Another spess crapshoot

[justginger]

I remember Uppy gave Siamgold78 a shot with a spess not long ago and was disappointed - am hoping I will come out on the good end of this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220877770504&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:US:1123

I sort of bought it on accident. I placed a 'best offer' that I didn't think they'd accept - $200 less than their asking price. The ad actually says, "If you make any offer you need to be close." Hmm. I guess we'll see what it looks like when it arrives...

I suppose my chief concern is that it is REAL. Going through the SG, weights, water displacement numbers in Uppy's thread...well, my head was spinning. Getting someone to check it out in Perth might be difficult, unfortunately. The only good appraiser that I know of accepts stones during a limited number of hours, on a limited number of days. It would mean actually taking time off work to have it checked out.

I suppose step one is: open package, look at color. Will go forward with the issue of appraisals after that point.

 

[minousbijoux]

Good luck to you! Didn't it turn out that Uppy's had a brown modifier? I would be afraid of bad color before I would even think it wasn't real...

On another note, I like hearing what vendors actually sell their "best offer" gems for. I just bought one for about 2/3 of the ask price from Gem Earth - it looks good, but we'll see. I always worry that I've paid too much - I paid about $250/ct for mine. From that perspective, you paid a good price if its a nice stone. I'm sure its not Namibian though, and don't know why they always say that!

 

[Upgradable]

Ginger, that stone looks beautiful!!

My contact with Siamgold78 was fabulous! She was always available to answer questions and obtain info quickly. I really felt like she wanted to give the best customer service she could. And she did!! I've never worked with a better vendor. I also wouldn't worry about the natural nature and full disclosure of the stone. The only real problem I had was a delay in shipping. It got caught up in US customs through no one's fault.

Only reason I returned the stone was that it was browner than I wanted. I must confess that the picture actually showed the level of brown, but I guess I wanted to see a more mandarin than was actually there. Return and refund were without difficulty. All in all, I'd buy from her again in an instant!

I really hope this stone is exactly what you want. It looks gorgeous! I especially like the cut. Keep us in the loupe .

 

[JewelFreak]

Wow, what color, Ginger. Good news from Uppy about the vendor! Waiting waiting to see IRL photos.....tap tap tap.

 

[y2kitty]

Bill Vance showed me a real nice 19 carat spess today...

I hope yours looks just like the photos.....looks promising.

 

[justginger]

Thanks for all of the well wishes. Will be eagerly waiting the delivery. This is my Halloween pumpkin trick or treat, I think!

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Fingers crossed!

 

[minousbijoux]

Hi Ginger

I hope you've received your spess by now, so how is it? Is it a keeper or is it on its way back?

 

[pregcurious]

Can't wait to hear the results!

 

[justginger]

Haven't heard anything about it...I did see that the estimated delivery time was up to 21 days, so I'm trying to be patient.

 

[justginger]

I emailed Mai a few days ago, as I still had seen not a hint of the spess. She responded promptly saying that the tracking showed it at Bangkok airport, outgoing, on the 1st of November, and no update since. She was going to go to the post office and ask there, as it should be here, and let me know the next day.

That was the 21st. It is now the 25th and I haven't heard back from her. I just emailed again, to see what's going on. I'd like my garnet, please.

 

[minousbijoux]

You know its funny, because at the same time you bought yours, I bought one from Gem Earth. The owner is very good and timely about sending out stones (it has never taken more than 5 or 6 working days which is impressive from Thailand), but this time, I have not received mine either. Perhaps there is something going on in Thailand thats holding things up?

 

[VapidLapid]

There has been awful flooding there this last month.

 

[T L]

Did you get a tracking number? I always request that all vendors send me a tracking number, especially if it's a high priced item.

 

[minousbijoux]

Well mine arrived today, so here's to hoping that if there was a logjam leaving the country it has sorted itself out now and yours is on its way. I have decided to keep my stone and will try and post photos. I am really having a hard time finding a spess that I am head over heels in love with - I see something in my minds eye, a very saturated, almost reddish orange orange. And yet I can't find it. Probably looking in wrong places...

Dust to you JG!

 

[justginger]

Mai has stated that she chased things up on her end, but the PO there told her that a month must pass before they officially open an investigation. I get very uncomfortable when things start skating close to the 45 day Paypal dispute cutoff. She says this has happened in the past, but on every occasion the package did eventually arrive.

 

[Upgradable]

I'm sorry it's been delayed. Interesting that delay in delivery was my experience too! She went to the post office, etc. Just a bit hinky that we've both had that experience. Continuing dust to you.

 

[VapidLapid]

Different vendor but very good info and photos about the flood and its effect on everything in bangkok.

http://www.ajsgem.com/articles/thailand-flood-2011.html

 

[beau-wy]

I get very uncomfortable when things start skating close to the 45 day Paypal dispute cutoff.

Be sure to initiate the eBay and Paypal disputes when things are seriously overdue. The 45 days is for initiation of a dispute; it does not have to be resolved within the 45 days period. Your seller's initial delivery estimate is up to 22 days, it has been 29 days since the auction closed.

The dispute resolution process takes at least a week; if at any time during that period you receive the stone, you can end the dispute.

Likewise, if you are refunded your payment and the package then arrives after delays, the tracking will prove you received it and your obligation to either return the item by a trackable posting option, or to remit payment back and keep the stone.

 

[justginger]

I have a package delivery card in my mailbox. However, I'm awaiting another package as well - so there's a 50/50 chance it's my spess. Can't wait to get to the post office tomorrow after work!

 

[justginger]

It arrived today. A beautiful cut, nice clean stone. But far browner than the photos suggested. It will be headed back tomorrow, I'm afraid.

 

[T L]

It arrived today. A beautiful cut, nice clean stone. But far browner than the photos suggested. It will be headed back tomorrow, I'm afraid.

Had a feeling, sorry. Spessartites, especially on ebay, are always much browner than depicted in the photos it seems. It's just so wrong how most vendors dramatically photoshop them.