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errol _flynn posted:Can someone tell me a bit about what lab-created is all about? As in, stones like alexandrites, as compared to their natural counterparts? What are they, exactly? I read here they are something like 16K per carat if natural, that blows my mind. Is a lab created stone the same as a synthetic? Is, say... Moissanite (sp?) 'real' if it's grown in a lab instead of over a bazillion years in the earth? Lab stuff is taking the elemental ingredients, subjecting them to similar conditions, and creating the proper minerals. This allows control over the process and makes rare natural situations more common. As an example moissonite doesn't really naturally occur in any abundance. It's usually found naturally as rather small crystals in meteorites. The lab process allows that mineral to appear in jewelery. Dr. Fraiser Chain fucked around with this message at 00:31 on Apr 16, 2012 |
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Apr 15, 2012 07:11
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Goodpancakes posted:Lab stuff is taking the elemental ingredients, subjecting them to similar conditions, and creating the proper minerals. This allows control over the process and makes rare natural situations more common. Soooo...they're 'real'? Or are they like real? That's the part I am sorta of stuck on, ifyouknowwhatImean. I guess they are; they're the same thing, right--just accelerated? Like cultured instead of fake? (Coming off a two day nastyassed migraine, so my brains is full of around the clock painkillers and triptans, my thinking's fuzzy. I'm hoping I am following you correctly. *sigh*.) Edit: thanks for the fast reply, this thread is so fascinating and the photos are so loving pretty! obviously I fucked it fucked around with this message at 11:50 on Apr 15, 2012 |
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Apr 15, 2012 11:44
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errol _flynn posted:Soooo...they're 'real'? Or are they like real? That's the part I am sorta of stuck on, ifyouknowwhatImean. I guess they are; they're the same thing, right--just accelerated? Like cultured instead of fake? They are real. Same stuff, just made by man instead of by nature.
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Apr 15, 2012 15:33
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errol _flynn posted:Soooo...they're 'real'? Or are they like real? They are geochemically and structurally identical to the same substance found in nature, though there are sometimes growth lines and other minor (visible only under magnification) clues that something is lab grown versus natural. Often one of the giveaways is that a stone is "too perfect" in that it has no minor inclusions or impurities that are found in natural stones. This is especially obvious with, say, emeralds. If she's okay with a synthetic stone they can be an awesome way to have absolutely massive stones that look amazing. In the case of emeralds and sapphires, it's likely only a jeweler is going to be able to tell that it's not just an incredibly expensive and perfect one of those stones. In the case of emeralds, most people could tell who know what emeralds look like but that doesn't stop them from being insanely attractive.
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Apr 15, 2012 16:02
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Thanks again!  Now the lightbulb has clicked, I *do* get it, excellent.
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Apr 15, 2012 17:17
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So here's a thing: http://www.diamond-style.co.uk/bracelets-and-bangles/diamond-style-elizabeth-bracelet/ELIZ1303/ using one of those groupon type voucher website I can get it for 28£ and it's just the style that a good friend of mine likes so I'm considering buying it. I tried doing some googling and to me it doesn't seem I'm getting ripped off... but I could be mistaken. I get that "silver plated" means pretty much nothing (except it looks shiny). I tried googling the stones in question but couldn't get relevant results. I guess the single thing that seems suspicios to me (and thus the reason I'm asking here) is the logo in the top left "David Shuttle social shopping". I don't get what that's supposed to mean (unless it's one of those multi level marketing things which it really doesn't seem to be). So can anyone who knows anything give an opinion (don't bother too much about it, I won't be devastated if I miss out on this "deal")?
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Apr 15, 2012 22:34
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Swarovski Crystal Elements are just faceted glass, think like a crystal wine glass, etc. Don't know anything about the social shopping stuff.
