Are the gemstones on QVC and HSN any good?

[Laila619]

Hi,

My aunt over the years has given me various gemstone rings from HSN and the like. Sometimes they are set in 14 or 18k gold, other times sterling. They appear to my novice eye to be very pretty. I have gotten lots of compliments. I have amethyst, peridot, blue topaz, and garnet. When I've watched their gemstone shows on TV, they do appear to disclose whether the gemstones are enhanced or not. So they seem honest at least. I've seen some more exotic gems too on their shows, like Morganite, Apatite, etc. Just wondered if any of these stones are good quality, or if they are all junk? Thanks!

 

[Arkteia]

Some people bought chrome diopsides there and were happy with the prices. Also, "designer" pieces were cheap but I don''t think they use quality diamonds. All in all, if you compare the quality of the stones you can buy from good cutters here and what is sold there, you may lose in quality. This being said, I saw very good stones at Jewelry TV - but they were extremely expensive. Also, if you go with jewellers recommended here, you can get one-of-a-kind piece for the same price as you can obtain mass production-stuff there. I''d rather buy at Costco - they have great return policy and you can buy one-of-a-kind piece there. I have noticed that there were many London blue Topazes at HSN

Date: 1/20/2010 12:34:51 PM
Author:Laila619
Hi,

My aunt over the years has given me various gemstone rings from HSN and the like. Sometimes they are set in 14 or 18k gold, other times sterling. They appear to my novice eye to be very pretty. I have gotten lots of compliments. I have amethyst, peridot, blue topaz, and garnet. When I''ve watched their gemstone shows on TV, they do appear to disclose whether the gemstones are enhanced or not. So they seem honest at least. I''ve seen some more exotic gems too on their shows, like Morganite, Apatite, etc. Just wondered if any of these stones are good quality, or if they are all junk?

 

[chrono]

The stones you listed are of the common variety that can be purchased at any Brick & Mortar jewellery store. If you compare the pricing to online vendors, the prices are most likely comparable. My observation is that unless a gemstone variety is not routine treated, they will advertise it as non-treated. For stones that are usually treated, they do not say anything on TV. I’ve seen some good to decent stones but mostly junks. The nice ones usually seem overpriced to me.

 

[T L]

A resounding NO!!!!!!!

unless you like washed out, color treated, enhanced, and machine cut material.

 

[LD]

Date: 1/20/2010 4:16:00 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
A resounding NO!!!!!!!

unless you like washed out, color treated, enhanced, and machine cut material.

Ok, so just that I''m clear, is that a "no" then?

I have no idea who HSN are but do know QVC. On that basis it would be a "no" from me too!

 

[T L]

LD,
I thought there was and still is a British QVC channel.

 

[LD]

Date: 1/20/2010 4:21:44 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
LD,
I thought there was and still is a British QVC channel.

Yes there is which is why I said "no" also!

Interestingly, I believe that QVC (in the UK) buy their Tanzanite from STS who are the owners of The Jewellery Channel (another UK tv jewellery vendor). The Tanzanite I''ve seen at QVC has usually been extremely poor pale quality but much higher priced per carat than the certified Tanzanite from The Jewellery Channel. It never ceases to amaze me that these items sell. Irradiated junk for $hundreds of dollars! Oh well, caveat emptor!

 

[T L]

Date: 1/20/2010 4:26:10 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds

Date: 1/20/2010 4:21:44 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
LD,
I thought there was and still is a British QVC channel.

Yes there is which is why I said ''no'' also!

Interestingly, I believe that QVC (in the UK) buy their Tanzanite from STS who are the owners of The Jewellery Channel (another UK tv jewellery vendor). The Tanzanite I''ve seen at QVC has usually been extremely poor pale quality but much higher priced per carat than the certified Tanzanite from The Jewellery Channel. It never ceases to amaze me that these items sell. Irradiated junk for $hundreds of dollars! Oh well, caveat emptor!

I apologize LD, I can''t read today.

LOL!! Blame it on old eyes!!

 

[serenitydiamonds]

Date: 1/20/2010 4:16:00 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
A resounding NO!!!!!!!


unless you like washed out, color treated, enhanced, and machine cut material.

lol, well said. Typically jewelry (gold, silver, platinum, gems, diamonds) sold at a low cost, whether it be on TV, ebay, craigslist, or on the street corner, is discounted for a reason. Gems have a pretty strong demand, and the better the gem, the higher demand and the price. Typically what I''ve seen on TV (HSN, JTV, QVC, etc) is off color or leftovers. My wife and I watch sometimes to pick on the salespeople attempting to convince unsuspecting buyers that a very dark blue 2ct sapphire (I would grade it black, lol) would ''retail'' for over $4000. If it would retail for $4k, they would sell it for $4k, lol. There was a channel I used to watch on DishTV (Gems TV I think) that had high quality stuff (every once in awhile, not all the time) and it was priced accordingly. Otherwise, buyer beware.

