It started with rocks and arrowheads over 40 years ago and it grew...boy did it grow. When my wife Phoebe and I first married, her mother Myra was fretting about what to get me for my birthday. I overheard my wife tell her, "Oh, don't worry about Zeke mother, he'll be happy with a rock."

Myra was married to entertainer Jerry Lee Lewis. My wife Phoebe is his only living biological child. She is the last of a line and true Rock & Roll Royalty. Phoebe and I met when I was featuring her daddy on the cover of our award winning, music/foodie/southern-culture, magazine, Twisted South (Best New Magazine 2010 - Library Journal Magazine.)

In 2010-2011 thousands of hard-copy magazines went bankrupt due to the digital revolution. I owned the fastest growing niche magazine in the world at the time, but we pulled the plug; due to external, “family,” squabbles and the publishing industry being in digital turmoil. Confusion caused advertisement buyers to freeze up, not knowing where to put their money.  

We broken-heartedly moved on. And we had/have very intention of reopening a hard-cop and online maga-logue, Magazine but we are our own sponsors. Two of many things I knew a lot about were plants/garden-design and gemstones, so I started my business with my private gem collection and money I received for selling our part of an extensive Evel Knievel collection, which is now a museum. I have  been in the gem business for almost 6 years now, officially. But our contacts were established way before our launch. 

Phoebe (My Wife with her mother, Myra Gale and her daddy, Jerry Lee Lewis.

Rock Royalty.

 

We put 100% of the revenue and profit back into the business so we have gems not even listed yet. We are a tiny company and to keep pricing low I don’t spend your money on ultra fancy packaging and gimmicks. Over half of my business is by word of mouth. This means we don’t have staff being paid to sit 24/7 at a computer to answer every text, social post and email real-time, but if you want a quick response give me a phone call, we are open 9AM to 9PM EST, 7-days a week, even holidays. I do answer our texts and emails but please use these phone if you don’t get a quick enough response. If you want pretty packaging we can do that too. But why not rewrap the box yourself. Our letters of authenticity are from an expert in the products field. i.e. Jerry Lee lewis comes with a handwritten dated and signed letter from his daughter, ban member or his manager, producer, daughter and Jerry Lee item and signature expert.

“I overheard my wife tell her, "Oh, don't worry about Zeke mother, he'll be happy with a rock.”

We now buy globally and many mines/cutters give us first shot at their rarest, most unusual, finest-quality, gems and rough. We get 1st shot because I am known to buy the best and specialize in untreated, exceptionally rare gems. My relationships give me choice pricing with many brokers and miners worldwide. 

I CAN FIND ALMOST ANY GEM YOU NEED, IN THE QUALITY YOU DESIRE.

I will work as YOUR PRIVATE BROKER using our buying power to glean the best possible deals with Cutters, brokers, agents and dealers worldwide. Many sellers will not deal with a non-accredited buyer at all.

When the lowest price is agreed upon, YOU receive the discount in full and the seller pays our small commission, based on your percentage off. Who the higher the discount we get you determines our sub-percentage. Think about it. The more you save the more we get. We have found other methods of brokering are a conflict of interest. 

I ALSO WORK WITH THE FINEST JEWELERS TO MOUNT YOUR GEMS, (IF YOU NEED THIS SERVICE,) I HAVE A LIST OF TOP JEWELERS WHO WILL DESIGN & BUILD YOU “WORLD CLASS JEWELRY,’ AND THEY GIVE MY CUSTOMERS PRIORITY STATUS.

Note - I do not get a referral fee from most of the designers/jewelers on our list. We do charge on custom cut/faceted/cabochons and gem carving from rough using our gem cutters. Most top gem cutters will not cut a customer’s personal rough now unless the job is very expensive. Our cutters will cut, facet, polish YOUR rough for an hourly rate, plus shipping charges. Email contact@oldvirginiagem.com for cutting fees and other rate information. 

 

(above) A ring designed by one of our approved, mounting, jewelry designers. This ring design is featured in the Smithsonian. The main-gem in a ring is so important. All you have to do is ship them your gem(s) and they are an, “architect of dreams.” Contact us for additional information on our designer/manufacturers list.

Many people buy my gems and resell them at higher prices. We call them,

“ Pickers.” I give these people discounts depending on how much and how frequently they buy. We also provide gem cutting services for them as requested.

(Above) An East African, Rhodolite-Hybrid, (Malaia-Malaya,) Color-Shift Garnet. Precision, highly faceted cut for Old Virginia Gem Co. From our vaulted rough.

 I have contracted with (Master, United States) gem-cutters and we partner with gem cutters in Thailand. Our United States cutters are much more precise in their faceting but there is a handcrafted beauty in the Thai cut gems that is wonderful, when the cutters are as skilled as those we use. We are not a huge company, we are real people, and you should not treat us as machines and we promise not to treat you like a number.

 

Though from Texas I love my home in Lynchburg, Va. which was built in 1875 by the city’s first millionaire, for his daughter Sidney.

I amd thrilled to send any gem(s) you buy to GIA for certification at your expense if they are not already certified. Buyer pays the lab fees, shipping fees and 45.00 processing fee. We encourage you to save the 45.00 fee and send it to GIA yourself. 

I'll always take time away from gardening, gem stalking and fixing up our old French Second Empire home to talk with you. We want your trust and good old-fashioned advice is always free at Old Virginia Gem Co. We accept reasonable offers on higher dollar items when possible, but we always try to base our prices upon reality and the true quality of the gem. 

I could easily talk for ten minutes on each of the gems below. All have a story but even as they are, with no talking points, they stand out for various reasons as exceptionally rare gemstones. 

  

(L) 5+ ct. Vivid Blue Spinel, VVS, No-Treatment, GIA

(R) 15+ ct. Natural, Crystal Opal, Round Cabochon, 2-Sided

  

(L) 23+ ct. Ametrine, Flawless, Cut for OVGC by John Dyer

(R) 7 ct. Deep, Blood-Red, Fire Opal, Trillion, Mexico, The Color!

Being a former collector it is sometimes hard to let go of, one-of-a-kind gems, but I have learned that each time I sell a gem it goes to someone who loves it as much as I did and with many Universities and museums buying from us more people will see these gems. 

Thank you for supporting Small Business and if you want to partner with us and have a top notch product, contact us, J\just wait and see the artists, potters, craftsman and custom, high end furniture and pillows are in the work as I type this Weds. November, 6th, 2024 and you will be the first to see our custom-furniture and bejeweled pillow collection under our sub-brans Asa-12 and Asa-XII. It is mind blowing and Asa 12 will be quite affordable for most professionals. And for plumbers (newest millionaire category, Tech. giants, high-end realtors and decorators. Those who can invest money for the antiques of tomorrow.

Zeke Loftin