Buying a gemstone from Luxedo

At a glance: why buying a gemstone from Luxedo is different

• Every gemstone is a unique specimen.
• Every photograph shows the actual gemstone offered for sale.
• Every video shows the actual gemstone.
• Every product page contains complete gemological information.
• Prices are published openly.
• Every gemstone can be viewed at our showroom.
• Clients can compare several gemstones before making a choice.
• Advice is provided directly by professional gemologists.
• We personally select our gemstones directly at the source.
• We exclude synthetic gemstones, glass-filled stones and gemstones subjected to invasive treatments.
• Our catalogue contains only gemstones that are physically available.

You will find that very few sellers can guarantee all of this.

How do we select our gemstones?

The quality of a Luxedo gemstone begins long before it appears in our catalogue.

Most jewelry manufacturers use calibrated stones, meaning gemstones cut to predetermined dimensions, proportions and shapes so that they fit standardized semi-finished jewelry settings.

Our approach is completely different: we carefully select the most beautiful gemstones, those with the strongest gemological qualities and the most distinctive individual characteristics.

Standard measurements are not our priority. Our jewelry is created around the exact shape and dimensions of the gemstone chosen as its focal point. This allows us to move beyond the simple search for standard 6 x 8 mm stones and concentrate instead on genuine quality.

Every gemstone we choose has something unique that makes it special, both in the eyes of our Gemologist, who personally selects the finest gem material directly in the areas where it is mined, and in the eyes of our Jewelry Designer, who imagines the piece of jewelry that will eventually bring it to life.

When selecting each Luxedo gemstone, our Gemologist evaluates numerous gemological parameters, including:

What we evaluate during selection

• color;
• saturation;
• brilliance;
• transparency;
• clarity;
• cut quality;
• proportions;
• rarity;
• any treatments;
• quality-to-price ratio.

We purchase only a small proportion of the gemstones we examine. Most specimens are rejected because they do not meet Luxedo’s quality standards, show invasive treatments, have unsatisfactory aesthetic characteristics or do not offer an appropriate quality-to-price ratio.

Our philosophy is to offer only natural gemstones that we ourselves would choose and love if we were in our client’s place.

Why is every gemstone unique?

Precious gemstones are products of nature.

Even two gemstones of the same mineral variety and similar weight can have very different characteristics.

Which characteristics can vary?

• color;
• color intensity;
• clarity;
• inclusions;
• brilliance;
• cut;
• proportions;
• geographic origin;
• optical phenomena.

For this reason, no two natural gemstones are perfectly identical.

When you purchase a gemstone from Luxedo, you receive exactly the specimen you selected: the same gemstone you saw photographed and filmed on its product page, whose characteristics you read in detail, which you may have discussed at length with our Gemologist and perhaps even viewed in person during a visit to our showroom.

You will receive that exact gemstone. Once sold, it leaves our catalogue because there will never be another one exactly like it.

How do we photograph our gemstones?

Today the web has made us accustomed to having fast information and images of almost every product in the world just a click away. The gemstone market is no exception.

Photography is one of the most important tools for making an informed assessment of a precious gemstone. Nevertheless, many online gemstone sellers use stock photographs to represent their stones, or even rendered images of gemstones that do not physically exist. The result can be that the client receives something noticeably different from what was shown online.

Photographing a gemstone accurately is one of the most demanding tasks in our work, but at Luxedo we consider it a defining feature of our approach. Every photograph and video in our catalogue shows only the actual gemstone offered for sale. It is meticulous work carried out for the benefit of our clients, who can view, compare and evaluate each stone transparently from home.

The gemstone you receive will be exactly the gemstone shown in the photographs published on our website.

Each stone is photographed individually in high resolution in a specially designed setup with neutral lighting, with the aim of representing as faithfully as possible:

What our photographs are designed to show

• color;
• brilliance;
• transparency;
• cut;
• shape;
• visible inclusions;
• proportions.

Because monitors and smartphones can display colors slightly differently, we always recommend viewing both the photographs and the videos of the gemstone.

How do we create our gemstone videos?

Photographs allow many details to be examined, but video makes it easier to understand how a gemstone behaves in the light.

For this reason, every gemstone is also documented through dedicated videos that allow the viewer to assess:

What our videos help you evaluate

• brilliance;
• reflections;
• light dispersion;
• color in motion;
• transparency;
• proportions.

Our aim is to provide a representation that is as close as possible to seeing the gemstone in person.

Photographs and videos are complementary tools that help clients become familiar with a gemstone before seeing it in real life.

Every Luxedo gemstone is accompanied by two high-resolution videos. The first shows the gemstone in a neutral-light setting, rotating through 360°, so that its appearance, characteristics and behavior in motion can be observed from every angle. This allows the client to personally evaluate features such as sparkle, color nuances, crystal brilliance and the exact outline of the gemstone. When a gemstone displays color change, as in the case of alexandrite, our photographs and videos show the effect of different light sources on its color.

A second video shows the gemstone on a hand, helping the viewer understand its proportions and apparent size in addition to the precise measurements stated on the product page, which are given to the hundredth of a millimeter. Seeing the stone on the hand provides an immediate sense of its visual impact as if it were being worn.

Every gemstone video is also published on our YouTube channel and can be viewed at the highest available resolution, in HD or 4K. This allows clients to make a more informed choice from home by comparing the appearance, characteristics and qualities of different gemstones before purchasing.

