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Hi Everyone and hope you're all well. I feel a bit guilty having left this blog so long, but I've just not been in the right head space. Yes you might say why not use a crystal ~ but you've got to want to use it lol. There's times you just need to hibernate.
Anyway, the Shop has dragged me out of my cave. Weekends at least have been really busy and after a year in lock down limbo life begins to feel more normal.
Remember I bought some Emeralds in the back streets of Bogota and made some rings overseas ? Well, I went to my local Jewelry maker who does my repairs with one of them to see if he could make more. He valued the ring at $1500 - 2000. I had it priced at $599. Not only that, he promised to but any nore colombian emeralds I could get at a very favourable price.
Well I'd spent hours pricing those rings ~ what I'd paid for each stone, the silver gold and labour costs. I never add travel  'cos it's my holiday too.
So I know my price made a fair profit. How could it be valued so much higher ?
Then a few days later Julio arrived with some exquisite pendants and he had a sample evaluation which was the same 3 or 4 times what I charge.
Hmmm
So I sent three of those pendants off for valuation and you can see the results here
Specifically K1,2 and 3.
How to explain this huge difference ?
Well for starters I have a different mindset. I arrived in this business through Geology, Meditation, and love of the beauty and energy of the stones. Monetary value was not even on the list.
When I was traveling in India as an itinerant swami, long before Crystal Heart was even an idea, I met a few gem dealers passing through and was in awe of the mystique surrounding them. Something pulled me towards them, though I knew nothing about the mystical world of gemstones, but it seems I've accidentally joined their club with these Colombian Emeralds. For some inexplicable reason I've had a love for Colombian Emeralds since puberty, and maybe Grandmother Hermione on the back streets of Bogota recognised that.
In a similar manner both Paul and Julio spend a lot of time sourcing the stones. Paul visits mines and spends literally weeks bargaining for the best price. Julio has fantastic contacts in S. America ~ he learned his trade on the streets of Rio and one of his partners then is now one of the big players.
So we all love the stones for the stones for their inherent beauty yes, but we
also get the best prices possible.

Love from the Heart as always
Marc

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