Hi everyone,

My name is Phil, I have just turned 60 years old but feel like a 30 year old!

I have been a jewellery designer and maker for over 38 years. I have spent all that time working for myself. I started in a converted bedroom and ended up having my own High Street shop.

In the early days, I specialised in mostly commission work and have done some amazing pieces for quite famous people including royalty as well as for the ordinary man in the street. However, after I had my shop, I had to produce several ranges of jewellery which I designed and made myself, as commission work alone wouldn't keep me in the manner to which I had become accustomed lol!

This was back in the days when Margaret Thatcher thought she ruled the world and in her wisdom put the VAT on luxury goods (including jewellery) up to 25%. This just about killed the jewellery trade for a while.

I gave up making jewellery as a business for a while but always made the odd commission piece and a few other items mainly as a hobby. I sort of retired a few years ago due to ill health but have decided recently to bring my tools and Sievert torch out of mothballs.

I moved to France over 10 years ago so no longer have access to what used to be Johnson Matthey Metals but which is now Cooksongold and the Hockley area of Birmingham or Hatton Garden. I have lost all my contacts for stones etc and therefore would like your help.

Can anybody recommend some good well priced stone dealers? Dealers in ordinary cabs of good quality, maybe something a little different, and dealers in mid ranged precious stones. I particularly like cab tourmalines if anybody knows people who deal in these kinds of stones.

Also, I have a small Elmar Ultrasonic which I bought from Suttons a long time ago. What sort of liquids should I use for general ring cleaning after it has been on the polishing buff? I have just bought some Sea Clean 2 and wonder if this is any good in a warm water dilution.

Another question - back in the day, I never bothered much about trying to stop firescale and just used to spend ages with a buffing stick removing it. But I understand that there are things that you can paint on or dip items into to stop firescale or at least cut it down to a minimum. I was recommended some Argo-tect to use in combination with meths. Is this any good or can anybody recommend anything better and not so toxic.

I think that's probably enough of my ramblings for now. I await your replies.

Phil (philongold)