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22 Ct Natural Blue Sapphire Bracelet. Etsy.com. Are these blue sapphires natural?
Dear Katherine, The seller is not disclosing all the relevant information here. Sadly, this happens all the time. As far as I can judge, these are cobalt-lead glass-filled sapphires or diffusion treated sapphires (in the best-case scenario). Both of the above treatment methods affect the price substRead more
Dear Katherine,
See lessThe seller is not disclosing all the relevant information here. Sadly, this happens all the time.
As far as I can judge, these are cobalt-lead glass-filled sapphires or diffusion treated sapphires (in the best-case scenario).
Both of the above treatment methods affect the price substantially.
£145.57 is not an adequate price for this bracelet. Its true market value is around $50. Try eBay.com or eBay.co.uk. There are numerous Thai manufacturers/sellers selling alike bracelets.
Sincerely, Anna
P.S. Just don’t go for the “buy it now” format. The price will be much lower at an auction.
Are globalgemslab (GGL) gemstone certificates fake?
Dear HVZ, It really depends on what you mean by fake or legit. They are not fake in the sense that no one really forges these GGL certificates of authenticity. So, in that sense they are perfectly legit. However, they are fake in the sense that they provide misleading, fake information. For example,Read more
Dear HVZ,
See lessIt really depends on what you mean by fake or legit. They are not fake in the sense that no one really forges these GGL certificates of authenticity. So, in that sense they are perfectly legit.
However, they are fake in the sense that they provide misleading, fake information. For example, the certificate you have here states it’s a natural, heated ruby. In reality, it’s a worthless composite ruby. I have seen numerous GGL certificates of authenticity where it’s said “natural emerald”, whereas it’s a fracture-filled, dyed quartz (fake emerald) in reality.
Thus, in this sense these GGL certificates are as fake as a three-dollar bill. They are happy to print anything on these certificates as long as it helps to sell their stuff.
Rubies, Emeralds & Sapphires Earrings & Pendant. Seller TrulyVenusian on Etsy. Are these gemstones natural or not?
@Freddie is right that these rubies look like lead glass-filled. It's because they are lead glass-filled. @Anna is absolutely right that these earrings look Thai-made. It's because they are Thai-made. And yes, she is right about the price! $385 (£294) is absolutely outrageous for this jewelry set. FRead more
Freddie is right that these rubies look like lead glass-filled. It’s because they are lead glass-filled.
See lessAnna is absolutely right that these earrings look Thai-made. It’s because they are Thai-made. And yes, she is right about the price! $385 (£294) is absolutely outrageous for this jewelry set.
For the sake of clarity, I’d like to add that this seller, TrulyVenusian, is a liar. She states in her Etsy profile: “I have been passionate about making jewellery for about 30 years. Then I learned how to make pieces from scratch, usually inspired by a vintage theme or iconic woman from history”
She keeps on bragging about “best materials” and “beautiful architecture, vintage fashions, costume dramas”.
Passionate about making jewelry? Hmmm, are you sure that’s what you are passionate about? 🙂
Surprise, surprise, she states she does not take commissions “because my head is already too full of my own designs, and my house is full of half-finished jewellery”.
Your own designs?! Really?!
Let’s face it: this is not the true reason for not taking commissions. Most likely, she has no clue about how to make jewelry. That’s the true reason why she doesn’t take commissions! 99% of the jewelry she is selling is Thai-made. Almost all of it has been purchased from sellers like egemdiamond and gemsporium on eBay.com. TrulyVenusian’s prices are 10 to 20 times higher than the original prices on eBay. People, wake up!
And she has 1220 admirers! Crazy!!!
925 Sterling silver bracelet with Sapphires on Etsy. Are these sapphires natural?
Dear Enigma, It really depends on what you mean by "natural sapphires". These are not man-made or synthetic sapphires. So, in that sense, you could say they are natural. However, they are treated. And by treated, I don't mean heated sapphires which is an industry-accepted treatment method. Most of tRead more
Dear Enigma,
It really depends on what you mean by “natural sapphires”. These are not man-made or synthetic sapphires. So, in that sense, you could say they are natural.
See lessHowever, they are treated. And by treated, I don’t mean heated sapphires which is an industry-accepted treatment method. Most of the sapphires on the market are heated.
These sapphires here, instead, are what is called cobalt-lead glass-filled sapphires. They are also called lead and cobalt glass filled sapphires, cobalt-doped glass-filled sapphires, or cobalt-doped composite sapphires. In essence, these are composite sapphires.
A very low-quality starting material is used – opaque, industrial-grade stones. It is then mixed with powders that contain lead and cobalt. This mixture is heated fusing the powders into a cobalt-lead glass that penetrates the fractures and cavities in the stone. Lead-cobalt glass can account for most of the stone’s weight.
Basically, the technology is pretty much the same as that used for the lead glass-filled rubies. The main difference is that for the cobalt-doped composite sapphires, as the name suggests, cobalt is used.
These composite sapphires have the same durability problems as lead glass-filled rubies do. And yes, they are almost worthless (just like lead glass-filled rubies).
£137.79 (ca. $179) is definitely not a good price for this bracelet. You can easily buy alike bracelets at a price around $40 – $60 on eBay (note: at auction, not “buy it now” format). So, this price here is 3 to 4 times higher than what would be reasonable for a composite sapphire bracelet.
You can read more about composite rubies (in order to better understand issues related to composite sapphires) here:
Rubies, Emeralds & Sapphires Earrings & Pendant. Seller TrulyVenusian on Etsy. Are these gemstones natural or not?