How do you read a gemstone technical data sheet?

Every gemstone in the Luxedo catalogue is accompanied by a detailed technical data sheet containing its main gemological information.

Depending on the type of gemstone, the information provided may include:

What information may appear on the technical data sheet?

• mineral species and variety;
• weight in carats;
• dimensions to the hundredth of a millimeter;
• shape;
• cut style;
• color;
• clarity;
• transparency;
• geographic origin, when determinable;
• any treatments;
• certification;
• availability;
• price.

The technical data sheet is designed to help clients understand and objectively compare several gemstones before purchasing.

How does gemological certification work?

Before joining our catalogue, every Luxedo gemstone must pass an essential stage.

Each gemstone undergoes a proper gemological analysis to verify its nature and document its characteristics.

For every gemstone, our Gemologist identifies its species and variety and records the main gemological parameters observed during laboratory examination, following international standards and applicable UNI standards.

When technically determinable, the product page may also report:

Which additional information may be reported?

• geographic origin;
• any treatments;
• other relevant characteristics.

For particularly important gemstones, reports issued by international gemological laboratories such as IGI or GIA may also be available. In these cases, the gemstone’s product page clearly states the type of report, the issuing laboratory and shows photographs of the actual report accompanying the gemstone offered for sale.

Gemological certification is an essential tool for purchasing a gemstone with greater awareness and confidence.

Why do we publish gemstone prices?

Gemstone dealers often keep the prices of their finest specimens confidential, which in practice makes it more difficult for a potential client to compare stones and make an informed choice.

We believe transparency is one of the most important values in the purchasing process. For this reason, the selling price is published directly on the product page of every available gemstone.

This allows our clients to compare different specimens freely, consider their purchase in relation to their budget and make a calm, straightforward decision without having to request confidential prices or wait for individual quotations.

Every gemstone is priced individually according to its own qualitative characteristics.

Because every natural gemstone is unique, its price applies exclusively to that specific specimen.

How does consultation with a gemologist work?

Buying a precious gemstone often means comparing characteristics that are not immediately obvious.

For this reason, our clients have access to a professional gemologist who can provide attentive, dedicated advice throughout the process of selecting the most suitable gemstone.

If they wish, clients can receive help understanding the differences between several gemstones in terms of:

What can our Gemologist help you compare?

• color quality;
• clarity;
• cut;
• brilliance;
• treatments;
• certification;
• geographic origin;
• quality-to-price ratio.

Our goal is not to sell the most expensive gemstone, but to help each client select the precious stone that best suits their needs, personal taste, wishes and the jewel they want to create.

How can you compare several gemstones?

Comparing several stones is one of the best ways to understand the qualitative differences between specimens that may initially appear similar.

In the Luxedo catalogue, every gemstone is documented individually with photographs, videos, technical information and price.

This makes it possible to compare several specimens conveniently by considering:

Which characteristics should you compare?

• color;
• clarity;
• brilliance;
• cut;
• dimensions;
• origin;
• treatments;
• certification;
• price.

Once you have identified the gemstones that interest you, you can request a consultation with a gemologist or arrange an appointment to view them in person at our premises. All the precious gemstones we offer are physically available at Luxedo, unlike sellers who advertise stones they do not actually hold in stock.

How does a showroom appointment work?

Anyone wishing to see one or more gemstones in person can arrange an appointment at our showroom in Riccione, Italy.

We welcome clients by appointment only so that we can guarantee privacy and dedicate the appropriate time and attention to each person.

We recommend selecting the gemstones of greatest interest from our online catalogue before the appointment.

During the appointment, you can view the selected specimens, compare their characteristics together with our Gemologist and receive all the advice you need before purchasing a gemstone or commissioning a custom-made jewel.

How should you choose who to buy a gemstone from?

Choosing a gemstone often coincides with an important moment, an occasion to celebrate and remember. For this reason, choosing the right professional to guide you should be a priority.

When buying a precious gemstone, you are not simply choosing a stone: you are also choosing the person who will guide you through the delicate process of selecting, understanding and evaluating it with expertise, transparency, attention to detail and respect for your own wishes.

Today there are countless offers online, and clients who feel overwhelmed by the amount of information available may end up relying on:

Situations that deserve particular attention

• general marketplaces containing thousands of gemstones that have not been individually selected;
• online auctions without sufficiently thorough due diligence;
• sellers who make gemological claims they are unable to substantiate;
• catalogues containing both natural and synthetic gemstones without making the distinction immediately clear to the client;
• websites that use rendered images instead of photographs of the actual gemstones;
• private sellers offering previously owned items without after-sales guarantees;
• social-media channels where commercial promotion takes precedence over gemological information;
• offers advertising extremely large discounts without providing enough information to understand the gemstone’s actual value.

A few simple questions can help you assess the reliability of a gemstone seller.

Questions to ask before buying a gemstone

• Is the gemstone natural?
• Will I receive exactly the gemstone shown in the photographs?
• Has the gemstone been examined and verified by a professional gemologist?
• Can I receive assistance from a qualified and knowledgeable expert during the selection process?
• Can I view the gemstone in person if I wish?
• Can I know all the relevant characteristics of the gemstone before purchasing?
• Is the price clearly stated?
• Is gemological certification available?

A truly specialized seller should be able to answer each of these questions clearly, support every statement with appropriate information or documentation, and guide you through the choice with expertise and transparency.