Is this Alexandrite good value?

[chrono]

You’re essentially paying for the setting. The stone has a lot of white mottling of some sort that detracts from the beauty of the stone.

With coloured stones, clarity matters and I’m usually all right with some issues but I think this one has too much going on inside it.

 

[T L]

When I blow up the picture, this is what I see. The stone does not have 100% color change because it still shows some purple in sunlight (the dark center). The reason it’s only $3k is because the clarity looks to be terrible. You’ll pay much more for a cleaner gem with full color change. The green in that photo looks less saturated than what I assume are color enhanced photos in the original listing. It’s very grayish. Did the vendor say the photo was accurate for color? Did you ask about the clarity?

 

[lovedogs]

The stone is very grey, and the clarity is a disaster. I wouldn't pay 3k for it, not even close.

 

[dnzs]

When I blow up the picture, this is what I see. The stone does not have 100% color change because it still shows some purple in sunlight (the dark center). The reason it’s only $3k is because the clarity looks to be terrible. You’ll pay much more for a cleaner gem with full color change. The green in that photo looks less saturated than what I assume are color enhanced photos in the original listing. It’s very grayish. Did the vendor say the photo was accurate for color? Did you ask about the clarity?

Hey T L,

The seller did mention that there are brownish and and slightly reddish mineral inclusions. He explained that "It has many inclusions which makes it less clear and brilliant the other Alexandrites, but at the same time displays an incredible colour change..."

He then goes on to say, 'it will be bluish green in a morning early afternoon light, purple in incandescent light and mixed color in afternoon and evening'

It is hard for me to fault the pictures of the vendor, when also everything thread on this site relating to alexandrite explains that it is very hard to photograph it.

The seller has insisted from the start that there is a good colour change.

His explanation was the the colour change is caused by the inclusion of other minerals in the stone, so a stone with little to no inclusions would have a weaker colour change.

The stone is very grey, and the clarity is a disaster. I wouldn't pay 3k for it, not even close.

HI lovedogs!

How much would you pay? I think I'm ok with a lower clarity stone, cause the design of the ring seem to compliment it, and I don't think that anyone on a day to day basis would really be able to tell a difference, and I'm not really planning on having to resell it.

Are you saying that it isn't worth having at all?

 

[T L]

Hey T L,

The seller did mention that there are brownish and and slightly reddish mineral inclusions. He explained that "It has many inclusions which makes it less clear and brilliant the other Alexandrites, but at the same time displays an incredible colour change..."

He then goes on to say, 'it will be bluish green in a morning early afternoon light, purple in incandescent light and mixed color in afternoon and evening'

It is hard for me to fault the pictures of the vendor, when also everything thread on this site relating to alexandrite explains that it is very hard to photograph it.

The seller has insisted from the start that there is a good colour change.

His explanation was the the colour change is caused by the inclusion of other minerals in the stone, so a stone with little to no inclusions would have a weaker colour change.



HI lovedogs!

How much would you pay? I think I'm ok with a lower clarity stone, cause the design of the ring seem to compliment it, and I don't think that anyone on a day to day basis would really be able to tell a difference, and I'm not really planning on having to resell it.

Are you saying that it isn't worth having at all?

I never heard of inclusion in alexandrite being the cause of color change strength!

 

[lovedogs]

Hey T L,

The seller did mention that there are brownish and and slightly reddish mineral inclusions. He explained that "It has many inclusions which makes it less clear and brilliant the other Alexandrites, but at the same time displays an incredible colour change..."

He then goes on to say, 'it will be bluish green in a morning early afternoon light, purple in incandescent light and mixed color in afternoon and evening'

It is hard for me to fault the pictures of the vendor, when also everything thread on this site relating to alexandrite explains that it is very hard to photograph it.

The seller has insisted from the start that there is a good colour change.

His explanation was the the colour change is caused by the inclusion of other minerals in the stone, so a stone with little to no inclusions would have a weaker colour change.



HI lovedogs!

How much would you pay? I think I'm ok with a lower clarity stone, cause the design of the ring seem to compliment it, and I don't think that anyone on a day to day basis would really be able to tell a difference, and I'm not really planning on having to resell it.

Are you saying that it isn't worth having at all?