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Apr 16, 2012 00:52
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Dancer posted:So here's a thing: For £70, I assume "plated silver" means that it is made of sterling silver that has been plated (with fine silver, maybe, since they specify rhodium on other pieces?) to stop it tarnishing, and not that it is some other metal "silver plated". So that's good. I've never heard of 'social shopping' - they explain it here but, uh, I don't get it. http://www.diamond-style.co.uk/social-shopping/ Zvezda fucked around with this message at 01:17 on Apr 16, 2012 |
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Apr 16, 2012 01:14
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WAFFLEHOUND posted:Swarovski Crystal Elements are just faceted glass, think like a crystal wine glass, etc. Don't know anything about the social shopping stuff. Yea it's a bit different from wine glasses and (new) decanters because it's lead glass. The added lead makes the glass way easier to facet and not have it shatter. But it also means it's still just glass, and nothing special. Zvezda posted:For £70, I assume "plated silver" means that it is made of sterling silver that has been plated (with fine silver, maybe, since they specify rhodium on other pieces?) to stop it tarnishing, and not that it is some other metal "silver plated". So that's good. Yea it's a pretty good bet that it's fine silver if they specify rhodium on other things. And for that price one would hope it's actual sterling under there but you can never be too sure. I also have no idea what the social shopping is....is it like shopping with message boards about products? Although I couldn't find anything like that on the site so I have no idea. EDIT: Johnny I asked a teacher about those beautiful Madagascar garnets. She said she had only seen one in her lifetime that she had years ago and wishes she never ever had sold it. She did say though that the person who bought it was absolutely in love with it, so I guess that's a win :P Claes Oldenburger fucked around with this message at 02:15 on Apr 16, 2012 |
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Apr 16, 2012 02:07
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I've seen a jewelry ad that professed to have special diamonds with their own code stating they came specifically from said company and that you could inscribe a message IN the diamond that would come out if you shined a light at the diamond and saw the shadows/light that bounce off. My question is this: is marking where a diamond comes from inevitably futile? The thread talks about taking diamonds off their settings and reusing constantly, so to know the diamond came from such and such place means nothing, right? Also, does this mean you're adding faults to the diamond if you inscribe something in it? How the hell does one even do this: are they man-made diamonds with lasers cutting them or something? Also, if you did this and ever wanted to sell, is it basically like other inscribed things and that you won't be able to sell for much or can it be erased?
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Apr 16, 2012 05:03
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Dancer posted:So here's a thing: quote:Constructed with a flexible elastic strap, the Elizabeth Bracelet is ergonmically constructed to fit every size of wrist. Well, that's thoughtful.
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Apr 16, 2012 18:24
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I need some help comparing the price of a ring, the issue being i cant find a match for the info she gave me anywhere (though the two local jewelery places quoted me the same price) which i managed to get her to write down without my SO knowing. Not sure if any of this is useful information to track down the ring but i've quoted it below exactly as it was written. I'm mostly concerned that i would get more out of my purchase if i had a stone and setting picked individually and had someone set it, or if i should be looking into something higher then 14k. Thanks in advance! quote:Ring
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Apr 16, 2012 21:47
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I'll get back to a couple of the previous questions when I get a chance. I have a stack of emails to answer tonight. Customers have been waiting for me to get back into the office and I'm waaaay behind on emails.Iringahn posted:I need some help comparing the price of a ring 14kw6 <-- 14k white in a size 6 am135 <-- Internal stock number or price code 332926 <-- Likely the manufacturer's style number Judging from the price point you're at a safe place buying the ring as a finished piece. Generally it only pays to hunt down the components when working at higher price points. Time = money, and it's easy to spend way too long looking for the "perfect" stones. JohnnyRnR fucked around with this message at 01:40 on Apr 17, 2012 |
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Apr 17, 2012 01:36
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Well, that is good to hear. At the end of the day my SO loved it so thats the important part. Thanks!
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Apr 17, 2012 14:51
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I would like to buy an 18k gold chain and bracelet for myself - a simple common design like cuban link bracelet and either cuban or rope chain. New or used doesn't matter to me, but I would rather buy from a seller who has some degree of accountability - i.e., not craigslist or ebay. Can you give me a good rule of thumb about what would be a good price to use as a target for negotiating with sellers? Can I look at it as spot gold price + X%? Because it is not a complex or original design I'm hoping there is not too much of a premium. Thanks!
