CRYSTAL & GEM BUYING GUIDE: THE SECRETS Of EBAY AUCTIONS FOR 2009!
First of all, let me report about the Tucson & Quartszite Gem Shows 2009. Business was brisk at the start of the show in Tucson but then immediately fell off. Sales at Quartzsite, Arizona were very strong this year. Many dealers I spoke to said it was thier best show ever. Not all dealers got to the show due to inclimate weather conditions elsewhere in the USA. Perhaps attending crowds were finally realizing that the lower quality, rough, and volume discounting was what the american public now needs. The strength of sales reflected such in Quartzite.
I estimate the Tucson Gem show attendence was off by more than 50%, matching the downward spiral sentiment of the current economy. Many international dealers were not present. All in all, it is a buyer's show. Matching the gem & mineral industry downturn trend for the past 5 years. Believe it or not, certain newly discovered gem pockets, continued to show an increase in the wholesale price. Rough Opal, Quartz, Tourmaline, Spinel, Zircon, Sapphire, and Garnet crystal, including several other gem materials, rose 10-15% regardless of the declining economy. Word is that the diamond cutting industry in India has completely dissappeared. Inventory is high, and no manufacture is currently being conducted in order to brace for what seems to be several ,very lean, years to come.
Brazilians seemed to have become aware, for the first time, that the decline for premium goods in jewelery manufacture here in the USA was finally going to have an effect on the overall gross at the show. So the brazilians were beginning to feel the brunt of slowing sales. The african rough crystal dealers were less this year. Good fine material was scarse. Newly dug goods were still being processed and maybe we will see the results at the Las Vegas Show in May. Ethiopean opal rough was available, but I felt the quality was diminishing, and the prices high. Fossil copal amber from Madagascar was difficult to find. The hundreds of Kilos available several years back, were gone. Production has slacked due to the world economy. The demand is still high, but the quality material just isn't there.
China dealers, from every quarter of the Industry, rough suppliers, carvers, facetors, finished jewelry, and manufacture, were finding out that the USA customer base has gone missing. I am afraid many Chinese people are not going to be coming back to sell in the United States any time soon. The smaller independents cannot continue to pay the massive costs of the shows to the promoters. As one of my Honk Kong suppliers told me, "I have not bought rough for several years" he said. "I have to come to the shows because I have to make a presence to my customers". They can afford it, having a vast inventory. Many others will not be so lucky next year. I predict half of Chinese independent manufacturing cutters will not be attending Tucson 2010. Someone said," As the Dog shakes, many fleas will loose a home". So much for the smaller independent dealers.
Mexican opal dealers could be seen nursing thier inventory. Too much competition, too many dealers selling. A lot of mexican opal will end up as fishbowl gravel. The premium cut stones are always in demand but negotiation is tough. Why pay a top price when you can shop elsewhere for the same material. All in all it was a buyers marketplace. Many people attendeing the show waited until the last few days to pounce on deals to good to be true. The real question is as wether or not there will continue to be a market for whatever is on hand. The eventual answer is in the hands of the public buying habits and the Law of supply & demand.
My advice to those reading this, is if you have cash in hand, look for the best quality you can afford at any price level. Now that a month has gone by since the shows closing I can report a definate downturn. The optimists are calling for spending as the bargins are definately in the marketplace. The pessimists are buckling down for worse days ahead and liquidating as quickly as possible turning inventory into cash. There have been economic cycles in the past were those with liquid cash on hand can profit from the present circumstances. Gems, gold, silver, precious metal, antiques, coins, art and unique specimens never loose value. A good investment, is a wise investment. There is always a demand for something special. No matter what economic catastrophe is at hand.
If tougher days are ahead is anyones guess. My position in the present is to continue to look for exceptional material. Offer the best quality I can for the lowest price. Many people I know are returning to the craft rich enviroment of the late 1960's & early 1970's, when an alternative to foreign made store bought items, were being replaced with hand-made goods by american artists and craftspeople. I feel that this trend will continue to build as many people who are out of work will be looking to supplement income in order to provide for thier families. People have, once again, begun producing the best work they are capable of manufacturing at home. My advice is to look for unique one-of-a-kind elements in the gem, mineral collection, crystal, jewelry & lapidary marketplaces. Barter in lieu of cash is the new soup du jour.
There is a definate rennaissance of american made goods that are beginning to come out of the present economic gloom. In my opinion, it is about time. My only wish is that this new rennaisance of american production did not have to occur as a last resort for so many people. Maybe our love affair with hi-tech, gaming, and other things, not necessarily creative, will be replaced by learning trades & skills that are economically rewarding. Imagine if all the couch potatoes, traded in the couch, for a paintbrush & easel, or tools for a new trade or life. Timing is everything. It is apparent that poor past habits will be replaced by the reality of the future. All I hope for, is when the going gets really tough, the weird turn Pro.
This guide is designed to help with bidding and purchasing gemstones and crystals on ebay. There are a few unknown secrets that can turn that elusive gemstone search into a purchase of quality with confidence.
The best HIDDEN SECRETS Everyone Should Know When Buying Gemstones Crystals On Ebay
Hidden secret #1) POINT OF REFERENCE:
Well it is not exactly a secret....but how you search DEFINATELY is! Everyone has a favorite gemstone and or crystal. Some look for color, clarity, hue, saturation. Others for shape, inclusions or purity. It all depends on what you want or need. Many are looking to find gemstones and crystals from specific new discoveries around the Globe to add to a collection or make jewelry. Most everyone wants beautiful striking examples or rarity that will rival a specimen or gem found in a Museum or Private Collection. Fact is you can build a world class private collection if you know how to do it online. When purchasing or bidding on gem or crystals on Ebay you have the convenience of seeing a variety larger in scope & volume then most anywhere else on earth. Everyone and anyone is vying for your attention. Whose listing do you look at? By following these secrets I will teach you how to expedite the gem & crystals buying process. Everytime! It does not take long to develop a stellar point of reference by watching auctions in order to determine just how different, rare, or sought-after a gem really is. So my advice is: do your research. Look before you leap. Do not bid/buy the first thing you see.Wait until you study the gem market for a brief period of time. Have patience.
