shape
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color
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My paraiba pendant

icy_jade

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May 1, 2009
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I’ve been lusting over all the gorgeous paraiba’s in this thread (https://www.pricescope.com/communit...a-or-copper-bearing-tourmaline-thread.214585/) and haven’t seen anything in person that I love so I finally took my search online and unexpected fell in love with a listing with really bad overexposed pics that looks like this:

E38D4B31-4ACC-4929-AE35-9816ABBFA9F0.jpeg

Typically I wouldn’t go for listings with this type of pics but somehow I just couldn’t stop thinking of it so I figured wth I’ll just ask the seller to send me more pics. Unexpectedly, the seller said no additional pics though he (could be she I don’t know) did say that it’s a neon paraiba with bright color. So normally at this stage most people will walk away right? But again I couldn’t stop thinking about it and kept returning to the listing.

All well and good until one day I couldn’t find the listing (auction ended) and I was devastated. Luckily after a search I found the re-listing but at that point I knew I just had to take the chance since return is possible (though I’ll take a hit on the shipment cost and import taxes). I mean, I couldn’t imagine if it was really sold and how upset I will be so heck take a leap of faith ya?

Luckily when it finally arrived (took 5 days but felt like forever) and I liked it immediately. I was still doubtful and was wondering if it’s glowy cos how am I supposed to know what a glow is right? Plus it didn’t help that I opened the package when the sun had set and my house is full of warm lighting...

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But I thought it is glowy and as an added bonus, the pendant actually came with an official looking certification from Central Gem Laboratory in Japan (does anyone know if this lab is reliable?) that the seller never mentioned in the posting nor when I asked for more info. Unfortunately it was in Japanese!!! So I asked for help with the translation that some of you may have seen and both @missyminx and @mockturtle was kind enough to help. And the cert says it’s a natural tourmaline, copper bearing and called Paraiba tourmaline based on original mining location (think is the standard cert wording) but did not specify origin. I’m guessing Africa but I’m fine with that.

Link to the translation thread if anyone is interested: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/any-ps-er-who-can-help-with-cert-in-japanese.243433/
 

icy_jade

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Ok and then when I finally saw it under natural lighting today I fell in love. It is glowy! Also super included and has a window which I thought I’ll mind but I actually love it enough to overlook them.

But yeah, here’s my new (preloved) 3.176 ct paraiba pendant set with 0.81 ct diamonds in platinum.

C94CB54C-680E-4D3D-90B1-AB6BE6079C89.jpeg
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lilmosun

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I am falling in love with it too...it's beautiful and I'm jealous. Congratulations!
 

lovedogs

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Love it!!!! Congrats on finding such a glowy one... That's what makes paraiba so special imho.
 

blingbunny10

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Love it. What a great find!
 

Burmesedaze

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Very nice. Window isn't obvious but most paraibas and cuprians I've seen aren't. I don't think you need another lab memo but that's up to you :) The Jp sellers by the by are pretty honest and proud. Besides, Jp is one of the largest buyers of paraibas and other rare stones.

Strong colour and saturation. It's the clear and clean ones that are more dodge and need checks imho.
 
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Burmesedaze

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*I've seen aren't precision/nicely cut.
 

Acinom

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What a great find!!! It is truly stunning. What a rich colour and glow. You have made some great decisions. Please share a lot more pics
 

Bluegemz

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Gorgeous Paraiba, gorgeous pendant. Congratulations!
 

lovedogs

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Also, where did you find it? eBay? I love finding new sellers to "watch" online :)
 

peacechick

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Icy, this is beautiful! What a wonderful, glowy paraiba and at a glorious 3 cts, what’s a small window, right? You were right to follow your instincts on this one! So do I need to start stalking Japanese sellers for possible paraiba finds?
 

Arcadian

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:appl::love::love::love::love::love: Its beautiful! wear in great health!
 

Lovinggems

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Wow it’s beautiful and glowy, great find! I love how it’s framed with a substantial sparkling diamonds. :love::love::love:
 

dk168

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Gorgeous, thanks for sharing!

DK :love:
 

Crystal_Dreams

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Omg this is stunning!! I am so tempted to set my own in a similar setting haha

I’ve been waffling over what to do with mine (ring vs pendant) for AGES. I was leaning towards ring because then I can SEE it, but this has me back towards pendant! Love it!
 

Lisa Loves Shiny

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Beautiful shade of blue and the glow is mesmerizing! :appl:
 

icy_jade

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I am falling in love with it too...it's beautiful and I'm jealous. Congratulations!
Love it!!!! Congrats on finding such a glowy one... That's what makes paraiba so special imho.
Love it. What a great find!
Gorgeous Paraiba, gorgeous pendant. Congratulations!
:appl::love::love::love::love::love: Its beautiful! wear in great health!
It's lovely!
Gorgeous, thanks for sharing!
DK :love:
Beautiful shade of blue and the glow is mesmerizing! :appl:

Thank you all of you. It was a nerve wrecking buy but am so thankful I took the chance. The glow is mesmerizing... I bet it’s not going to get much ‘love’ irl so it’s always so nice to have fellow CS lovers appreciate my latest “babies”. Heh. :P2:mrgreen2::kiss2:
 

icy_jade

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Very nice. Window isn't obvious but most paraibas and cuprians I've seen aren't. I don't think you need another lab memo but that's up to you :) The Jp sellers by the by are pretty honest and proud. Besides, Jp is one of the largest buyers of paraibas and other rare stones.