--Joshua

 

[RockHugger]

I watch the jewelry television channel just for fun. Call me wierd, but it curbs my gemstone obsession LOL. I do think it is overpriced. They sell alot of quartz (expecially rutile) for waaaaay more then it is worth, and fluff it up to be some rare stone. The main reason I dont buy from TV shows is because of all the fluffing they do to increase sales.

Plus the fact they are showing to the best of the best on TV (well the best they have in stock at least), and I guarantee you arnt getting that same stone when you buy.

 

[T L]

Gem Shopping Network has some very fine quality stones and settings, but they charge up the nose for it, I'm talking thousands and thousands of dollars. They also sell lower cost material, and eveything is graded as "Top Gem Quality," "Top Gem Quality World Class" (that title makes me chuckle) or "Museum grade." Almost everything is "Top Gem World Class" (more laughter please). This is their trademarked grading system. They actually have copyrighted it.

I do enjoy watching them, and I rollimy eyes and laugh at their lies, but they do sometimes have some awesome eye candy. I think their bright lighting also helps to optimize the color. For example, I saw them selling a neon Tanzanian hot pink spinel of about 5 carats for $10K/ct, and claiming that's wholesale. Beautiful stone, but definitely NOT wholesale. They also never mention treatment on air (none of these channels really do), but will mention if something is untreated like a GRS certified sapphire or something akin to that. Very deceptive.

 

[RockHugger]

Date: 1/20/2010 4:50:54 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Gem Shopping Network has some very fine quality stones and settings, but they charge up the nose for it, I'm talking thousands and thousands of dollars. They also sell lower cost material, and eveything is graded as 'Top Gem Quality,' 'Top Gem Quality World Class' (that title makes me chuckle) or 'Museum grade.' Almost everything is 'Top Gem World Class' (more laughter please). This is their trademarked grading system. They actually have copyrighted it.

I do enjoy watching them, and I rollimy eyes and laugh at their lies, but they do sometimes have some awesome eye candy. I think their bright lighting also helps to optimize the color. For example, I saw them selling a neon Tanzanian hot pink spinel of about 5 carats for $10K/ct, and claiming that's wholesale. Beaufiful stone, but definitely NOT wholesale. They also never mention treatment on air (none of these channels really do), but will mention if something is untreated like a GRS certified sapphire or something akin to that. Very deceptive.

JTV discloses treatment, but it is very very briefly. Or they will slip the treatment in somewhere very quickly and w/o any emphasis on it. They will say ssomething like "WOW!This ruby has been heated to perfection, this red is very very rare and a great find!" or something like that. I think they were sued or got i n trouble with the FTC years ago because they didnt disclose treatemnt, so they do now (dont quote me on that, but I think I remember reading something about it)...but they do their best to make sure you dont notice it.

 

[T L]

I beleive JTV has a class action lawsuit for their non-disclosure of diffused andesine. That was an enormous setback for them, but I do know some people are happy with their online purchases from their website. In particular, from their higher end "Vault" collection. I prefer not to watch because I find their hosts incredibly annoying, more so than any other shopping channel.

 

[Demon]

Date: 1/20/2010 4:50:54 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Gem Shopping Network has some very fine quality stones and settings, but they charge up the nose for it, I''m talking thousands and thousands of dollars. They also sell lower cost material, and eveything is graded as ''Top Gem Quality,'' ''Top Gem Quality World Class'' (that title makes me chuckle) or ''Museum grade.'' Almost everything is ''Top Gem World Class'' (more laughter please). This is their trademarked grading system. They actually have copyrighted it.

I do enjoy watching them, and I rollimy eyes and laugh at their lies, but they do sometimes have some awesome eye candy. I think their bright lighting also helps to optimize the color. For example, I saw them selling a neon Tanzanian hot pink spinel of about 5 carats for $10K/ct, and claiming that''s wholesale. Beaufiful stone, but definitely NOT wholesale. They also never mention treatment on air (none of these channels really do), but will mention if something is untreated like a GRS certified sapphire or something akin to that. Very deceptive.

And they really manipulate their lighting when they''re showing diamonds - you can sit there and watch the lighting turn redder and really making their pink diamonds look good.

 

[LD]

I don''t know if it''s the same in the US but in the UK, enhancements/treatments are described on a generic page on jewellery tv websites (IF AT ALL)! Never during sales presentations. So, for example, you''ll have for Sapphire things like (a) fissure filled with glass/lead/borax (b) heated (c) dyed (d) natural (e) beryllium diffused etc etc etc - so every treatment known to man. That, unfortunately, is disclosure. So you have no way of knowing if the piece you''ve bought is any or all of the above. I find it appalling that this is allowed. Hence I don''t buy from them.

 

[Laila619]

Interesting, thanks for all the replies. In the rings I have, all the gemstones appear to be saturated in color and quite pretty. I am admittedly a gemstone novice though. I''ll have to post pictures sometime for the colored stone experts.

 

[T L]

Date: 1/20/2010 6:01:20 PM
Author: Laila619
Interesting, thanks for all the replies. In the rings I have, all the gemstones appear to be saturated in color and quite pretty. I am admittedly a gemstone novice though. I''ll have to post pictures sometime for the colored stone experts.

