Opinions on this emerald ring

[Allgems]

Thank you all for your kind words!

Yes, I will get it tested, it's Easter holiday in HK soon, I'm thinking to bring it after. No matter what are the results, I will post them here. Only now, when I got used to it, I don't want to part from it! I've checked GIA schedules and it seems they will need to keep it for several weeks.

Oh, loupe is a good idea, thanks, I will look for them.

I've heard chow tai fook is famous, also they are very big, so I trust their reputation, but at the same time I was wondering if prices are not inflated. I also got a very simple 24k bangle there, but that was at a daily price of gold, and it's basically the only jewelry purchase my husband believes in. Others (18k gold, stones) are all toys to him.

 

[Starfacet]

Your band is simply gorgeous!

 

[Burmesedaze]

All established old names are inflated i guess that's how they keep their premium standing and distinguish themselves from the rest. I don't think buyers buy from themfor value but trust, reliability that they stand behind their products and after care service. Works like that in all the countries I've lived and/or worked in.

 

[Acinom]

Your ring is stunning!!!
I hope that the test results are to your liking. Please keep us informed

 

[Allgems]

Following advice of arkieb1 I called chow tai fook today with the stock number of the ring and they could look up in the system that the emeralds come from Zambia. I will still have it lab tested.

I also asked for Miki Moto about the Pink Star, unfortunately it is not available for viewing.

 

[Miki Moto]

Hi! My opinion is that if you sent your ring to AGL/GIA your ring will come back as Natural Beryl (e.g. green emerald), Zambia Origin, and it will also show that it is Clarity Enhanced. The store has already told you it's from Zambia so it's "natural" (e.g. real) vs. a synthetic. I believe the store is honest so the "is it real" question is already answered. The next question then is the enhancement. I do believe the report will show there is some type of clarity enhancement (e.g. from none, minor, moderate, or even higher) which is probably why the emeralds are so clear. I do not think the emeralds will come back as 100% natural, no treatment. It they do great, but highly unlikely.

The question for you is.. what were you expecting? Were you expecting a natural un-treated Colombian? And assuming it does come back indicating enhancements, are you ok with a Zambian, enhanced emerald? If you think there is a remote possibility you will not be ok that, then you should tell the store now and discuss their return/exchange policy so there are no surprises.

My two cents... if it were a large loose stone, I would consider getting a report. However, if it were me that purchased the ring, already set and finished... and I was told by a reputable store it's Zambian (e.g. "real"), I would not bother with getting a report. The report will just confirm it's from Zambia and let's say the report does say the stones are enhanced. Will that really change your opinion and want to return it? Nearly all emeralds are enhanced.

So... in the beginning, the question was "are these real emeralds". That has been confirmed... yes, they are real and they are Zambian. But most important of all... do you still love it? I think you ring is beautiful! I think sometimes we can get caught up in the science of a gem that we forget to enjoy the beauty of a gemstone.

For me... if it were my ring and I read all this info here posted by so many lovely PSers... I would enjoy this beautiful ring and not bother with a report. It would not matter to me if there is enhancement because I know it is Zambian and the green glows! The ring is not an investment, it is to enjoy!

That's my two cents... well, maybe that was five cents (sorry for the long post). Good luck to you!

 

[Allgems]

Thank you for your five cents, I really appreciate your and other PS users input. You all made me see more beauty in this ring. Just last week though I enjoyed looking at it, I was quite selfcouncious about wearing it. And today I can't even take it off. All thanks to you!

For the stones, right now my expectations are just to learn about it. If this is not "real stone", I definitely would return it. But when buying it, I went with jeweler reputation and just expected a non synthetic, non lab grown and not much enhanced stone. The origin was not important to me, other than I would like to just know, but still forgot to ask.

So I am going to keep it, I bought it for sentimental/emotional reasons, when I look at this ring at the age of 98 I will still remember the day and the events of the year when I bought it. End even here on PS, when Burmesedaze said the name of emeralds on my receipt is "grandmothers green", made the ring more special to me. Also, stone being from Zambia added to those emotional reasons when I've read what process "made" them as opposed to Colombian. So today I love it even more (in the parallel world, where I'm really really rich, I would get untreated clear Colombian in addition to those Zambians).