Strong colour and saturation. It's the clear and clean ones that are more dodge and need checks imho.

Oh you also think so? @mockturtle also didn’t think another cert is needed. Didn’t know Japan buys lotsa paraibas. Maybe that’s why so many of the preloved ones I saw on eBay are from Japan.

Can u tell me that I did well so that I can feel like I “passed”? Haha.
 

Burmesedaze

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Oh you also think so? @mockturtle also didn’t think another cert is needed. Didn’t know Japan buys lotsa paraibas. Maybe that’s why so many of the preloved ones I saw on eBay are from Japan.

Can u tell me that I did well so that I can feel like I “passed”? Haha.

I really don't think so. Unless you are seeking origin?

Hah you did very well! That depends on the price too ;-)
 

icy_jade

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Also, where did you find it? eBay? I love finding new sellers to "watch" online :)

Icy, this is beautiful! What a wonderful, glowy paraiba and at a glorious 3 cts, what’s a small window, right? You were right to follow your instincts on this one! So do I need to start stalking Japanese sellers for possible paraiba finds?

It is hard to find larger stones indeed. I wanted an at least 2-3 ct stone and this absolutely ticked the box for size.

I was also considering this pendant from the same seller:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Authentic-...415887?hash=item285f0d8ecf:g:OqMAAOSw5QlbPFkr

Which seems to also have the ‘glow’ and no green tones (which means higher value? I don’t know). But really the vendor has pretty rubbish pics and doesn’t provide more pics so if anyone wants to buy pls note this is not a straight up recommendation k? Just for consideration only.
 

qubitasaurus

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Wow that is sureal. I thought the original vendor photos looked over-exposed and a bit too good to be true. But in real life it turned out to be everything the vendor promised and more -- amazing :appl:.
 

icy_jade

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I really don't think so. Unless you are seeking origin?

I’m assuming it’s Mozambique or anyway not from Brazil coz if it was then it would have been advertised as such right? I also did some reading and apparently most of the Brazilian paraibas are small so I’m doubtful mine is a Brazilian. Anyway am not fussed coz what I’m after is a glowy stone, not a Brazilian one.

So ok I won’t go and get another cert then.

Hah you did very well! That depends on the price too ;-)

Heh ok at least pass from the stone perspective right?

Mine costs about the same as what the other pendant I posted costs. So we are talking like approx USD 1k/ct and a few hundred dollars for the setting? I did try to benchmark against brand new stones but prices are all over the place so I gave up after a while. Is that considered pricey since it’s preloved and all?
 

Seaglow

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Lovely pendant! It inspired me to set one of my bigger paraibas as a pendant. :)
 

icy_jade

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Not gonna lie. I’m a little bit jealous. Ok, who am I kidding? I’m totally jealous! It’s absolutely stunning!!! :love: Like wipe the drool off my keyboard stunning! What a great score!

Thank you! Your comment made me smile heh. Happy...

Wow it’s beautiful and glowy, great find! I love how it’s framed with a substantial sparkling diamonds. :love::love::love:

Me too! I think the setting itself costs a fair bit and I really love how substantial the halo is and probably one reason why I fell for this in the first place. It’s really hard to find stones in settings that i love. The diamonds are really white too.

Omg this is stunning!! I am so tempted to set my own in a similar setting haha

I’ve been waffling over what to do with mine (ring vs pendant) for AGES. I was leaning towards ring because then I can SEE it, but this has me back towards pendant! Love it!

Can you do a convertible pendant/ring? I’m doing that for my topaz and can share when it’s done. I don’t wear rings that often so I prefer pendants although I don’t really get to see the stones. Convertible pendant/ring gives the best of both worlds imo.

Wow that is sureal. I thought the original vendor photos looked over-exposed and a bit too good to be true. But in real life it turned out to be everything the vendor promised and more -- amazing :appl:.

IKR. I feel like I got lucky with this one, even with the window that i’d suspected the overexposed pics were hiding.
 

icy_jade

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Lovely pendant! It inspired me to set one of my bigger paraibas as a pendant. :)

Oh pls do share lots of pics of your paraibas.:love:
Or is there already a thread where I can go and admire them?

What a great find!!! It is truly stunning. What a rich colour and glow. You have made some great decisions. Please share a lot more pics

Thank you! Just a few more heh. It’s on my neck so I don’t see myself taking lots more pics but here’s one in the car when the sunlight was strong and a few more from yesterday.

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icy_jade

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May 1, 2009
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@icy_jade

I have a confession! I went to your link, browsed around and really liked these!

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Authent...pphire-earrings-270-002-850-0749/173292277275

But Pink Bandit said to save money and when bonus comes in he'll buy me better pink danglies!

@Burmesedaze I take it you agree with Pink Bandit?

If PB says that then I’ll go with what he says. Or Wriston is in HK now and he could help you look... :twisted2:

It’s fun to browse right? I just get a bit frustrated with the lack of descriptions and bad pics.
 

mockturtle

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Apr 13, 2017
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54
I may be a bit biased because I’m originally from Japan and my sister was in jewelry business there, I tend to trust Japanese vendors.
But yes, Japanese people love paraibas and padparadschas and are very snobby about color and clarity when it comes to diamonds.

Anyway, I can’t get enough of seeing pictures of your beautiful glowy pendant!
 
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