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Apr 19, 2012 18:55
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Sorry to anyone that's waiting on an email from me. I've been sick for a week and I'm way behind. On 18k chain a good retail price to pay is $70-$75 per gram. Spot is ~$40/g today so figure 35% for the manufacturer's labor (and profit) and 35% for a retailer's markup plus tax. On these types of classic styles you can usually get GREAT buys at places that buy secondhand gold (Cash4Gold shops, old school coin shops, Pawn shops). Since these places buy for less than spot you can usually buy their chain at the spot price. It may take some hunting to find someone that has what you're looking for, but most can put out a call and get one at the spot price. A well made chain will always polish up like new so there's no problem buying it used.
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Apr 20, 2012 01:52
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Johnny! I just got the incredibly gorgeous 5 carat tourmaline; it's so beautiful, I can't even start to tell you how much I love it and the dark shades of green(s) I see in it. They're lovely lush forest and sea greens, it's just right in every way. If you have any setting suggestions for the stone, please feel free to post them here or in private email to me. I plan to use some 22k gold chains I have to melt down; I read earlier in the thread you don't do that, it's a pity, I'd rather go through you. Again, the stone is flipping incredibly gorgeous! I don't know how you work around all these pretty stones and not grow boobs, drop a dick and turn into a sparkly ring obsessed girl on the spot, Jesus Christ almighty.
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Apr 26, 2012 20:58
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lol! You are welcome! Hey, there has to exist men that appreciate jewelry. Otherwise dudes won't know what to get for Christmas
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May 6, 2012 03:19
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I'm designing a ring, and am wondering about black diamonds/carbonado. Do black diamonds run about the same range of price as regular diamonds? What would be the relative price difference between treated/lab black diamonds, and carbonado (which I understand has luminescent properties? will possibly glow under black light?)
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May 8, 2012 01:09
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A carbonado is kind of a collection of diamond crystals intermixed with host rock. It's an unusual structure. Some may be fluorescent, but I think that that would be a much higher quality piece than average. Black diamonds are much cheaper than white diamonds. Generally they take a diamond with significant inclusions and irradiate it until the crystal entirely turns a nice even black. Great examples are available everywhere at retail for $200-$1,000/ct depending on size. Most small black diamond you see used in low-priced consumer jewelry is actually synthetic black spinel that has been irradiated. Foreign manufacturers know that only .05% of customers would ever check so they cheat a bit on the smaller stuff. Because of the confusing nomenclature & treatments I prefer using rough crystals in designs. Both of these are clean crystals that could be cut into round brilliants, but I probably won't since they're such nice specimens. One natural brown and one natural light yellow. Each are roughly 1.20 carats.  
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May 8, 2012 04:20
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I've bought a small pendant supposedly made of amber. It looks nice, but feels lighter than I would expect, and I'm slightly suspicious that it may be plastic. Is there a good way to test this myself that wouldn't damage the pendant if it was, in fact, amber?
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May 8, 2012 11:27
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Phooney posted:I've bought a small pendant supposedly made of amber. It looks nice, but feels lighter than I would expect, and I'm slightly suspicious that it may be plastic. Is there a good way to test this myself that wouldn't damage the pendant if it was, in fact, amber? You can take it to a mom and pop jeweler and they should be able to tell, but amber does float in salt water. There's a couple of tests you can do yourself if you're willing to do like poke a spot you don't see with a hot needle. It should smell like pine tree resin and not plastic. Since my name is Amber, my mom thinks its really clever to buy me lots of amber jewelry.
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May 8, 2012 15:29
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Johnny, those roughs are awesome. This might be an odd question but what would be the price for them/are those for sale? And do you ever come across any diamond roughs? I've been curious on roughs for a while now, but only to wear. I find them oddly beautiful and powerful.
