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Somebody's Gotta Buy This Stone!

Folks here have had mixed results with this vendor’s photos in the past, and most of their stock I scroll by, but occasionaly one catches the eye.

9x7 deep spess

www.ebay.com

3.45ct 9x7mm Oval Natural Orange Spessartite Garnet, Namibia | eBay

This Spessartite Garnet originates from Namibia, Africa and it weighs 3.45 carats. This Orange, Oval shape stone, is size 9.0 x 7.0 x 6.0 mm. We look forward to serving you. Gem Type: Spessartite Garnet.
www.ebay.com

(Given all the orange I seem to be posting lately, perhaps I need to change my username to Spessiman...)
 

This item is unavailable - Etsy

Find the perfect handmade gift, vintage & on-trend clothes, unique jewelry, and more… lots more.
www.etsy.com www.etsy.com

Wandered onto this today & I think it’s very, very pretty. Don’t know how legit this vendor is and I’d never plop down that much on a sapphire myself but it’s nice to look at.
 
lilmosun said:
Not a single stone, but Yvonne has hauyne melee back in stock :wavey:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/611594134/blue-hauyne-1415mm-rounds-german-loose?ref=shop_home_feat_5

In case you need inspiration, below are a few of my pieces with hauyne melee....yes, I have a problem. I am literally sitting here figuring out projects for them where I don't have a center stone yet :wall:

(hint: do buy spares as they are can be brittle and hard to set)


20170731_193444.jpgtwoflowerring.jpghauyneringoutdoors__2_.jpgyvonne.jpgDSC_0208.JPG
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God, I love your black opal pendant!
Please please let me know if you ever decide to sell it!
Its always spoken to me!
 
lovedogs said:
I personally love the color of this sapphire. Looks silky/glowy and like a really nice saturated velvety color. Pretty close to my personal grail color so wanted to share. I asked the price because I couldn't help it and it's under $1600 which helps.

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This is a beautiful sapphire and I contacted the vendor but unfortunately they only accept wire transfer (which is not a form of payment I choose to do) ... oh well, wasn't meant to be.
 
marymm said:
This is a beautiful sapphire and I contacted the vendor but unfortunately they only accept wire transfer (which is not a form of payment I choose to do) ... oh well, wasn't meant to be.
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Awww bummer. I paid him using PP but it was well over a year ago so policy could have changed
 
winnietucker said:

This item is unavailable - Etsy

Find the perfect handmade gift, vintage & on-trend clothes, unique jewelry, and more… lots more.
www.etsy.com www.etsy.com

Wandered onto this today & I think it’s very, very pretty. Don’t know how legit this vendor is and I’d never plop down that much on a sapphire myself but it’s nice to look at.
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Please avoid like the plague!

For 6 cts unheated the price is suspiciously low, and the clarity is such it looks like a lab stone to me. The lab certificate is worthless, as there's no report from an established, reputable lab. A legit 6 ct unheated blue sapphire (of that color quality) is more typically in the $30k-$40k range.
 
voce said:
Please avoid like the plague!

For 6 cts unheated the price is suspiciously low, and the clarity is such it looks like a lab stone to me. The lab certificate is worthless, as there's no report from an established, reputable lab. A legit 6 ct unheated blue sapphire (of that color quality) is more typically in the $30k-$40k range.
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Not really. Not if you get from source countries. I saw a nicer stone going at the same price before (and now kick myself for not buying). That said, mine was in person transaction with reliable lab but that pricing is definitely possible

Edit to show what is possible:
This stone, 6 ct unheated with GRS cert
9E9D8633-F6B5-4578-BEF9-8AADDC9CB44E.jpeg
 
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voce said:
Please avoid like the plague!

For 6 cts unheated the price is suspiciously low, and the clarity is such it looks like a lab stone to me. The lab certificate is worthless, as there's no report from an established, reputable lab. A legit 6 ct unheated blue sapphire (of that color quality) is more typically in the $30k-$40k range.
Click to expand...

That pricing is not impossible though it is probably highly dependant on where the seller is located or what their business model is.

As for the lab, sellers & buyers in many parts of the world do not have access to the frequently quoted PS preferred labs, in terms of ease of access and cost. So, these sellers (reasonably IMHO) offer only local lab certs. It does not mean that all local lab certs are untrustworthy; though one will probably need to research their reliability or re-cert with your preferred lab upon purchase.
 
