TANZANITE - selling back to jeweler/wholesaler ??

[dvldvl]

I know the age old adage - how long is a peice of string, but just say for a well cut / good tanzanite stone in the 3-5 carat range what is the going market rate that wholesalers/jewelers will buy from you ?

Is the retail value still around $1000 pct? so im asuming they wont buy it back for more than about $500-$600 ??

Thanks

p./s it wont be sold to the store it was originally from,.

 

[valeria101]

Unless the piece is so outrageously fine as to be hard to find a match for (i.e. one piece for which usual prices have limited relevance), I would be surprised not to find some around $500/ct - and I am not a jeweler, so this would be retail all the way.

Sure enough, if the Tanz is a component of some nice piece of jewelry preferably with a recognizable hallmark on the back, the high price you have paid would start sounding better and perhaps the prospects to recoup it too.

My 2c

... hope I am wrong with this one

 

[PrecisionGem]

Selling a stone to a jeweler is a difficult thing, unless they are in current need of the stone, or you catch them at just the right time, or you are offering a deal to go to pass up. THen there is also the trust element. If you come walking in off the street, with only one stone... and your not a known dealer, or a cutter, this may cause the jeweler (with good reason) to raise a suspecious eyebrow as to the authenticity of the stone. One of the local Buffalo jewelers I deal with does buy goods from people, but at very very low prices. Or he may take something in on trade, which is his retail price for your less than wholesale.

The impression that the gem shopping channels like to give off is that you can buy a mixed parcel, or some other stone from them, that they claim is appraised at $1000, for which they charged you $475, and any jeweler will gladly give $900 for it. This just isn''t EVER going to happen.

Best bet is to keep the stone.

 

[dvldvl]

thanks for the replies.

the stone is not actually on a ring, it is loose and just been cut from raw.

I saw another post on here from a guy with a nice 20 carat deep blue and people were saying would sell for 1-$2,000 per c.


what im really saying is - if i can get nice A+ stones small and large, cut very well, will i be able to sell them to the wholesalers or retailers for around $500 $600 ?


I thought distributors were crying out of the stuff and its difficult to get hold of ?? Is this not true ??

Also what size is most easily sold - 3-5ct or the big 10+ weights ?

Do you guys know any distributors or places that buy in bulk ? say $100-$200k worth of stones at a time ?

all info and advice appreciated, thanks

 

[colorchange]

There is a very clear market price for tanzanite (I mean fine D-Block, but not "extra-fine", over 3Ct with no limit, a 100Ct tanzanite beeing not rare and not claiming premium pCt price) that is around $300+/Ct in Bangkok wholesale ; I''m sometimes buying some tanzanite, that is a readily avaible gem (if I''m looking for one special cut and size it won''t be long to locate one). Extra fine may go up to $450-500.
Now, such may appraise for $2000 or $3000 pct but that is not a wholesale price.

Your problem is also that since tanzanite is readily avaible, it will be hard to convince a wholesaler to buy from you rather than from usual channels.

You may try to sell over "my" wholesale as when I''m selling to jewellers I make some margin of course to jewellers but you may have a hard time for this.

 

[PrecisionGem]

I didn''t check the prices, but in Tucson this year, there were piles and piles of tanzanite everywhere, especially in the smaller sizes.

 

[colorchange]

Yes... I really feel that for some reason many wholesalers are liquidating their stock...

 

[MJO]

Date: 3/10/2006 9:38:14 AM
Author: colorchange
Yes... I really feel that for some reason many wholesalers are liquidating their stock...

I feel you are right. I beleive tanzanite is loosing ground in the retail market since it isn''t being promoted as much. I beleive colors are moving more from the blue to the reds. Just my gut though, no real proof.

Regards,
Maurice

 

[colorchange]

You are right.
Traduitionnaly, tanzanite should be a best cornflower blue and violet-red dichroism was hiden by cut, now the more violet seems the better...
Anyway, price is sseverely down, I feel, just look at the cherrypicked prices : usually they are retail valeu andd seriously expensive, tanzanites there are not really expensive, there is a very fine 80 Ct blue at $500/Ct (means the seller is getting $350 for him).

I must say that I personnaly sold every tanzanite I had 6 monthes ago now buying only on request.

If prices are down to $200 I will incitate jewellers to offer some as the color is very much in the French taste.

 

[colorchange]

Date: 3/9/2006 9:34:12 AM
Author: dvldvl
thanks for the replies.

the stone is not actually on a ring, it is loose and just been cut from raw.

I saw another post on here from a guy with a nice 20 carat deep blue and people were saying would sell for 1-$2,000 per c.


what im really saying is - if i can get nice A+ stones small and large, cut very well, will i be able to sell them to the wholesalers or retailers for around $500 $600 ?


I thought distributors were crying out of the stuff and its difficult to get hold of ?? Is this not true ??

Also what size is most easily sold - 3-5ct or the big 10+ weights ?