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May 8, 2012 17:01
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Alterian posted:You can take it to a mom and pop jeweler and they should be able to tell, but amber does float in salt water. There's a couple of tests you can do yourself if you're willing to do like poke a spot you don't see with a hot needle. It should smell like pine tree resin and not plastic. Last semester we did a bunch of tests on amber, but most of them were the hot needle test :\ it's destructive but fairly accurate (unless you can't tell burning plastic from pine needles). Johnny, I also think those roughs are amazing and want to know how much they cost!
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May 8, 2012 20:04
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Not sure if this is the right thread for this. Reposting from Geosciences thread because they didn't really seem to know what to do with them. Went tourmaline digging out in Pala a few weekends ago and got these: tourmaline haul by gtrwndr87, on Flickr They're pretty small but some pieces the mine owner said were ~$20-$40 as roughs. I'm wondering if there is anything we can do to them to increase their value. Polish? Cut? They're quite small but she mumbled something about possibly being able to cut some of the bigger ones. The owners were pretty weird, the mine we went to was the cheaper of the 3 and if anyone is interested in going I would say go to the other two, haha.
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May 8, 2012 20:09
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Wife wants some diamond stud earrings. Probably platinum, martini mount. Couple questions: 1) What is the minimum size stone that will not look silly small? 2) Where the hell do I buy something like this? Is blue nile a terrible idea for something that seems like it would be pretty commoditized?
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May 9, 2012 19:12
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Claes Oldenburger posted:Last semester we did a bunch of tests on amber, but most of them were the hot needle test :\ Hot needle is the way to go. Find a place where the pinprick won't be seen and give it a whirl. Claes Oldenburger posted:Johnny, I also think those roughs are amazing and want to know how much they cost! Those stones were a few hundred dollars each. They've both been sold in the last 24 hours (Sorry!), and the buyer has a really cool project planned for them. I should be getting a nice collection of similar pieces sometime in the next month hopefully. Getting supply on fine cuttable crystals is almost impossible and it requires some negotiation. GrAviTy84 posted:Tourmaline! I would have all the material cut into cabochons. I had a large set of similar material and they finished into great cabs. Cabochons are more about color than clarity so even included material looks fantastic with a buff. Call around to the local rockhound shops and they should be able to point you to a local cutter than can do the work for you. Or you could always do it yourself! http://www.inlandlapidary.com/user_area/howtocab.asp gvibes posted:Wife wants some diamond stud earrings. Probably platinum, martini mount. Generally in studs you want .33ct rounds in each ear. 0.66ct total weight. They're small enough to be reasonably priced and large enough to be sparkly. This definitely falls into the "any jeweler" category. It's a bread and butter item for all stores. So long as they look nice you'll be ok.
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May 10, 2012 07:17
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I'm really curious about how the retail jewelry industry functions. Specifically, I'd like to know about their supply chain. I found a necklace I want to buy my girlfriend from here: http://www.secureonlinejewelry.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=223_254&product_id=1479 They have a shop in a nearby mall with this necklace. I have been looking around online to try and track down the same piece so I don't get screwed on the price. They quoted me $299 in store when it's nearly half the price on their website. Are there any places I could maybe find this piece cheaper? Or any negotiation I could try to lower the price at the local shop? Thanks!
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May 14, 2012 06:10
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I wasn't able to load your link, but if the local shop is a Samuel's then just tell them it's cheaper on the website and you would like it at that price. Barring that you'll be fine ordering from Samuel's. They're a big company and wouldn't steal year money. The times when people get cheated are when they try to go wholesale to get every last dollar of savings. Usually this results in the consumer buying from the vendor that lies the best. Only because casual buyers don't have the ability to discern between the different quality levels and sniff out treated gems, etc.
