What do you think?

[lovechild]

I am now frightened of aquamarine stones.

 

[T L]

Date: 4/24/2010 12:05:53 AM
Author: Gailey

Date: 4/23/2010 10:54:49 AM

Author: Chrono

Others have correctly pointed out that in the gem market, a very light and pale coloured aquamarine isn’t highly valued. However, if you like it, it should not matter what others think. I agree with them though that a very pale and desaturated aquamarine should cost very little. Yes, a stone can still be light toned and very saturated but it might take longer to find and cost more since saturation is what counts for most gemstones.

You know I kind of agree with Chrono. If you want a pale aquamarine Alene, then it may well be worth it to you to pay more for a good quality cut from a precision facetor.


TL, I think we all see your point - even if you are not known for your love of aqua! If Alene is looking for a stone as an investment (and we all know how we should not to do this for virtually any stone at virtually any price), then perhaps a more saturated aqua would be something she should consider. Personally I love BabySteps Aqua and I snatch her hand off at the shoulder for it if she ever decided to sell it, but it''s far from being ''top'' colour.

Gailey,
I wasn''t trying to point her out to top color, but a better value for the amount per carat.

I did say very early on that the cutting on the stone was nice, but my problem with the stone throughout this thread was purely the color for the price per carat. When people ask for opinions, I try to talk them into a good value for their money if I can. With some gems of course, that isn''t possible. You''re not going to get bargains on fine rubies for example, but I do think there is a lot to choose from as far as aquamarine goes in colors and price points.

The fact of the matter is that I wouldn''t have said a word if she came on not asking for opinions, and she stated she loved it and was keeping it. I''m glad Dan came on and explained why it was priced that way. However, regardless of what I or anyone else thinks, she should keep it if she loves it.

 

[loriken214]

Date: 4/24/2010 1:16:27 AM
Author: lovechild
I am now frightened of aquamarine stones.

Hi lovechild!

No need to be! Some of us are more passionate than others. We all mean well and will give the best advice possible.

Lori

 

[Barrett]

...sigh...

Those who like dan and buy stones from him are of course going to say good things....those who dislike dan and have bought stones they didn't like are going to say more negative things..those of us who don't know dan nor have bought any stones from him have the true unbiased opinions basing it from pics and descriptions only
I looked at his website and he has some damn sweet stones there

 

[LD]

Alene - sorry that your first set of posts on here hasn''t gone quite the way it might have done. I''m also sorry you''re returning the stone but if it''s because you want a traditional asscher cut then that''s fully understandable. A shame though. I sincerely hope you won''t be put off posting. We''re a bunch of gem nuts (some of us more nuts than others!!!!) and we can get a bit passionate! "No, really?" I can hear you saying!!!!!

dzop - You''ve certainly read into Dan''s post something that the majority of others haven''t. He was making a general (and valid) comment. Your interpretation of his words may stem from your opinion of him but honestly it hasn''t come across as being very fair. Just for the record, I''ve bought 2(?) stones from Dan. One I returned, the other I kept, so I have no bias.

Dan - thanks for coming back with your further thoughts. I do hope that when people are searching for your stones, they come across many of the complimentary threads about your gemstones as well as this one.

 

[alene]

Date: 4/24/2010 9:02:41 AM
Author: LovingDiamonds
Alene - sorry that your first set of posts on here hasn''t gone quite the way it might have done. I''m also sorry you''re returning the stone but if it''s because you want a traditional asscher cut then that''s fully understandable. A shame though. I sincerely hope you won''t be put off posting. We''re a bunch of gem nuts (some of us more nuts than others!!!!) and we can get a bit passionate! ''No, really?'' I can hear you saying!!!!!

dzop - You''ve certainly read into Dan''s post something that the majority of others haven''t. He was making a general (and valid) comment. Your interpretation of his words may stem from your opinion of him but honestly it hasn''t come across as being very fair. Just for the record, I''ve bought 2(?) stones from Dan. One I returned, the other I kept, so I have no bias.

Dan - thanks for coming back with your further thoughts. I do hope that when people are searching for your stones, they come across many of the complimentary threads about your gemstones as well as this one.

No worries! Luckily, I''m not new to Pricescope, so I''m not scared off easily. I have a feeling you''ll be hearing from me plenty in the next few weeks.

 

[Indylady]

Date: 4/24/2010 1:41:06 AM
Author: loriken214

Date: 4/24/2010 1:16:27 AM

Author: lovechild

I am now frightened of aquamarine stones.

Hi lovechild!

No need to be! Some of us are more passionate than others. We all mean well and will give the best advice possible.

+1 Lori, you said it better than I could have.

