retail prices of some gems

[m76steve]

was at a local gem show at the mall & noticed a few retail prices for example alexandrite natural was $200.00 for a round stone @2-2.5mm.- tiny ruby @3mm for $2000.00 some sapphire blue or yellow $2000.00 for 1-2.5 cts. & tanzanite, good color, $1450.00/ct.-a 2.9ct stone $4300.00. prices seem to within prices my jeweler quoted from his suppliers. have also heard that a lot of manufactured stones are showing up out of asia as ruby emerald & sapphire. kind of guess buyer beware or must b a little more informed-steve...
















4

 

[JewelFreak]

Yack.

Judging from high-end auctions, gems & jewelry (good stuff) is going through the roof -- I wonder if people are investing in that as they are in gold, during unstable economic times.

--- Laurie

 

[m76steve]

jewelfreak-from what iv heard even though gold is still on the ups lots of peeps are buying more of the stuff-silver is on the way up-actually its good to buy now because its reasonably priced now-its considered a comodity with value going up-oil is expected to hit $100.00 / barrel very soon-gas by me is over $3.10 for regular-no shortage just inflation which we are told does not exist per govt. i can only imagine that peeps are buying higher priced gems as a hedge so to speak to fall back on as the dollar drops in value. i think that some people dont realize that to buy/sell any comodity u pay both to buy & sell that comodity-as the joke goes u buy bread for a 1/2 oz. of gold-lol!!!-the steve...

 

[iLander]

I believe that in a couple of years, inflation will pop up and the price of everything will go up, including commodities. Real estate will lead the charge, and housing will recover. Goldman Sachs (no matter how you feel about them, they are the smartest guys on the block) are calling for 4% annual growth next year (actually GS is rubbing their hands with glee and anticipation!), retailers did VERY well during black friday, holiday sales are beyond expectations and hiring has increased nicely in October. China is starting to release their currency controls, which means prices for everything made there will rise. NYC real estate (an ancedotal indicator that I like to keep track of) is recovering briskly, with $1000 per square foot coming back.

The biggest issue two years from now will be "what are we going to do with all this inflation?" The government is printing money and loaning money to itself, which is also a historical landmark of inflation. I think that the upper echelon of people know all this and are buying the good stuff now.

So, yes, buy that new car (or house, or couch, or diamond) in 2011, because in 2012, it will be expensive.

That being said, I've seen a lot of gem show dealers with ridiculous prices. I saw a rhodocronsite (sp?) at a show, about 2 carats, very clean, the guy wanted $3500 for it. I couldn't help but think of the Litnon SET for that price (the quality was comparable). Jewelry dealers are not much of an indicator of anything, they're always ridiculous. But a couple of years from now, their ridiculous prices will get even more ridiculous.

 

[T L]

I watch Gem Shopping Network (guilty pleasure), but I find their prices to be very high. I almost died laughing when they said they sell wholesale or way below wholesale. The people I choose to buy from sell at much much lower prices. I never buy anything, but it's fun to see some new gem deposits surface on their show like the ones I buy from my dealer, like sphene, neon Tanzanian chrysoberyl, or Mahenge spinel, and they charge A LOT more.

Wholesale, yeah right.

 

[RockHugger]

TL, I watch that show too, and it's crazy expensive! If I see a stone I like on the show, I will jump onto you know where and buy it for 100x cheaper.

 

[JewelFreak]

Steve & iLander, that's what I meant -- that I wonder if gems & jewelry are being bought as investments or hedges against a falling (tumbling!) dollar & crummy economy. I agree that big inflation is coming & it's fearsome. Could be a "buy it now or pay quadruple later" mentality in addition. There are some projects I'd love to do -- such as a multi-stone bracelet -- but since I look awful in white (silver-colored) metals, it would have to be yg or rg; cost is out of the question now. It will only get worse, unfortunately, I believe. Seems to me that prices of some garnets, as an instance, are rising -- tsaves & demantoids keep getting higher, probably due to increased demand.

