HIdeous learning gems - your eyes have been warned

[chictomato]

Cool post! I enjoyed reading I kinda like the last red stone in the photo though

 

[Arkteia]

One personal question: how did you obtain them? Did they float to you on the waves of ebay, or did you look at them in person and think, "this stone smiles at me"?. Something prompts me it was ebay and the deals were too good to resist...

 

[Arcadian]

Date: 6/3/2010 1:40:38 AM
Author: crasru
One personal question: how did you obtain them? Did they float to you on the waves of ebay, or did you look at them in person and think, 'this stone smiles at me'?. Something prompts me it was ebay and the deals were too good to resist...

The red one (the garnet)wasn't ebay but from a personal seller. The pink saph was all ebay. I had no idea it would look like that as the seller did a very good job on the photo

. I even paid the extra money to have it certed. It wasn't terribly expensive so I can't complain really. (at least its real...lol)

The blue ones I got in a parcel of stones at a gem show some moons ago. I think I paid something like 20 bucks for the parcel (nothing special really, just topaz, citrine, and peridot) I liked the color of them so I went for it. They're all pretty tiny stones (and really terribly cut as well), but I didn't exactly know any better at the time...lol.



-A

 

[Rockit]

I love this thread. Thank you. You just know that each of us has at least one hideous learning gem hiding in the closet! Like training wheels – embarrassing but necessary.

 

[T L]

Date: 6/3/2010 1:40:38 AM
Author: crasru
One personal question: how did you obtain them? Did they float to you on the waves of ebay, or did you look at them in person and think, 'this stone smiles at me'?. Something prompts me it was ebay and the deals were too good to resist...

When I bought those, ebay wasn't around, or it was in it's infancy. I did get most, if not all of them, from Intergem (a gem show). Therefore, it's even worse because I saw them IRL when I bought them.

 

[Cehrabehra]

haha this is what I wanted to see in the ugly duckling thread! thank you for being brave... I kinda like that zircon though

 

[T L]

I think we all had to start somewhere when buying gems. I seriously doubt people bought some fine piece on their first try (unless it was Richard Burton). I remember the first gem show I ever went to, I was still a teenager, and I was so excited because I saw a tray full of cut blue topazes (all machine cut and irradiated of course, but I didn't know that then) and thought they were cheap at $10/stone. What a great buy!

You guys haven't even seen my loose learning gems yet!!

I have a large andalusite and I thought it was so cool because of the dichroism, but dichroism from brown to olive green isn't so spectacular afterall.

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 6/3/2010 11:21:22 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 6/3/2010 1:40:38 AM
Author: crasru
One personal question: how did you obtain them? Did they float to you on the waves of ebay, or did you look at them in person and think, ''this stone smiles at me''?. Something prompts me it was ebay and the deals were too good to resist...

When I bought those, ebay wasn''t around, or it was in it''s infancy. I did get most, if not all of them, from Intergem (a gem show). Therefore, it''s even worse because I saw them IRL when I bought them.

OK...Judging by your photograph in the Hangout, you are pretty young yourself. As far as I know, ebay has been around forever (maybe not, but so it feels). So...did you start collecting gems in your CRIB? Just putting gems in your mouth?

 

[T L]

Date: 6/3/2010 6:47:34 PM
Author: crasru

Date: 6/3/2010 11:21:22 AM

Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 6/3/2010 1:40:38 AM

Author: crasru

One personal question: how did you obtain them? Did they float to you on the waves of ebay, or did you look at them in person and think, 'this stone smiles at me'?. Something prompts me it was ebay and the deals were too good to resist...

When I bought those, ebay wasn't around, or it was in it's infancy. I did get most, if not all of them, from Intergem (a gem show). Therefore, it's even worse because I saw them IRL when I bought them.

OK...Judging by your photograph in the Hangout, you are pretty young yourself. As far as I know, ebay has been around forever (maybe not, but so it feels). So...did you start collecting gems in your CRIB? Just putting gems in your mouth?

Crasru, you're my new best friend!!!

I'm not THAT young, but I'll tell my husband you think so!!

Let's just say I love retinol. Tee hee hee.

The first time I heard of ebay was around 15 years ago, and that was at an antique show where some vendor was telling me he gets better prices on his goods on ebay than at the show. I asked, "what's ebay?" and the rest is history!!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

How about a learning diamond?

Luckily I can return it

 

[pregcurious]

You should all laugh at me because when TL mentioned dark tone and extinction to describe her stones, I was like, oh yeah!

Seriously, how is it that I have any decent stones? Hmm, maybe they're all crappy and you guys aren't telling me? Fess up people or I'm never going to learn!!! Stop being nice!

 

[innerkitten]

Actually I kind of like a few of them but I know how it is with the learning stones. I also own a very dark sapphire from my early days.

 

[T L]

I see this very old thread has been brought back up.

It just goes to show you that buying/collecting nice gems is a learning process, just like any collectible or hobby. Fortunately, today, we have internet forums like PS, to help educate us on the best way to spend our money.

 

[OreoRosies86]

Re:

How about a learning diamond?

Luckily I can return it

I know this thread is super old, but this is actually really pretty in it's own way. I like it.

 

[pregcurious]

I agree. I don't know much about diamonds, but can we guess what is "wrong" with it? My overall guess is that it is a poor cut. I also see what I think are twining wisps, but they don't bother me because I don't think they would be noticeable without a loupe.

 

[yssie]

It was quite beautifully cut IIRC, but very included - I think she had Patrick Irla make a floral piece?

ETA: Yes, here: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pics-of-oec-flower-pendant.146876/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pics-of-oec-flower-pendant.146876/[/URL]

 

[endless_summer]

Contributing my, not necessarily hideous, but definitely "Ooops!" stones & what I learned from each - yay return policy & PS guidance!!!

Pic 1: Can you say window? Yep, I had never seen one or really recognized a poorly cut stone before…and, I learned that glamour pics can be tricky, especially without a real hand shot.

Pic 2: Slightly better, but window yet again - score! I also learned what constitutes very 'slightly' grey, if anyone needs an example. Again, I learned glamour pics can be tricky.

Pic 3: This time I learned what moderate inclusions can look like…also an example of color banding, I think? If I had kept it - it would have had to be a vampire stone that never saw the sun to hide whatever that was - poor stone - it shifted to a really nice violet blue from time to time.

Can't thank you guys enough for educating me through these stones!

 

[RSargent]

You may all laugh but someday these "ugly" stones will be very valuable and mined out. may be sooner than later. Appreciate anything that is natural and not enhanced . My two cents worth!