How will I check if these gems are pure and not glass made? also how ca I trust a stranger with so much money by paying first?
Hi cartell0- if you want an independent laboratory report for any stone that we sell just ask. You choose the lab, not us. I've been selling gemstones and making fine jewelry for over a decade. As "tiptopgem" on eBay I had about 700 positive reviews and no negatives. Our current account there is fairly new- "paragonuniversaltrade"; my wife Melanie and I registered it when we established our corporation in Thailand in 2013. Feel free to google around for Tip Top Gem, "David Fortier", and Paragon Universal Trade to find information about us on the gemstone forums and other platforms. If you find a single negative comment anywhere it would shock me.
We also have some "trust" here on this forum, and there are comments by people who have purchased gemstones from us and for whom we have made custom fine jewelry. While there is always a chance for a retailer to "go rogue" and run away with your money, I think after you do some research you will realize that this possibility is very small in our case. Selling gemstones and making custom jewelry is our only business- it's how we pay our bills. I can't get rich selling one stone to you, rather I want to thrill you with your first purchase so you keep coming back and so you tell your friends and family about us.
Note that I am not just a random guy selling gemstones- I am a GG (graduate gemologist). I made a substantial financial investment to go to gemology school and learn this trade.
You can verify my credentials at gia.edu. I am also a member in good standing of the GIA Alumni Association. I've sold at the largest gemstone show in the world in Tucson several times as well, and if you would like to talk to some other industry members who can vouch for me I would be happy to supply contacts.
Another very easy way to get in touch with current clients is to add me as a friend on Facebook. I post gemstones and jewelry there, and many of the people who comment on my posts are current clients. Feel free to send any of them a message and ask about me- that will provide a very good random sampling of people who have done business with me and my wife.
This is a video that I made in 2008 in Chanthaburi, which is the gemstone market in eastern Thailand:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rbpnk47t_cMy wife and I lived in Chanthaburi for a couple of years, but as fine jewelry became more important to our business we chose Bangkok because most of our strategic partners are here in the Silom gem district. We actually have a "bricks and mortar" office in Silom:
Paragon Universal Trade Co., Ltd.
BIS/Warner Building 8th Floor 8A7
Mahaesak Road, Suriyawong
Silom
Bangkok 10500
Thailand
We are there every day, Monday to Friday (except Thai holidays), and we've had an American toll-free number for over a decade: 800-607-1425.
If you have any other questions just let me know, and thanks for asking!