--- Laurie

 

[iLander]

Steve & iLander, that's what I meant -- that I wonder if gems & jewelry are being bought as investments or hedges against a falling (tumbling!) dollar & crummy economy. I agree that big inflation is coming & it's fearsome. Could be a "buy it now or pay quadruple later" mentality in addition. There are some projects I'd love to do -- such as a multi-stone bracelet -- but since I look awful in white (silver-colored) metals, it would have to be yg or rg; cost is out of the question now. It will only get worse, unfortunately, I believe. Seems to me that prices of some garnets, as an instance, are rising -- tsaves & demantoids keep getting higher, probably due to increased demand.

--- Laurie

Hi, Laurie! Yup, you and I are definitely on the same wavelength!

I remember that last time gold hit it's high, in the early '80's, yellow gold became a status symbol (remember Mr T? ). YG is coming back, because here we go again . . .

I think it's interesting that the govt goes to such trouble to hide true inflation. They've taken just about every relevant indicator out of the official government figures; housing, energy and most consumer goods are no longer measured or they have made substitutions. When the cost of national brand consumer goods became too high, they substituted store brand products for the national brands. They threw in cell phone costs when cell phones became free with your phone plan. The govt had been doing this since the early '80's, so it's not any particular administration or party. It's their way of cutting their expenses; cost-of-living raises for social security and payments on Treasury inflation-protected bonds.

At this point, I think the govt inflation indicator is tied to a single can of beans on the shelf of a dusty store in Backwood, Idaho. . .

Sorry for the soapbox, I'm kind of "into" that subject . . .

 

[movie zombie]

[quote="iLander|1291909At this point, I think the govt inflation indicator is tied to a single can of beans on the shelf of a dusty store in Backwood, Idaho. . . .[/quote]

may i assume a can of beans not encrusted with diamonds and divine gemmy color stones.....?

MoZo

 

[ruffysdad]

I watch Gem Shopping Network (guilty pleasure), but I find their prices to be very high. I almost died laughing when they said they sell wholesale or way below wholesale. The people I choose to buy from sell at much much lower prices. I never buy anything, but it's fun to see some new gem deposits surface on their show like the ones I buy from my dealer, like sphene, neon Tanzanian chrysoberyl, or Mahenge spinel, and they charge A LOT more.

Wholesale, yeah right.

Lol ! I suffered from the same thing only we had JTV on broadcast tv and was really bummed when they went off the air. It was almost as good comedy as Gilligan's Island and just about as real too!

Pete

 

[JewelFreak]

I'm with you in spades, iLander!!

--- Laurie

 

[Michael_E]

was at a local gem show at the mall & noticed a few retail prices for example ....- tiny ruby @3mm for $2000.00

That must have been some ruby! Some people will go to great lengths to make things appear to be worth more than they are. Wasn't it P.T. Barnum who said, "There's a sucker born every minute"...well not really. Read the very old story surrounding that quote and you'll start getting the idea. http://www.historybuff.com/library/refbarnum.html The whole world is a circus side show and if you aren't careful, you may fit into the other saying, "A fool and their money are soon parted". It makes you wonder about things like the ever escalating, insane prices of some things in the gem market, (Graff's diamond purchases come to mind)...who's fooling who?

 

[LD]

It's interesting to read from you guys what you're seeing in the US. In the UK I would say that it's slightly different.

Like TL I have the guilty pleasure of watching our numerous dedicated gem/jewellery TV channels. What I'm seeing is that diamonds haven't really changed in price but there are lots more clusters appearing! It's possible to buy a cluster piece of SI clarity and G-H colour diamonds of 1-1.5ct for around £400-500 (that's about $628 - 790).

With coloured gemstones there are so many that are now appearing set in silver (or silver coated in platinum). Gems such as citrine, garnets (including Tsavs), peridot, spinels (including Mahenges), tanzanites etc. These are selling for incredibly low prices and the saturation of the gemstones really isn't bad! Much better than you'd think.

