Hi!
I would really appreciate an opinion on this one. There was an auction on Catawiki today – emerald beads necklace. I wanted to bid on this item (https://auction.catawiki.com/kavels/32312223-4-wires-handmade-emerald-necklace-round-beads-polished-191-g-1), but I was really surprised that there is no reserve price on this kind of lot. I mean, it is 191 grams of natural emeralds! I know that emeralds are expensive. So, I believe it should cost much more than the winning bid of 150 EUR, right? What is wrong with this item, if anything? I kind of trust the auctioneer’s opinion who approved the lot for an auction, but the price seems to make no sense… Or maybe I got it all totally wrong.
Thank you in advance!
Anna is absolutely right on this – it is dyed beryl. This is the way it goes – they (manufacturers of these items) take low-quality beryl (usually white) and dye it with green color. When it is dyed, it is impossible to tell what the initial color was. Now it is green and it is beryl. As you may know, green beryl is called emerald. However, not when it is dyed. They can call it whatever they want, but it is nothing more than cheap, dyed beryl after all.
What amazes me is that Catawiki’s “experts” keep on accepting and listing these items for years. And they allow labeling these items as emerald necklaces, bracelets, etc. Could it be that they don’t know what it is? Possibly, but then they are no experts. Could it be that they do know what it is? Possibly, but then they are fraudsters.
This listing made me laugh. Through the tiers, though. Catawiki auction site proudly presents itself as listing only unique and special objects. They say they have professional experts vetting every submitted item. They say all the auctions are supervised by a notary public. And they do not allow to use stock images in the listings. What a shame! What a shame when you compare their words and actions! Here is the original listing of this item on eBay (with the same images :)): https://www.ebay.com/itm/Green-Emerald-1161-50-Cts-Earth-Mined-4-Strand-Round-Shape-Beads-Necklace-Rare/362439204534? (just in case this listing gets removed by eBay, I attach the screenshot here, too).
So, to cut the long story short, I am happy for you, Martin65, that you didn’t bid on this item. I have no intention to say that everything is fake and bad on Catawiki, but you have to exercise due care because most of their “experts” are good for nothing. Or they are instructed to close their eyes to many things. Who knows…
Dear Martin,
I registered here to answer your question 🙂 Good for you that you didn’t bid on this necklace. It is not emerald but dyed beryl. These necklaces are really nothing special, they are made in India, and are very cheap. 150 EUR is way toooo much for it. I hope this helps 😉
I don’t remember exactly where but I have seen alike necklaces selling at less than $50…