Gemstones on ebay

[Guest guest]

Dear Richard and fellow Members,

 

I just happened to look at gemstones (such as sapphires, rubies, etc)

on ebay (my very first time) and I'M SOOOO CONFUSED!!!

Such low prices, so many stones to pick from! I could hardly keep

myself from plunging right in and "shop-shop-shopping - till I drop" !

Is it really possible that the stones are for real?

 

Mary

 

PS. Thank you, Richard, for your explanation on setting Gomati shell in

gold! It's much appreciated - I have always wondered how those things

are made. Thank you again!

[Guest guest]

Dear Friend,

 

Ebay supports a host of activities and every seller over there is

not neccesarily a genuine seller. Whenever you buy a gemstone,

please ask for a lab report of the Gem. Also some saphires are cheap

despite of their reports. This happens because they are colored. A

colored Gemstone is not good for astrological purpose.

 

Some stones are lab created and are synthetic in origin. Though the

sellers confirm that they are clinical replicas of real stones but

the reality is different. Lab created stones cannot create the

effect of a real stone. You cannot call a American diamond a diamond

because of its look or structure.

 

Then there are categories which decide the price of a stone.

 

The various gem categories (i.e. Precious, Semi Precious, Rare and

Museum) are standard classifications based on value and rarity. For

example, Precious Gems include those varieties (e.g. Emerald, Ruby

etc.) with high market values, while Museum Gems include pieces

suitable for collections. These are usually one of a kind pieces,

while our Rare Gems are simply that, rarer lesser-known varieties.

Semi Precious Gems generally includes everything else that is

mainstream.

 

Color

 

Color is the single most important factor when evaluating colored

gems. Basically, the more attractive the color seen, the higher the

value. Bright, rich and intense colors are valued over those that

are too dark or light. Colors that are dulled by tones of black,

gray or brown are regarded as less desirable. The colors seen should

ideally remain attractive regardless of prevailing light conditions.

Whether viewed indoors, outdoors, by day or by night, a gem should

always remain beautiful.

 

The mixing of color hues into combinations, such as purple-blue in

Tanzanite and bright blue-green in Apatite is attractive and value

enhancing. Although specific colors hues can affect the prices of

gems, personal preferences are also very important.

 

Many gems also have specific expressions to denote the very top

colors found within a species. For example, Pigeon Blood Red or

Cornflower Blue are respectively used for Ruby and Sapphire. Such

terms are equable with the most desirable colors to be found within

a gem species (i.e. colors that cannot be bettered).

 

Optical Effects

 

Some gems exhibit unusual optical effects known as phenomena. These

rare and beautiful effects very often add value to gems. The Cat's

Eye Effect, the Star Effect and the Color Change Effect are very

popular phenomena and are highly valued.

 

 

Cut & Polish

 

Unlike Diamonds, colored gems possess variable optical properties

and are not cut to a uniform ideal. A well-cut colored gem exhibits

even color, a minimal number of inclusions, good brilliance and

shows the majority of Carat weight when viewed from the top. A well-

cut gem should also exhibit good symmetry and polish condition.

Facets should be aligned straight in relation to the gem's girdle

and also to each other. Polish condition should be good with no

visible surface pits and polishing lines.

 

 

Broadly, the styles of gem cutting can be divided into Faceted Gems

(gems with geometrically shaped flat polished faces) and Non-Faceted

Gems (those Gems that do not have geometrically shaped flat polished

faces such as cabochons).

 

 

 

Antique Cushion

Baguette

Emerald Cut

Briolette

 

Heart Cut

 

Octagon Cut

 

Pear Cut Common Cuts

Marquise Cut

 

Round Brilliant Cut

Oval Cut

 

Square Cut

Trilliant Cut

Round Cabochon

Princess Cut

 

 

Carat Weight

 

Gemstone weight is measured in Carats. This unit of measurement

originates from the traditional use of carob seeds to weigh gems.

Carob seed were used because of their consistent size and shape. One

Carat is the equivalent of 0.20 Grams. Further divided into 100

smaller units known as Points, the term carats is often confused

with "Karats". "Karat" is a measurement of gold purity and has no

relationship to the term Carats.

 

As the weight of a gem increases, so does its price per Carat. Large

gems are always rarer than smaller ones, so per Carat prices rise

exponentially. A 3 Carat Ruby is always worth far more than three 1

Carat Rubies of the same quality.

 

Gemstone prices also increase rapidly when in excess of certain key

weights. For example, a 2.01 Carat Ruby has a higher price tag than

a 1.99 Carat Ruby, despite a negligible difference in actual size.

Pricing is said to suffer a "Non Linear Scale of Increments".

 

Clarity

 

Most gems contain tiny natural features called inclusions. Mostly

microscopic in nature, they are most easily glimpsed under

magnification. Inclusions that don't interfere with the brilliance,

sparkle and fire of a gem don't affect the value.

 

Many gems have tendencies to be more included than other varieties.

For example, Emeralds are known to be far more included than

Sapphires and this should be taken into account when making your

selection.

 

 

Durability

 

Gems with better durability and resistance to wear are generally

more highly prized than those of lesser durability.

 

 

 

Regards

 

Alok

 

 

 

 

 

 

sacred-objects, "Mary" <siga2lind wrote:

 

 

>

> Dear Richard and fellow Members,

>

> I just happened to look at gemstones (such as sapphires, rubies,

etc)

> on ebay (my very first time) and I'M SOOOO CONFUSED!!!

> Such low prices, so many stones to pick from! I could hardly keep

> myself from plunging right in and "shop-shop-shopping - till I

drop" !

> Is it really possible that the stones are for real?

>

> Mary

>

> PS. Thank you, Richard, for your explanation on setting Gomati

shell in

> gold! It's much appreciated - I have always wondered how those

things

> are made. Thank you again!

>