The vendor is lying. There are plenty of much cleaner Alex stones with strong color change. But they are $$$$$. IMHO it's not worth having at all. To me, the point of a ring is to enjoy and be beautiful, not to be able to say you Technically have an alexandrite. For me,this purchase would be about saying you have an alexandrite, not to buy an actually nice looking stone.

 

[lovedogs]

I never heard of inclusion in alexandrite being the cause of color change strength!

Because it's nonsense

 

[chrono]

I wouldn’t spend a cent on this ring.

 

[dnzs]

The vendor is lying. There are plenty of much cleaner Alex stones with strong color change. But they are $$$$$. IMHO it's not worth having at all. To me, the point of a ring is to enjoy and be beautiful, not to be able to say you Technically have an alexandrite. For me,this purchase would be about saying you have an alexandrite, not to buy an actually nice looking stone.

Thanks lovedogs, and everyone else.

I think I've gotten to the point. I will not be getting this ring. Very disappointing, but at times like this, the crowd seems to have spoken, and I'll listen.

I didn't start off this search just to own alexandrite. It all started cause I liked the ring and the pictures. If the consensus here is that I won't get what the picutres show, then I accept that.

On an unrelated note, if I would to re-create the ring with a custom jeweller, and put a different stone in it, what do you think would be a nice stone? I'd like to avoid the classic diamond (though the small accent diamonds are fine) Budget around $3500

 

[lovedogs]

I'm glad you aren't buying this ring ESPECIALLY as an engagement ring. Unless the receiver specifically said she NEEDS an alexandrite, she would have likely been very dissapointed. This is a very unusual style that won't appeal to everyone and honestly doesn't look practical for daily wear.

Did she say what style she likes, or has she tried on rings?

 

[dnzs]

I'm glad you aren't buying this ring ESPECIALLY as an engagement ring. Unless the receiver specifically said she NEEDS an alexandrite, she would have likely been very dissapointed. This is a very unusual style that won't appeal to everyone and honestly doesn't look practical for daily wear.

Did she say what style she likes, or has she tried on rings?

Hi LoveDogs,

Honestly, she doesn't even wear rings, and has never worn expensive jewellery, and would be fine with a very basic ring. I've bought her jewlery before, but these are pretty basic earings, and necklaces from a local artisan. between $30 stuff. No gem stones. Most of our friends and colleagues do not have fancy rings or big stones, but this ring really caught my eye, and I had a good gut feeling she would like it, and I always go with my gut.

I just wanted to get her a nice ring, and surprise her with it.

 

[natasha-cupcake]

I think it's a really pretty ring and can see why you love it. Recreating it with a different stone is an excellent idea. You get the gorgeous ring you love, without the problematic center stone. I'm no expert at colored stones, but I know enough to feel comfortable in saying that you should consider looking for a beautifully colored sapphire or spinel in her favorite color and have a similar ring custom made. Sapphires and spinels are fairly durable and come in many colors. If you avoid the most expensive "trade ideal" colors, you can still find a beautiful stone at a reasonable price. There are many examples of beautiful stones on this forum that are not the most popular or top color/trade ideal.

 

[Lilith112]

I agree with what everyone has said, particularly @natasha-cupcake point about picking a high quality stone and then customizing a setting for it. The stone looks very murky and muddy to me. Also w/good quality alexandrite, you should be able to see slight flashes (if you look closely) of its color shift.

 

[icy_jade]

Trying to understand why alexandrite for an engagement ring?

Anyway... I think for something that is to be worn daily, can’t emphasize enough how important it is for the lady to love the ring. That does depend on individual preference but it would be good for her to have a choice in something that she is expected to wear daily. Just saying.

 

[lovedogs]

Hi LoveDogs,

Honestly, she doesn't even wear rings, and has never worn expensive jewellery, and would be fine with a very basic ring. I've bought her jewlery before, but these are pretty basic earings, and necklaces from a local artisan. between $30 stuff. No gem stones. Most of our friends and colleagues do not have fancy rings or big stones, but this ring really caught my eye, and I had a good gut feeling she would like it, and I always go with my gut.

I just wanted to get her a nice ring, and surprise her with it.

