Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

Somebody's Gotta Buy This Stone!

elle_71125 said:
Damn me and my small digits! :lol:
I guess that means I’ll have no luck on the 4.75s I’ve been getting either. Lol
Click to expand...

Oh, oh! I could wear it! But, alas, 3rd kid in college kind of puts a damper on any purchases these days. It’s so pretty! Surely someone will come along soon.
 
elle_71125 said:
Damn me and my small digits! :lol:
I guess that means I’ll have no luck on the 4.75s I’ve been getting either. Lol
Click to expand...

Your ring is beautiful, Elle, the small size is the only issue, I'm sure. I'd be sorely tempted if your ring was just slightly bigger (I'm a size 5.25).
 
elle_71125 said:
Damn me and my small digits! :lol:
I guess that means I’ll have no luck on the 4.75s I’ve been getting either. Lol
Click to expand...

My wife wears 4.75! They're out there.
 
voce said:
https://loupetroop.com/listings/loo...e/flash-unheated-ruby-1-dot-8ct-gia-certified

Someone please buy this stone. The seller could really use the money for family medical-related expenses. It's a reasonable price, and corundum is very durable (some would say tougher than diamonds due to diamonds' cleavage) if you want a colored stone.
Click to expand...

Ahhh I've been looking for an unheated ruby for a while and that one is so tempting... But I just put a downpayment on some french cut diamond earrings :(
 
That's a massive bargain!
 
soxfan said:
https://loupetroop.com/listings/loo...eenish-blue-afghanistan-tourmaline-with-video

Wow. This looks very much like a paraiba! Look at the video...
Click to expand...

That is so funny, because I thought just the opposite - that it was too bad he was making the connection to a copper bearing stone, as it didn't come close to the glow. I think its a pretty stone, great color and decent cut, but not the bright neon that I expect to see for a cuprian. If he had just said it was a great Afghani stone, I'm sure my expectation would've been different.
 
minousbijoux said:
That is so funny, because I thought just the opposite - that it was too bad he was making the connection to a copper bearing stone, as it didn't come close to the glow. I think its a pretty stone, great color and decent cut, but not the bright neon that I expect to see for a cuprian. If he had just said it was a great Afghani stone, I'm sure my expectation would've been different.
Click to expand...

I don't know much about colored stones, but to me it looked like a lower quality (color) paraiba but still kind of passable?
 
soxfan said:
I don't know much about colored stones, but to me it looked like a lower quality (color) paraiba but still kind of passable?
Click to expand...

You know, that's an interesting perspective. I look at the glow almost like a phenomenon stone: I want a stone that shows as much of the characteristic as possible and don't want to settle - so I'm not attracted to stones that don't have much glow. But that's just me!
 
minous- If I want it, should I offer less? :lol:

Or do you think it's priced right?
 
Hi,

I see one of the old timers are back and criticized a stone. I wish to do the same on that ruby. above. Its very included and an ugly stone in my opinion. If the stone were any good it would be listed for much, much more. Not worth buying.

Annette
 
smitcompton said:
Hi,

I see one of the old timers are back and criticized a stone. I wish to do the same on that ruby. above. Its very included and an ugly stone in my opinion. If the stone were any good it would be listed for much, much more. Not worth buying.

Annette
Click to expand...
I think this thread has morphed into "stones we like" and I have been guilty of posting stones that were not top quality because I liked them and thought they were a good deal. With that said, it is helpful when experienced gem enthusiasts chime in with their opinions on vendor stones posted here. I don't think I would have the heart to criticize a private seller's stone and hope no one would do that to me.
 
smitcompton said:
Hi,

I see one of the old timers are back and criticized a stone. I wish to do the same on that ruby. above. Its very included and an ugly stone in my opinion. If the stone were any good it would be listed for much, much more. Not worth buying.

Annette
Click to expand...

I am not going to point fingers at specific posters or gemstones, but I too have wondered lately at very new posters touting stones which I don’t find very desirable or well priced. It crossed my mind that vendors or sellers could be promoting their own stones. BUT I know that different people have different tastes and I’m sure I own some stones that others would find worthless, so I’ve not said anything. But to call a poster’s stone ugly is a bit much, I think... ! :shock:
 
Sooo...just to clarify (not that I probably need to):

When I started this thread back in 2012, it was meant to do several things. First, it was to publicize high quality bargain stones that PSers, resourceful as they are, were uncovering from various sources and vendors from their far flung searches worldwide. It was a way of sharing the stones of off the beaten path purveyors, in addition to those of more mainstream sellers. Second, it was meant as an informal way to document - or memorialize - the prices of stones at the point of time at which they were offered for sale. This was why I suggested that folks posting to the thread provide all the detail about the stone and its price, as well as posting photos of the stones (not just linking the stone, which would be useless the minute the stone sold). Finally, it was just another way to show off some eye candy!

