need advice ASAP - burma star ruby ring - good deal?

[gemandjewelrylover]

Hello,

I have an opportunity to but a 5.96 carat, red/pink unheated burma star ruby ring. The stone is a little included, with some light cracks visible with a loupe, but it's eye clean. There's no silk. The star is good - visible well with a light but not perfectly in a dim room or overly-lit (like a jewelry store with too many different lights.) The stone is set in a very nice platinum with baguette/tapered diamonds setting. He is asking $7500, and I want to know if it's a good price. I'll list the specifics below and add some photos. I'd really appreciate advice as to whether it's a good buy. He says it's old stock, and the setting is from 1997-1998, and so it's a great deal. I believe him (it's a reputable jewelry store in Japan) but would like to know if it would be a deal/resellable in the states too. It will come with a lab certificate, but it hasn't been submitted yet.

Star Ruby - 5.969 ct. reddish pink with six stars, silvery white
1.15 ct tapered baguette diamonds
total weight of ring - 12 grams, he said it's 10.6 grams of platinum

Photos are below.

I have to tell him if I will buy it very soon, so if I can get opinions as to if it's a good investment or not I'd be very grateful!

Thank you.

 

[T L]

Hello,

I have an opportunity to but a 5.96 carat, red/pink unheated burma star ruby ring. The stone is a little included, with some light cracks visible with a loupe, but it's eye clean. There's no silk. The star is good - visible well with a light but not perfectly in a dim room or overly-lit (like a jewelry store with too many different lights.) The stone is set in a very nice platinum with baguette/tapered diamonds setting. He is asking $7500, and I want to know if it's a good price. I'll list the specifics below and add some photos. I'd really appreciate advice as to whether it's a good buy. He says it's old stock, and the setting is from 1997-1998, and so it's a great deal. I believe him (it's a reputable jewelry store in Japan) but would like to know if it would be a deal/resellable in the states too. It will come with a lab certificate, but it hasn't been submitted yet.

Star Ruby - 5.969 ct. reddish pink with six stars, silvery white
1.15 ct tapered baguette diamonds
total weight of ring - 12 grams, he said it's 10.6 grams of platinum

Photos are below.

I have to tell him if I will buy it very soon, so if I can get opinions as to if it's a good investment or not I'd be very grateful!

Thank you.

I guess I come from the school that if it's too good to be true, then it probably is, especially when it comes to the big three - rubies, sapphires and emeralds.

That being said, if origin is important, I would imagine it should have a trusted lab report that indicates Burma origin. The color looks more pink then red on my monitor, and I would also check for fluorescence. The star also looks broken in your photos, and stars should be sharp and clear. I suspect that the $7500 is a fair retail price, but without an independent appraisal from a conservative appraiser that discusses the quality of the stone (star, color, inclusions), and a reputable lab report, I cannot say for sure.

What also makes me very skeptical is that if it were truly an almost 6 carat fine Burmese star ruby, why can't he sell it for a huge price, especially in Japan, where they're nuts for fine gems. ??????

Gems should also not be purchased for investment. 9 times out of 10, they make poor investments, even if you get a 'deal.'

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

I guess I come from the school that if it's too good to be true, then it probably is, especially when it comes to the big three - rubies, sapphires and emeralds.

That being said, if origin is important, I would imagine it should have a trusted lab report that indicates Burma origin. The color looks more pink then red on my monitor, and I would also check for fluorescence. The star also looks broken in your photos, and stars should be sharp and clear. I suspect that the $7500 is a fair retail price, but without an independent appraisal from a conservative appraiser that discusses the quality of the stone (star, color, inclusions), and a reputable lab report, I cannot say for sure.

What also makes me very skeptical is that if it were truly an almost 6 carat fine Burmese star ruby, why can't he sell it for a huge price, especially in Japan, where they're nuts for fine gems. ??????

Hello, TL,

Thank you for the quick reply.

The dealer has been in business for 19 years, is very well known, and has many repeat and loyal customers. I trust him, and all of his jewelry does come with proper grading certificates, but he just got this piece today, so he hasn't sent it yet. I am an average working girl, so I believe he is giving me a good deal. In Japan, they don't usually list place of origin due to rules here, but he said that the grading lab can tell the place of origin from the analysis of the stone - long wave, short wave, pleochroism, etc.

The star is sharp and clear with a flashlight, but shows a little broken in the close-up because of the flash.

He said the setting itself is worth about $3500, so the stone would only be $4000, and that almost 6-carat ruby star sapphires from Burma are rare. What I read on the web says so too.

The stone is a reddish-pink without flash, but it does have pink overtones.

The star is good looking with the unaided eye, but with a loupe or a flash, the inclusions become quite visible.

Thank you for all advice...

 

[chrono]

Pricing will depend on the result of the lab verification. I cannot tell much about the cabochon from your pictures. The star doesn't seem strong and I cannot gauge how translucent it is and etc. To truly guess the quality of the stone, one has to see the cabochon in person, move it around and etc which is impossible via pictures. Also, the colour looks purplish pink on my monitor so here again, it makes it difficult to judge the stone. Which lab is the stone being sent to?

