How Do I Start....

SorenCoins · Oct 17, 2016

I have been collecting rocks and minerals for around 8 years or so but I have not really gone into gems. I want to know what low-price but still good specimens should I get for kinda starting gem collecting. Ive got some tourmaline, opals, sapphires, rubies, emerald, aquamarine, iolites, etc. I just ordered some painite and i am currently trying to get a 576.3 carat emerald. Also what other things should I know for collecting? Thanks.

hvacker · Oct 18, 2016

If your the social type person a gem and mineral club is a big help. I'm lucky here because the club I'm in
has a lot of people from the University. They will give talks on all kinds of subjects. They also have access to
places I don't like mines and private claims.

G.I.B. · Oct 18, 2016

One very important thing that most people overlook is finding the correct person to entrust your collection to, in the unlikely event something untoward should happen to you.

You need to pick someone who will care for your collection as much as you did.

PM me and I'll send you my address.

hvacker · Oct 18, 2016

G.I.B. said:
One very important thing that most people overlook is finding the correct person to entrust your collection to, in the unlikely event something untoward should happen to you.

You need to pick someone who will care for your collection as much as you did.

PM me and I'll send you my address.

NO! Wait.. I got here first. And BTW it doesn't need to be just gems. I can watch all your stuff.,

smokeythecat · Oct 18, 2016

You seem to be going in the right direction. I like gemstones also. Nothing really expensive, but I have cut and rough from and specialize in USA and Canadian items. You should decide if you want to go for varieties, locations, species, specialized mines, etc. There are tens of thousands of cut stones available for sale. I have a small but I think nice collection of the US and Canadian materials. Plenty of good stuff elsewhere, but this limits the collection, and funds for it.

Eu_citzen · Oct 19, 2016

There's lots to learn and know in terms of collecting. Start by limiting your collection to something, like smokey suggested. You may always widen your horizon later on. Mineral shows are a treat.

stdenis_jd · Oct 19, 2016

A minor project I've always thought would be cool and I plan to do eventually is to have a collection/display of the Mohs scale of hardness, and include a few "halfves" (5.5, 6.5, etc). That might be cool since gemstones range widely over the scale, problem is most gems are at the higher range...crystals of halite, dolomite, etc could fill the lower end even though they aren't considered gems

IAMZIM · Oct 19, 2016

If you get that emerald, I would really like to see a pic of it! My birth stone is emerald, favorite color is green! I have always wanted an emerald, but they are so expensive, I don't have much hope of getting one anytime soon...

Eu_citzen · Oct 25, 2016

IAMZIM said:
If you get that emerald, I would really like to see a pic of it! My birth stone is emerald, favorite color is green! I have always wanted an emerald, but they are so expensive, I don't have much hope of getting one anytime soon...

I've had some luck getting "chipped" stones of jewellers & retailers. They usually end up fairly cheap.
People who do repair work sometimes have a whole jar full of damaged (cut) stones.

Just a thought, but many of them only have like a corner chipped, making a re-cut worthwhile.