I totally get that, and it's very very sweet. I think re-creating this ring with a nice center stone would work. Just make sure it doesn't sit too high and she won't knock it around or hurt it. I would contact David Klass for a quote. He's in LA and he is great at making better versions of settings that people like (he's re-created rings from Jared, Kay's, etc, and made them much better).

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

I have been following along this thread without commenting on the original alex being discussed (as I have zero expertise), but must say I am SO RELIEVED you have decided not to purchase the original ring, not least because if the colour change was incorrectly described or underwhelming, you would have been out the cost of the cert and return shipping and your only recourse would have been a store credit (presumably with only the choice of a similarly underwhelming stone for your $$$).

I am so pleased you have decided to recreate the setting (it is very pretty!) with a different center stone. The posters here are lovely and will offer you great guidance on whatever type of center stone you decide to go with. Best of luck to you.

 

[Nick_G]

I know there have been a lot of detractors of this ring because that last pic shows an unappealing blue/grey/purple colour, but here's a factor to consider. My best alexandrite mineral specimen is a deep emerald-like green in daylight, but it is impossible to capture this colour with my camera. The specimen comes out as a greyish teal colour in photos taken outside, no matter how much I fiddle with the settings. As a result it looks much better in person than any photo.

It may not be the case with this stone, but it is certainly something to think about.

 

[lovedogs]

I know there have been a lot of detractors of this ring because that last pic shows an unappealing blue/grey/purple colour, but here's a factor to consider. My best alexandrite mineral specimen is a deep emerald-like green in daylight, but it is impossible to capture this colour with my camera. The specimen comes out as a greyish teal colour in photos taken outside, no matter how much I fiddle with the settings. As a result it looks much better in person than any photo.

It may not be the case with this stone, but it is certainly something to think about.

It won't be the case with this stone--trust me. It will be a disaster IRL.

 

[mdi]

I think I said this in another thread about e-rings, but PLEASE please please let her help you pick the center stone. She doesn't have to see the setting or know anything about it ahead of time, but as this will be the first of many big mutual decisions you will hopefully make together, please have your beloved offer some input on the stone.

I really don't understand why everything has to be 100% a surprise, when the gorgeous setting would provide plenty of surprise all on its own!

 

[Jujeh]

She might not really care about jewelry but trust me based on experience from my first wedding set. It's not nice when people look at your engagement ring and say, "Oh ... it's ... interesting." I'd avoid low clarity stones. They can look pretty online but not in person.

If you just want something non-traditional, there are a lot of cool options. I really have been into vintage art deco rings lately. Feel free to type "art deco engagement ring" into Ebay or Etsy and enjoy a wide variety of options at all price points.

Otherwise, I'm a big fan of morganite. It's a bit delicate but many people wear it daily for years and it ends up fine.

 

[T L]

I think I said this in another thread about e-rings, but PLEASE please please let her help you pick the center stone. She doesn't have to see the setting or know anything about it ahead of time, but as this will be the first of many big mutual decisions you will hopefully make together, please have your beloved offer some input on the stone.

I really don't understand why everything has to be 100% a surprise, when the gorgeous setting would provide plenty of surprise all on its own!

Remember that “Sex and the City” episode where Carrie was so disappointed in her pear shaped diamond ering, which was a surprise ring. Nothing wrong with pears, but that particular ring was underwhelming.

Honestly, I think most women would love to pick out their own ring, or help pick some component of it.

I’m so glad the OP passed on that stone!! It looked like fish gravel.

 

[Bron357]

I’m glad you have passed on this ring.
The truth is that the ring you fell in love with via the glamorous photos doesn’t exist.
The photos on the website and eBay are photoshopped as I suspected.
The true photo shows a heavily included, insipid colour gem certainly not worth the money being asked.
That the seller advertises his wares with misleading and deceptive photos is unconscionable behavior.
I hope you don’t think us “mean and critical” but here collectively on Pricescope we have decades of experience and hundreds if not thousands of gem purchases under our belts.
It’s not easy to buy a good Alexandrite, they are rare and expensive.
If you are in love with colour change gems (I am) look also at Garnet and Sapphire. These offer the same “magic” but are more wallet friendly.
And there are man made Alexandrite as well. Chatham offers them as well as Russian grown gems. I’m no “snob”, a man made gem these days can be an excellent budget friendly option.
Keep looking, the perfect gem/ ring is out there.

