Gemstones on ebay

03-08-2006, 10:05 PM

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!

03-12-2006, 04:32 PM

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

--- In sacred-objects (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com, "Mary" 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!
>