Very important note - there is a possibility that you may NOT be able to sell it for more than what you paid for it. What do you mean by investment? Is it for resale or your personal collection?

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I don't think I'd buy it for reselling purposes. The star doesn't sell itself terribly well in the photos and finding a buyer who appreciates both star ruby and that sort of vintage setting enough to spend thousands will probably be difficult. Especially without an agl or comparable report.

Any chance you can get a video of the ring? Like chrono said, it's very hard to judge static photos of phenomenon type gems.

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

Pricing will depend on the result of the lab verification. I cannot tell much about the cabochon from your pictures. The star doesn't seem strong and I cannot gauge how translucent it is and etc. To truly guess the quality of the stone, one has to see the cabochon in person, move it around and etc which is impossible via pictures. Also, the colour looks purplish pink on my monitor so here again, it makes it difficult to judge the stone. Which lab is the stone being sent to?

Very important note - there is a possibility that you may NOT be able to sell it for more than what you paid for it. What do you mean by investment? Is it for resale or your personal collection?

Hello,

It's for my personal collection, with thoughts of it phossibly increasing in valvue in the long- term - 5-10 years down the road. Th e setting is so big and beautiful, that's half of the attraction to the ring. And a nearly 6-ct star ruby is rare, so that's why I'm forgiving of the flaws. I'm in Japan, so this shop uses the Japan-Germany gemmological Laboratory. They give a good report, with long wave, short wave, pleochroism, color, and graphs showing the chemical makeup of the stone. he has another potential buyer, so I have to tell him if I don't want it so he can show to the other person.

I'm thinking about not getting it......kinda torn. Your input is greatly appreciated....if you have any more please let e know!

Thank you!

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

Pricing will depend on the result of the lab verification. I cannot tell much about the cabochon from your pictures. The star doesn't seem strong and I cannot gauge how translucent it is and etc. To truly guess the quality of the stone, one has to see the cabochon in person, move it around and etc which is impossible via pictures. Also, the colour looks purplish pink on my monitor so here again, it makes it difficult to judge the stone. Which lab is the stone being sent to?

Very important note - there is a possibility that you may NOT be able to sell it for more than what you paid for it. What do you mean by investment? Is it for resale or your personal collection?

Hello,

It's for my personal collection, with thoughts of it phossibly increasing in valvue in the long- term - 5-10 years down the road. Th e setting is so big and beautiful, that's half of the attraction to the ring. And a nearly 6-ct star ruby is rare, so that's why I'm forgiving of the flaws. I'm in Japan, so this shop uses the Japan-Germany gemmological Laboratory. They give a good report, with long wave, short wave, pleochroism, color, and graphs showing the chemical makeup of the stone. he has another potential buyer, so I have to tell him if I don't want it so he can show to the other person.

I'm thinking about not getting it......kinda torn. Your input is greatly appreciated....if you have any more please let e know!

Thank you!

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

I don't think I'd buy it for reselling purposes. The star doesn't sell itself terribly well in the photos and finding a buyer who appreciates both star ruby and that sort of vintage setting enough to spend thousands will probably be difficult. Especially without an agl or comparable report.

Any chance you can get a video of the ring? Like chrono said, it's very hard to judge static photos of phenomenon type gems.

Hi, Making the Grade,
He has another ruby star collector coming today to look at rings, so I should let him know if I don't want it so he can show it to her.
Can't get a video before that. I'd be buying for my collection,and for possible resale in the far future, so no rush to find a buyer. Love the setting most. Maybe I'll tell him I won't get it right now and see if he sells it or not. If he doesn't I'll have more time to think about it.

Thank you very much for your help. Any more comments welcomed!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Do you love it?
If you really adore it and can't stop wishing it were yours, then I would say buy it on the condition that the lab report comes back with no surprises. I mean, if you can afford it, and having that would make you happier than having the money, I don't see why not.

However, I wouldn't buy it on impulse for investment/deal purposes. I feel like that rarely works out the way one would hope.

I honestly don't know if the size is particularly remarkable for star stones. I know for a faceted stone it'd be fairly sizeable, but I think stars tend to be a bit heavier on average anyways? I think what would make a star more valuable would be the translucency and quality of the star. I guess what I"m trying to say is that a 5+ ct star stone is really only an impressive 5+ specimen if it's other qualities are top notch. A 5+ ct star stone that is opaque with a weak star is fairly common. Based on the photos alone it's really hard to assess. Do you feel like you can see through the stone fairly easily? Is the star straight and bright and moves easily? How strong does the light have to be to make the star appear?

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

Do you love it?
If you really adore it and can't stop wishing it were yours, then I would say buy it on the condition that the lab report comes back with no surprises. I mean, if you can afford it, and having that would make you happier than having the money, I don't see why not.

However, I wouldn't buy it on impulse for investment/deal purposes. I feel like that rarely works out the way one would hope.

