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Matt, We received the Amethyst yesterday. It arrived save and looks fantastic. I sure it will make a stunning pendant. Thanks for all your help. Scott Dear Rung: Hi Rung, Just a quick note to let you know that the Moonstone (00059) arrived today. It is not the first time I have purchased from AJS and as usual, the quality of the gem and the outstanding customer service is one of the best in this business. I am sure that this gem, once set, will draw as many admiring comments as any of the others I have received from you. Keep up the good work and I am looking forward to purchasing the next gem some time soon. Kindest regards Hello to you all, Arnold, Matt, and Rung! Hi Rung, Received the blue zircon and antique cushion rubellite yesterday. Both are stunning---especially the rubellite--what a striking gem!! Thanks, I wanted to thank you for the fine quality stones you have and wonderful service. I had my beautiful blue zircon put in to a setting from my first engagement ring, which
previously had a cz in it. I loved the Dear Matt, Dear AJS,Received stones today being the 21/4/2008 and are very happy once again.You will be seeing me again from time to time cannot help myself I donot get these sort of stones out of my mine especially the pink sapphire.Yes I have a sapphire mine here in australia and looking forward to mining it again. But anyway thank you very much on the fast postage and the parcel being in good order,once again thanks AJS.it has been a pleasure doing business with you. ray gladstone, AUS Hey matt, Thanks so much. Received it on SAT! really quick. Not an expert on prices. But how much normally would I be expecting to pay for the tourmaline I bought at retail prices? Also. I should be planning a visit to your shop soon in thailand! Fantastic gems you have there~ Regards, Bryan, SG Hi, Matt! :) - and thanks for your usual fast response. OK Lets put holds on both SPI-00302 and SPI-00295 - that pairing really does look great. And, lets put a hold on TPR-00068 and TPR-00069; I want both, but I will probably end up deciding between them. If there are any concerns holding these selections for this amount of time, please let me know - I dont want to inconvenience you in any way. But, as always, I really appreciate your willingness to hold items for me as in the past. Now, as far as the site goes, the adjustments are very good improvements, as searching/comparing stones is a lot easier. I might suggest one minor change - having an option to view "all items" at once (admittedly, this is not really necessary), as some sites have, but the 48 per page feature is really good, and more than adequate. Otherwise, the sites aesthetic is even better than before, lots of good colour and impressive stones to "wow" a visitor to the site. It gives a really obvious impression of selection, variety and quality to the site and its contents. Nicely done!. Thats about it for now, so I will be in touch again closer to the end of April, so thanks again for the holds, and youll hear from me soon enough; I do my taxes this week(end), so I will have a better picture of this orders feasability not to far from now.. Take care, all! :). Ed Dear Rung, Sincerely, I just received the five new stones for me collection, and as always they are even finer than I had hoped. You would think I would be used to that by now with all the fine stones I have gotten from you. Nikki B.
SC, USA Received
stone and love it. That makes 3 all together that I have received from you and like.
Alice C. MI, US
I enjoy doing business with AJS Gems as I add to my own personal
collection. I think that this particular stone is one of many examples of what AJS Gems is
noted for-accurate descriptions, quality cuts and material, and rare or exotic gem stones
for a very reasonable price. Additionally, on occassion when someone asks about doing
business with AJG Gems, I tell them that it is a very reputable and honest establishment.
I just wish that there were more people like that here in the states that were as
reputable and forthcoming as the staff at AJS is. As such, I already have some ideas as to
what my next stone from AJS could be. Unfortunately, I dont have the money for it just
yet.
Dear
Arnold, Rung, Matt, and staff..
Of the few pieces I have seen prior to my purchase, I have never really
seen anything past 4 carats at the very most that was clean. You can find larger pieces if
you dont mind something more moderately included. This is a very clean piece of
golden tourmaline. Under the most direct light conditions, there is a pin
head size dot on the table, and its not much more noticable under the loupe either. Under
most lighting conditions, this stone is in fact eye clean.
In my opinion, this stone appears better and purer in color with a
krypton LED. Under that lighting source, the flash is a very pure spectral yellow like a
lemon or some race cars. For brilliance, quartz halogen lighting will make the edge and
flashes look like a firey yellow ember burning. When I say brilliance, I tried something a
little unconventional with my light source.