The design looks familiar. So does the look and feel of the images. I am 99.9% sure that these are Thai-made earrings. If I'm right about that, £294.45 is an outrageous price tag for these earrings. Their true market value is around $25 - $40
The design looks familiar. So does the look and feel of the images. I am 99.9% sure that these are Thai-made earrings. If I’m right about that, £294.45 is an outrageous price tag for these earrings. Their true market value is around $25 – $40
See lessRough Diamond Necklace, 16.31 cts on Abijoux. How much is it worth?
Dear Edgar, These rough diamonds aren't really worth much. Of course, rough diamonds can be very expensive but not in this case. You see, only the lowest-quality diamonds (so-called industrial grade diamonds) are used for making such necklaces. And industrial grade diamonds are very, very cheap. TheRead more
Dear Edgar,
These rough diamonds aren’t really worth much. Of course, rough diamonds can be very expensive but not in this case. You see, only the lowest-quality diamonds (so-called industrial grade diamonds) are used for making such necklaces. And industrial grade diamonds are very, very cheap.
See lessThey also do look rather ugly. I think it’s a bit strange to use them for making a necklace or any other piece of jewelry.
It doesn’t really matter whether it is 16, 20 or even 30 carats in this case. As I said before, they are extremely cheap. 250 for this necklace is a rip-off.
Rough diamond necklaces cost around $20 – $30. Here is the one I found on Etsy. You can find them even cheaper than this.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/616191957/raw-diamond-necklace-diamond-necklace
10.00cts Natural Black Diamond Ring on eBay: Diamond Treatment – Color Enhanced. Is that ok?
Color enhancement is a routine treatment method for black diamonds. So, nothing is wrong with that. Of course, treated diamond (just like any other gemstone) would be cheaper than 100% natural one. Most of the black diamonds are actually color enhanced on the market. So, that's perfectly ok. The proRead more
Color enhancement is a routine treatment method for black diamonds. So, nothing is wrong with that. Of course, treated diamond (just like any other gemstone) would be cheaper than 100% natural one. Most of the black diamonds are actually color enhanced on the market. So, that’s perfectly ok.
See lessThe problem with this “diamond” is not that it is color enhanced but that it is not a diamond at all. I mean, it is a fake diamond. Natural black diamonds (enhanced or not) are never this perfect. They do always have some nicks and chips, and the color is never this even and perfect. There is a mixture of black and somewhat grayish areas and even some white dots.
Take a look at the image I have attached here – this is what a real black diamond would normally look like.
The price is another indicator that this is a fake here. $99 would be a reasonable price for a 2.5 to 3-carat loose, color-treated black diamond (if you are buying it at the right place, of course), but definitely not for a 10-carat beauty.
I just wonder how this fraudster has managed to retain a 100% positive feedback…
Ruby necklace on Catawiki: Quality & Price – any issues? Better alternatives?
Dear Emmy, This necklace is not worth EUR 221. This is another example of eBay merchandise ending up on Catawiki's shelves. It is not ruby. In the best-case scenario, this is composite ruby, known also as lead glass filled ruby. In the worst-case scenario, this is dyed beryl. I'm pretty sure this isRead more
Dear Emmy,
This necklace is not worth EUR 221. This is another example of eBay merchandise ending up on Catawiki’s shelves. It is not ruby. In the best-case scenario, this is composite ruby, known also as lead glass filled ruby. In the worst-case scenario, this is dyed beryl. I’m pretty sure this is dyed beryl (just like in the discussion that you refer to). Here is an identical necklace I found on eBay at a fraction of Catawiki’s price – only $19.90. Even with a free shipping 🙂
See lesshttps://www.ebay.com/itm/EXCLUSIVE-902-00-CTS-EARTH-MINED-3-LINE-ROUND-FACETED-RED-RUBY-BEADS-NECKLACE/193272311982
Are these emeralds on auctionet.com genuine?
They relisted both items about an hour ago :) I wonder, is that a proof of shill bidding or the buyers were ultimately smart enough not to pay for these fake emeralds...
They relisted both items about an hour ago 🙂 I wonder, is that a proof of shill bidding or the buyers were ultimately smart enough not to pay for these fake emeralds…
See lessNatural Top Red Ruby & Fancy Sapphire 728 Cts Necklace on icollector.com auction site. How much should I bid?
FoxyFox, This price estimate, as well as the start price, is the most outrageous nonsense. Indeed, the necklace is very nice. However, it is important to note that these sapphires are diffusion treated and rubies are lead-glass filled. This is a Thai-made piece of jewelry. This is not to say that thRead more
FoxyFox,
This price estimate, as well as the start price, is the most outrageous nonsense. Indeed, the necklace is very nice. However, it is important to note that these sapphires are diffusion treated and rubies are lead-glass filled. This is a Thai-made piece of jewelry. This is not to say that there is something inherently wrong with it; it is just not worth the price. I am 99.9% confident that this necklace comes from eBay seller gemsporium or egemdiamond (actually this is one and the same seller with two accounts).
See lessI’d suggest you check out this seller. There is a pretty good chance that you will find exactly the same necklace at some point. If it is not there at the moment, it might be a good idea to contact the seller and ask him when this necklace will be in stock again.
Normally, the price of such a necklace is around $600 – $700 if you go for “buy it now”. However, if you are lucky, you can win it on an auction at a price even lower than that – $300 – $400. This is what it is actually worth, not $5700. Icollector.com business model is based on unreasonably high price estimates and start prices. In addition, they do not disclose the information on gemstone treatment. Yet another online auction site engaging in dishonest business practices.