@YC and @icy_jade I am well-aware that in other parts of the world, gems can be had for cheaper. However, they are sold for cheaper through other platforms, not Etsy, which targets primarily North American consumers. The lab certificates with the listings don't look anywhere near legit. They look like something anybody who knows how to create QR codes can generate. It's not from any reputable local lab such as Colombo/GIC or Nanyang.

Can you buy legit 6ct unheated blue sapphire for $13500 in an online transaction? Yes, but the seller would be paying on IG, you'd have no buyer protection and would have to operate based on trust to wire payment to the seller directly, cutting out the middleman service of Etsy. That particular Etsy listing is highly suspicious and my advice is still to avoid that seller like the plague. Everything they sell, looks like it could be lab created, and there's not one report from a reputable lab, even though the cost for a reputable lab's report, no matter that acquiring a reputable lab report from the nearest continent anywhere in the world would cost less than $1000 including insurance, and they'd be able to list the gem for $10000 more with the report.

If folks here don't give JA rubies the benefit of the doubt, I don't see why any of us should give this particular Etsy seller the benefit of the doubt. When you're selling gems with 3-digit price tags on Etsy, that's a whole lot different than when you're selling gems with 5-digit price tags, and IMHO any gem over $10,000 should most definitely come with a legit lab report.
 
voce said:
A legit 6 ct unheated blue sapphire (of that color quality) is more typically in the $30k-$40k range.
Click to expand...

Sure, I just commented as $30-40k is a rip off price IMO and wanted people to be aware that you don’t have to pay silly prices for decent stones. Just to clarify, I had no intent to comment on that particular listing but just overall on the prices and what is possible out there.
 
voce said:
@YC and @icy_jade I am well-aware that in other parts of the world, gems can be had for cheaper. However, they are sold for cheaper through other platforms, not Etsy, which targets primarily North American consumers. The lab certificates with the listings don't look anywhere near legit. They look like something anybody who knows how to create QR codes can generate. It's not from any reputable local lab such as Colombo/GIC or Nanyang.

Can you buy legit 6ct unheated blue sapphire for $13500 in an online transaction? Yes, but the seller would be paying on IG, you'd have no buyer protection and would have to operate based on trust to wire payment to the seller directly, cutting out the middleman service of Etsy. That particular Etsy listing is highly suspicious and my advice is still to avoid that seller like the plague. Everything they sell, looks like it could be lab created, and there's not one report from a reputable lab, even though the cost for a reputable lab's report, no matter that acquiring a reputable lab report from the nearest continent anywhere in the world would cost less than $1000 including insurance, and they'd be able to list the gem for $10000 more with the report.

If folks here don't give JA rubies the benefit of the doubt, I don't see why any of us should give this particular Etsy seller the benefit of the doubt. When you're selling gems with 3-digit price tags on Etsy, that's a whole lot different than when you're selling gems with 5-digit price tags, and IMHO any gem over $10,000 should most definitely come with a legit lab report.
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Actually Emteem is a big competitor for GIC. And is about on the same level as GIC for reliability -- at least so I am told.

I have a emteem report -- or maybe YC has it I am not sure.

If you want a north american seller instead though then that is completely fair, as we tend to buy more locally as well for security reasons (ease of returnability, less unknowns, can reliably know and talk to the vendor in person). The american based vendor with roughly comparable prices is oldsouthjewels on ebay. Tends to have gia certs etc for everything. Over christmas she had a stunning antique tiffany ring with a 4-5 ct vivid unheated blue sapphire in an for about 17k usd. You get other instances as well -- like the one you posted a bit upthread which I remember as unheated arround 6 cts for ~15k last year. I feel people should just make themselves happy though. Most of this is a discussion about what we percieve things should be like, also it is a very messed up year in which most of the supply lines have fizzed. So really everything is a bit atypical, including some of the recent prices.
 
@voce I am not saying that it is ok to buy that particular stone but was making generalised statements about sapphire pricing and certification. ( I would never pay such a large sum for something which I can only view online.)

I have been told that Emteem is reliable too. I do not have any Emteem certed stone but I know someone who has and it was re-certed locally with consistent conclusions. To these SL sellers, some of their local labs are legit and I doubt you will find many SL sellers who routinely send their stones to a foreign lab. There are risks (of international shipping) and opportunity cost involved.
 