Tanzanite is perhaps the only gem that appears not to have changed in price for the last 3 years - in fact it's probably cheaper now than it was then.

Alexandrites, "paraiba" Tourmalines are commanding very high prices (usually remaining unsold) but neither are top quality.

Rubies are filled and enhanced beyond all reason and Sapphires are nearly all BE diffused. I saw an 8ct ruby ring being sold for £200 the other day ($314). Thankfully most are declared as being fissure filled/clarity/colour enhanced etc etc.

 

[Richard M.]

Rubies are filled and enhanced beyond all reason and Sapphires are nearly all BE diffused. I saw an 8ct ruby ring being sold for £200 the other day ($314). Thankfully most are declared as being fissure filled/clarity/colour enhanced etc etc.

In the U.S. our Federal Trade Commission sets the rules for disclosure of gem treatments/enhancements to consumers. They are published and accessible on-line. Is there a similar agency in the U.K.? I'd be interested in learning more about it if so.

 

[LD]

Rubies are filled and enhanced beyond all reason and Sapphires are nearly all BE diffused. I saw an 8ct ruby ring being sold for £200 the other day ($314). Thankfully most are declared as being fissure filled/clarity/colour enhanced etc etc.

In the U.S. our Federal Trade Commission sets the rules for disclosure of gem treatments/enhancements to consumers. They are published and accessible on-line. Is there a similar agency in the U.K.? I'd be interested in learning more about it if so.

Unfortunately not. It is totally reliant on the individual company whether they disclose or not. The only regulation for TV gem shopping channels is the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). If something is knowingly mis-sold, then the consumer can complain to the ASA who investigate and then may uphold a complaint. All that really happens is that the complaint is published on the ASA website, together with the outcome of their investigation. It's a bit like a limp slap on the wrist. Unfortunately the ASA know nothing of gemstones and jewellery and if you make a complaint you have to lead them by the nose, explaining all about treatments etc in any hope of getting an outcome. The ASA cover all areas of advertising and marketing so would also cover high street jewellers as well if they were advertising incorrectly.

Most of the TV jewellery shopping channels do have an enhancement page that generally covers what treatment "might" have been applied to each type of gemstone but it's so generic that you've got little hope of finding out what may have actually been done to any specific piece. By way of an example, if you look at the bit for Ruby it will say:-

Ruby and Sapphire of all types:
- Heated to improve appearance or
- Heated with flux to improve appearance and durability or
- Heated with elements other than hydrogen to improve colour and/or add asterism or
- Surface pits filled with colourless hardened filler to improve appearance and/or add weight or
- Dyed to improve appearance. Please note that when we knowingly sell dyed corundum we name it corundum and not sapphire or ruby or
- Impregnated with colourless or coloured lead glass to improve appearance; sometimes classified as composite gemstones, these rubies are treated using heat and a high refractive index lead glass to fill fractures and cavities. This improves clarify and/or intensifies colour and/or colour uniformity and/or appearance. The lead glass is typically yellow to orange in colour and can artificially augment the red colour of these gems.

Sooooooo, basically at least you know that if you buy one of their rubies it will have been treated by one or more of the categories listed.

 

[T L]

TL, I watch that show too, and it's crazy expensive! If I see a stone I like on the show, I will jump onto you know where and buy it for 100x cheaper.

Mike, this one crooked guy on GSN has all these GIA certified rubies for sale for zillions of dollars, but he refuses to show the treatments on the report. He flashes the report by, and I catch a little glance on my TIVO and I see the comments on "glass filled fissures", but he always talks about how they're "GIA certified" and it's not even a certificate (the dumb idiot), it's a report. That drives me insane. He never ever ever mentions treatment unless it's in his best interest. He had a hideous greenish blue "black" sapphire that was 8 carats, and he wanted $18K for it because he kept touting that the GIA stated it was untreated. Untreated or treated, IT'S STILL FREAKING UGLY.

Sorry, had to vent a little about GSN. What a crock of BS they spew, but it is enjoyable because it makes me feel like I own super bargains. They're such swindlers and liars.