The main reason for me to get a report now (maybe for just a one stone) is to get more understanding about the vendor. If the stones are very heavily enhanced, if the color is manipulated, I will rethink my future purchases there. I bought there several pieces over the years, and some of them from the same sales person, and he managed to develop my trust and loyalty so it would be painful finding out it was all not true. I do understand emeralds are routinely enhanced, but for this price I would like a piece of mind that the stone received little treatment. My hopes are still up, since I read that Zambian emeralds tend to be much clearer with less inclusions than Colombian, and cheaper at the same time. I also dug out an old thread on PS about it. Seems that the same clarity of Colombian emerald is difficult to find and then come with exorbitant prices.

To sum up if it is Colombian with no treatment, I think I just won a lottery. If Zambian with no/little treatment, very happy. Zambian or Colombian with a lot of treatment, I keep the ring and still love it, but think twice before buying next time from the same place.

 

[Miki Moto]

That is great to hear and I agree with your logic. Funny, I had the same logic and I thought I was crazy. I recently purchased a loose emerald at a gem show. I trust the dealer, we talked a lot and I looked at the stone for 3 days before I purchased it. He is 38 years in the emerald business and he focuses on Colombian emeralds that he hand selects. I purchased and emerald from him and fully trusted what he said (no papers). I sent it to AGL only to confirm if he was telling me the truth to determine if I would buy more emearlds from him. I did exactly what you are thinking. I love the stone and will keep it regardless of what the report says... it is for my future purchases as he has gorgeous emeralds and I want a few more. The AGL report came back and I was very happy with the results (it confirmed everything he said).

So yes, I think your logic makes perfect sense.
I am so happy for you! I am sure you look lovely wearing your new ring. Your emeralds are beautiful.

 

[Starfacet]

@Allgems, I'm glad you're going to keep it! It is beautiful and you should be proud of your purchase!

 

[Allgems]

@Miki Moto, I'm so glad it worked out for you! Good relationships are priceless. Will you share you beautiful emerald with us?

@everybody, Thanks for all the comments!

I must say, this forum is not just very supportive but also very enabling. I promised myself to not purchase anything till at least the end of this year, and here I was, window shopping today.

 

[Miki Moto]

Hi! I have loved emeralds for years but my first emerald was very dark which at the time, I thought was supposed to be better than lighter emeralds. I was not so lucky as you to have made a perfect choice the first time. So, after years of hating my first emerald, I recently purchased a new lighter color emerald which is the color I love. I am sure you will discover there are so many shades of emerald green, and you did great getting it right the first time!

Also, if you like emeralds and reading books about it, here is a great emerald book by Ron Ringsrud who is an emerald expert: http://www.emeraldpassion.com/

I flew to Tucson, Arizona to attend the gem show in search of an emerald. I did not think I would find out so i was very surprised I ended up with a stone. I was at the show for three days, saw the emerald on the first day, but did not buy. I went back each day to look at it and was not sure as to me, it was a pricey purchase and more than I had intended to spend on a single stone. But it was the color I loved, and in three days, I had yet to find a stone that even came close. I am sure some people will not like the stone as it may not be perfect in their eyes, but it was perfect to me. So after three days of thinking and visiting the dealer, I finally bought it. He told me it was Colombian, from the Muzo mine, and with only minor treatment. I sent it to AGL and they confirmed exactly what the dealer told me. Lke you, my intent was always to keep this emerald. I only wanted to know if he was a trusted dealer in case I wanted to buy more emeralds. Two weeks after the show ended, I received a letter from him thanking me again, he sent me a brochure on how to care for my emerald, and said if I ever had any issues, to please contact him. I was very impressed. I do plan to go back to the Tucson Gem Show next year (it is usually in February) and maybe purchase another stone. The one below I plan to put in a ring. The second, maybe for a pendant and I hope to get a matching green shade.

The photos below are the same emerald, but in different light taken at the show on different days. The actual color looks most like the last photo with the single emerald by itself but a little darker green. I posted the other two photos so you can also see other emerald colors to compare for your future reference. I was actually at first interested in the smaller dark emerald, but then my eyes kept going back to the lighter one.

Please keep us posted on your emerald journey!

 

[Allgems]

Oh, this emerald is stunning. On each photo it shines from within. No wonder your "eyes kept coming back"! It sounds like this stone chose you rather than you him/her. And the story about vendor great too. Such a lucky find!

 

[arkieb1]

Actually despite what some people above have written you can find emeralds that size that are Zambian that are untreated. In general the material in small sizes from there is cleaner than from Columbia and other places. So they will either be untreated or lightly to moderate oiling IMHO. I don't see why they would be dyed, not in that size stone from that particular retailer, if you bought them off Ebay that would be a completely different story.