Do you guys know any distributors or places that buy in bulk ? say $100-$200k worth of stones at a time ?

all info and advice appreciated, thanks

The most easy to sell in Tanzanite will be those that mount well into pendant. 3-5 Ct will sell very well of course.
Very few wholesalers are buying that amount at a time except if prices are "outstanding".

About selling a 20Ct deep blue $1000/Ct il will be seriously hard !

That anybody be crying out for stuff is a big lie, it would take me 2 weeks or so to get a tanzanite of the size, cut and color wanted not even going to Bangkok.

 

[MJO]

Date: 3/10/2006 11:57:50 AM
Author: colorchange
You are right.
Traduitionnaly, tanzanite should be a best cornflower blue and violet-red dichroism was hiden by cut, now the more violet seems the better...
Anyway, price is sseverely down, I feel, just look at the cherrypicked prices : usually they are retail valeu andd seriously expensive, tanzanites there are not really expensive, there is a very fine 80 Ct blue at $500/Ct (means the seller is getting $350 for him).

I must say that I personnaly sold every tanzanite I had 6 monthes ago now buying only on request.

If prices are down to $200 I will incitate jewellers to offer some as the color is very much in the French taste.

Hello Colorchange,

You were right and I was wrong. I thought that Tanzanite One controlling the supply would raise the price higher. It seems it has done the opposite since distributors that once carried alot of tanzanite no longer do. Since they don't carry as much they don't push it as much. There must be a much bigger advertising push to get it moving again.

Regards,
Maurice

 

[dvldvl]

do you guys know what the average price of tanzanite was at the tuscon show?

a jeweler i spoke to and tried to sell some stones - said around $285-$325 per carat with the most expensive stone a very high quality at $350pct.

another person i asked said the prices were around $380 at the tuscon - so im not sure who to believe..

do any of you know the exact prices ?? thanks

 

[MJO]

Date: 3/11/2006 9:10:59 AM
Author: dvldvl
do you guys know what the average price of tanzanite was at the tuscon show?

a jeweler i spoke to and tried to sell some stones - said around $285-$325 per carat with the most expensive stone a very high quality at $350pct.

another person i asked said the prices were around $380 at the tuscon - so im not sure who to believe..

do any of you know the exact prices ?? thanks

From what I have heard AAA grade was going for $350-$450/ct

 

[colorchange]

In any kind of show there are several prices, typically the "first offer" price and the "after some negocation" price.

I''m personnaly do almost only sapphires and rubies (and some spinels to) but will buy some tanzanite on request.

My feeling is that prices are down basicaly because there is not a high demand in Tanzanite and it beeing completely interchangeable jewellers won''t like to offer some (price will be compared easyly).

 

[daniil]

Hi everybody, interesting thread. I have a somewhat related question. I saw some green tanzanites in books and color seem to be very nice. I have not seen any in real life. I saw one at Multicolour few months back and it was something like $2000/ct. I was wondering how rare these green tanzanites really are. are they not around because there is no demand or is it really a rare stone and that''s why the price was pretty high? If anyone saw these green tanzanites how good does the color gets? where would be a good place to search for green tanzanite? what do you think is a fair price for them?

Thanks, Daniil.

 

[colorchange]

I have heard that those "green tanzanite" (tanzanite is "blue zoisite" so you should rather call that "green zoisite") are tanzanites before heating and basicaly worth what they are expected to worth once heated, so less than top blue of course... but I doubt it is completely true.

Anyway, green tanzanite is worth less than blue in usual colors.

 

[MJO]

Date: 3/15/2006 3:12:57 AM
Author: colorchange
I have heard that those ''green tanzanite'' (tanzanite is ''blue zoisite'' so you should rather call that ''green zoisite'') are tanzanites before heating and basicaly worth what they are expected to worth once heated, so less than top blue of course... but I doubt it is completely true.

Anyway, green tanzanite is worth less than blue in usual colors.

Hi CC,

The green tanzanites are rare, especially the ones with chrome. Most tanzanites that create the blue/purple/violet color start off as rootbeer color. The greens are concidered collectors peices and as such there is no real price on them. They are whatever a collector is willing to pay. I have one 7ct heart in my collection. It isn''t beautiful but is different. The pink tanzanites are the rarest as far as I know.

Regards,
Maurice

 

[daniil]

Thanks a lot for the info. given my budget I will likely be able to afford a stone around 1ct. I''m guessing that smaller stones in good color are easier to find than larger stones. I saved a picture from Multicolour. what do you think of the color? is that as green as it gets or you''ve seen better color for green zoisite?

Thanks a lot for your help, Daniil.

 

[MJO]

That is the color of my stone. I fortunately bought mine a few years ago for $200/ct when it was first found and nobody wanted that color. There is a picture of it in this thread.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/green-tanzanite.27572/=

Regards,
Maurice

 

[valeria101]

Date: 3/14/2006 8:03:31 PM
Author: daniil

I saw some green tanzanites in books and color seem to be very nice. I have not seen any in real life. I saw one at Multicolour few months back and it was something like $2000/ct. I was wondering how rare these green tanzanites really are.