I have a mirrored turn table, and I placed the stone on that. I put a
very high powered halogen lamp within a few feet of it to see what it looked like under
different light. As the turn table rotated or as I rotated myself, the flash under the
lamp was literally blinding from the pavillion facets. The refelction off the mirrored
surface was not as bad as the pavillion was to where I couldnt stand to look at it.
Granted, that is not the standard lighting nor is it a standard for grading. However, it
does illustrate how brilliant that tourmaline can appear.
For a 3.87 sized stone, this has a very nice spread. I know many will
cringe when they see the verbige, "nice spread". I suspect that whoever cut this
stone was faced with a daunting challenge of trying to cut something of gem quality
without a window and perserving weight. Had this same stone been cut into an oval, it
would have had a hideous window. However, its easier to maintain a more desirable angle
with a radiant cut as with this tourmaline. That makes a world of difference, and whomever
the lapidary was made a wise choice. I could tell that it was a challenge, and to get as
much yield out of a crystal with such a narrow volume as clean as it is took some
expertise. If it were anyone else, you would have been lucky to have gotten something a
little over a carat or they simply would have made it into a cabachon. To pull this off
with a radiant cut that doesnt have a window, thats skill-plain and simple.
I enjoy doing business with AJS Gems as I add to my own personal
collection. I think that this particular stone is one of many examples of what AJS Gems is
noted for-accurate descriptions, quality cuts and material, and rare or exotic gem stones
for a very reasonable price. Additionally, on occassion when someone asks about doing
business with AJG Gems, I tell them that it is a very reputable and honest establishment.
I just wish that there were more people like that here in the states that were as
reputable and forthcoming as the staff at AJS is. As such, I already have some ideas as to
what my next stone from AJS could be. Unfortunately, I dont have the money for it just
yet.
-joe in NC. Dear
Rung Danuta, Australia Hi Rung,
The stunning rubellite arrived late last week. It more than meets my expectations. Thanks for your input.
Regards,
REI VA, USA Hi AJS I would just like to thank you very much for the stones you sent me,I am very impressed with what I bought from you and hope we can do business again soon and thank you again,By the way the stars are spot on. raymond, Australia
Many thanks to Matt and Rung!My
shopping experience at AJSgems is every bit as spectacular as the gems I received. It was
amazing how fast I received responses to my many e-mail queries and my shipment actually
arrived within 24 hours of shipping! Matt was just unbelievably brilliant in helping to pick the right stone for me.I had the gem certified and also verified by a second gemologist as well.Verdict:well-woth keeping! S. Singapore. Received my stones today. They are beautiful... The tsavorite garnet is breathtaking.....more brilliant than the image had even led me to believe. Once again you have exceeded my expectations. Every time I receive a shipment I am reminded of the wisdom of buying good stones rather than the junk that is available to most people. Many thanks. Jay P. MD, USA/ July, 07 They came today and we are so happy with them, Thank you so much. Betty WA / USA/ June, 07 June 1 Received the stone and it looks beautiful. Thanks so much Will be looking for a Indicolite tourmaline sometime this summer. Thanks Linda H. CO / USA/ June, 07 Sorry for the delay in responding. I did get the package in just a few days. The garnet is very nice, The Amathyst has a few inclushions but good for the price and it was the size I needed for a customers ring. I will be ordering again, Charles M. VA / USA/ May, 07 Att: Ms Rung. i received my order today 06-20-007. thanks for good service. Regards- Irwan l. CA, USA/ June, 07 Dear Rung Sorry for the late response. I received the stone the 4th of June and it is very beautiful. Probably the stone I have bought on the internet where the picture is closest to reality. So no bad surprises which is really good. And shipping was fast and without any problems as well, so a great compliment for that too. You mentioned that the certificate would be sent separately, but has it been shipped, or do you need to have confirmed that I will keep the stone first? Then I can confirm that now. Once again, thanks for the stone. Kind regards Rene S. Denmark/ June, 07 Dear Rung, I just got my Peridot.....It is fabulous!!!!! Thank you so much. I love it!!! I am having it set in an 18k white gold setting with .20 point baguetts on either side (.40tcw). It is going to be a fabulous ring because the stone is exquisite. I can not wait to make my next ring with you all. I will give everyone I know your contact information when they ask me about my ring. Thank you so much. You are