 

[mdi]

Honestly, I think most women would love to pick out their own ring, or help pick some component of it.

I’m so glad the OP passed on that stone!! It looked like fish gravel.

Agreed. And truly grateful that my partner is color-blind and didn't want to "mess it up," in his words. We are planning to design the ring together in the next few months, and I think that will be a more special experience (at least for me) than him blindly attempting to demonstrate that he knows my eclectic taste!

 

[voce]

Hi LoveDogs,

Honestly, she doesn't even wear rings, and has never worn expensive jewellery, and would be fine with a very basic ring. I've bought her jewlery before, but these are pretty basic earings, and necklaces from a local artisan. between $30 stuff. No gem stones. Most of our friends and colleagues do not have fancy rings or big stones, but this ring really caught my eye, and I had a good gut feeling she would like it, and I always go with my gut.

I just wanted to get her a nice ring, and surprise her with it.

I love the sentiment of getting her a nice ring that's a surprise, but I think most of the ladies here would agree not every gut feeling is right, especially when it comes to men picking out jewelry for their significant others! I think getting her input on what she likes is crucial to setting the right tone for the rest of your lives together. Honestly, if she doesn't want to spend a lot on the ring itself, you can get a very nice colored stone ring for half of your budget and use some of the remainder on a *surprise* engagement party. That's where the surprise should be instead of on the ring she's expected to be wearing daily.

 

[dnzs]

Thanks all. I know the thread is a bit old, but it is still important to give a final update.

I ended up not getting the ring. After a certain amount of deliberation, I just decided to speak directly with my partner about it, and she basically said she doesn't want it.

Working with the seller, I don't feel misled, and I do appreciate the effort that went in to communicating with me through at least 20 e-mails, as well as taking more pictures, and even offering to send the ring to my country to a local jeweller on consignment. In the end, it wasn't needed, but I do appreciate it.

To anyone who is reading this in the future, my advice for a beginner with little to no experience with jewellery or gems is to just communicate directly with your partner. Yes, a surprise is nice (if that is what you are planning), but a surprise can very quickly turn into a nightmare, even with the best intentions.

 

[JackTrick]

I'm so glad that this thread has a happy ending <3

Because oh my god, that "inclusions are what gives alexandrite a strong color change" made me want to scream.

 

[LD]

I have only just seen this thread and was literally holding my breath, reading the posts and wanting to scream "don't touch it"! I've looked at the website posted above (thealexandrite.com) and honestly, there are so many red flags, I've been attracting bulls from Spain. So, to read the last post, that you haven't gone for it, I had a huge sigh of relief.

Unfortunately there is very little quality Alex on the market now and everything has a poor colour change and unattractive Honestly, real Alex are breathtaking but the problem is so few people have seen them. If you look at my avatar you'll see one of mine in incandescent lighting and there's NO WAY I can ever capture the green I see.

 

[LD]

Hey T L,

The seller did mention that there are brownish and and slightly reddish mineral inclusions. He explained that "It has many inclusions which makes it less clear and brilliant the other Alexandrites, but at the same time displays an incredible colour change..."

He then goes on to say, 'it will be bluish green in a morning early afternoon light, purple in incandescent light and mixed color in afternoon and evening'

It is hard for me to fault the pictures of the vendor, when also everything thread on this site relating to alexandrite explains that it is very hard to photograph it.

The seller has insisted from the start that there is a good colour change.

His explanation was the the colour change is caused by the inclusion of other minerals in the stone, so a stone with little to no inclusions would have a weaker colour change.

That has got to be the WORST information I've ever read about Alex - my Avatar is eye clean! Sometimes, inclusions in an Alex, can cause a smoky or cloudy appearance and this can enhance the colour change in that part of the stone BUT it detracts wildly from the beauty of the stone overall.

 

[T L]

Unfortunately there is very little quality Alex on the market now and everything has a poor colour change and unattractive Honestly, real Alex are breathtaking but the problem is so few people have seen them.

I agree 1,000,000,000,000%

 

[The Alexandrite]

It came to our attention that there was a thread here about us and we would like to clarify many misconceptions in this thread.