Lori

 

[KeepStepping]

I stumbled upon this thread because I am really, really interested in finding a nice asscher Aqua in the next few weeks, and wanted to see what others had found. Boy, was I surprsed with where the conversation led! I''ve learned a little about pricing and color -- and I''ve picked up from other threads that TL has no love for aqua and discourages people against them if they are just looking for a blue stone, so...


I am looking for a blue, blue-ish, not heavy on the grays stone If anyone comes across something attractive, aqua or not, I''d love to see some pictures and be led an the right direction.

I do understand some worries that when people post their recent purchases, that the new "prize" would be crushed and crushed to pieces -- but it seemed like everyone was nothing but helpful and honest....if not passionate.

I''ve tried posting a few times about an irradiated blue diamond, which I know very few on PS have any love for at all. No one has been anything but kind to me about it.

Lets keep helping each other! Hopefully, no one had any feelings too bruised.

 

[T L]

Are you saying I''m biased against aquas?

 

[simplysplendid]

To the OP, I think Dan made it quite clear on his website that it is an "Asscher style square emerald" instead of "Asscher cut". It is also quite obvious on Dan''s picures that it is not a Royal Asscher kind of asscher, there wasn''t any windmill.

I once wanted an asscher cut tourmaline and requested Dan for one, a Royal Asscher kind of asscher. And Dan researched it and cut me a beautiful stone.

At the end of day, we get what we paid (in terms of the gemstone itself, exclude the cutting). If we are looking for a fine, santa maria kind of colour, I don''t think it will be $75 per carat.

By the way, I do find that asscher cuts look better on lighter colour Aquas.

 

[Michael_E]

Date: 4/25/2010 2:11:25 AM
Author: simplysplendid
If we are looking for a fine, santa maria kind of colour, I don't think it will be $75 per carat.

This is absolutely correct. You will generally pay between $350 and $500 per carat for top color Santa Maria color aqua in larger sized finished gems. The reason for this being that the rough costs between $35 and $50 per carat, in the US...if you can find it. Weight losses during cutting are often around 80% leaving 20% of the beginning weight as a finished gem. This puts the material cost of the finished gem at about 5 times that of the rough on a per carat basis. Taking into account the need to pay for cutting, marketing, shipping and profit, (which pays for Cheerios and the kids braces), as well as most precision cut gems originate in the US or Europe where all costs are higher and you end up with a general price for a finished gem of about 8 to 10 times the cost of the rough...maybe a bit more for lower cost rough.

 

[Harriet]

Date: 4/23/2010 2:53:16 PM
Author: amethystguy
I don''t think I saw any negative comments about the cutting..just the color and price..ohhh..that mother nature..with her and her bad colored stones

..the cutting looks very nice i might add..i like it

...hmm..lets see..a unheated(since has green color) 25ct aqua rough..so lets see I pay $1 a ct. for clean clean unheated pakistan aqua5-15ct chunks..all eyeclean-loupeclean..so lets say..you make that $2 a ct. for larger material..nah..lets go up to $3 a ct. just to be safe..so $75 for that rough..so thats a mark up of $351..hmm..as we used to say in South West AtlanTa..''must be the plane ticket added on to that''

Hey AmGuy,

If I may, where are you getting your rough? I just want some to play with and ID. Thanks!

 

[Barrett]

Mainly brazil and pakistan with a few places in between Thai, vietnam, american based locations..don't have a good africa connection..well i do for nigerian material but I am always hesitant to send any cash there..hehehe so have yet to jump on that..you should see some of those parti tourmalines from there..dang..been trying for a good madagascar hook and have contacted every dealer i know for a contact but those are few and far between..want some blue blue

 

[VapidLapid]

Harriet, you can get rough from any of these places:

http://africangemstones.co.za/index.htm

http://www.briannorton.com/

http://www.prettyrock.com/

and I think even swala will sell rough to hobby cutters and collectors.

 

[loriken214]

Guess what? This pretty aqua is coming home to ME! WOO HOO!

Lori

 

[Barrett]

is there any blue or is that just the color reflecting off the background/base? I just can't see any blue at all in that stone.

 

[chrono]

Date: 4/27/2010 3:55:08 AM
Author: loriken214
Guess what? This pretty aqua is coming home to ME! WOO HOO!

Lori

I hope you''ll like it based on what you''ve seen so far from the OP''s description and pictures.

 

[loriken214]

This is the photo that did it for me. Alene took it and I fell in love!

Lori

 

[loriken214]

Also, Dan''s description says:

"Lighter Greenish Blue. A big, flashy aquamarine with a slightly greenish lighter blue color that''s nicer in person than in the photo."

I''m going for the interesting cut and the GREEN color in this stone.

Lori