To: Ilaine who wrote (38330 ) 9/21/1999 12:01:00 AM From: Jacques Chitte Read Replies (1) | Respond to
I console myself with the idea that truly good jewelry is a long list of unique pieces. There are some things that are effectively a mass commodity ... diamonds jump to mind. You can specify size, cut, color, clarity ... run through a table and come up with a price. Wristwatches are another ... they are sure pretty and pricey in the jeweler's window, but you can save much if you are adventurous enough to use Ebay. There are millions of opals in mall shoppes coast to coast ... but after seeing this guy's stones (scuse) all else is milk glass with some abalone shell behind it. The Really Good Stuff (like kelly-green emeralds that are glass-clear, or like The Stone) are such rarities that the only way to get them is to Grab Them retail if they happen your way. Because there will never ever be one like it again, guar-on-teed. Unless there is some spectacular new find ... opals, good gem-grade ones, are up there only with emeralds and true exotics like real for-true alexandrite in terms of being a dwindling resource. The Good Ones have been mined out, like clarinet-quality ebony.
