Investment Stone List?

[BleedingGem]

Hi all,

I''m VERY new to being a jewelry collector and have nooooooo experience, I just know I loveeeeee jewelry...

Can you help me get a list together of gems that are "investment pieces"? I would like to buy jewelry I can pass down to my kids someday (and even grandkids one day)....

Is kunzite or morganite good ones? I love those colors....

Thanks in advance...

 

[chrono]

I never buy gemstones for investment. That said, I do buy what I consider pretty and love, and plan to pass those down the family line. Because I love the pieces that I have, I do not care if their monetary value increases, decreases or remains constant over time.

Be aware that most kunzite will fade over time when exposed to UV light.
Morganite isn’t an everyday wear stone and commonly seen as a delicate light pink.

 

[BleedingGem]

ok... thank you chrono...

 

[LD]

I''m afraid you won''t like what you hear but you should NEVER buy jewellery or gemstones for investment. The only ones that are likely to be an investment are super rare gemstones that would probably cost the same as a few houses to buy.

Buy what you love because at the end of the day, that''ll be more important to your children. I have inherited jewellery that I love just because they passed to me when my Mum died.

 

[Harriet]

Welcome! It wasn''t long ago that I asked the same question. I''ve since stopped thinking of my gems as investments. One reason is that they are illiquid assets.

 

[BleedingGem]

ok.. great input for all... thank you... i can''t wait to buy my next piece...

i''m buying something this monthhhhh

 

[ma re]

If you mean something that will be in demand by the market in the future, well, it''s all about quality and rarity (that''s always in demand), and when those two factors are combined it means...$$$$$$$$. I think it was R. Wise (a renowned gemologist and a member of this forum) that said in one of his blog entries that if you want to invest in gemstones you need tens of thousands of dollars - I''m not 100% sure I read it there or some place else. Because collectors can find those usual stones that sell for a few hundred just about anytime, but the only thing they can''t get anytime they wish is the finest and the rarest - and that costs a lot.

But if you want something that''s nice and "above average" regardless of will it hold value in the future, there''s something for every budget. All you need is knowledge (and lots of it), patience and the desire to own something a bit special. There''s no species or variety of stone that is good or bad in general, cause the best (or as close to that) of any will do, even fine amethysts or citrines. I certainly think those are worthy of being passed down the family tree, cause eventhough they''re not actually rare as species, those of the finest colors and of large sizes can be hard to find. Prices of those should be in the hundreds, so not something incredibly expensive. Will they be worth a fortune one day - probably not. But will they always be regarded as nice examples of their respected species - yes.

I suggest you take your time to educate yourself about gems, read some books, or even online articles like buying guides. Look at as many examples of gemstones as you can (even by just browsing the windows of nearby jewellers), observing, comparing and "training the eye". Browse online vendors that have sorting functions on their websites (like www.multicolour.com), and think about why some stones are priced more than others of the same species - you can sort by price and compare. Watch those shopping networks that sell jewellery for the sake of observing, and try to think of any way possible to educate and train yourself on the subject.

After you''ve done that, get to shopping and have a blast

 

[enbcfsobe]

ditto chrono.

that said, i think of some of my jewelry as ''investment pieces'' the same way as i think of a great little black dress or a well-made suit as a ''investment pieces.''
i try to make my gemstone purchases and setting choices based on my likes and also based on good quality workmanship and durable materials. i try to choose things that i will wear often to a variety of occassions over a long span of time.

for example, i would think of my many inexpensive silver pendants like i think of my t-shirts from old navy that i replace or update every year, whereas my gemstone jewelry is more like the classic black boots i take for resoling and a shine instead of replacing.

neither the jewelry nor the clothes are an ''investment'' in terms of being something i see as an asset i could liquidate, trade, or borrow on in any significant amount. but they are an ''investment'' in terms of the time, money, and care i put into choosing them and the level and duration of the enjoyment i get out of wearing them.

 

[Harriet]

Well said!

 

[BleedingGem]

this is the best post to my question... THANK YOU..... i have a book on gem stones i got 2 weeks ago... i had no idea there are sooo many gems out there...i really thought that there was only diamonds, rubies, emeralds, etc.....

i love this site...

 

[DistinctionJewelry]

A way to approach this question just occurred to me. Assuming the real question is not "what will I be able to sell for more than I paid" because as everyone has already mentioned, that''s a very iffy thing, but that you want to know what purchases you will feel happy about and feel proud to pass on to future generations....

I''m thinking back to my own purchases. Anything I got early on because I didn''t know what I was doing, was a poor investment. Anything I got strictly because it was a precious stone and seemed cheap was a poor investment. Basically I wound up with stuff I''d be ashamed to show anyone who knew gems.

Anything I got that wowed me once I knew more and seemed reasonably priced, was a good investment. Anything I bought with my eyes wide open was a good investment.

 

[LD]

Date: 2/4/2010 6:13:18 PM
Author: DistinctionJewelry
A way to approach this question just occurred to me. Assuming the real question is not ''what will I be able to sell for more than I paid'' because as everyone has already mentioned, that''s a very iffy thing, but that you want to know what purchases you will feel happy about and feel proud to pass on to future generations....

I''m thinking back to my own purchases. Anything I got early on because I didn''t know what I was doing, was a poor investment. Anything I got strictly because it was a precious stone and seemed cheap was a poor investment. Basically I wound up with stuff I''d be ashamed to show anyone who knew gems.

Anything I got that wowed me once I knew more and seemed reasonably priced, was a good investment. Anything I bought with my eyes wide open was a good investment.

I think the majority of us can relate to this. The problem for new buyers is that you can''t buy experience and in all honesty I think that''s what you need when buying gems. Not sure what the answer is.

 

[chrono]

Experience takes time. The least expensive way to handle a wide variety of coloured stones at the same time is to attend gem shows.