Any tsavorite experts out there?

[kgizo]

Heritage Auctions has an 8.55ct tsavorite ring in its Tuesday internet auction. I thought over 2 ct was rare, so trying to wrap my head around an 8.55 one. The current bid is $240 and the estimate is $1K and up. Heritage is a legit auction house, but this seems off. There is one picture, but it doesn't have the richness I expect from tsavs (but, I'm a true novice). What would an 8+ carat tsavorite run price-wise? Thoughts?

 

[Aoife]

I'm not an expert, but as a point of reference, Swala currently has one for sale that is slightly over 5ct, and is priced at over $12,800. I didn't look at the photo from Heritage Auctions, but with that price as a starter, I wouldn't expect much in terms of color, clarity, etc.

Ed. to add: I just took a look. Accented by CZ's? Hmm.....I couldn't tell if the ring had any kind of report on the stone.

 

[T L]

How clean is it? Included tsavorites sell for far less than included ones. You also have to be careful of fracture filling these days (from what I hear). Also, a dark forest green (green with lots of grey), with lots of extinction, or a very yellowish green is probably not prime color. You want a very saturated slightly bluish green with medium to medium dark tone. I have been told this by tsavorite experts, and tend to agree that this color/tone range make for the most beautiful stones.

 

[T L]

Is this the tsavorite in question (to others, the ring is not diamond, but cz's)?

I suppose it's worth it if the stone is $240 in total, but the stone is very very dark, and I wouldn't be surprised if it looked almost black in person. The trillion tsavorite they have for sale is kind of yellowish too.

 

[Harriet]

Heritage Auctions has an 8.55ct tsavorite ring in its Tuesday internet auction. I thought over 2 ct was rare, so trying to wrap my head around an 8.55 one. The current bid is $240 and the estimate is $1K and up. Heritage is a legit auction house, but this seems off. There is one picture, but it doesn't have the richness I expect from tsavs (but, I'm a true novice). What would an 8+ carat tsavorite run price-wise? Thoughts?

The price for a top tsavorite in that size range is negotiable, that is, at the seller's discretion. Conservatively, I'd estimate it to cost between $55-65k in total. As far as I know, tsavorite remains treatment-free.

 

[chrono]

Although tsavorite over 2 carats are uncommon, it doesn't mean any tsavorite over 5 carats does not exist. It only means that it is more difficult to find and pricing will also go up exponentially. A starting bid of $240 sends up huge red flags on a tsavorite that large, meaning something isn't quite right. A fine tsavorite of over 5 carats should have a starting price of over $10K. More than likely, the stone isn't of fine colour or is horribly included to the point of being structurally unsound.

The picture TL attached showed possibly a stone that's going to look like a blackhole in person. Way too dark.

 

[T L]

Although tsavorite over 2 carats are uncommon, it doesn't mean any tsavorite over 5 carats does not exist. It only means that it is more difficult to find and pricing will also go up exponentially. A starting bid of $240 sends up huge red flags on a tsavorite that large, meaning something isn't quite right. A fine tsavorite of over 5 carats should have a starting price of over $10K. More than likely, the stone isn't of fine colour or is horribly included to the point of being structurally unsound.

The picture TL attached showed possibly a stone that's going to look like a blackhole in person. Way too dark.

I totally agree, I bet its very very dark in person, perhaps fracture filled, more included than it appears, etc. . . and why the heck is it in a setting full of cz's? A fine stone should not be in such a setting. Color is very important in tsavorites, and I have recently found that many variables affect price, more so than just size. I recently purchased a 4.5 carat tsavorite for less than $500, and it's much more lively in color in than that one, and a medium tone. It has some inclusions, but there is something to be said for the importance of color.

On some of the gemstone treatment sites I have frequented, I have heard that tsavorites and other garnets are occasionally fracture filled, so I would be leary of that. There's always simulants as well. Chrome diopside is a natural dark chrome green stone that is used to simulate tsavorite, but it is far less expensive and softer. That stone could be a chrome diopside as well, as they are often very dark in tone.

If you can get it for really cheap, then get it, but send it to AGL for a report. If it's a "black hole," what I refer to as a stone that's so dark that you can see very little to no light coming out of it, then you probably got what you paid for.

 

[kgizo]

Thanks for all the replies. I did not know that fracture filling was a possibility or that tsavs could go so dark. I'm glad I learned something. Y'all are great resources!

 

[Pandora II]

I'd put my money on it being a simulant (no true synthetic garnet out there) along the lines of the HUGE lab tsavorites freely available on eBay.

A fine coloured stone of that size would be over $50k.

 

[kgizo]

I checked their website this morning and it looks like they pulled the ring from the auction. Interesting.

 

[chrono]

I am unfamiliar with Heritage Auction house but wouldn't they incur any liability for knowingly/unknowingly selling a tsavorite simulant?

 

[kgizo]

Chrono, good question so I just looked at the lengthy T&Cs on their website. If I am interpreting them correctly, for a "gross cataloging error" the bidder can make a request to cancel the sale within 3 days and the gem would need to be returned within 30 days. The bidder would be out the cost of shipping both ways and the amount the bidder paid for an appraisal/report. Otherwise everything is sold "as is". Seems fairly risky based on everything I've learned on PS about the importance of a report from a reputable firm.

 

[Starzin]

Looks like prime material for a recut really...just don't know you'd want to pay $50K+ for the privilege