Enhanced stones can sometimes look amazing, but don''t be fooled. They can look like fish gravel before the enhancement process.

 

[RockHugger]

Who was it that posted the before and after pics of diffusion treatment? I know I have better looking rocks in my back yard!

 

[T L]

Tropicgal,
I believe that was me. It was taken from a link on The Natural Sapphire Company''s website about treatments.

 

[marcy]

I''ve bought some nice stones from JTV (years ago before I found PS) but more often than not they went back or ended up in my gem dish. I have a few of their gems in some of my jewelry.

 

[Liane]

I don''t watch these shows, but based on all I''ve heard secondhand about them, both here and elsewhere, I''m continually surprised that they don''t get in more trouble for what sounds to me like outright fraud. Not so much the de-emphasis on treatments (which I think is super shady, but comparable to pharmaceutical commercials running through a list of side effects at 200 words per minute in a monotone), but telling buyers "this gem is super rare and is worth $$$" when neither of those things is objectively true.

Apparently at one point one of the jewelry shopping channels was actually advising buyers to "invest" in a particular stone and all but guaranteeing that they could resell that gem at a profit to their local B&M jewelers. It might sound funny to us, but I''ve heard from jewelers and appraisers that people really did come into their stores with these stones and try to do that.

If the shows are offering costume jewelry at fair prices for costume jewelry then I have no problem with it. That''s filling a legit market niche and it''s always nice to have more sparklies in the world. But if it''s true that they present outlandish claims as fact and sucker people who don''t know any better (and maybe don''t have the best critical thinking faculties), then I''m boggled that they don''t get in more trouble for that.

 

[T L]

Liane,
I believe Richard Sheerwood was going to file complaints against these various shopping channels for fraud, and you''re right, it is outright fraud. I don''t know where that went. Does Richard or anyone have any updates??

 

[Amber St. Clare]

You may want t go to Gembusters.com to read about the various scams perpetuated by the tv shopping channels.

I occasionally read the forums at qvc and am dismayed to read thhat there are people who think they will be able to sell their treasures for a profit and augment their retirement......

 

[Arcadian]

Is Jtv still telling people to buy tanzanite because its like "going to be mined out" lol

-A

 

[T L]

Date: 1/21/2010 6:33:08 PM
Author: Arcadian
Is Jtv still telling people to buy tanzanite because its like ''going to be mined out'' lol

-A

That''s the biggest scam of all. It seems all the shopping channels use this "mined out" excuse to make the viewer jump to the phone and order in urgency. It''s not just with tanzanite (although they keep saying it''s being mined out for the last 20 years), but many other gems.

 

[Arkteia]

You know, I am a little bit off-topic but once I was led to Bidz.com by a link posted in two very (Very!) reputable websites. I bought a necklace (lucky me, the first piece they sell is usually real!) and then when I tried to Google Bidz.com (again, lucky me!) I got into Bidz.com scam. This link led me straight to epinions.com where I read everything about Bidz and the fact that there was a letter F against its name in BBB website. Yet, bidz. exist and is obviously invincible. Since there is no F against JTV, HSN, QVC and the likes, my faith in doing something to them is nil. What really surprizes me is how easily huge retailers would post links to these companies.

I mean, all cosmetic companies like Oil of Olay, Estee Lauder, etc. put "proven to reduce appearance of fine wrinkes" on their cremes and lotions but it fact there is only one thing that has been clinically PROVEN by FDA, and it is isotretinoic acid. Yet no one can sue them. Same with JTV and the likes, I guess...

 

[RockHugger]

Date: 1/21/2010 8:02:21 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 1/21/2010 6:33:08 PM
Author: Arcadian
Is Jtv still telling people to buy tanzanite because its like ''going to be mined out'' lol

-A

That''s the biggest scam of all. It seems all the shopping channels use this ''mined out'' excuse to make the viewer jump to the phone and order in urgency. It''s not just with tanzanite (although they keep saying it''s being mined out for the last 20 years), but many other gems.

YES THEY ARE!!! I was watching JTV and heard them say that! They have been saying it forever....I am just waiting for that dang mine to run out so I can sell my tanzanites and buy an island.

 

[Indylady]

Date: 1/21/2010 8:22:54 PM
Author: Tropicgal10

Date: 1/21/2010 8:02:21 PM

Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 1/21/2010 6:33:08 PM

Author: Arcadian

Is Jtv still telling people to buy tanzanite because its like ''going to be mined out'' lol


-A

That''s the biggest scam of all. It seems all the shopping channels use this ''mined out'' excuse to make the viewer jump to the phone and order in urgency. It''s not just with tanzanite (although they keep saying it''s being mined out for the last 20 years), but many other gems.

YES THEY ARE!!! I was watching JTV and heard them say that! They have been saying it forever....I am just waiting for that dang mine to run out so I can sell my tanzanites and buy an island.

Haha I laughed out loud after reading that Tropicgal.