great! Mary P. FL / USA/ May, 07 Hi Rong! I received the stones today and they are very beautiful.Thank you. It's the second times I buy from you and I'm very happy again too. It will be a pleasure to do business with you again. Francine Chabot Denis S. QC, Canada/ June, 07 Dear Rung, Thank you for the update...those beautiful jade stones are a treasure.....and even more so a Happy Thanksgiving to you all....always nice to be off for a day or two....the stones are giving me a good chance to increase my knowledge of gems...I did not know before but I know now why the Ruby is so highly valued.....really beautiful in the sunlight....all the stones are just cut so very nice and are impressive.... Thanks again.... Sincerely, George.... Dear Sirs: I just opened the package from your company and was completely bowled over. The gems are absolutely beautiful!!! You advertised that they are untreated/unheated apatites, so I expected them to be a little paler in color. Contrary to my preconceived notion, they are both knock-your-socks off Carribeam Blue. Needless to say, I am impressed! I look forward to ordering from you again with confidence. Thank you so much. Sincerely, Linda G. Durango, CO Dear Arnold, Sambaht, and Rungawee, Sa wa dee? :-) I just got the blue zircon that I ordered as of today. I said the first time I got my mother to get a sapphire from you that it would not be the last time we deal with AJS Gems. Here I am a few orders later, and I am very impressed as usual. I wanted to tell you a little about my thoughts on my latest addition, and I also wanted to give you a little update on 2 items in particular that you might find interesting that came from AJS Gems. My biggest issue when I went to find a blue zircon on your site was that there were so many comparable stones to choose from in my price range, it was a little tough deciding based on what I wanted to do. Blue zircon is my birth stone, and I wanted to make a simular version of another ring I have with a stone comparable in the face up size to my blue topaz. Finding the size stone I was looking for or maybe a little bigger was not a problem. I wanted one that was not only clean, but saturated with color. The one I wanted originally was a cushion cut that someone else bought before I had a chance too. I can't blame them one bit. Regardless, having dealt with AJS Gems in the past, I had a very good idea as to what it was I was getting. I ended up getting an oval that is just a little too rounded to be a cushion, but I have no regrets at all. When I was taking this thing out of the bubble wrap, I could notice before I got it unwrapped that it had a very good color to it as I expected. I was also anticipating a more rounded pavillion based on the dimensions and the image on the site. I was correct, and I was quite pleased to see this very full and rounded pavillion. The crown is on the flatter side, but with the way the pavillion is cut, it works so well. There really isn't much of a girdle at all, and overall I have to say that it's not often that you can find a given stone cut as well as this zircon. There are no windows in this stone. The proportions are very good for this particular stone. Not only is it well proportioned, I believe that there is a single point for a cutlet, which is a tell tale sign of the skill of whoever cut that thing. I am quite impressed with the cutting alone. People don't realize how hard that is to pull off and do it right; this zircon was cut really right. I have always liked the step cutting that was once popular in the US back in the 1950's, and it's a tell tale sign anymore of an overseas cut. Due to the opitcal properties of zircon, and the step cutting, it has a little bit of the effect that a Portuguesse oval would have. One of the first things I noticed about the stone is that it has that tell tale colorless pleochroic effect that blue zircons have. There are some green undertones that combined with the plechroism that is almost like taking a Paraiba tourmaline and a dark aquamarine and combinging them. It's a distinctive color that to me puts even the best London blue topaz in perspective. It is also interesting to note that when I took a loupe to this stone, there is one area in question as it's very hard for me to tell if what I am seeing are just tiny specs of dirt on the outside beneath the girdle or if they are just specs that appear to be pinhead in size under a loupe. Other than that, there isn't a single inclusion in there. Even if those miniscule specs are inclusions, they are hardly worth mentioning. It is a testament as to the strict and conservative nature that AJS uses to grade their stones. Given that, almost loupe clean might be underestimating how clean this stone really is. To put it in perspective, if you were to grade this stone like a diamond, it would be the equal of a VVS1 by the strictest GIA interpretation. Some might say it's flawless but not internally flawless as the suspect inclusions are no bigger than a pin head