Hi, I am new and have been making fashion and silver jewellery at home from scrap for years for myself and friends. More recently I stated making it with more refined materials, as birthday presents, like the pearl necklace that I made for a friend 21st.

Now it is my Mums birthday and I wanted to take on the biggest project yet by making her an 18ct gem studded necklace with green sapphires and pink rubies. I have hit some problems though.

First off, to make the necklace I need setting or collets that are inter- connectable either because they have a free area so I can manipulate them by connecting them with rings or those that have the extra loops so they are meant for connection. Does anyone know where I can get them? I have seen some on an American website but I don’t know if they are reliable.

Also the stone. I read that now a days nearly all Sapphires and Rubies now a days have been heat treated, does that make them loose their value. Also I know some places to get the stones in the UK but I don’t think I will have time to go and get them, especially without my Mum finding out. I found a website in Thailand that gets their stone from all over the world. It looks great, and prices seem kind of accurate. I was not expecting the greatest quality but could someone tell me if they are reliable or at least that they sell real gemstones. They are based in Thailand. The website is gemselect.com

Can anyone help?