So the first stone was a huge (11+ ct) Namibian Spess selling for roughly $100/ct back then. It was a bargain then, but can you imagine paying that today?!! Used this way, the thread can provide anecdotal examples of various types of stone and their respective price escalation (or depreciation) over time. At first, when newbies started posting stones, I'd sometimes weigh in if I thought the stone was not a good value, or good example of its type, but after a while, the thread just took its course and became, as LisaRN says, more what catches someone's eye. Still, I can't help but feel a proprietary desire to jump in if I see something posted which I don't think is a good example, or a good value. That was the intention of my post - to provide a heads up that no, that stone is not a glowy neon bargain, but a typical (albeit attractive) Afghani tourmaline and one should pay accordingly.

No, we don't want to bash private sellers, especially our PS family, but at the same time, we want to look out for each other and offer guidance if stones are overpriced or touted as something more than we think they are. I hope that helps! =)2
 
minousbijoux said:
Sooo...just to clarify (not that I probably need to):

When I started this thread back in 2012, it was meant to do several things. First, it was to publicize high quality bargain stones that PSers, resourceful as they are, were uncovering from various sources and vendors from their far flung searches worldwide. It was a way of sharing the stones of off the beaten path purveyors, in addition to those of more mainstream sellers. Second, it was meant as an informal way to document - or memorialize - the prices of stones at the point of time at which they were offered for sale. This was why I suggested that folks posting to the thread provide all the detail about the stone and its price, as well as posting photos of the stones (not just linking the stone, which would be useless the minute the stone sold). Finally, it was just another way to show off some eye candy!

So the first stone was a huge (11+ ct) Namibian Spess selling for roughly $100/ct back then. It was a bargain then, but can you imagine paying that today?!! Used this way, the thread can provide anecdotal examples of various types of stone and their respective price escalation (or depreciation) over time. At first, when newbies started posting stones, I'd sometimes weigh in if I thought the stone was not a good value, or good example of its type, but after a while, the thread just took its course and became, as LisaRN says, more what catches someone's eye. Still, I can't help but feel a proprietary desire to jump in if I see something posted which I don't think is a good example, or a good value. That was the intention of my post - to provide a heads up that no, that stone is not a glowy neon bargain, but a typical (albeit attractive) Afghani tourmaline and one should pay accordingly.

No, we don't want to bash private sellers, especially our PS family, but at the same time, we want to look out for each other and offer guidance if stones are overpriced or touted as something more than we think they are. I hope that helps! =)2
Click to expand...

As a new comer, I do think it helps when more experienced folks point out when the stones are not such great bargains so I really hope the honest dialogue doesn’t stop. It’s an excellent way to learn IMO.
 
I second more experienced folks jumping in to critique a stone! Face it if we loved in that much we would have hit the buy button already and not posted about it!

I personally would LOVE more feedback and assessments on stones in general. The ones that I don't feel I *have* to have.
 
^ and even if you feel you *have* to have it, IMHO it is still incredibly helpful to have a handle on what it is you are actually buying and how it stacks up within the particular gemstone species in terms of cut, color, and pricing.

AFAIAC, it is okay to overpay if you choose to do so in light of the totality of circumstances, but not okay to overpay when you don't realize you are doing so.
 
Agree @marymm but lurkers snapping up stones (especially the ones that are likely to go fast) is still an issue.

I am always astonished by how fast people can ID stone vendors from a picture even when no information is posted about them.
 
mellowyellowgirl said:
Agree @marymm but lurkers snapping up stones (especially the ones that are likely to go fast) is still an issue.

I am always astonished by how fast people can ID stone vendors from a picture even when no information is posted about them.
Click to expand...

For sure, but unless you purchase without possibility of return, you can still post a thread for feedback while in your return period...
 
Hi,

Maryanne-- I believe the ruby stone came from Einhorn jewelers originally I am not impressed with what they show except for small emeralds. I do not think that one should hold back and enable two mistakes to be made. And I have never seen a stone of yours look anything like this one. Yours are usually high caliber.
blingbunny-- Yes, it is true beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I, too have stones that one would question. How I wish someone would have said, STOP. For a ruby, its UGLY.$650.00 ugly You can't always be afraid of hurting someones feelings. Your job is to protect the new buyer.
Annette
 
Last edited by a moderator:
@minousbijoux -You have done an excellent job in describing the intent of this thread and how valuable it is to those of us who love colored stones. It is probably my favorite thread in this forum. :)
 
Absolutely appreciate the education from OG PS-ers, that’s why we are here! I think every single one of us want to learn to have a good eye.
 
Apologies for posting about a subpar gem. There is a reason I didn't make the purchase myself, so I guess I should put my money where my mouth is, if that is the correct idiom.

Now, I think this pair of Jedi spinel Yvonne just listed is TDF. As far as I can tell, they are top color, eye-clean, and just PERFECTLY matched. I can't afford it, but someone should totally go for it!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/591570...el-pair-spinel-cushion?ref=shop_home_active_2
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP

Featured Topics

Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top