I had never heard of Emteem before. No one in the trade ever vouched for them like they have for GIC before. Maybe they're completely legit and I'm paranoid. The format of the gem ID report is so utterly "standard", looking more like fake lab reports I've seen before, whereas every other legit lab I can think of has a more distinct format--Lotus, AIGS, GRS, SSEF, AGL, GIA, etc.

Whether or not I'm willing to spend a large amount of money online also depends on the customer service (and return policy in particular). I'd be completely comfortable spending that amount of money with Enhoerning (who probably has really high prices on sapphires for those of you in Asia) because of the unconditional return policy. It's pretty much illegal to return gems to Sri Lanka since they ban imports of gems.

I'm going to apologize for wronging the vendor and the gem listing, simply because the lab report alarmed me, I had never heard of Emteem before, and I didn't spend the time to look into the listing or the vendor further. Upon closer inspection, I see that the price may be lower because the stone is cut unusually deep, so that although it weighs 6 cts it faces up 8x10, which by my guestimation is more like the face-up of a 3.5ct-4.5ct stone, had the depth been 60-70% instead of 100%. Actually, $13500 is very much in line with the price for a 4ct untreated sapphire. IMHO the depth of this particular sapphire limits the options for setting the stone, but I no longer think it's a lab stone or suspiciously low priced, and can agree that it's a very beautiful looking blue sapphire.
 
voce said:
Whether or not I'm willing to spend a large amount of money online also depends on the customer service (and return policy in particular). I'd be completely comfortable spending that amount of money with Enhoerning (who probably has really high prices on sapphires for those of you in Asia) because of the unconditional return policy. It's pretty much illegal to return gems to Sri Lanka since they ban imports of gems.
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I am aware that people may look at PS postings and think “oh, that’s the norm” especially if they are new to gemstones.

So I feel compelled to say that it’s not probably, it’s definitely extremely high to be honest. I wince when I think of the mark up you ladies pay and that’s really why I’m responding. At those prices, I can buy a few stones instead of just one. Or, being a size wh*** that I am, a much bigger ring like this random one I found on 1stdibs: LINK (14 ct unheat, $40k) or a vintage Bulgari Burmese

For the prices some of you ladies are willing to pay for the stones from certain US sellers, if there was no COVID or travel restrictions, flying to Asia for a holiday to buy a stone is certainly a possibility =)2

But ultimately, do whatever makes you happy. If it means buying from a vendor that’s well known only on PS, that’s fine too so long as you are happy with your purchase.
 
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icy_jade said:
I am aware that people may look at PS postings and think “oh, that’s the norm” especially if they are new to gemstones.

So I feel compelled to say that it’s not probably, it’s definitely extremely high to be honest. I wince when I think of the mark up you ladies pay and that’s really why I’m responding. At those prices, I can buy a few stones instead of just one. Or, being a size wh*** that I am, a much bigger ring like this random one I found on 1stdibs: LINK (14 ct unheat, $40k) or a vintage Bulgari Burmese

For the prices some of you ladies are willing to pay for the stones from certain US sellers, if there was no COVID or travel restrictions, flying to Asia for a holiday to buy a stone is certainly a possibility =)2

But ultimately, do whatever makes you happy. If it means buying from a vendor that’s well known only on PS, that’s fine too so long as you are happy with your purchase.
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Very tempting, especially the traveling part! It's nice to hear different perspectives.

To be honest, I've not had luck buying from popular PS vendors thus far. One person told me that they don't have time for me because of my shoestring budget...
 
Rad_Fan said:
Very tempting, especially the traveling part! It's nice to hear different perspectives.

To be honest, I've not had luck buying from popular PS vendors thus far. One person told me that they don't have time for me because of my shoestring budget...
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That’s terrible. Wonder who it is but understand if you don’t want to share.

I think I have shoestring budget too, whether stones or setting costs (compared to US prices/vendors). But there is definitely something out there for everyone. Like the ring I’m wearing today? The 3ct unheated stone is less than 1k from an IG seller, and in a relatively affordable readymade setting from my local jeweler.

Sleepy, included and not for everyone but I love it.

809725
 
icy_jade said:
That’s terrible. Wonder who it is but understand if you don’t want to share.

I think I have shoestring budget too, whether stones or setting costs (compared to US prices/vendors). But there is definitely something out there for everyone. Like the ring I’m wearing today? The 3ct unheated stone is less than 1k from an IG seller, and in a relatively affordable readymade setting from my local jeweler.

Sleepy, included and not for everyone but I love it.

