Are there by chance any vendors of gemological instruments in the St. Louis region?
New or used.
Primarily, a refractometer & a polariscope are the instruments of interest.
Having given such instruments to a friend in need long ago, these are replacements that will be used to reassure myself, & potential clients, that stones salvaged from scrap are accurately represented.
Additional instruments that are available may also be purchased, pending my inspection.
American, British, or European instruments are preferable, but a duplicate of the Japanese refractometer previously owned would be a welcome find.
Deviating from the primary topic, what are your impressions of the St. Louis area gem related clubs, regarding the seriousness of the members & overall quality of club activities. Your assessment will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks to all of you in advance for your time and consideration.
Post subject: Re: Instrument dealers in the St. Louis area?
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 5:34 pm
Platinum Member
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 8:20 pm Posts: 2659
We have a very nice group in St. Louis, It is both a GIA Alumni chapter and an AGS Guild group. We have an ambitious schedule this year. On May 02 we will present Doug Hucker CEO of the AGTA. Here is a GIA link to the event.
On the weekend of July 11 we will have Nathan Renfrow Lead ID specialist of the GIA Carlsbad lab. We are also planning on having Michael Monahan COO of SCIO diamonds (the purchaser of Apollo diamonds technology)
Last year we had well known Jeweler Tom Tivol speak to us (He is a very serious guy. He has a Masters in Geology AND a law degree and grew up IN the jewelry trades) We also hosted Gary Roskin who gave us a wonderful two part presentation on the Graff blue diamond and on the Argyle pink diamond tenders. VERY entertaining man.
We are always looking for new members especially ones that are serious and enthusiastic. We are plotting to work with the Missouri Rock and Mineral club to lure some of their thousand members to join our group too and to perhaps to some joint presentation/meetings with them.
As far as buying gemological equipment I am 1) located in St. Louis 2) very overstocked on EVERY type of gemological equipment 3) always interested in meeting others with this illness.
You can't send a private message or email until you have posted 10 times so don't try. If you attend the Doug Hucker event we can discuss your gemological equipment requirements.
The club that you describe appears more than suitable.
The date of the first presentation may not be doable, but a membership fee for your club will be sent to the appropriate contact (once provided). The web page for the presentation was lacking in membership information.
It seems by your post that there is no brick & mortar store in the area. That is unfortunate, but I look forward to the opportunity to purchase from your excessive inventory.
Post subject: Re: Instrument dealers in the St. Louis area?
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 12:45 pm
Platinum Member
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 8:20 pm Posts: 2659
The president of the club lists his email and he will give you an address to send the membership fees which are $30 annually.
I don't think even GIA any longer has an instrument store in brick and mortar fashion (anyone who knows otherwise correct me if I am wrong) The closest thing to that would be a glass case at a jeweler's supply place that might have some items on display.
There is not enough money in gemmo instruments to support a brick and mortar store.
Considering that St. Louis used to have supply houses, like the Nest & Rockhound Supply, that would get things on approval, it’s sad that no one has filled the void. I do remember that the shop that Bob Hauser opened on the top floor of 713 Olive curbed its line of gemological supplies at loupes & parcel papers… It’s been a couple of decades so I don’t know if he’s even still there.
It’s a small matter. I’ll be happy to purchase from you.
Post subject: Re: Instrument dealers in the St. Louis area?
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 5:23 pm
Platinum Member
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 8:20 pm Posts: 2659
Hauser and Miller are still around in South County. But I think they are internet only and were mail order only before that. I don't think they have a showroom anymore as they did on the Forest Park Parkway , where I used to buy stuff from them. I bought my first jeweler's tools from them when I was in college. Later I sold them a set of ceramic photographic developing tanks that my late sainted mother had. The probably filled them with horrible acids. There was probably also a ton of silver adsorbed in them. They were ancient when my mom got them in the forties.
The Nest company is long gone. So is Rockhound Supplies. I bought my first gemology book and other stuff there too. I think the owner deceased. There are one or two others that have come and gone.
If you want to see gemmo instruments in a showroom you need to go to somewhere where Rubin and Sons has a showroom or the Kassoy showroom in NYC in the diamond district. You might also see things at Stuller's or Rio Grande or a few places like that.
H & M is still around but the last of the Hauser family (Bob) sold out in the mid 90’s, (the last Miller, some time before that) shortly after reopening Hauser & Miller Jewelry supply at the address above, which was in the Chemical Building (across the street from the Paul Brown building that housed Nest). It was a service house for the Vigor catalog.
I forgot his last name, but a guy named Richard bought Bob out and became the owner of H & M. He had been the general manager when I met him in the late ‘80s. At that time, I got into the refinery (clean place & well run) as a consultant relating to their need for replacement wafer dies for their house branded 1, 5 & 10 ozt. Ag bars. I’m not sure if they ever had them remade, because all the H & M bars that pass through my hands are from the pre Hunt Bro’s days.
The Nest was a great place. I bought all my Lindstrom pliers there.
A showroom is not as important to me as the opportunity to see instruments prior to purchase & avoid the possibility of having to send something back that has a problem. Such problems are listed in a few threads on this forum & having been an instrument maker (measuring & surgical) after my stint as a jeweler, I find them intolerable.
I’ve consumed much of your input on this forum & feel that there will be certain privilege in purchasing instruments that you’ve approved.
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