Please help me see if the stone is cracked before delivery

[fussykiki]

Hi all. I have purchased an aquamarine from a custom cutter around two years ago. I didn’t have it set as I cannot decide on the setting. I didn’t check the stone with a loupe when it arrived because I lost mine and haven’t had time to get a new one. And it looks amazing with my naked eyes (which I am diagnosed with cataract last week, sigh). Fast forward many many months later i finally got a loupe so I immediately use it on the Aqua but sadly I saw a crack near the edge of the stone.

I emailed the cutter and he said the crack wasn’t there when he ships and asked if I drop the stone, which I didn’t. I didn’t argue with him because I only found it out months later.

Many months later again, today, I decided to look at the vendor photo closely. It seems that the cracks were already there. But you know, with cataract, I am really not sure. I wanna seek you guy’s opinions on this. Appreciate for your time. Thank you!


Vendor photo which I tuned the color darker


My photo


Comparison photo

 

[fussykiki]

Another photo of mine from a different angle compare with the vendor photo.

 

[ShinyPink]

It does look like there's some sort of fissure, which is worse in your photos. How big is the stone? I'm not really sure what you can do about it two years later though. Is it surface reaching? Can you feel it?

You could show the cutter the comparison, but how do you want this resolved? Do you want to return it or a partial refund? I'm more the type to smack myself for not inspecting it upon arrival and just move on.

Also, was the stone expensive?

 

[fredflintstone]

These are natural rain like tube inclusions. The were there before the stone was cut. The vendor is lying to you.

While it looks fairly severe, you need to have a trained gemologist or a long-time bench jeweler to look at the stone to see if it will crack apart upon setting.

 

[Rfisher]

~Not saying this as a vote to negotiate with the vendor two years after the sale ~

how was it advertised/stated as? flawless /inclusion free/ eye clean?

Maybe - was it priced like inclusion free material, or significantly less?

without knowing any more - I think it happened before where a buyer got a stone, called it in as ‘cracked’ and vendor states ‘nope, you did it’.
would the vendor have answered differently if the customer said ‘it’s got a veil/inclusion’ that wasn’t noted /pictured?
I think the term ‘crack’ is likely to turn any vendor off of any discussion

 

[fredflintstone]

~Not saying this as a vote to negotiate with the vendor two years after the sale ~

how was it advertised/stated as? flawless /inclusion free/ eye clean?

Maybe - was it priced like inclusion free material, or significantly less?

without knowing any more - I think it happened before where a buyer got a stone, called it in as ‘cracked’ and vendor states ‘nope, you did it’.
would the vendor have answered differently if the customer said ‘it’s got a veil/inclusion’ that wasn’t noted /pictured?
I think the term ‘crack’ is likely to turn any vendor off of any discussion

Yep, I did not think of it that way until you wrote what you did. You are right. A "crack" and having a inclusion(s) are two different things to a vendor.

On second thoughts (to the OP), many Emeralds are set with manys time the inclusions of this stone and more severe. It should do fine but still have it evaluated.

 

[LD]

That doesn’t look like a crack - it looks more like natural inclusions. Whatever it is , two years down the line I think a vendor has the right to turn you away. There’s normally a returns process window to thoroughly inspect a gem and it’s not the vendors fault you lost your loupe. I’m afraid I would put this down to a learning experience. Sorry that’s probably not want you want to hear.

 

[distracts]

That doesn’t look like a crack - it looks more like natural inclusions. Whatever it is , two years down the line I think a vendor has the right to turn you away. There’s normally a returns process window to thoroughly inspect a gem and it’s not the vendors fault you lost your loupe. I’m afraid I would put this down to a learning experience. Sorry that’s probably not want you want to hear.

Yeah - no matter what it is, it seems petty to reach out to the vendor two years later. This is a bit of a "you snooze you lose" issue.

 

[fussykiki]

I don’t know how I want to resolve the issue. I am more at the “I want to find out the facts” stage now.

To answer some of the questions, the stone is expensive. It was custom cut for me by the vendor. It they are inclusion I am okay because it is a natural stone. But I wasn’t expecting some surface reaching “flaw” (if crack is not a good word to use) in an expensive custom cut stone by a reputable vendor.

When I email the vendor about it, I asked him if they could be inclusions, which he said they didn’t appear in the photo he took before the stone is sent. And asked if I have dropped it. Implying, I may be the cause to it.

i will bring it to my jeweler and see what he say about it. It is a beautiful stone and I still feel really sad about it even after so long.

 

[fussykiki]

The reason why I look at the vendor photo again is that I plan to set it as a pendent, which I think it is safer on my neck than on my finger. This is my sketch with inspiration of the Tiffany Victoria collection. I am hoping the leafs can cover the flaws which also give it protection. Do you think it is doable?

 

[LD]

Most natural gemstones have "flaws" of some kind. You really are 2 years down the line and it's unfair to reach out to the vendor now (irrespective of the cost of the stone). Are you focussing on it now because you've seen it rather than focussing on the stone as a whole? If it's bothering you then maybe even if you set it as you want, it'll still worry you? Sometimes when this happens it's best to sell the stone and get another. Yes you'll probably lose money but you don't want to set a gemstone that you don't love. The pendant design is beautiful and could definitely work but my advice would be that the leaves shouldn't rest on the gem but should be a tiny bit raised to avoid any potential setting issues. The stone will be held in around the edges in any event but pressure has to be applied during the setting process and putting pressure on the leaf in a downward direction to touch the stone MIGHT cause a problem.

