Policies/About us
| Policies | |||||||||
| The use of this site is governed by the policies, terms and conditions set forth below. By using this site, you accept these terms and conditions.
Returns are accepted (1) when Stinson's is notified within 7 days of you having received the item and (2) the item is in the same undamaged condition as when sent. The gem is sold to you and that means you are responsible to make sure it is not accidentally damaged by you or someone else that you let handle or do jewelry work with the gem. If it is lost or stolen it is your responsibility to have sufficient insurance and to recover damages or the stone. After you receive the stone, if you are unsatisfied for any reason, Notify Stinsons and we will give you instructions to return it. Once we receive the returned gem it will be examined and if undamaged, then we will issue an immediate refund in the same payment form you used, i.e., Paypal, personal check, or money order. Stinson's Gemcutting reserves the right to make changes to this site and these conditions at any time. Copyright Information This site is owned by Stinson's Gemcutting, Inc. Unless specified, ALL materials on this site, including copy, design, logos, graphics, icons jewelry, facet design and photography are the sole property of Stinson's Gemcutting , Inc. All software used on this stie is the sole property of Stinson's or those supplying the software. You may use the site for the purpose of shopping or placing an order. ALL pictures, or text we send is confidential and may not be copied, reproduced, transmitted, or distributed in any form or by any means other than communication between you and Stinson's, without prior written permission.
Our most important policy is: All items are satisfaction guaranteed!! General lapidary rules apply on uncut rough or slabs - which means if you cut it, modify it, chip or crack or break a stone - then you have bought it. For gems and carvings, cabochons, or faceted gems, if you or your agent, jeweler damage a piece after it is in your possession, then you have bought it. Any item that is not damaged or modified from the original may be returned for cash, credit or exchange, if possible, within 7 days. No questions asked. |
All colors, weights and measurements are to the best of our ability, equipment and judgment, and are measured as approximate only and are made to generally accepted lapidary tolerances and practices. We sell wholesale to rated accounts, jewelers and designers in the trade. Stinson's strives to insure our gems are cut to the proper angles, and aesthetic qualities; we grade our gems and minerals to align with industry standards and certify our gems authenticity. We manufacture to established practices within the art and gem industry, some species that are unavailable as rough are purchased to be recut by Stinsons or resold as purchased, when meeting our standards of stone quality and cutting to proper angles and design. Some of our gems may be contract cut to our specifications and qualtiy. Our gems are strictly graded to our standards and carry the Stinson guarantee of quality with a money back guarantees as do all products we sell. Our only caveat is that gem(s) must be returned in the same condition as when sent. That means if you or your agent, appraiser, employee, customer, jeweler or whoever might handle a gem, and the gem is scratched, dinged, abraded, fractured or otherwise damaged from the original you received, then you own it and in most cases it will not be accepted for a refund. About our digital photographs: we do our best to get accurate color. We photograph with color balanced lights and professional digital cameras. Nevertheless, computers colors/reproduction are all set differentlyand what you see can and will likely be different than what we see on our screen. NOTE: gems look very different (usually too light) or just wrong color! on laptop or cell phones! They do NOT show very accurate color!! Also Stones change color depending on what light source is be used or sunlight. So even if we match something closely on the computer, the color can look different depending on your light. Please ask about color before ordering! We can reference a color guide for comparison.
Treatments |
In general, colored stones are often subjected to various treatments to
improve their appearance. This is nothing new, its been going on for many
years and is considered standard practice in some cases. Black Onyx is a
good example of this. Treatments are considered usual and customary
practices when disclosed and done without intent to defraud. Most
treatments are stable and do not require special care, however some are
reversible and retreatable. It is beyond our means to determine exact
treatment methods or the amount of treatment present in every stone we
sell, since some require sophisticated equipment not found in a standard
gemological lab. Unless otherwise stated, all colored stones are assumed
to have been treated when it is common for that species or variety, and
have been valued accordingly. |
Some examples of treatments are as follows: |
Ruby & Sapphire are sometimes enhanced with a heating process to improve the color or drive off a cloudy appearance which is caused by another mineral called Rutile. Tanzanite is trichroic (three colors - one on each of three axes) in nature. But the third color is an undesirable orange which is driven off by heat, and the character of the stone changes to dichroic by this process. Blue Topaz in medium to dark colors does not usually exist in nature and is produced by irradiating the lighter or colorless material which is then heat treated to bring the richer blue color we like. The trade makes the assumption that all blue Topaz is irradiated. Because the radiation is controlled and regulated by the government, these gems are safe to wear before they are allowed into the market. Black Onyx as mentioned above, is often produced from clear agate which is treated with a strong acid treatment and heat to produce the rich black color. The German formula for this dates back many,many years. Since September 11, the new powerful scanners at the post office can actually change color in certain stones!
