04 — Trade & bulk
Trade & Bulk
Calibrated goods for jewellers and mixed lots for dealers who cut their own. Parcels ship on memo to established accounts after the first order.
| Parcel | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Calibrated rounds, 2.5–3.5 mm | Commercial to good colour, minor oil. Minimum 20 ct. | $46 / ct |
| Mixed rough, gem-bearing | Unsorted Boyacá material for cutters, sold by the kilo. | $1,900 / kg |
| Matched pairs, 5–7 mm ovals | Colour-matched for earrings, both weights listed separately. | From $780 |
Questions before you order a parcel? Call 888-296-4870 and ask for trade.
Trade buyers: parcels are described with the same disclosure as single stones — see oil grades explained and how parcels ship and clear customs.
New to buying parcels? Read the trade buyer’s guide — how parcels are quoted, our terms, and what we will not do.
How parcels price
Per carat, not per stone — and the average is what you are buying
A parcel is priced per carat across the whole lot. You are not buying a set of individually graded stones; you are buying a distribution, and the number that matters is the blended cost per carat against what you can realise on the mix. The mistake newcomers make is pricing the parcel off the two best stones in it. The parcel is the average, and the honest question is never what the best stone is worth — it is what the bottom third is worth.
| Parcel type | What it means | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Sorted | Graded to a stated size and quality band before sale, with the range disclosed. | Buyers who need predictable inventory and will pay for the sorting work. |
| Run of mine / as-is | Unsorted or lightly sorted, sold as it came. Cheaper per carat and far more variable. | Experienced buyers who can grade for themselves and profit from doing the sorting. |
| Single-size | One narrow size band, mixed quality — typical for calibrated or melee needs. | Bench jewellers and manufacturers filling repeat settings. |
| Matched | Stones deliberately paired or suited for colour and cut, usually a small lot. | Earrings, suites, and restoration work. Priced well above the mix it came from. |
Due diligence
What a trade buyer should verify before committing
- The actual weight, reweighed on arrival. Agree in advance what tolerance is acceptable and what happens outside it.
- The grade distribution, not the top stones. Ask for the breakdown by band and photographs of the lower end. A seller who will only show you the best of the parcel is telling you about the rest of it.
- Treatment across the lot. Filler level varies stone to stone within a parcel. Ask whether enhancement is stated as a range and where the bulk sits.
- Origin basis. Whether origin is documented, or the seller’s assessment. For parcels it is usually the latter, and it should be said plainly.
- Terms on rejection. What happens if the parcel does not match description — before money moves, in writing.
- Who is importer of record and who carries duty, tax and the risk in transit.
We will send the distribution and photograph the bottom of the parcel without being asked, and we state enhancement as a range with where the bulk sits. If a parcel has a weak tail, you will hear it from us before you buy — a trade buyer who is surprised once does not come back, and repeat trade buyers are the entire point of this line.
Compliance
What regulation applies at trade volume — stated plainly
Dealing in precious stones at volume carries real obligations, and a counterparty who cannot describe them is a counterparty who is not meeting them. Ours:
- Anti-money-laundering program. Under the US Bank Secrecy Act rules for dealers in precious metals, stones and jewels (31 CFR Part 1027), a dealer crossing the annual thresholds for both purchases and sales of covered goods must maintain a written AML program. We treat that as the operating standard rather than a line to stay under.
- Large cash reporting. Cash received in a trade or business above the statutory threshold is reportable on IRS Form 8300. We do not structure payments to avoid it and will decline a transaction shaped that way.
- Identification of counterparties. Trade accounts are verified. Business identity, and beneficial ownership where relevant, before a parcel moves.
- Sanctions screening on parties and jurisdictions, both directions.
- Export and import documentation handled with correct classification and declared value. We do not under-declare shipments to reduce a customer’s duty — it is customs fraud, it voids the insurance, and it is the buyer who is left exposed.
None of the above is a courtesy. If another supplier is willing to skip it, understand what you are actually being offered and who carries the consequence.
Questions
Trade and wholesale
What is the minimum for a trade parcel?
It depends on the material and what is being cut at the time rather than on a fixed number, so tell us the size band, quality range and total carats you need and we will say what exists and what it costs. Small first orders are welcome — we would rather you tested us on a modest parcel and came back than committed large on a first transaction.
Can I see the parcel before buying?
Photographs and video of the whole lot including the bottom end, plus the grade distribution and weight, as standard. For substantial parcels we can discuss inspection or a memo arrangement for established trade accounts. First-time buyers should expect verification before memo terms.
Are parcel stones certified?
Generally no, and you should be suspicious of a parcel that claims to be. Individual laboratory reports on parcel goods would cost more than many of the stones are worth. Certification belongs to significant single stones. For parcels, what protects you is a stated distribution, honest treatment disclosure and clear terms on rejection — see when a report is actually worth paying for.
Do you drop-ship to my customers?
For established trade accounts, yes, insured and with your documentation rather than ours. What we will not do is misdeclare value or contents on a shipment, whoever asks.