66EDEFFA-8AF9-4608-AF78-B55C62E9E43D.jpeg
Click to expand...

It took me a while to get over the "high & mighty" and "I'm too good for you" response from this "beloved" vendor. Oh well, I am just going to spend that belittling shoestring budget elsewhere.

Jewelry/diamond/gem shopping is simply a want, NOT a need.
 
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icy_jade said:
I am aware that people may look at PS postings and think “oh, that’s the norm” especially if they are new to gemstones.

So I feel compelled to say that it’s not probably, it’s definitely extremely high to be honest. I wince when I think of the mark up you ladies pay and that’s really why I’m responding. At those prices, I can buy a few stones instead of just one. Or, being a size wh*** that I am, a much bigger ring like this random one I found on 1stdibs: LINK (14 ct unheat, $40k) or a vintage Bulgari Burmese

For the prices some of you ladies are willing to pay for the stones from certain US sellers, if there was no COVID or travel restrictions, flying to Asia for a holiday to buy a stone is certainly a possibility =)2

But ultimately, do whatever makes you happy. If it means buying from a vendor that’s well known only on PS, that’s fine too so long as you are happy with your purchase.
Click to expand...

Honestly, with the job I have, even without the pandemic I'd be hard pressed to find the time to take a holiday to fly to Asia. I don't even have time to return stuff I buy off Amazon! This is why I am happy with shopping from people who have the quality of goods I'm after and make the shopping experience very easy for me.

Since the salaries and cost of living are so much higher in North American jewelry hubs like New York...I also think it would be unfair to expect the same prices as from vendors in Thailand. If the jeweler is not making a good wage, then I'd worry they have incentive to cheat me. It just so happens that in a lot of other places in the world jewelers don't need to make that much money to be living a good life, or... I admit, the situation could be like in China or Japan, where there's so much damn competition that no one's making a good wage for the time they put in.
 
icy_jade said:
That’s terrible. Wonder who it is but understand if you don’t want to share.

I think I have shoestring budget too, whether stones or setting costs (compared to US prices/vendors). But there is definitely something out there for everyone. Like the ring I’m wearing today? The 3ct unheated stone is less than 1k from an IG seller, and in a relatively affordable readymade setting from my local jeweler.

Sleepy, included and not for everyone but I love it.

66EDEFFA-8AF9-4608-AF78-B55C62E9E43D.jpeg
Click to expand...

It’s gorgeous. Can I ask which IG vendor? I am always on the look out!
 
lovedogs said:
Haha I was going to post this as well. It's just insanely gorgeous!!
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Honestly for almost 4 carats...it’s really a good price! Just above and beyond my budget so was hoping to enjoy by proxy haha
 
Cerulean said:

It’s not inexpensive- but wowza, between the size and the color...YUM. For those interested, it’s about 10k USD

I would be all over this if I had the budget!

D506952C-EA27-47A4-8E83-0499034130F5.jpeg
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I'm really tempted so I inquired further. The only drawback is the clarity, more included than I prefer. I recall one PSer has her Jedi spinel cracked during the setting process and I would be heartbroken if that occurs to it. For what it worth, I'm attaching one enlarged picture to show the inside. The vendor is very honest and upfront about it.
Jedi_2.jpg
 
Module said:
I'm really tempted so I inquired further. The only drawback is the clarity, more included than I prefer. I recall one PSer has her Jedi spinel cracked during the setting process and I would be heartbroken if that occurs to it. For what it worth, I'm attaching one enlarged picture to show the inside. The vendor is very honest and upfront about it.
Jedi_2.jpg
Click to expand...

Oooh what a helpful update. That is really good to know and would be a bit risky for me too!
 
voce said:
It's pretty much illegal to return gems to Sri Lanka since they ban imports of gems.
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Just for the record: if someone in Sri Lanka tells you they can't take a return because it's "illegal", that simply isn't and has never at any point been true.

Sri Lanka imports an inordinate amount of rough from Africa every year or at least it used to prior to Covid and getting parcels sent back and forth is very much allowed.

The issue however might be that it costs; most of the fees payable for export are also applicable for import on single stones. It costs, but that doesn't mean that it cannot be done.

The illegal things related to gem export are:
- export of locally mined rough in any form (including crystals or preformed stones)
- sending gems without going through government-regulated, official export channels (it's illegal to go to a post office or FedEx, hide a stone in something and send it yourself), or using non-approved shipping companies (DHL, UPS).

Just for public info.
 
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