These are but a few common examples of treatments to be found in today's gemstones. There are several books and many articles on this subject. |
Unfortunately some treatments are made to deceive the buyer, just as any fine art forgery, and if known, are not disclosed.
In fact we dare say there are so many treatments and so many new ones, that it is hard to keep up with.
We don't pretend to know everything! But we strive to do our best, to stay informed and welcome your questions.
It is important for us to know the ethics of our suppliers and we want you to know how we do business. We try to treat our customers
the way we want to be treated! We want to make sure you know what you are buying, and take pride in helping you
to understand and enjoy the fine gem that you like. We strive to educate and affiliate ourselves with ethical professionals and associations
and businesses that promote the highest standards of the gemstone arts. |
Please do not hesitate to drop us a line if your have any questions regarding treatments or other gem information.
About Us |
Stinson's Gemcutting, Inc., serves local, regional, national and international jewelers, designers, artists and gem and mineral collectors and connoisseurs.
We offer comprehensive design and production services, sensitive to aesthetic considerations, as well as your budget.
We offer a 100% money back guarantee if you are not completely satisfied. We started our first gem business in 1972.
We are listed with the Jewelers Board of Trade.Our gems are in collections throughout the USA, Canada, Bolivia, Belgium, Australia,
France, United Kingdom, Saudia Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, South Africa, Brazil, Japan,
Isle of Jersey, New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland, Kenya, Sweden, Germany and Switerland.
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Linda Stinson, G.G., has earned the highest level of GIA training: GIA Graduate Gemologist, G.G. title. She is certified to carry the "Registered Jeweler"
title of The American Gem Society. Linda has over 25 years experience in retail sales of precious gems and mountings. Linda supports Stinson's customers
with her expertise in gemology grading, consulting on fashion, color, sizing, matching stones, cataloging, photographing our creations and managing
our office and sales. Stinson's customers enjoy her personal service and rely on her expertise to help them select the perfect gems for themselves
and the important people in their lives. |
Rick Stinson, Lapidary artist, has a Bachelors Degree in Fine Art from Wichita State University. He is a master lapidary and an accomplished goldsmith. He became interested in rocks and minerals at a very early age and started cutting cabochon gems in 1972, and has faceted colored gems since 1983. He has won awards in international and domestic gem art competitions and has shown in museum exhibitions as well as represented in museum collections. His work has been published in Gems and Gemology, Colored Stone, Lapidary Journal, Professional Jeweler, Tucson Show Guide, Rothkin Gem News, and other magazines, newspapers and publications. He is a member of the United States Facetors Guild. He is an Artist Member and former Board Member of GANA, Gem Artists of North America, one of the most prestigious organizations of lapidary artists in the world. He is a founding member of the Kansas Meteorite Society. Suggested by John Sinkankas in an early "Gems and Gemology" article, Rick discovered the chatoyancy phenomenon in some extraterrestrial peridot and was the first lapidary artist to cut a cat's-eye gem in extraterrestrial peridot, among the rarest colored gems in the world. Rick's artwork is represented in the permanent collection of WSU, Ulrich Museum. He won First Place Governor's Award in the first alumni exhibition of fine art at the Ulrich with his "Shocker Star" one off design. Two of Rick's sculptures were exhibited at the Headley-Whitney Museum's "Cutting Edge" exhibition. In 2014, with other GANA artists, Rick was invited to exhibit at the Carnegie Museum's Wertz Gallery. His "Aurora Star" design is now in the permanent display collection of the Carnegie Museum. He exhibited in the "Cutting Edge" show and his "Aurora Star" was the icon piece for the show. He exhibited at Georgia's Tellus Museum "Gems From Out of This World" that ended in October 2021.His most recent exhibition was at Chicago's Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Arts' 60th Anniversary exhibition. Rick is honored to be one of 10 North American contemporary sculptors selected for their cutting edge creations. |
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