Please, read answers to all the doubts or concerns expressed by the pricescope members below.
The original comment is in quotes followed by our reply.

“The green photo (natural light) seems odd to me...why is everything around the ring blacked out? Maybe ask for a better daylight photo before proceeding.”

Please, find below the excerpt from the GIA gemstone photo recommendation:

Background

Carefully choose the material that will act as a background to your subject matter. A good rule of thumb: if the subject matter is light, choose a dark background and if it is dark, choose a light background. This will ensure there is high contrast between the object and the background, which is always appealing to the eye. Also, white backgrounds tend to have a more clinical feel, while black often adds a dramatic touch.

Successful is when a viewer likes the “mood” of an image but is not distracted by the background. Remember, your gem or jewel is the focal point and most important aspect of the photo.

6 Tips for the Best Gem Photos

Renowned gem photographer Robert Weldon offers his tips for capturing the best gem photographs.

www.gia.edu

“I doubt it's real for that price. Does it come with a certificate? It might be color change garnet or a synthetic.”

We take pride in the fact that we NEVER sell synthetic stones or deceive our clients. Most of our jewelry includes a GIA certificate.

Our 100% positive feedback received in more than 15 years selling on eBay and our own website speaks for itself about our integrity and quality of our pieces. Each feedback shows the title of the piece the buyer purchased and the amount paid.

We give a full guarantee that all our Alexes are 100% natural earth mined alexandrites and that our gold is solid 18k and diamonds and other gemstones are high quality and natural.

All our alexandrites have been tested by GIA graduated gemologist who confirmed that they are natural alexandrite. Most of our alexandrite jewelry comes with the GIA certificates which are posted on our website.
We specialize in high-end natural alexandrites. We buy from the mines and cut and polish stones ourselves. That's how we make sure that there is no chance of stones being heated or treated in any way.

“What I find odd is that alexandrite goes green in sunlight, but those “green” photos do not look like sunlight, or even artificial sunlight, is on them. I suspect extreme photo enhancement, especially for the green colorway.”

It greatly depends on your monitor color configuration. My monitor shows precise classic Natural Alexandrite color, - bluish-green. I have seen literally thousands of them and it is the exactly typical Alex color in daylight.
Below is a guarantee from our website:

We Do Not Enhance The Pictures In Any Way. What You See Is What You Get.

Most Sellers Post Low-Quality Pictures To Hide Imperfections. They Artificially Modify The Color And Quality Of Their Stones.

We Take Magnified Pictures Of Real Stone In High Definition. Professional Jewelry Photographer Takes The Detailed Macro Pictures From Different Angles To Show Real Genuine Colors And Smallest Details.

We are also the only major Alexandrite seller who honestly shows the exact color change in a candlelight.


“Having owned a real/natural alexandrite, I cannot emphasize enough how very difficult it is to photograph an alex’s blue/green daylight color without some experience and tinkering with the environmental light, such as that the vendor pic above (on the finger) shows. This leads me to think one of the following: it’s not a natural alex (fyi, inclusions can be replicated in lab stones); it’s not an alex (lab or natural) at all, but perhaps a color change garnet or some other variety of stone; or it’s a legit/natural alex and the vendor has tons of experience & knowledge photographing them to get the in-person color captured petty closely.”


The last assumption is correct:
“or it’s a legit/natural Alex and the vendor has tons of experience & knowledge photographing them to get the in-person color captured petty closely.”

We pay a significant amount of money to a highly talented professional photographer specializing in jewelry photography for 20 years.

Last 15 years she was perfecting the art of dedicated to mostly Natural Alexandrite Jewelry photography specifically. She says she is fascinated with this gemstone and we support and encourage that!

I do not know anyone else who can spend 6 hours taking a picture of one single ring with painstaking attention to details. Try to find another website with the same quality pictures of Natural Alexandrite Jewelry.

Below is the excerpt from the renowned expert in mineral photography John Betts:

“Lighting
Probably as important as camera selection is lighting. Digital cameras have built in white balance to compensate for the color temperature of the light source. It is relatively easy to compensate the color for a specimen illuminated under incandescent light, something not easily accomplished with conventional photography. However it is important to use a full spectrum light source. For example, a 60 watt incandescent bulb has very little blue/purple in the spectrum of the light it outputs. A mineral specimen with dark blue (i.e. azurite) on a black matrix illuminated under incandescent light will render both colors as black.