I honestly don't know if the size is particularly remarkable for star stones. I know for a faceted stone it'd be fairly sizeable, but I think stars tend to be a bit heavier on average anyways? I think what would make a star more valuable would be the translucency and quality of the star. I guess what I"m trying to say is that a 5+ ct star stone is really only an impressive 5+ specimen if it's other qualities are top notch. A 5+ ct star stone that is opaque with a weak star is fairly common. Based on the photos alone it's really hard to assess. Do you feel like you can see through the stone fairly easily? Is the star straight and bright and moves easily? How strong does the light have to be to make the star appear?

Hi, again, Making the Grade,

I love the setting but the stone I am lukewarm about - I would be getting it on his word that it's a rare stone. He said it's not pink, he considers it more red, tho he did have another smaller star ruby that had a much deeper color, which he did acknowledge was a Better color. He said the selling point of this ring is the size and that it's a natural unheated Burma Star Ruby. Actually I have bought some other rings from him and they all came with reports that confirmed what he told me after I bought the ring, so I believe he's on the up and up. The stone's not too opaque, but the star is not very visible unless you put a direct light on it. I tried to take it out in the sunshine to look at it, but it was a cloudy day so I couldn't really see the star. But once you put a light on in the star is pretty attractive and it does move around nicely. Anyway as I said, the real attraction is the setting which is very nicely done, full of beautiful tapered diamonds, and is platinum, and he basically said the setting he was giving me for a very very low price in the ring, so that's what I really like about it. Anyway with the input of all you lovely pricescopers I called him today and told him to go ahead and take it off of hold for me, and show it to his other customer, so if he sells it he sells it. And if he doesn't, then I'll have more time to think about it.

Thank you all very very much!

 

[chrono]

For me, it has to be a package deal - both star and stone. I don't feel that a 5 to 6 carats star ruby is particularly rare, especially not with that colour and strength of star. In addition, most star rubies are either unheated or undergo very low temperature heating which is undetectable because normal heating will dissolve the rutile and remove the star, so his selling point about it being an unheated stone does not hold much sway.

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

Hi, Chrono,

Yes, I agree, the stone and the star are equally important. You know, people from different countries go for different colors and different kinds of stones, so maybe his info is from a Japan perspective. I've been living here for quite a while, and I am also new to colored stones, so I'm kind of out of it when it comes to what's happening in the states re gemstones. Anyway, as you may have read above, I passed the stone and ring up, although if the money was no problem I might have bought the ring just to get the setting and then had the stone swapped out and tried to sell the stone. But, I didn't. I'll wait for a to-die-for ring to come along.

Thanks for yout input!

 

[SB621]

What is the jewelry's name / store name? I lived in Japan for 3 years (just moved back stateside last year) and I'm curious. I did a lot of jewelry shopping in Japan and you would be surprized how little some stores know about what they are actually selling. You think you get a deal because a lot of the jewelry is made in HK with low labor costs etc. I would be hesitant, until you have the certificate etc.

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

It's called Borgia. The guy knows gems and his stuff intimately, and most of the settings are made in Japan, he designs a lot of them. And he always knows where the stones come from. He's not your average overpriced-cookie cutter mall jewelry shop. It's owned by him. Believe me, his stuff is impressive. Eye candy galore

 

[LD]

IF you buy this then you must insist on it going to either AGTA or Gubelin or SSEF and NOT a smaller lab. I'm not 100% convinced this stone is what he says it is and so you must be clear on what you're buying.

In terms of increasing in value? It's not likely in 5-10 years I'm afraid. If it holds its value it'll be doing well. Most jewellery depreciates and the only time it becomes an heirloom is when the gemstone IS rare and has been authenticated as such. Like others have mentioned, this stone looks very pink and therefore in most countries (although I appreciate it's different in Asia) this would be considered a sapphire not ruby.

I would really urge caution here and make sure if you do buy it, you do so, on the basis of a favourable lab report of your choice. Also if you buy it, please don't think of it in terms of increasing in value. Only buy it if you love both the stone and setting. You can always have a similar setting made and find a stone that you really love, so you do have options.

 

[cm366]

This thread is old and was only bumped because of a spammer... but I'd love to know how it turned out, if the OP's around!

 

[LD]

Trust me not to look! Haven't been on here for a while so I missed this! Thanks for pointing it out. I wonder what happened as well.

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

Hi, all, I didn't buy the ring. Loved the setting, but the ruby I didn't LOVE, so I passed. Yes, it's an old post, I was surprised to see it back up in the top, but I couldn't see the post that kicked it up. I was a little mystified by that. So it was a spammer? I had no idea there was such a thing – spammers on pricescope? A very curious thing to me. Anyway, thank you for the new posts and your advice!

 

[chrono]

The revival of the thread wasn't in vain. Glad that G&JLover came back to update us on her decision. Yes, there are people who sign up to post on Pricescope with the intent to advertise / sell which is against the forum rules. Members usually report this to the moderator and the post is then removed.