GemResearch Swisslab (

[Sparkalicious]

Does anyone know anything about GemResearch Swisslab (GRS)?

My friend is looking for a certified Pigeon's Blood ruby and has found one certified by this lab. Is it a reputable one?

I don't know much about colored stones yet so any information you are able to share would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[surfgirl]

I think they''re a common grading lab for colored stones but if you do a search you should find more info here on them. I know they''ve been discussed in the past.

 

[elmo]

Yes, reputable lab. Dealers like it because it is where the stones are (Thailand), reports aren't as expensive as those here or in Europe, turnaround is fast, and it's accurate. The buyer should probably get their own analysis here (AGL or AGTA) and make the sale contingent upon a satisfactory result.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 2/26/2008 7:44:43 PM
Author: surfgirl
I think they''re a common grading lab for colored stones but if you do a search you should find more info here on them. I know they''ve been discussed in the past.

Thanks Surfgirl! I appreciate the response ... I will do a search.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 2/26/2008 8:07:26 PM
Author: elmo
Yes, reputable lab. Dealers like it because it is where the stones are (Thailand), reports aren''t as expensive as those here or in Europe, turnaround is fast, and it''s accurate. The buyer should probably get their own analysis here (AGL or AGTA) and make the sale contingent upon a satisfactory result.

Thank you, Elmo! I will let my friend know that they are reputable. I will, however, let her know about your advice. Great suggestion. Thanks again.

Do you know anything about rubies and pricing? If not, where would one find such details?

She''s looking at a 1.66 ct certified, natural pigeon''s blood from Burma, I think ... What is a fair price or price range?

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 2/26/2008 8:50:34 PM
Author: Sparkalicious
Do you know anything about rubies and pricing? If not, where would one find such details?

She''s looking at a 1.66 ct certified, natural pigeon''s blood from Burma, I think ... What is a fair price or price range?

Does anyone know or is anyone able to advise of any good ways I can find out more?

 

[simplysplendid]

Hi Sparkalicious,

You might want to look at my previous thread posted when I was buying a ruby ..

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/ruby-advice-please.61775/

 

[Sparkalicious]

Simply Splendid -- Thank you so much! What a great, informative thread and your ring is GORGEOUS! My jaw literally dropped when I saw the picture .. I was expecting something different for some reason and when I saw the picture I just thought - incredible ... totally stunning. Congrats on finding such a lovely ruby!

I''m really trying to help my friend out since I''m the PS junkie but I''m still not certain about the pricing she is being quoted. She has been told somewhere around the $14k range. This seems a bit high to me, as an amateur, however, given that it is supposed to be a "top notch" ruby, my friend seems to have expected that it would be somewhere in this price range.

I don''t have any other details for you right now, however, would you be able to shed any more light as to what increases, decreases price?

It is 1.66 cts
Natural - unheated
Pigeon''s blood/Vivid Red color
No visible inclusions
Said to originate from Burma ...

That''s all I can think of right now ... I don''t have the cert details on me. Any thoughts based on this info?

 

[elmo]

I would have said that $14K is too high but pricing for this sort of thing has gotten pretty silly in the last year or so. These are always extremely rare; part of it is simply a function of the value of the dollar, part is increased demand around the world, and part I suspect (ironically) is talk about a Burma trade ban actually increasing demand. I''ve looked at just a couple of rubies in the last year, one was $10K for 1ct for almost as good as it gets unheated, the other was $7K/carat for 2.5ct with phenomenal look but H(b) on the report. Both seemed too high at the time but are probably are more now - that''s the way it always seems to be with ruby. Went with something else. Another thing you might try, Gary Dutton had a good source for some fairly nice stones in this size. You might call and see if that''s still the case.

Also remember that colored stone pricing isn''t like diamonds. Quality is a lot more subjective, pricing far more variable. High quality is never cheap but you may see a large price difference at the dealer level for what seems like similarly high quality, and similar prices asked for not nearly so nice.

 

[simplysplendid]

Thank you Sparkalicious!

I agree with the rest that it is really subjective when it comes to coloured stones and I also agree that 14k sounds too high. Since I paid approx 8K for a 1.51ct (not pigeon blood, but red) untreated ruby ring (already set), I reckon that a 1.66ct pigeon blood should be rather close to the price I paid? With the recent sanctions on Burma again perhaps this number may have gone up to the region of 10K? That is just me putting my finger in the air and coming up with a number. Have you tried cherrypicked.com and rwwise.com? They do carry beautiful untreated rubies and you might be able to get more options/quotes.

I hope your friend will find a beautiful ruby..

 

[Sparkalicious]

Elmo -- Thanks again for taking the time to share some great info and advice.

I will check out Gary Dutton or have my friend do so.

I thought diamonds could be tough ... seems like colored gems are a whole new ballgame!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 2/28/2008 2:07:25 PM
Author: simplysplendid
Thank you Sparkalicious!

I agree with the rest that it is really subjective when it comes to coloured stones and I also agree that 14k sounds too high. Since I paid approx 8K for a 1.51ct (not pigeon blood, but red) untreated ruby ring (already set), I reckon that a 1.66ct pigeon blood should be rather close to the price I paid? With the recent sanctions on Burma again perhaps this number may have gone up to the region of 10K? That is just me putting my finger in the air and coming up with a number. Have you tried cherrypicked.com and rwwise.com? They do carry beautiful untreated rubies and you might be able to get more options/quotes.

I hope your friend will find a beautiful ruby..