Hidden Secret #2):WHERE TO LOOK
EBAY PULSE is a great way to see what the buyers are watching. It gives you a guage of what is available in the gem marketplace that the herd is looking at. It also gives you an idea of what the gem you are looking for will cost. Look to see what catagory ebay pulse gemstone or crystal items are listed in and go to that catagory to continue your search. Example: diamond, emerald, sapphire, ruby, opal, etc. If you see it once and miss out on the bidding, logic tells you it will appear again. However......one of the best kept secrets when trying to find that gem you want is to simply look at the NEWLY LISTED catagory. I stay away from the herd. Why follow everyone else listing to listing? Get away from the herd....that is where the real gem finds are! I look for the unsusal & sublime. That rare gem at a reasonable price. Most gems are cut from crystals found in pockets where, however small the discovery, they consist of more than one crystal, ergo.....many gems. Money should not be the first factor when looking for a gem. The gem & crystal catagories by grade are: Mine Run,
Hidden Secret #3): GRADING CREAM OF THE CROP
Commercial, AAA, AAAA and GEM. Always look to the gem catagory gemstone or crystals. Get the top goods. Try to buy FINE. It guarantees you quality and rarity at the same time. The very best investment. You get what you pay for. The top 10 percent is the cream of the crop. Why settle for less? Even if you have a budget, consider the entire gamut of auctions & Stores available to you in Ebay listings. Keep looking !
Hidden secret # 4.) WHO IS THE SELLER?
Always pay attention to photographs. If the gem looks funky, it usually is. Try to find auctions that show good photography as you scan for potential buys. Not everyone who sells gems has access to new expensive digital cameras or has the perfect pics. Read descriptions carefully. Often, a perfect gem can be missed even though it is not offered by a big seller or someone who has a Store. Some of the best gems are often mined, collected, faceted, cabbed or cut and offered by individuals who are doing this for love, not money. Email questions. Ask and you shall receive. The best gems to aquire often come from the best sellar response! Ask if the gem was mined, cut or faceted by the seller.
Hidden secrest #5.) FEEDBACK IS A FACTOR:
Carefully examine the feedback score. It can give you clues as to the temperament of the Store or seller. Are there a lot of negatives? If so, why? Was it a problem when a buyer got into a discrepancy with a Seller that proved too stubborn, idealistic, or critical? Or was it the other way around? Remember we are all human, everyone makes mistakes. Look for policies or instructions in listings that makes it a level playing field for everyone. A Win-Win situation for All is the best Ebay experiance! I find the more compassionate and understanding the participants, the more fun and rewarding the gem finding. Honesty is the best policy. I like a listing where the gems flaws or condition is plainly pointed out to me. Look for the seller who discloses any treatment, process or altering of the gem you are considering. Never assume! Ask.
Hidden Secret #6.) AVAILABILITY:
When do you look for certain types of gems? What time of year? In what Ebay catagory? There are so many listings. Many gems that come to market are based on the time of mining and factoring when & where it it occurs. Many gems do not become available to market until at least 3-6 months after their discovery as crystals if not longer...... unless it is an isolated individual find. New gem pockets are always being discovered. Prices rise when a gem find is exhausted and demand is greater than availability. These factors are determined by the lapidary process, cutting, location or continent where found, government regulations, Carne' at customs, delivery, and precious stone dealers at Gem shows. Large shows like Munich Germany, Tucson Arizona or Denver Colorado and Hong Kong is often the first time new gemstones see the light of day! Looking on ebay can be a challange. The WATCHES & JEWELRY catagory are not the only place to look. ROCKS, FOSSILS, MINERALS are another place to review. In the all the catagories after Collectibles/ Rocks, Fossils, Minerals/ MINERAL SPECIMENS/ CRYSTALS/ etc. Many gemstones can be found here as well. LAPIDARY catagories, one & all are worth perusing. SPECIMEN ROUGH is one of the many catagory listing names in which to look for spectacular gems.
There is no doubt it has become more difficult to find what you are looking for on ebay. Fraud, imitations, fake items, and a slew of other problems are now encountered when buying. Especially overseas. I am not saying all items you bid or buy from overseas sellers will be a hassle, but I urge you to look very carefully at who the seller is. Check their feedback! Look to see how many buyers complain about slow shipping, problems or never having received an item at all. Do not blame a seller for an issue that is a fault of the United States Post Office, or other shipping carrier. Ebay does it's best to determine who is safe to to business with after implementing the new Feedback System with Detailed Sellers Ratings. As always....let the buyer beware. ASK what the return policy is for any item if you are unahppy, before you bid/buy. Make sure you rate a Seller 5 Stars if there are no problems. Make sure you leave the same 5 Stars if the transaction did not go the way you wanted, but the Seller did the best to satisfy you and sent a refund after safely receiving a returned item(s). This is the best way to reward honesty with integrity for both sides of a transaction. It makes for a better experiance both ways. As the months go by I will be adding gem buying secrets to this list. Hopefully you have learned something you haven't read elsewhere. My intention is to expand the guide to specific gems based on your needs. If you have any questions come visit my Ebay Store. I have more useful information and secret buying tidbits available at SEDONASTONE. Any Questions? ASK. Please rate my Guide as useful if it has been any help in your quest for GEMS.
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