NSC price discrepancies

[The sun is shining]

Hi everyone.

I know many of you have great things to say about the Natural Sapphire Company, and they have a ring that I am extremely interested in, but there the price discrepancies I have noticed on their website concern me.

I''ll give you some examples. Lets start with item J171 and sapphire B298. Same stone hugely different prices. And then there''s this one J175 and P6, again, same thing but this time the price difference is in the consumers favour. There are others on the site, but these two show the best comparisons.

With errors like this, I''m not sure I can believe the company is as honest as I would like to, especially as the explanation I have been offered is the prices were simply muddled - that really doesnt explain J171.

What would you think?

 

[Ninama]

wow

I've never looked at their jewelry... but I know I'll be combing though it for those favorable discrepancies! Some very pretty rings there.

 

[strmrdr]

oon the first its the same stone its 9k and change lose or 15k and change in the setting...

 

[strmrdr]

edit: 2nd case looks like a pricing error on either the set or lose stone or the prices got swapped.

 

[The sun is shining]

So the errors in the consumers favour are fine, but if it is in the companies favour forget about it?

How would one think the stones would then be appraised?

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 1/27/2008 5:48:20 AM
Author: The sun is shining
So the errors in the consumers favour are fine, but if it is in the companies favour forget about it?

How would one think the stones would then be appraised?

every online vendor with half a brain has a disclaimer that they are not responsible for pricing errors... actually read the same disclaimer at the bottom off all the ads in your Sunday paper.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

One thing is for certain, the price of the setting is way too high on the blue stone! That picture of the stone in the setting looks photoshopped to me. I wonder if the stone is really in that setting?

On the other one, clearly there is a big error. It really pays to look closely and know prices on comparable stones to catch these kinds of errors.

 

[Missrocks]

Strmrdr summed it very well.

On another note:

The thing the concerns me, is I wonder HOW MUCH they photoshop their blue stones. I have found two PS threads that showed an online pic from TNSC, and then the picture that a PSer took after they purchased the stones. In both threads the stones looked much more desaturated (less intense) than shown on the website picture.

I asked a friend that used to be a colored stone buyer and he said that it is VERY EASY to photoshop blues to make them look more saturated, and he had encountered this quite a few times. He also mentioned that greens are much harder to photoshop and most of these colors will be truer in the pics.

Anyone have any feedback on this? This really scared me away from TNSC.

Please share...

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 1/27/2008 4:31:19 PM
Author: Missrocks
Strmrdr summed it very well.

On another note:

The thing the concerns me, is I wonder HOW MUCH they photoshop their blue stones. I have found two PS threads that showed an online pic from TNSC, and then the picture that a PSer took after they purchased the stones. In both threads the stones looked much more desaturated (less intense) than shown on the website picture.

I asked a friend that used to be a colored stone buyer and he said that it is VERY EASY to photoshop blues to make them look more saturated, and he had encountered this quite a few times. He also mentioned that greens are much harder to photoshop and most of these colors will be truer in the pics.

Anyone have any feedback on this? This really scared me away from TNSC.

Please share...

no 2 cameras are going to capture color the same and no 2 monitors are going to display them the same.
That said red green blue and pink are the easiest colors to work with in PS.
yellow and other colors that require a mix of colors are harder to make look real.

same camera, same settings except proper WB setting used, same monitor, same stone,
change lighting from fluorescent too incandescent and you just changed any colored stones apparent color in the image enough to effect the price if someone was going only by pictures.

 

[strmrdr]

here is an example of what difference lighting makes:
http://www.diamondexpert.com/diamonds/dbs.cgi?sf=detg.setup.cgi&active=active&stock=SP00458&submit_search=1

Bravo to Gary for posting both.

 

[Missrocks]

Date: 1/27/2008 6:10:36 PM
Author: strmrdr
here is an example of what difference lighting makes:
http://www.diamondexpert.com/diamonds/dbs.cgi?sf=detg.setup.cgi&active=active&stock=SP00458&submit_search=1

Bravo to Gary for posting both.

Yes, Bravo!

It would be so much more helpful if every site did this.

But, I do have to say that even though the actual color shade is different in the shots, and the windowing/ extinction changes based on lighting and angle, ...in every photo the stone seems to have the same SATURATION level.

The examples I have seen also seemed to exhibit saturation level changes. Ie. in the vendor's picture the saturation looks intense and in the buyer's shots it looks just strong....

Have you ever seen this?

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 1/27/2008 9:15:09 PM
Author: Missrocks

Date: 1/27/2008 6:10:36 PM
Author: strmrdr
here is an example of what difference lighting makes:
http://www.diamondexpert.com/diamonds/dbs.cgi?sf=detg.setup.cgi&active=active&stock=SP00458&submit_search=1

Bravo to Gary for posting both.

Yes, Bravo!

It would be so much more helpful if every site did this.

But, I do have to say that even though the actual color shade is different in the shots, and the windowing/ extinction changes based on lighting and angle, ...in every photo the stone seems to have the same SATURATION level.

The examples I have seen also seemed to exhibit saturation level changes. Ie. in the vendor''s picture the saturation looks intense and in the buyer''s shots it looks just strong....

Have you ever seen this?

yea Iv seen and lighting can explain it as can photo-shop.
make sure its a trustworthy company with a good return policy.

 

[pjean]

Date: 1/27/2008 11:01:38 PM

make sure its a trustworthy company with a good return policy.

I think this is key. I just received a padparadscha sapphire my bf and I ordered from NSC for an engagement ring. We were very nervous, since we had no idea how the colour we were seeing on our monitors would compare to the colour of the real stone. What made it reasonable was that we knew we could just send it back if we weren''t happy with it.

As it happens, we were delighted. It was described as vivid, and it certainly is that! The change in appearance in different lighting conditions is considerable (and so far, I like them all!), but I first saw it at our jeweler''s, and it looked like the picture to me. I can''t take a picture and compare with the NSC picture right now, since it''s at the jeweler''s, but when I get it back I will. (and it''ll be in a ring!)

I can''t say anything about the blue stones, though. I''d be interested to hear, since I''m thinking about getting a smaller stone for a brooch. (My something blue!)

 

[oldminer]

The apparent color of colored gemstones is greatly affected by the light they are photgraphed in. Add to that the intentional alterations that can be done with Photoshop and you have a situation where seeing these stones for personal examination in your own , familiar lighting is very important. Similar goes on with folks shopping in B&M stores/ The lighting in stores often is very strong and of the sort which may enhance a color of some stones. Once at home with a new purchase, you might find the color seems less vibrant or even a different hue.

Knowing the return policy of the seller is important to buying well.

The prong tips of both the cluster rings do look Photoshopped in. I'd guess that the two stones are unset and might be mounted in pretty much any ring you'd order. Those two rings are more examples than actual items ready to deliver immediately. It my guess. I have no way to know more.

The price discrepancy looks like a reversal or an error. They probably would correct it before delivering an item. There is no contract forcing a firm to deliver an item at an incorrect price. If a firm repeatedly makes false ads, there may be governmental mechanisms which come into play on behalf of citizens, but it woukld have to be a huge dollar amount affecting thousands of consumers. Small stuff goess well under the existing radar. Caveat Emptor!