Obsession with giant emerald cab ring

[icy_jade]

Ok, so some of you may have read my earlier story about how I obsessed about a paraiba pendant and pulled the trigger despite the horrid overexposed pics? Am mentioning that as I feel the same obsession over this giant emerald cab and I need you ladies to talk me out of it... that or tell me it’s a fab buy so that either way I can make a decision and stop obsessing.

It’s a 12.7x16.5mm 13.92 carat emerald cab that’s currently set in a ring and costs approx USD 6k. Since I can’t read Japanese I have no idea what treatment it has or anything else mentioned in the cert. Paging @missyminx and @mockturtle for help? Or anyone else who can read Japanese?

I thought my first emerald will be an emerald or pear cut but this big cab keeps drawing me back. Maybe cos it resembles jade cabs? I’m not sure too. It seems to be such a lovely shade of green.



So what do you ladies think?

 

[Lovinggems]

Sorry can’t help you , it looks very nice, look at that super high dome . I hope treatments etc checks out and it turns out to be another good buy.

 

[Acinom]

What a beauty! Based on these pics I love the look. Did you ask for additional photo’s? I love the rich high dome of this sugarloaf. Colour looks great.

If they have a good return policy and the treatments etc. are within your defined parameters, I think you will have a great piece.

 

[LemonMoonLex]

I agree with Acinom here, if they have a good return policy and you become fully aware of all the treatments and you're totally in love with the piece I say pull that trigger!

For 6k though (a lot of money for me personally) I'd want a GIA report to back up the treatments that they say that the stone has had or hasn't.
Maybe their return policy would let you have enough time to send it in to get a report?

 

[voce]

This emerald has been treated with colorless filler materials to enhance the clarity. Says so on the certificate, although I don't know to what degree. I'm not fluent in Japanese per se, but I can read kanji.

I think this is a very beautiful emerald ring and definitely worth the asked-for price, but I'd advise against wearing it as a ring. With such a high dome one careless accidental knock could crack it.

What a beautiful find, @icy_jade !

 

[peacechick]

Maybe it’s me but I’m not in love with it like I am with your paraiba pendant purchase. It would need a lot of babying with such a high sugarloaf cab, and I don’t love the setting either. Price seems good for such a large carat size though!

 

[mockturtle]

Hi icy_jade,

The report says some kind of filler was used to improve clarity. It doesn’t specify what kind, it just says colorless, transparent agent.
I would ask the seller to see if they know what specific treatment was done. They may have more information than what the report says. If the ring came from a dealer rather than some customer selling them the ring, the dealer might have told them about treatments.

It’s a super gorgeous and striking stone, but I’d be worried about how to keep it look good. I love the color of emeralds but they are too fragile and require too much care for my lazy self.... But you may be a much better gemstone mama, and maybe it’s all worth it for you to have such a gorgeous piece!

 

[Arcadian]

I wonder if it (treatment) is ExCel? if so thats a very good treatment and its permanent.
http://clarityenhancementlab.com/excel.htm

 

[icy_jade]

Sorry can’t help you , it looks very nice, look at that super high dome . I hope treatments etc checks out and it turns out to be another good buy.

Hey I welcome aesthetic related opinions too so thanks.

What a beauty! Based on these pics I love the look. Did you ask for additional photo’s? I love the rich high dome of this sugarloaf. Colour looks great.

If they have a good return policy and the treatments etc. are within your defined parameters, I think you will have a great piece.

No I have not requested for more pics as I thought to ask you folks first.
Unfortunately this store only allows returns within Japan and only about a week! And no returns for overseas purchase which mine will fall within. It does seem to be fairly reputable store from what I can see.

I’m not totally sure re: treatment. I only know oiling is very common?

I agree with Acinom here, if they have a good return policy and you become fully aware of all the treatments and you're totally in love with the piece I say pull that trigger!

For 6k though (a lot of money for me personally) I'd want a GIA report to back up the treatments that they say that the stone has had or hasn't.
Maybe their return policy would let you have enough time to send it in to get a report?

This is from Japan so I doubt a GIA cert is possible. Plus GIA cert only tells if it’s F1/2/3 or not? I think will need AGL or Lotus report to tell re treatment? Not sure if any Japanese labs provides such reports...

Maybe it’s me but I’m not in love with it like I am with your paraiba pendant purchase. It would need a lot of babying with such a high sugarloaf cab, and I don’t love the setting either. Price seems good for such a large carat size though!

I think if I get it I will reset as a convertible ring/pendant... or maybe just pendant since I’m not much of a ring wearer... it is preloved so that explains the price?

 

[icy_jade]

This emerald has been treated with colorless filler materials to enhance the clarity. Says so on the certificate, although I don't know to what degree. I'm not fluent in Japanese per se, but I can read kanji.

I think this is a very beautiful emerald ring and definitely worth the asked-for price, but I'd advise against wearing it as a ring. With such a high dome one careless accidental knock could crack it.

What a beautiful find, @icy_jade !

Thank you for translating! So great that you can read kanji! I wished I can everytime I see a Japanese cert haha.

Gosh I didn’t know emeralds are so fragile? But then again @Bron357 mentioned witnessing an actual case... that would be quite devastating I must say...