Quite unusual, and although I saw the first one years ago, didn't keep track of prices. All that I have seen in person were small - one carat or whereabouts. Some cold grayish green, some yellowish like this. All with the same strong variation of color from top to sides as the one in the picture.

Speaking of Multicolor: there's some yellow and pink small bits, and at least the pink was news to me. I would not expect these non-blue tanzanites to knock my sicks off with beauty - the colors are cute, but not competing with the traditional choices. If you wanted one, it would a (delightful) curiosity and nothing more, IMO.


You may find smaller green zoisite for less than that. Being a 'collection' item, every shop will ask as much as they believe their clinets are going to pay, and there doesn't seem to be such huge demand for these stones for all the good ones to change hands all the way up to the high end.


E.g this bit

My 2c

 

[partgypsy]

OK, if tanzanite prices are down, where is a good place to buy a one (good quality & price)? My daughter is a December baby and always wanted to buy a tanzanite, to make into a pendant for me that I could pass down to her, in the 1-1.5 carat size.
Any suggestions?

 

[MJO]

Date: 3/21/2006 1:02:37 PM
Author: part gypsy
OK, if tanzanite prices are down, where is a good place to buy a one (good quality & price)? My daughter is a December baby and always wanted to buy a tanzanite, to make into a pendant for me that I could pass down to her, in the 1-1.5 carat size.
Any suggestions?

Hi Part Gypsy,

The problem is to find a AAA+ stone that small. Tanzanite ussually needs mass (5cts or so) to build up the color saturation and tone. Finding a stone 1 - 1.5cts like that is very difficult. If you want larger stones for $450 - $500/ct I can tell you where to go. I even had a freind that needed to raise some money sell a 15ct for $350/ct.

Regards,
Maurice

 

[partgypsy]

Thanks for the info Maurice. I would love to have a larger piece, but am looking for something more affordable.

 

[valeria101]

True enough - it looks like fine tanzanite is harder to find small than large, and the price per carat goes slightly up for the smaller sizes... oddly enough.


All it takes is one stone, right?

You may find a couple of nicely cut smaller tanzanites HERE


Customgemstones makes a habit of smaller, nice and nicely cut colored stones. Tanzanite is not usually on their list, but it is always worth asking what could be had on order, as far as I know.


Allen Brown's All That Glitters, of course. Maybe there's nothing suitable in stock... but I wouldn't be surprised if they had just the thing.


And one more place to click into, where this pear comes from:

These guys also complain about the scarcity of small, fine color tanzanite, but who isn't. It may take a bit of hunt, but that may turn out interesting in its own right after all.


Best of luck!

 

[colorchange]

Date: 3/22/2006 3:27:29 PM
Author: part gypsy
Thanks for the info Maurice. I would love to have a larger piece, but am looking for something more affordable.

I know it will look strange but... look on ebay. For a tanzanite it''s just not bad at all.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 3/24/2006 2:50:56 AM
Author: colorchange

Date: 3/22/2006 3:27:29 PM
Author: part gypsy
Thanks for the info Maurice. I would love to have a larger piece, but am looking for something more affordable.

I know it will look strange but... look on ebay. For a tanzanite it''s just not bad at all.

At least some corners of it.. sure.

Maybe this? LINK (another MJO ref, btw).


e.g. from down that link: 1.15cts, 6mm cushion, $575. OK, don''t know what to make of the picture aside the nice shape and cut. The description is very flattering, but then, how else. This one comes along with an impressive line up of tanzanite.

If further refference confirms the return policy

 

[movie zombie]

I can vouch for judi on eBay...i haven''t rec''d the stones yet but she is great to work with.

movie zombie

 

[MJO]

Hello All,

I can personally vouch for Judi. I have been dealing with her for years. She does have very good tanzanites (and so does Paraibainternationa)l. I have been buying from her for so long She sends things to me all the time on approval. If I like it I pay for it, if not I send it back.

MZ you still didn''t receive the laboradite from her?

Regards,
Maurice

 

[movie zombie]

no. 2nd check i mailed her on march 17 has yet to arrive in florida! i called her last night and had a long chat with her....she''d just hung up from talking with you! nice woman. hopefully, the check will arrive today so all three stones can be mailed. thus far i have to trilliants and an oval coming.

movie zombie

 

[partgypsy]

Thanks for the links! Very fun.
I have looked on ACS stones and Africa gems, but not the others. The piece I like best is the 2.68 carat pear tanzanite on ACS website, but more than I wanted to spend. Second best the small pieces on ebay (to me) look like very nice saturation of color, and in cuts don''t come up as often.
However, the africa gems pieces are very affordable. Decisions decisions! I guess I need to decide if I want it more as a fun memento, or something that''s a collectable level quality.