Natural Blue Topaz: Rough or Cut?

[blithesome71]

Hi peeps! I need your help again. Right now, I''m eyeing this natural blue topaz rough.

Should I go for it or not? Here''s the vendor''s photo:

 

[blithesome71]

It''s a 158 ct. facet rough from Brazil years ago & is untreated in anyway (that''s accdg to him). I''m a lil concern on the starting bid price: $115 (plus the shipping) do you think it''s worth my money or not? Accdg to the seller, the color is strong medium sky blue...

Moreover, I''m also considering this one that I saw from another vendor. This one is from St. Anne mine, Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia). It''s a cut one & higher price than the rough...

Thanks u guys in advance for your responses.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

That looks nice. I am no cutter (and I hope one of them does chime in), but the shape seems nice, allowing for a variety of shapes and good yield. Does it have any internal fractures?

Buying rough may bring a few surprises with it, as you never really know what may happen, even with an exceptional cutter (some tourmalines, for example, develop cracks during cutting which can reduce the size very of the finished stone very fast). But it is fun.

 

[ma re]

Buying rough to be cut takes a great deal of knowledge and experience, epecially these days when there''s so many ways in which stones are treated. And buying online is especially risky, so I''d advise you to start this (buying of rough) off by buying small, cheap and first-hand to educate yourself. You can use those pieces, for example, as decorations around the house - cause it''s mostly not cost-effective to have such stuff cut and set into jewellery.

 

[chrono]

I agree that buying rough online can be risky. Without the stone in hand and the right knowledge, you might be caught by surprise (internal fractures, zoning, specks of other contamination, etc). The rough itself looks nice but I''m no expert on knowing whether it is a good candidate for cutting. Perhaps it might be something nice to keep as a specimen if the bidding does not go too high.

 

[blithesome71]

Thanks LD, Ma Re & chrono for all your responses. I was actually about to bid but then again, I realized that it''s risky. Yes it''s easy to say that it''s "untreated" but what proof he has that can justify it? I mean, you guys are right. It''s risky to buy rough w/o much knowledge about facet grade ones and esp. if it''s a blue topaz.

Anyways, I''m dropping my plans of bidding on that rough... Guess I''ll have to put off buying gems this December (Darn! Why does buying gems online addictive? It''s like you tell yourself not to purchase but then when you see a fab gem, you''ll give in and buy again...

)