Hi icy_jade,

The report says some kind of filler was used to improve clarity. It doesn’t specify what kind, it just says colorless, transparent agent.
I would ask the seller to see if they know what specific treatment was done. They may have more information than what the report says. If the ring came from a dealer rather than some customer selling them the ring, the dealer might have told them about treatments.

It’s a super gorgeous and striking stone, but I’d be worried about how to keep it look good. I love the color of emeralds but they are too fragile and require too much care for my lazy self.... But you may be a much better gemstone mama, and maybe it’s all worth it for you to have such a gorgeous piece!

Thank you for translating! Asking about the treatment is a great idea and I’ll consider doing so. But I must say all the reminders about fragility of the stone is making me think twice....

I wonder if it (treatment) is ExCel? if so thats a very good treatment and its permanent.
http://clarityenhancementlab.com/excel.htm

Thank you! Is ExCel a common treatment? It sounds fab since it’s stable yet removable. Wonder how much it costs to treat a stone...

 

[marymm]

Filler in a cabochon would give me pause ... emeralds (and really all stones) are facet cut if at all possible since the return is highest with faceted gemstones. Cabochons are usually cut from rough deemed too included to yield facet-grade gemstones. This facet/cabochon cut evaluation is made knowing the availability of fillers/ExCel/etc. And, very generally, cabochons do not have fillers. For a cabochon to be cut and also to have filler of unknown origin, well, without benefit of return or a stone analysis by a reputable lab like GIA or AGL I would be extremely hesitant to move forward with the purchase. YMMV.

 

[LemonMoonLex]

@icy_jade Well I'm not well versed in which labs offer which information about treatments, but youd think that there should be one reputable lab in Japan that could attest to the treatments disclosed?

That's basically what I meant; that if you can get it tested, do it.
Im personally not sure if I'd make such a large purchase without clear certainty of the condition of the stone, but alas, as I explained I'm not well versed in more advanced treatments or labs so maybe I'm missing something here.

Either way follow your intuition and good luck! (:

 

[Burmesedaze]

In addition to wearability and all the aforesaid, with that budget, I'd pick a faceted emerald with at most minor oil.

 

[Arcadian]

Filler in a cabochon would give me pause ... emeralds (and really all stones) are facet cut if at all possible since the return is highest with faceted gemstones. Cabochons are usually cut from rough deemed too included to yield facet-grade gemstones. This facet/cabochon cut evaluation is made knowing the availability of fillers/ExCel/etc. And, very generally, cabochons do not have fillers. For a cabochon to be cut and also to have filler of unknown origin, well, without benefit of return or a stone analysis by a reputable lab like GIA or AGL I would be extremely hesitant to move forward with the purchase. YMMV.

@marymm, I think thats not actually true anymore and last gemstone show i went to, most of the emeralds were treated, including cabs. the only ones not treated were a few vintage ones and they had a pricetag to match! But even vintage ones can be treated with something.

Lots of emeralds are now treated (dumped in oil) as soon as they come out of the ground. Does make finding natural emeralds daunting task.

Oiling cabs is also happening with paraibas which is not as widely accepted.

When it comes to a filler, I generally have no issue as long as its been disclosed and the buyer knows what they're getting into. I think AGL/GIA will also find the filler in this because its apparently not being hidden. As to the type and how much I would want to know that but, again, might be price dependent too. (I'd do it if its something thats a "fun ring" basically)

If its some sort of filler like ExCel, the price should reflect it and the stone itself will be very stable (should not need to be refilled)

 

[Arcadian]

Thank you for translating! So great that you can read kanji! I wished I can everytime I see a Japanese cert haha.

Gosh I didn’t know emeralds are so fragile? But then again @Bron357 mentioned witnessing an actual case... that would be quite devastating I must say...



Thank you for translating! Asking about the treatment is a great idea and I’ll consider doing so. But I must say all the reminders about fragility of the stone is making me think twice....



Thank you! Is ExCel a common treatment? It sounds fab since it’s stable yet removable. Wonder how much it costs to treat a stone...

THe use of a certain types of fillers is now pretty common and I wouldn't say they're removable! Oil can be removed but can leave traces behind. Of the more permanent types of fillers The 2 that I know of are ExCel and Opticon. Neither company sells this process direct to the public, so assumed that it would be dealers who have accounts with them.

Emeralds are I believe type III stones which means they will have lots of fissures. A "clean" emerald would still have them even in its natural state. the use of oil and other resins tends to lessen this look (some people don't like the look I guess)

 

[marymm]

Yes, oiling I think is the norm. My post should have been phrased better, but was aimed more at polymer & synthetic fillers and the like, which can break down and deteriorate over time. While emeralds can be re-oiled, emeralds with deteriorated synthetic fillers can be difficult to address/fix.

 

[lilmosun]

Beautiful!

I think its a personal preference - oiling vs more permanent modern colorless treatments. The person who tested mine at AGL seemed confused when I thought modern was a bad thing and made the emerald worth less....assured me it was stable and on the upside, would not need to be reapplied like oiling. My understanding is that the degree of treatment (mine was minor according to AGL) is of equal importance. Not sure if that is stated in your report or if there is even an industry standard for evaluating this.

 

[voce]

GIA and AGL have each "standardized" their way of measuring the degree of clarity enhancement, but the Japanese certificate says nothing about degree of enhancement.