in size under 10x. This is some super clean material by any standard. Overall, this is collector quality material as this is about as pure of a color as you could possibly ask for in a blue zircon with not a whole lot of tone-in my personal opinion. Now, let me tell you about 2 other things me and my family obtained via AJS Gems. Let me start with the very first thing we ever ordered. Right about the time that beryllium treated yellow sapphires were starting to become abundant in Thailand, my mother bought a canary yellow sapphire from AJS Gems. The color is so incredibly pure, it's mind blowing. Out of curiosity, my mother asked someone we've dealt with for years in retail if she could get a 2 carat canary yellow that was at least eye clean-like the one AJS Gems sold. Not only were we not told how clean the stone would be, the price guide stopped at a measley 1 carat. The first carat back then was $1000. She said that she would have to call find out about a 2 carat stone, and she assured us that the price per carat would go up considerably. I saw one other vendor at a show with some rarer colored stones for sale. He had a 1.25ct~ yellow sapphire. It wasn't cut nearly as well, smaller, and windowed. It looked a lot like a light fancy yellow diamond. The one AJS Gems sold to my mother looks more like an intense fancy yellow diamond, and was a lot better cut. This guy was asking $1200 for that stone. Just to be safe, I decided to do some experimenting with that yellow sapphire as I could see a slight orange vein in one hairline inclusion. The inclusion says Ceylon all over it as was disclosed. I figured I would loupe the thing under UV flouresence to tell for sure that it was only heated as disclosed. Sure enough, you could see the zoning only under UV flourescence under magnification, and it was in such a way that it was not consistent with any berylium treatments. The stone was exactly as it was disclosed-natural in composition and heat treated only. I got a lovely an relatively inexpensive cornflower blue sapphire earlier in the year. I did learn that the stone disclosed as heated turned out to be unheated. I was really pleasantly suprised to learn this, and I couldn't believe it as I researched my own findings and observations. The tell tale sign at first was the terminating crystals within under 30x. That is one of the 2 tell tale signs that say the stone was not treated in anyway at all. I decided to show someone I know of that works in a very high end jewelry store. I told this person that I wanted to show them this stone because they could appreciate it for what it was moreso than anyone, which is the only reason I would show them this stone. When I put it on the counter, this person sucked out half of the air in the room at first sight. That particular sapphire looked nearly identical in color and tone to the famed Hope Diamond (which I have seen in person years ago). Under their lighting, you could readily see a very soft glow about the stone, and the rutilite looked like a powder silver tone. It has a silvery silky texture to it under good lighting conditions, and that's a tell tale sign that it hasn't undergone any thermal enhancement of any kind. I was a little scared leaving after that, and I'll tell you why. This person tried to get out of me what I paid for that stone. I told them that's not what I was there for, and if I told them what I paid for it, they might not speak to me again. LOL. This place told me a number, that if I paid that number for it, it would have been an awesome deal. That number not only a few times what I paid AJS Gems for it, it was less than they could have bought it for to put in there store! Knowing how the jewelry industry works, I could do the math. I couldn't believe what the list price would be based on that-and being conservative with only 2 keystone. I refuse to part with that stone, and I am saving it potentially for when and if I ever get married; it would make a great stone for an engagement ring that I have envisioned. I can't say anything bad about AJS gems at all. What I can tell you is that you and your staff are extremely honest, respectable, and honorable as such. I have never had an issue with AJS Gems. I don't plan on having one, and I can't say that I have ever had anything from your establishment that I was dissappointed with. I have never had anything from you that hasn't met my expectations. The merchandise is in fact of quality, and it in no way resembles anything unscrupulous. I have said this before, and I will say it again. Your organization and it's staff are very worthy of honor and respect. I am truly blessed to be able to do business with you and add things to my collection as I can afford to, and be able to acquire some of God's most sought after creations that I couldn't obtain otherwise-especially of the caliber of quality you offer. Now...which stone do I want to go after next? LOL. Thank you so much for the lovely blue zircon.. -joe NC, USA/ September, 07 |