 

[fussykiki]

I will probably not reach out to the vendor. But I just want to find out if the vendor lied about the stone was fine before he mailed it. He is a very reputable cutter among PS. And I am quite disappointed about it.

As for the setting, I will bring the stone to the jeweler when I pick up my sapphire ring. My plan is not to spend a lot to set this aqua. He quoted price for the setting based on my sketch. The price difference with or without halo is about $500. Of coz having halo will be more beautiful, but I will let him evaluate the stone first.

Yes, the intention is to have the leaves raise away from the stone like floating on top.

 

[Rfisher]

I love your inspiration design.
I hope you don’t go forward with the setting plans, if the Aqua isn’t ‘mind clean’ for you, if you won’t enjoy wearing it. it just won’t wear it.
the vendors before shipping glamour shots only tell part of the story. There seems to be something there, from the picture you show. But to what extent- is the crux.
having someone knowledgeable look at the stone to deem structural integrity (that can be impartial/not want to sell you another stone) would be worth it, for me. Even knowing there is no guaranty in that persons opinion.

the stone is sizeable enough - would you consider a recut to get rid of that area? I don’t know, would you loose 25% or 50% of the material?

the vendor seems to have a good following here. Maybe if you don’t think you can live the stone as is - list it for sale? Maybe someone else will love it for what it is? Some people are out there who can overlook the issue for the size and the color of this stone.
You’ll take a loss on the sale, but my guess is that the cutter’s reputation might help the sale? I’m reaching, I know!
Do any of the recommended PS appraisers deal with inclusions and their integrity overall? Knowing of course it’s not a guarantee, but an opinion? Wheter you use that for your own peace of mind or if you sell, the future buyer’s thoughts?

I’m sorry there’s doubt in your mind, of what exactly happened. i understand.
I can’t fault the vendor though.
Lessons learned.

 

[fussykiki]

Thank you all so much for taking your time to reply. All the comments are very helpful!

It has not occurred to me that I can list for sale! Maybe I should consider that. But I really don’t know how to price it with such conditions.

Rfisher is right. I guess I shouldn’t have it set unless it is mind clean for me. But if the design can cover the flaws I am actually okay with it, If I cannot live with it after it is set, I can find another stone in same size to replace it. I still haven’t make up my mind actually.

I am glad that PS is such a warm family, with members giving me good advices to my recent color stone issues.

 

[chrono]

I love your inspiration design.
I hope you don’t go forward with the setting plans, if the Aqua isn’t ‘mind clean’ for you, if you won’t enjoy wearing it. it just won’t wear it.
the vendors before shipping glamour shots only tell part of the story. There seems to be something there, from the picture you show. But to what extent- is the crux.
having someone knowledgeable look at the stone to deem structural integrity (that can be impartial/not want to sell you another stone) would be worth it, for me. Even knowing there is no guaranty in that persons opinion.

Agree with this many times over. I worry a recut might involve a 50% weight loss, which will definitely affect colour.

 

[fredflintstone]

I don’t know how I want to resolve the issue. I am more at the “I want to find out the facts” stage now.

To answer some of the questions, the stone is expensive. It was custom cut for me by the vendor. It they are inclusion I am okay because it is a natural stone. But I wasn’t expecting some surface reaching “flaw” (if crack is not a good word to use) in an expensive custom cut stone by a reputable vendor.

When I email the vendor about it, I asked him if they could be inclusions, which he said they didn’t appear in the photo he took before the stone is sent. And asked if I have dropped it. Implying, I may be the cause to it.

i will bring it to my jeweler and see what he say about it. It is a beautiful stone and I still feel really sad about it even after so long.

Those are inclusions I promise you. They were there before the stone was cut and after the stone was cut. But I do agree with the consensus here that there is nothing that can be done about it now.

 

[AnastasiaBeaverhausen]

To my untrained eyes, I do see something in the original vendor's pic. But I agree that the vendor may not have misrepresented the stone unless it was sold as "100% eye clean."

But in terms of the setting you have in mind for it, I think it's fabulous. If it's safe to set, and you really love the setting so much that you'd be willing to find another stone to fit in it if this one doesn't work out....I'd kinda want to go for it. However, I'd proceed with great caution. Maybe bring the stone to be checked out by a 1-2 more jewelers who have experience with CS to see if they feel it'd be safe to set?

I've done that before with a couple of chipped stones in the past and they both worked out just fine. However, they were also lower value stones in inexpensive settings. So I knew I wouldn't be too devastated if they didn't work out.

 

[fussykiki]

I took more photos under morning light. It is too beautiful to give it up with. I believe I can totally live with it if the setting can protect that corner of the stone. The flaw / inclusion cannot be see from naked eyes.

 

[winnietucker]

FWIW - this is a beautiful aqua. Can’t speak on the inclusion but love the color.

 

[AnastasiaBeaverhausen]

I took more photos under morning light. It is too beautiful to give it up with. I believe I can totally live with it if the setting can protect that corner of the stone. The flaw / inclusion cannot be see from naked eyes.

Fingers and toes crossed that it survives being set and you'd have a gorgeous new piece to wear soon!

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Not clear from this thread if the flaw is a crack or naturally occurring but does it matter at this point? If you have a trusted jeweler who says, I can set this in your pendant, do it. It's a spectacular aqua, probably the loveliest one I've ever seen. You will have such a piece!