Green Diamonds?

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....I have picked up some unbelievable bargins like a 2.5ct unheated violet blue paraiba tourmaline ring for $400, a natural 1.05ct brazilian strong color change alexandrite for $450 and a 20ct+ clean Mandarin Garnet for $4,000....

Wow, MJO...I''m impressed!! Where do you find these bargains? Mind if I follow you around for a while?

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[MJO]

Date: 5/7/2005 8

4:46 PM
Author: widget

....I have picked up some unbelievable bargins like a 2.5ct unheated violet blue paraiba tourmaline ring for $400, a natural 1.05ct brazilian strong color change alexandrite for $450 and a 20ct+ clean Mandarin Garnet for $4,000....

Wow, MJO...I''m impressed!! Where do you find these bargains? Mind if I follow you around for a while?

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Hi Widget,

I followed the advice of Richard W. Wise in his book "Secrets Of The Gem Trade" for the Alexandrite and the Mandarin Garnet. He says in the Preface:

"Another great lesson learned about aquiring gems -- if you see it and can afford it, grab it! Gems are often found in large concentrations or pockets, so a large number of stones will appear on the market at a given time. This gives the false impression that a particular gemstone is in plentiful supply. It is, but the supply is fleeting. Once the initial find has stimulated the market''s appetite and supply slows, prices will rise. In many case the source pipline quickly dries up; the best stones are snapped up, the price rises, and an opportunity to aquire a beautiful stone at a reasonable price has passed, perhaps forever."

These are words to live by. This one paragraph alone was worth 1,000 times the price of the book. It made sense to me. I do advise anyone thinking of buying expensive stones to first buy and read this book.

The Paraiba I bought when no one new what it was and the person selling it needed money. I bought it on ebay a few years ago. The auction ended on new years day and no one else bid on it (I guess they were all hung over ). Back then it was the only Paraiba listed on ebay. The person happened to live a few towns away from me so I saw it first before I paid for it.

 

[lubysan]

I realize I''m particularly late to this conversation. I bought a ''certed'' .09 fancy ''intense'' green a while back for $900. The justification for the natural origin determination was radiation stains along the girdle. I suppose these were left behind by a skilled cutter for that very reason. I have a couple more small certed yellowish greens that face up very green. It''s hard to find a nice green without a yellow modifier. Sometimes. chameleons display a particularly beautiful green hue in natural light. But more often than not they face up dark green or forest green.