Simplysplendid -- No ... thank you! You are fantastic. I so appreciate you all taking your time to help us out.

Since I don''t know much about rubies, I thought that this price sounded too high as well. Given this info, I think that my friend can go back to the jeweler and make some more "wiggle room" maybe and get the price down a bit or at least here some sort of justification for that price??

I know that my friend has checked out cherrypicked.com but not sure about rwwise.com. I will let her know.

Thanks for the well wishes and the info! I appreciate it!

 

[CaptAubrey]

For eye-clean, untreated, top-color Burmese rubies, $8400/ct (14k/1.66 ct) is in no way overpriced. At Tucson earlier this month, I saw stuff like that going for $30k/ct and more. But "Pigeon''s blood/Vivid Red color" can encompass a lot of material depending on who''s got it. The only way to know for sure is to see it in person.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 2/28/2008 4:25:35 PM
Author: CaptAubrey
For eye-clean, untreated, top-color Burmese rubies, $8400/ct (14k/1.66 ct) is in no way overpriced. At Tucson earlier this month, I saw stuff like that going for $30k/ct and more. But ''Pigeon''s blood/Vivid Red color'' can encompass a lot of material depending on who''s got it. The only way to know for sure is to see it in person.

Interesting! I''m always amazed at how knowledgeable everyone is. Thanks for chiming in, Capt''n! This is good to know so that my friend doesn''t get her back up and think that she is being ripped off, right off the bat, right? It IS a reputable jeweler and they sourced this stone, however, there is always that little air of uncertaintly when it comes to pricing.
We haven''t seen it in person yet but cannot wait to!!

If my friend decides to go ahead with the purchase, I will definitely be back with pics even if I have to pry this beauty from her hot, sweaty paws!

 

[pjean]

Date: 2/28/2008 4:38:13 PM
Author: Sparkalicious

If my friend decides to go ahead with the purchase, I will definitely be back with pics even if I have to pry this beauty from her hot, sweaty paws!

Or you could get her hooked on PS... Always room for more coloured stone lovers!

 

[jszweda]

Date: 2/26/2008 7:11:34 PM
Author:Sparkalicious
Does anyone know anything about GemResearch Swisslab (GRS)?

My friend is looking for a certified Pigeon''s Blood ruby and has found one certified by this lab. Is it a reputable one?

I don''t know much about colored stones yet so any information you are able to share would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

To support what others have said, they are in fact reputable. GRS and another lab in Lucerne is much less expensive than other US labs, and they are known around the globe. They are in the ranks with AGTA, GIA, etc. They aren''t as well known in the US as Europe, but well respected.

HTH
-joe

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 2/28/2008 6:13:07 PM
Author: pjean
Or you could get her hooked on PS... Always room for more coloured stone lovers!

Pjean - I know! I''ve been trying but she''s been witness to how addicted I have become and think that that has scared her a little.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 2/28/2008 7:02:06 PM
Author: jszweda
To support what others have said, they are in fact reputable. GRS and another lab in Lucerne is much less expensive than other US labs, and they are known around the globe. They are in the ranks with AGTA, GIA, etc. They aren''t as well known in the US as Europe, but well respected.

HTH
-joe

Joe -- Thanks for the response!! It is reassuring to know that this is a reputable, well-renowned lab. It''s interesting how labs have different levels of "popularity" so to speak in different parts of the world.

 

[jszweda]

Date: 2/28/2008 7:15:08 PM
Author: Sparkalicious

Date: 2/28/2008 7:02:06 PM
Author: jszweda
To support what others have said, they are in fact reputable. GRS and another lab in Lucerne is much less expensive than other US labs, and they are known around the globe. They are in the ranks with AGTA, GIA, etc. They aren''t as well known in the US as Europe, but well respected.

HTH
-joe

Joe -- Thanks for the response!! It is reassuring to know that this is a reputable, well-renowned lab. It''s interesting how labs have different levels of ''popularity'' so to speak in different parts of the world.

Here is the other one I was thinking of too. http://www.gubelinlab.com/

I have actually referenced images from GRS, that were referenced from another well known expert (who I think may have posted on here some time or another) with corundum in specific. If you want someone in Switzerland besides GRS, Gubelin Lab is very well known as well.

I have actually seen an lab report from there attached to an appraisal for a Harry Winston piece that had a 4 carat and change ruby in it. Both are reputable. The only thing is with those labs, they want payment in the form of a wire transfer and you have to make sure your paper work is right for customs to avoid issues in exporting and re-importing into the US.

If you had the lab report from either lab, anyone who appraises or deals in colored stones (and is familiar with either lab) will readily recognize it. If you live in the US, you''re most likely to hear about AGTA, GIA or AGL. In Europe, it''s more like GRS, Gubelin, EGL, etc. All are reputable. I also think that the price model for the European labs is more reasonable than other labs. They also use like methods in testing.

If you like GRS, go for it. If you want another Swiss Lab, try Gubelin. You could send it to the Tokyo Gem Lab in Japan if you wanted to. I believe that all are members of the LMHC (sp) also.

HTH
-joe

 

[Sparkalicious]

Wow! Thanks a lot for the information, Joe. That does indeed help!

The jeweler who has sourced the stone for my friend is in the US but, due to my naivete, re: colored gems, I wanted to ensure that the lab who graded the stone was as top notch as the stone is reported to be.

Given this info, providing my friend is ready to go forward, I''m sure that we are going to have it called in and go in to take a peek!