Sourcing Gemstones with Alx&Co.
For many clients, a design can barely begin without first figuring out the feature stone. Unless you are working with an heirloom redesign, most clients don’t have loose gemstones available to use and most designs are completely contingent upon that feature stone for everything from budget considerations to design proportion allowances. For example, you may have your heart set on a design that has a lot of detailing in the gallery. You might not have realized it, but the design you love features a 2ct diamond… and your budget only allows for a 1ct diamond. Certain designs can be impacted by the size of the center stone and this means you may need to make some decisions about what design elements you can include, considering the smaller “canvas” you will have to work with.
Case Study: A Design Adjustment for an Online Diamond
This ring design needed to be adjusted to accommodate the smaller center stone that the client sourced online. His original design idea featured diamonds along the halo of the ring but the smaller size did not permit adding diamonds here, so instead we added pretty engraving to keep a sparkly texture. We actually love how this turned out and feel it makes the ring more unique, but it took some adjustment to the original idea to get here.
This is a great example of why, while we are happy to work with gemstones sourced elsewhere, we really find our gemstone sourcing process to be worth the time and effort because our clients have a full understanding of the capabilities of the design while they are picking out their center stone. It’s an unfortunate and not uncommon issue when a client has picked a diamond elsewhere thinking it could work for a design, only to realize that the diamond he picked won’t quite accommodate the look he had in mind.
When we source a diamond or other gemstone for a design we work directly with our client to determine exactly the best option for what they need. Unlike many jewelers, we do not keep an inventory of gemstones on hand for clients to select from. Rather, we custom source each gemstone by working directly with multiple vendors to find the right option for our client. We feel this keep us objective in the gemstone selection process since we don’t have an inventoried item at stake to sell, meaning that our clients don’t have to deal with high-pressure sales techniques that might push them towards a gemstone that wasn’t perfect for them.
Case Study 2: Alx&Co. Sourced Sapphire and Diamond Ring
This deceptively simple design required multiple rounds of sourcing different gemstones to perfectly coordinate with one another. Our client wanted to compare antique Old Mine Cut diamonds to modern round brilliant options to determine which was the better fit for her. We also were deciding between different color palates for the ring and compared blue, orange, and peachy sapphire hues, ultimately picking this perfect peachy Padparadscha option. The sourcing for this ring was not easy, but we love the gorgeous end result.
Typically, when we pick out a gemstone we order in a handful of options for the client to review, meaning you get to truly compare apples to apples yourself. We review each option in turn, taking time to examine it under a loupe and understand the characteristics that make that gemstone unique. Often, clients will sit down to a diamond selection process and feel a little overwhelmed because they all, at first glance, kind of look the same. By the end of the consultation, however, our clients always feel like they fully understand what distinguishes each option from the next and, better yet, which option is best for them. It may surprise you to know that half the time, clients end up choosing a less expensive option than their budget allowed, simply because they were able to pick which quality characteristics meant the most to them and which did not. You may decide that sparkle and brightness is more important than size, or your may decide that color is less important than clarity, but rarely does a client need all four C’s to be the very “best” within their budget - meaning there might be some breathing room available in price. I find this alone makes the extra effort worth it over buying a diamond online, but everyone has different goals and we’re happy to work with yours.
Sourcing your gemstones with Alx&Co. won’t always save you money, but it will always result in a more educated buying experience. One thing to keep in mind is that we don’t haggle or price compare, meaning that if you find an option online for less expensive than what we are offering for the same grading, we won’t meet that. As a result, we aren’t necessarily the least expensive option you can find. We feel quite strongly that buying a diamond online is a wholly different experience from buying a diamond in person with a professional, and we feel our time with worth it. But, if you are comfortable buying a diamond online yourself… please feel free to do so! We can always discuss the custom design with you from there.
