Pretty funny

[Tropicmaster]

I ran across a website where people sell used loose stones and jewelry. Lots of synthetics and garbage on there, but there were a few stones supposedly cut by names very prominent on this forum. Funny thing was that 2 of the listings were for more $ than the stone sold for originally. I know this to be true because one of the stones listed was one I was very close to purchasing a couple of times, and was watching very closely. I just found it odd, maybe it is common and I am too inexperienced to know better.

 

[SB621]

That is bizarre

By the way i love the color of your avatar. Is that a blue spinel?

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 9/2/2009 10:06:52 PM
Author: Sarahbear621
That is bizarre

Well, I don't know if it's THAT bizarre. Some people would say that high quality gem stones are a good investment, so I would assume that means that you'd be able to sell them at equal cost or at profit in the future?

Although it wouldn't make much sense if they were easily available for a lower price. I guess it depends on the stone in question. If it were a fairly rare and valuable gem, I wouldn't be surprised if it sold for a profit. For example, if somebody bought the pad that Jeff White used to have up, they might sell it for a profit sometime later, since pads are fairly rare and it might be awhile before Jeff cuts another like it. And colored gems in particular can be very "one of a kind", so it might be worth more to another individual than what was originally paid if that is THE ONE.

Or if a stone had acquired sentimental value to someone, and they would only sell it at a profit since it meant more to keep it, I could see them charging more for it than what was originally paid since in their eyes, it's "gained value" for them.

In any case, if somebody's willing to buy it at a higher price, then I guess that's the right price to ask for it, lol. Sorry, I just like to play cynical devil's advocate

You are right though, it's kind of unusual since that's not typically the case. In most classifieds I see, the listing is for less than what was paid.

 

[Indylady]

I''m not surprised; I recently attempted to sell a set of 4 pearl bracelets for about $10 or $14, and noticed someone else selling a single pearl bracelet that was the same exact thing I was selling for about $20. I have no idea where she got hers, so she might have paid a lot more, but it was the exact same thing: wire, rice pearls, gemstone beads, spacers...I wouldn''t do it, but its not quite ''wrong'' either. I mean, jewelers are giving you a markup too, and making a profit on an item as well, while I''d be miffed knowing I paid more for something than I had to, I wouldn''t raise hell over it.

When I sell something its usually below what I paid for it, and not so much to make a profit but for the sake of spring cleaning and getting rid of pieces I don''t wear. If I really didn''t touch a piece though, I think I might list it for full price I paid.

 

[ma re]

Date: 9/3/2009 12:00:19 AM
Author: MakingTheGrade

Date: 9/2/2009 10:06:52 PM
Author: Sarahbear621
That is bizarre

Well, I don''t know if it''s THAT bizarre. Some people would say that high quality gem stones are a good investment, so I would assume that means that you''d be able to sell them at equal cost or at profit in the future?

That is true, but by the term high quality gem that retains or increases value we''d be talking something that costs tens of thousands of dollars at least, and is auctioned at Christie''s or Sotheby''s, not really E-bay. I don''t think precision cut stones can fit into that category for several reasons;

a) they''re most often cut to maximize the beauty of stones that would otherwise not be considered spectacular - not always the case, but often
b) these cutters don''t have access to the best of the best in terms of rough, as those pieces are usually obtained via great connections in the business, and the finest of roughs are often reserved in advance for high-end fine jewellers (for example, L. Graff is often called in to examine newly mined colored diamonds of significant size before 99% of people gets to see them).
c) precision cutters don''t usually work with material that is especially rare, but more with those that are readily available and easier to sell

So no, I wouldn''t buy such stones at even higher prices than those asked by cutters, as original prices are high enough.

 

[Tropicmaster]

Date: 9/2/2009 10:06:52 PM
Author: Sarahbear621
That is bizarre

By the way i love the color of your avatar. Is that a blue spinel?

Sarah that is a Sapphire

 

[Tropicmaster]

Neither stone was remotely close to rare or one of a kind. In fact one of them was an Amethyst. I did think about the investment, inflation thing but neither stone is more than 3 months away from the original vendors sale. I just found it odd. I guess it is another example of the education service PS provides. 2 years ago, pre PS I might have fallen for something like that!

 

[marcy]

Date: 9/3/2009 4:59:29 AM
Author: Tropicmaster

Date: 9/2/2009 10:06:52 PM
Author: Sarahbear621
That is bizarre

By the way i love the color of your avatar. Is that a blue spinel?

Sarah that is a Sapphire

And it is a real beauty with great color.