking for and it seems sturdy so far. I'm very happy with both the stone and the setting. As a bonus, it also came in a cute ring box!
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David on Dec 10, 2021
5 out of 5 starsI've worked with Phil multiple times, and not only is he a joy to work with, he is extremely talented and passionate. Pictures do not do it justice.
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Marco on Nov 22, 2021
5 out of 5 starsOur experience with Phil was fantastic! We love the gem and the ring is beautiful! The sapphire he found and cut for us is gorgeous and reacts to all sorts of lighting. The color changes between sunlight and indoor lights and the cut shines brilliantly. We can't stop staring at it. From our first meeting with him, it was easy to communicate and refine the ideas of how we wanted the stone and the ring to look like. Phil was easy to work with a made sure that we were absolutely happy with the final product. He is a master of his craft and we cannot recommend him enough. Thanks!
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 mass production workshops or factories. 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 all started with my rock collection as a kid. At around 10 or 11 years old, my parents started taking me to the gem and mineral shows that came to town a few times per year. I gazed upon tables of glittering polished stones and my young brain realized there was a process by which I could go from the rocks I'd been collecting to a bright polished stone and I said, "I want to learn how to do that!"
And so I did.
I learned how to cub cabochons at around 12 years old, and took my first faceting class at 16. At 20 I bought my own faceting machine and have been cutting ever since. In my late twenties I started messing around with silversmithing, because I wanted to learn how to set my own stones. I managed to get a job at a local jewelry store and worked there for six years while I learned the trade. I worked there for 6 years before transitioning to being a fully independent custom jeweler.
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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Lab Grown Diamond Supplier
NY, United States
Supplier of lab grown diamonds.
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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.
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Casting House
OR, United States
Specialty platinum casting house.
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Casting House
Waltham, MA
Does 3d printing of digital design models and lost wax casting in precious metals.
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.