NO AMOUNT OF PHOTO MANIPULATION ON THE COMPUTER WILL EVER DIFFERENTIATE THE TWO COLORS. By using a full spectrum light source that problem can be minimized.

Also the light sources should be small, adjustable/moveable lights that produce a broad illumination without strong hot spots, either by use of frosted bulbs or additional diffuser. This is required to control the reflections off individual crystal surfaces, without harsh hot spots - very important in mineral photography.

The one light source that meets all of these needs is the new SoLux halogen bulbs. This is a new technology lamp based on MR-16, 50 watt halogen bulbs, but with proprietary technology to produce a full spectrum light output. SoLux has been so successful, they have been adopted by several museums as the standard light source for their paintings and exhibits. SoLux bulbs are available in several different color temperatures.

The Solux bulb best for photography is the 4700 Kelvin version which is the equivalent to daylight at 10:00 A.M. AND VERY CLOSE TO 5000 Kelvin NOON DAYLIGHT.”


“Either the color change will be almost nonexistant IRL, or the inclusions will be horribly distracting, or it's not authentic. There just is no way this is a strong color change natural alexandrite for 3k including the setting.”

The picture clearly shows the very strong color change in a candlelight.

As the OP wrote, we honestly stated that the stone is heavily included. Macro photography clearly shows all the inclusions in the magnified picture. However, inclusions are definitely not horrible as sometimes can be seen in lower quality stones and therefore not distracting.

Authenticity is confirmed by a reputed Certified GIA Appraiser.
See the certificate.

Why our price is so low?

Because unlike most other gem selling websites, we specialize in Natural Alexandrite only. Therefore, we buy rough stones in bulk from the mines, cut them ourselves, and make our own jewelry.
This way we cut out all the middlemen each of them adding their mark up to the final price.

Also, our business is online and thus we save on expensive rent, salespeople salaries, insurance, etc.
All these savings we pass to our customers by offering the lowest price possible without compromising the quality.

Below is the guarantee from our website:

Best Price Guarantee: Find The Same Price And Quality Piece And We Will Give You a 50% Discount!

We Offer You The Best Price/Value Combination You Can Find!

How Can We Make Such A Bold Statement?

Because:

Lowest Price For The Highest Value.

No Middlemen Adding Cost. Unlike Most Of The Sellers, We Are Manufacturers Of Our Jewelry. And We Buy Gemstones Directly From The Mines. Not From Gem Dealers Who Also Bought From A Long Chain Of Other Resellers, Wholesalers, Cutters, etc.

Thus We Can Offer You The Lowest Prices In Industry Without Compromising The Quality. You Will Not Pay Overinflated Prices You See In Other Jewelry Stores.

Therefore, If You Buy From Us You Avoid All Middlemen And Buy Below Wholesale. That’s Why Well-Established Jewelry Stores Buy From Us And Resell Our Jewelry 3 Times Higher.

“A person who has been dealing in gems & jewelry - and specializing in alexandrite for 19+ years - would have some online presence, reviews, etc. I just did a quick search for that name - which I have never heard of - and found nothing.”

eBay:

Feedback Profile

feedback.ebay.com

Since 2006 we sold thousands of pieces of Natural Alexandrite jewelry and all our clients are very happy with their items.
887 feedbacks,100% positive.
To maintain 100% positive feedback in 15 years selling fine jewelry is not easy. It speaks of our integrity, customer service, and quality of our products.

