Coloured Gemstones

Having studied gemology at university level we are well equipped with gem testing instruments and have an infectious fascination with and love of gemstones.

We specialise in precious and rare African gems like Tsavorite, Spessartine, Tourmaline and Demantoid garnet as well as the well marketed Tanzanite. In fact we have a large collection of the dazzling Demantoid garnets with some stones over 7cts. Whenever possible we like to purchase our gems from as close to the source as possible, from small scale traders who travel down to Cape Town from up in Africa…often with stones specifically sourced for us. In this way the price to our client is better and the benefits accrue to the locals rather than to large international mining companies.

When purchasing a gem one must bear in mind that firstly you are buying a natural product which has become a finished product in the hands of the gem cutter. He makes his living selling stones by weight and will always try to maximize his profit often at the expense of the beauty of the stone. A gem needs to be evaluated in terms of its symmetry, cut, color, proportions and finish, which will give an indication of the desirability of the stone and whether it is a worthwhile purchase.

Many times it happens that people mistakenly purchase unset gemstones which are hardly worth the cost of setting.

If you don’t know your gems, know your jeweller!