What do you think of this Emerald?

[336336]

http://www.embassyemeralds.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=323

Looking for my dream emerald has been such a long journey. I've lusted for a Graff piece which was 42K and way out of my budget. Perhaps one day. But for now, I'd be content to own a smaller Colombian, my birth stone.

Please advise. I've had quite a few people looking for emeralds, and I wonder if choosing a stone myself would be the better course. My ideal would be one with bluish-green dominant undertone, clarity clear enough for a good light performance. 1-1.5 carat. Africagems also has many but they have so many (without too many additional photos) that I just get confused. I can see why the top gems command certain prices but as for the ones that range in the several thousands, I don't really understand the pricing.

I'm just worried that I'll make a silly purchase especially with something that I wanted for a very long time. I can get emotional and impulsive with something that has been such a personal dream of mine.

TIA

 

[serenitydiamonds]

Date: 10/18/2009 1:22:19 PM
Author:336336
http://www.embassyemeralds.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=323


Looking for my dream emerald has been such a long journey. I''ve lusted for a Graff piece which was 42K and way out of my budget. Perhaps one day. But for now, I''d be content to own a smaller Colombian, my birth stone.


Please advise. I''ve had quite a few people looking for emeralds, and I wonder if choosing a stone myself would be the better course. My ideal would be one with bluish-green dominant undertone, clarity clear enough for a good light performance. 1-1.5 carat. Africagems also has many but they have so many (without too many additional photos) that I just get confused. I can see why the top gems command certain prices but as for the ones that range in the several thousands, I don''t really understand the pricing.


I''m just worried that I''ll make a silly purchase especially with something that I wanted for a very long time. I can get emotional and impulsive with something that has been such a personal dream of mine.


TIA

I think the color of that Emerald in the photos looks really beautiful. I think it''s a nice color stone with a pretty good native cut that will look fabulous set in jewelry. I would triple check the procedure for returns should you not like the color in person as green is the weakest color for some digital cameras which makes photographing emeralds fidgety at times...lol. It''s also my birthstone and favorite stone so I can relate to you there.

In the color market, especially Emeralds, pricing can vary quite significantly based on color. Just a hint more saturation can change the price 100% or more, which makes it terribly difficult to compare stones. The price is fair based on what I see and cedar oil is very common on stones from Colombia. You could always try to negotiate the price down a little if you are really interested, some vendors will budge, others will not.

--Joshua

 

[ma re]

This stone looks nice and not overpriced, quite similar to THIS ONE, in all aspects except cutting. Emerald is one of my favorites too, and I''m a sucker for step cuts so I really like the stone you posted, but honestly I''ve never heard of that seller, nor have I heard of the institution that has issued the certificate. But I''m no expert in the field so I''ll let those more knowledgable and experienced to comment on that. Also always check return policies whenever you buy online.

 

[serenitydiamonds]

Mr Ma Re, I think emeralds look their absolute best in step cuts too... The certificate is pretty standard for something coming out of Bogota and the Emerald Trade Center. I wouldn''t trust it to prove a stone''s treatment, but they''re fine to prove it''s natural from Colombia. If you are close to a GIA lab you could take your ten days and drop it there for a GIA cert.... but in most cases I think that''s an overkill. Most affordable color gems are sold without paperwork in the US anyway.

The vendor does indirectly list SimplySapphires.com as a reference so if you were really concerned you could contact SimplySapphires as a follow-up.

--J

 

[336336]

Thank you, serenity and ma re

Emeralds are one of the trickiest buys ever, since so many jewelers here don''t even bother on stocking up on them. If they do, it''s either trash or super-gem quality. Graff is the only place that had my heart instantly recognizing the one emerald. There are many jewelers here and none of them even came close. I think I''ve seen hundreds emeralds over the years. None of them captured my heart as much as the Graff one. I''m tired of seeing the lower end emeralds not being quite what I want, but also feel a bit intimated on choosing my own emerald and having it set.

 

[T L]

I am unfamiliar with that retailer, but I will tell you this:

I am unsure where that certificate comes from, but what concerns me the most is that it doesn''t give the type/level of treatment.

The online page indicates only cedar oil, but I would want a certificate from a reputable lab indicating the level of treatment.

Why????

