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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,012
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Can't believe some of the sales pitches that were on gem day today

The emerald ring shown near the end of the day had  a terrible cloudy stone.  How can they say it was from a once in a lifetime stash, just found and such good quality.  You are supposed to be able to see a nice Clear stone for it to be valuable.  Another ring shown throughout the day, was also pretty, but pink sapphire is a poor ruby stone. It is in the  corundum family of gems.  So fine if you like the setting, but they shouldn't exaggerate its value so you think you've got to have it as a last chance thing.

Occasional Contributor
Posts: 10
Registered: ‎07-12-2015

Re: Can't believe some of the sales pitches that were on gem day today

Actually, a true emerald is NOT clear and easily to see through the stone.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,012
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Can't believe some of the sales pitches that were on gem day today

Emeralds, like all colored gemstones, are graded using four basic parameters–the four Cs of Connoisseurship: Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat weight. Before the 20th century, jewelers used the term water, as in "a gem of the finest water", to express the combination of two qualities: color and clarity. Normally, in the grading of colored gemstones, color is by far the most important criterion. However, in the grading of emeralds, clarity is considered a close second. Both are necessary conditions. A fine emerald must possess not only a pure verdant green hueas described below, but also a high degree of transparency to be considered a top gem.  

 

(NOT CLOUDY)

Contributor
Posts: 64
Registered: ‎05-06-2015

Re: Can't believe some of the sales pitches that were on gem day today

: Someone else has already given you information about emeralds.

 

I am not sure what you are trying to say about pink saphires.  Are you saying they are a poor substitute for a ruby?  What?  Anyhow here is a quote from the GIA (I hope you recognize them as a recognized authority/source of info about gemstones).

 

 

 

 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,804
Registered: ‎05-08-2012

Re: Can't believe some of the sales pitches that were on gem day today

Just my two cents on the emerald topic - someone once told me if the emerald doesn't have inclusions - RUN in the other direction.  You do not want to buy an emerald that does not have inclusions - you want as transparent as possible with little visible inclusion. You also do not want treated, glass filled or other.  A perfect emerald with all the characteristics - cut, clarity, color, carat - you would need to have an awful lot of $$$$$$$$$$ to be able to buy and that kind of stone will not be found on the Q - of that I I can assure you!  As to the sapphires, they come in a variety of colors and good quality is also pricey.  Sapphire is my birthstone and I don't even own one piece because the good sapphires are way out of my price point.  A blue ceylon or paparasha will cost at least $1,000 to $2,000 a carat or more - and that's if you can even find them.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,504
Registered: ‎05-22-2014

Re: Can't believe some of the sales pitches that were on gem day today

Just want to mention that emeralds are not the hardest of stones. My daughter-in-law wanted an emerald for an engagement ring, but after a few years it cracked and had to be replaced. Opals are the same way.
Trusted Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Can't believe some of the sales pitches that were on gem day today

The only emeralds these days without inclusions are ALL man made.

Frequent Contributor
Posts: 88
Registered: ‎07-17-2010

Re: Can't believe some of the sales pitches that were on gem day today

[ Edited ]

nycgrl - I completely agree!

 

I think that any emerald that has complete clarity screams "lab created", or just flat-out fake altogether. 

 

I have no problem with lab created stones, and have a few.  Some look almost exactly like their real counterparts, but some absolutely do not.  Emeralds fall into the "do not" category.

 

I have a ring with Zambian emeralds, and they've got inclusions, but they have the most beautiful green glow.  I also have a couple of loose Columbian emerald stones, and they've got inclusions, but they've also got a beautiful green glow.

 

I love the look of natural emeralds, and I don't think that lab created ones compare.  That's probably why I roll my eyes when vendors and shopping channel hosts are selling jewelry with chrome diopside, and state that it's what every emerald wishes it could be (as far as color, clarity, etc.).  Chrome diopside is beautiful in its own right, but no green stone compares the the beauty of an emerald, as far as I'm concerned.

 

I do have a lab-created emerald pendant from a jewelry store (it was a great price for what it is), but it is what it is.  It's very pretty, and I like it a lot, but it's nowhere near as pretty as my real emeralds are.

 

Those Columbian emerald rings that Jill and Jane showed yesterday were absolutely stunning.  Way out of my price range, but still mesmerizing.

 

OP - Sapphires and Rubies are both in the corundum family.  Any shade of corundum that isn't red is called a sapphire. Both rubies and sapphires are valuable, so referring to a pink sapphire as a pale ruby doesn't diminish the beauty or value of it at all.  I guess the gem industry could've decided to call pink sapphires, pink rubies instead.  But for whatever reason, they decided that only red corundum would be referred to as rubies.

 

For anyone interested in information about the relation between rubies and sapphires as far as their colors go, here is some information from the GemSelect website:

 

"Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as red sapphire. Red corundum is always called ruby, and any other color of corundum is referred to as sapphire. There are really only a few exceptions to the rule. One exception is corundum that is red-orange or pink-red. It might be called either sapphire or ruby (it's a judgement call). The other exception is when the red color of the corundum is the result of heat treatment with beryllium. In that case it is normally called sapphire as a reference to its humbler beginnings."

 

 

 

 

Valued Contributor
Posts: 841
Registered: ‎03-15-2010

Re: Can't believe some of the sales pitches that were on gem day today

I have never seen a real emerald with no inclusions. Emeralds are not clear like diamonds. The most expensive emeralds will have inclusions. I thought the Columbian emeralds shown on the show were beautiful but out of my range. Beautiful glow to them. Here is a website that describes the properties of emeralds. http://www.gia.edu/emerald

Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,685
Registered: ‎07-21-2011

Re: Can't believe some of the sales pitches that were on gem day today


@geegerbee wrote:

The emerald ring shown near the end of the day had  a terrible cloudy stone.  How can they say it was from a once in a lifetime stash, just found and such good quality.  You are supposed to be able to see a nice Clear stone for it to be valuable.  Another ring shown throughout the day, was also pretty, but pink sapphire is a poor ruby stone. It is in the  corundum family of gems.  So fine if you like the setting, but they shouldn't exaggerate its value so you think you've got to have it as a last chance thing.


Don't forget to throw in Sleeping Beauty.  I believe the story is announced daily now and I personally am sick of it.  Like it;' the end of the world, yet they are reducing SB pieces.  If it is such a supply & demand thing then prices would go up and not down. You are so right about emeralds and I appreciate your information on what pink sapphires are.

kindness is strength