Pinterest:

Natural Alexandrite Jewelry. Engagement and Wedding Rings, Earrings,Necklaces. New,Vintage,Antique. (NaturalAlexandriteJewelry) | Official Pinterest account

Natural Alexandrite Jewelry. Engagement and Wedding Rings, Earrings,Necklaces. New,Vintage,Antique. | We Offer Exquisite Designer Natural Alexandrite Jewelry. Engagement and Wedding Rings, Earrings and Necklaces. Contemporary, Vintage and Antique Masterpieces.

www.pinterest.com

More than 2600 followers
Almost 1 million monthly viewers

You can also read many testimonials on our website:

Testimonials - thealexandrite.com – The Alexandrite

TESTIMONIALS BY THE BUYERS OF THIS WEBSITE: I appreciate your kind words and also all the hard work and high standards you have consistently shown me. I adore my ring, it makes me smile every time I look at it, and I never fail to be amazed at the different permutations of color depending upon...

thealexandrite.com

“Firstly, one of the rings on the website with a GIA report is noted as “clarity enhanced” in the GIA report. This is not mentioned by the vendor and is actually a significant issue. Many would say a clarity enhanced gem is worth little.”

If this stone was heat-treated the inclusions would be dissolved and clarity greatly enhanced. Unlike ruby, sapphire, etc there are no treatment procedures invented so far for Alexandrite.

GIA states:
ENHANCEMENTS
While most gems are treated to improve their color or clarity, there are no known treatments to enhance the beauty of alexandrite.

This is the first and only GIA certificate stating this. See our other GIA certificate where no treatment is stated.

When I asked the GIA gemologist about it he said that he saw the traces of olive oil which sometimes is used to enhance the clarity. This is disputable and I’m sure that after thorough cleaning this same stone will be certified as no signs of enhancement.

“The other thing that struck me is that the Alexandrites are near all the exact shade of green. Now, I own a bracelet with 40 odd Alex’s and I can assure you no two are exactly the same. So it makes me wonder if the photos are manipulated. The photo in the GIA report doesn’t seem to “match” the vendor's photos either. Of course, Alexandrite is nigh impossible to photograph but if you’re buying on the basis of a few photos you might be disappointed by the reality.”

The reason why no two are exactly the same in your bracelet is that the bracelet manufacturer had to buy the Alexandrites from the gem dealer who had to select Alexandrites of the same size from the lot he bought from Alex dealer. The lot consists of many pieces from different batches of rough. Therefore the colors are different.

We cut rough ourselves and use the stones from the same batch first. When they are sold we cut other pieces of rough. That is why we are able to achieve a color consistency even in a piece with many alexandrites.


“Even if you don’t buy from there, it would be a good benchmark to gauge whether the guy you are talking to has his stones priced reasonably.”

In other words, if our price is lower than the vendor’s she recommends it is not reasonable, hence something must be wrong with Alexandrite. Brilliant logic.

Below is excerpts from our correspondence with the OP:

“Perhaps taken from a smartphone?”

If smartphone picture quality will satisfy you we can take it and send to you.

“I can see from the pictures of daylight that there is a very strong light source, which in my opinion does not simulate typical wearing conditions.”

What do you mean by the typical wearing condition? Morning daylight, afternoon daylight, or evening daylight? Alexandrite will look differently at different times of the day.

That is why there are strict rules for daylight jewelry photography. In the gemstone business, the daylight picture is accepted as such only when taken in the studio under daylight lighting which is 5000 Kelvin. Anything more and or less than that will not be accepted in the gemstone industry as daylight.

That is why I have sent you a picture taken under these precise lightning conditions.

“In your opinion, would you consider this stone very included? It does not seem to shine or sparkle based on the pictures, or compared to most other alexandrites I’ve seen online.”

Yes, the stone is very included.

“My understanding is that the stone is very included, but large 1 carat. I assume a similar-sized stone, but clearer would cost significantly more money.”

Your understanding is correct.

“I’ll try and explain my concern the best I can. I fully understand that there are industry standards for jewelry, and I fully expect the pictures you advertise to be of great quality. However, it is important to me that I see pictures of what the ring will look like when someone wears it on a regular day.”


I understand your concern, but I was trying to explain that Natural Alexandrite changes color constantly in different lighting and is distorted by shadows and mixed light sources. That is why to show how it looks in real daylight the picture should be taken under precise lighting conditions. Read the AGL description and you will see that in normal wear the lighting is always mixed and the colors will be mixed as well.


In 19 years selling Alexandrite jewelry we never had a single client who complained that the ring he received looks different from the pictures, we present in our store.

We want to show the ring exactly like it looks in daylight. This is precisely why we take at least a couple of pictures in natural daylight on the lady’s hand and without magnification.