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May 14, 2012 14:50
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JohnnyRnR posted:I wasn't able to load your link, but if the local shop is a Samuel's then just tell them it's cheaper on the website and you would like it at that price. Barring that you'll be fine ordering from Samuel's. They're a big company and wouldn't steal year money. It's a company called Schubach. I've never heard of them before I saw their store at the mall. This is the piece:  10K White Gold, 1/20 carat total weight diamond accent heart pendant. Has anyone seen anything similar? I'm not sure it's worth the money. I'd like to get a proper evaluation of its value. Is $170 fair?
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May 15, 2012 02:40
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That sounds like a fine price. It's very difficult to make pretty gold jewelry in the sub-$250 price point so there's a certain trade off in size & quality, but so long as the piece is made well it will likely never need repair. (Beyond the chain - Those can wear thin over time and break)
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May 18, 2012 12:46
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Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me if the price quoted for a 18K, 22inch White Gold Necklace, 5.52 Chi (Vietnamese measurement, doing some research, it comes out to 20.7 grams) for $900 is a fair? I did some research, and the price for the gold itself comes out to under $800, and I'm guessing about $100 for labor or whatever else it covers. I can attach pictures later tonight if needed.
Fudgesicko fucked around with this message at 23:15 on May 18, 2012 |
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May 18, 2012 22:59
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Unless it's a second hand piece I don't know many stores that could sell one for $100 profit. Markup has to cover labor costs, the manufacturer's markup, and the retail store markup. Is this coming from a reputable shop? Photos won't really help since I'd need to know the purity of the metal to advise you.
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May 19, 2012 01:26
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I'm buying this from a Vietnamese jewelry store in my area which is pretty reputable among the Vietnamese community here. I'm not sure if it's secondhand, but than again, this isn't a nation wide chain of stores or anything; and I'm pretty clueless with how jewelry like this is ordered/made. Sorry if I'm vague on the information, I just want to get a nice gift my father and I'm not too knowledgeable in this area.
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May 19, 2012 01:42
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JohnnyRnR posted:Generally in studs you want .33ct rounds in each ear. 0.66ct total weight. They're small enough to be reasonably priced and large enough to be sparkly.
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May 19, 2012 04:05
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Fudgesicko posted:I'm buying this from a Vietnamese jewelry store in my area which is pretty reputable among the Vietnamese community here. Sounds like you'll be ok. My only concern would be that the piece is underkarated, but if you have references on the store then go for it. Does your father generally wear white gold? A lot of older Vietnamese customers I've met prefer yellow gold. On underkarating - Since a lot of jewelry is made in China now, and the purity laws there are fairly relaxed, you have to be concerned that the jewelry you get is what you pay for. I often see "sterling silver" rings from China that don't have any silver in them at all. gvibes posted:Thanks dude, you own. My pleasure.
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May 19, 2012 16:44
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Thanks for the help. I actually already got him a yellow gold necklace about 5 years ago from a different jewelry shop. The comment about the underkarating actually has be curious about the yellow gold necklace. I remember that I actually bought that form a pretty sketchy store, is there a quick at home method to check for correct karats?
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May 19, 2012 17:37
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Not really. Most people use an acid test kit, but it takes a bit of skill and a lot of experience to accurately gauge karat.
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May 19, 2012 19:57
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I've been out for meetings for almost two weeks, but it doesn't look like anyone has had any questions. Here are some Ethiopian Opal bead necklaces I recently picked up. These are one of my favorites of the new African material floating around. They're available in a wide range of qualities, but the truly fine material is pretty scarce. The Ethiopian Opal is fairly new, but has been shown to be more durable than the Australian varieties so it is a good choice for beads. 
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Jun 8, 2012 00:59
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My fiance's getting my engagement ring done by a local gemologist, he said he'd only charge us how much it cost him to buy the stones/setting from dealers and only for the labor. Is this common? Also, what is the general consensus on moissanite? To get a ring within our budget (1k) we'd have to get a tiny diamond. The gemologist said we should consider moissanite because it's nearly impossible to tell the difference. Nobody would know it wasn't a real diamond.
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Jun 8, 2012 02:04
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