Well, fracture filling of emeralds can be done with oil (generally accepted in the trade) or resin and other polymers. Some of these polymers/resins are even colored green. They can take very cloudy material and make it look gem quality. In other words, when buying emeralds, buyer beware on the type of treatment used.

 

[T L]

Date: 10/18/2009 3:03:00 PM
Author: 336336
Thank you, serenity and ma re

Emeralds are one of the trickiest buys ever, since so many jewelers here don''t even bother on stocking up on them. If they do, it''s either trash or super-gem quality. Graff is the only place that had my heart instantly recognizing the one emerald. There are many jewelers here and none of them even came close. I think I''ve seen hundreds emeralds over the years. None of them captured my heart as much as the Graff one. I''m tired of seeing the lower end emeralds not being quite what I want, but also feel a bit intimated on choosing my own emerald and having it set.

Well, not surprising since Mr. Graff is one of the premier colored gem/diamond collectors in the world. He knows his stuff, and not many jewelers can come close.

 

[LD]

I would just like to add that the photos show a HUGE window. The photos have been taken from clever angles but you can see it.

 

[chrono]

The colour is very pretty but there are 2 concerns for me:
1. I''ve never heard of this lab, and not only that, it did not SPECIFICALLY say what the treatment is, other than it is minor. Minor to them, might not be minor to you and I.
2. There appears to be a huge window, about as large as the entire table, which is sort of hidden by the flash of colour coming off the table in most of the pictures.

 

[336336]

In his email, he explained that the cert is by a GIA-trained gemologist who works in the Emerald industry in Colombia.

I''m a GIA-trained gemologist too, lol, because I did take a GIA course once and got the paper.

As for the treatment, it was done by cedar oil which I understand is standard. He said he meant "minor" by the fact that the stone didn''t absorb too much oil.

I wouldn''t know how much or little cedar oil a stone is supposed to take in.

Yes... people always complain that branded jewelry is a rip-off. In most cases such as standard white diamond jewelry shopping, major jewelry houses are a rip-off. But when it comes to rare stones, they do indeed have the best stones and this is where it''s worth paying the premium. Provided you have the cash

I promised myself that I would wait for the Graff, because I knew I wouldn''t bump into another stone like that one. It wasn''t too big and was a wearable size. It didn''t cost too much for a Graff piece, but still way beyond what I can afford now. I guess I''ll do my best to wait... God knows when I can spend 42K without thinking.

 

[serenitydiamonds]

Date: 10/18/2009 3:24:15 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
I am unfamiliar with that retailer, but I will tell you this:


I am unsure where that certificate comes from, but what concerns me the most is that it doesn''t give the type/level of treatment.


The online page indicates only cedar oil, but I would want a certificate from a reputable lab indicating the level of treatment.


Why????


Well, fracture filling of emeralds can be done with oil (generally accepted in the trade) or resin and other polymers. Some of these polymers/resins are even colored green. They can take very cloudy material and make it look gem quality. In other words, when buying emeralds, buyer beware on the type of treatment used.

Just an FYI a GIA report is not going to tell you the type of treatment, only the level that is present. In the trade there are some polymers that are acceptable such as Excel which are even present in very very very high end Emeralds. Also, most gems that size are not sent to the lab as the expense of a lab report is very high (send from Bogota to GIA, wait weeks, get stone back). For an affordable ($1000) stone I think this is a particular overkill if the vendor is trustworthy. For a high value stone ($10,000 unenhanced) I think a lab report is a requirement. The $1000 price range assumes there is medium enhancement present.

Also, for affordable stones from Bogota assume Medium Enhancement using Cedar Oil unless documented otherwise, as that is what most of the stones that I have come across are. You will not find an un-enhanced 1ct stone for $1,000. Overall most of the cutters I''ve dealt with in Bogota are straightforward about their treatments, which is the exact opposite of what I''ve experienced with Rubies in Thailand, lol.

Whether or not you trust the vendor is the big question. Personally, as an emerald connoisseur myself, they seem straightforward, very descriptive about emeralds and the treatments they use, and offer a return policy. If you take the stone and are concerned, ask for a longer return time and take it to GIA for analysis. I''ve gotten color stones back from GIA in NYC in as little as 3 days.

Laurence Graff is my personal hero

--Joshua