“His feedback is mostly “private”. A potential buyer can’t see what he/she has been selling and at what price to get a feel for the quality of prior sales. ”

This is simply not true. There were only a few private feedbacks when the buyer explicitly asked for that. Some buyers want to make a surprise gift and some don’t want any public record of buying expensive jewelry. Most of our feedbacks is not private and shows what was sold and for how much.
You can see it for yourself.

“He is using the word Antique in listings, the rings are NOT antique.”

That particular ring was Antique and we have a certificate proving that.

“He is selling a ring as a Ruby and is also using the word Padparadscha (an Orange/ pink sapphire) in the title. A gem can’t be both.”

If you would read the description you could see that the Ruby is a center stone and accent stones are Padparadscha. It is common practice to name all the stones in the ring in the title, like “Alexandrite Diamonds 18k gold ring.”

“This seller sells photos of jewellery. Yes, he has listings where you “buy” an image of pretty jewelry for 1 cent. What the !”

We only posted few photos of our jewelry that are not in stock but could be ordered as a marketing tactic to attract potential buyers. They ran for a few days only and it didn’t really work so we do not list them anymore.


“The above item is being sold with a pic of a gia cert. But nowhere in the listing is the cert found. Just a nonsense picture of the outside. And then the description says that $120 gia fee must be paid up front by the buyer. “

This is not true at all. Nowhere we ask to pay upfront for the GIA certificate.
Show me one listing stating that. And the next poster found the certificate by simply looking at the certificate number in the appraisal:

“From the appraisal, I was able to decipher the GIA report #, and look it up on GIA’s report check.”


“Sorry, total nonsense about Studio lighting being the requirement.
The fact is your fiancée will be wearing the ring in natural daylight. She will be wearing her ring in the office, inside your home at night, at the supermarket. This is where she and others will see and admire the ring.
Who cares what colours “studio lighting” produces if neither she or anyone else is ever going to see those colours in real life!”

As I already quoted the renowned expert in mineral photography John Betts,
only in studio lightning of 5000 Kelvin, you can actually recreate how the HUMAN EYE SEES THE STONE IN A DAYLIGHT.

That is why when upon the insistence of the OP we send him a photo taken by phone it showed how PHONE CAMERA SEES THE STONE, NOT HOW THE HUMAN EYE SEE IT.

The other poster below proves the point:

“I know there have been a lot of detractors of this ring because that last pic shows an unappealing blue/grey/purple color, but here's a factor to consider. My best alexandrite mineral specimen is deep emerald-like green in daylight, but it is impossible to capture this color with my camera. The specimen comes out as a greyish teal color in photos taken outside, no matter how much I fiddle with the settings. As a result, it looks much better in person than any photo.”

“The photos on the website and eBay are photoshopped as I suspected.
The true photo shows a heavily included, insipid color gem certainly not worth the money being asked.
That the seller advertises his wares with misleading and deceptive photos is unconscionable behavior.”

Such insults are certainly unwarranted, what you called the “true photo” is an extremely low-quality phone camera picture which is heavily distorting how the stone looks in real life. As a matter of fact, compare that blurred picture with our photo studio picture and you will see all the inclusions clearly which you don’t see at all in the phone picture.

We clearly stated that the stone is heavily included, but it is most certainly worth $3000 considering very strong color change, the weight over 1 carat not to speak of gold, diamonds, labor charges eBay fees, Paypal fees, express shipping with full insurance, cost of appraisal certificate, etc.

“His explanation was the color change is caused by the inclusion of other minerals in the stone, so a stone with little to no inclusions would have a weaker color change.”

I NEVER wrote such a thing! I wrote that the color change phenomenon is displayed by the presence of chromium which is considered an impurity in the stone. Without chromium, this stone is called Chrysoberyl. In other words, Alexandrite is Chrysoberyl with chromium impurities:

Alexandrite’s color is a consequence of impurities present in its chemical structure.

[https://www.americanscientist.org/article/the-color-of-alexandrite]

And some inclusions do enhance the color change:

An alexandrite with good clarity may display a less dramatic color change because the silky inclusions of rutile often enhance the change.
Alexandrite Buyer's Guide