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Mum’s thoughtful gift a horrible mistake?

Aino

Shiny_Rock
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7D762ED5-534A-494A-A51A-FB264BDEC57D.jpeg D0C6F027-E941-4DA2-B66B-803302F079C1.jpeg ED904EB3-CD1C-48A9-B66A-489072DB89A4.jpeg 49B69F09-2F3B-4FD9-845D-A5716934053D.jpeg 9B0EFE7E-A792-4FC4-855F-AA4DD14BB13E.jpeg 4E638C17-8510-4E11-80D2-C049433905DB.jpeg 6A63CF9F-B4A4-4531-89D9-4DDF7A4A819E.jpeg A377A3DC-5EE9-4E4A-90C1-906BC0B6C59A.jpeg 240C0768-C0C6-433E-8BF0-EF1D519B527C.jpeg My mum is an amazing human being but now I’m afraid that someone has screwed her over, big time. A few days ago my mum surprised me and gifted me some jewellery that she had bought from her trip abroad about 10 years ago. She had bought them thinking of me, our family has no heirloom pieces and she thought she could buy some gemstone pieces to pass on to her daughter one day. What an incredible mama! However, when I heard the country she had bought these pieces from: Turkey, my heart started beating a bit faster and a terrible feeling of doubt started creeping up on me. Had someone ripped my dear mother off?

So... There is one ring with a center emerald and a ruby. The ring can be flipped so you can either show just red or green. Two little diamonds (test at least positive but are SI-I quality) are on both sides of each stone. The necklace is the same story, emerald and ruby with little diamond side stones. The jewelry comes with dodgy looking “certificates”, are quite poorly done in 14k white gold and the stones do not look great even to me and I don’t know much about gemstones. They are pretty though, I could imagine wearing the necklace and taking the ring apart to make two rings out of it.

My question is: is it worth taking these pieces to a gemologist to ask about the quality of the stones? I’ve already contacted one and received a quote that sounds fair. I just don’t know if it makes sense to throw any more money at these pieces, or just cut our losses and treat them as costume jewelry pretty much. I looked at some guidelines online how to distinguish fake rubies and emeralds from real ones and these appear to have some typical signs of filling. E.g bubbles. I feel absolutely terrible for my beloved mother. She had all the best intentions but these pieces simply don’t appear to be worth the thousands she paid for them. I’ll wear them and love them but I feel she also needs some kind of closure if these are pretty much worthless or not. She has had doubts over these ever since her trip and has kept the jewelry secret from me all this time. Now since I’m more into jewelry and diamonds, she thought it’s time to give them to me and face the truth.

Fortunately all this was about 10 years ago, so if these turn out be be utter shite, it won’t really affect her.

I’ve taken some pictures through a loupe. I tried to capture what I saw as signs of filling. Do you reckon, based on these images, that it’s clear that these stones are worthless or is there a chance that it wasn’t a total scam and I should take them to a gemologist?

Big thanks to everyone for help!
 

fenestrate

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The emerald cut ruby is likely a synthetic

The oval ruby likely glass-filled

The emeralds are low quality and highly included and likely to be heavily resined/oiled as well.

The question is how much did your mother pay for them.

I think I would not bother with an appraisal; and I’d strongly urge your mother never to buy any more jewelry (without you present) but that said, I would not tell her that what she bought was a rip-off, as I don’t think that will do any good at this point. She bought it with the best of intentions so if you can, wear that sentiment when you look at the jewelry, as likely you would incur a vast loss and a negligible sum if selling.

Sorry this happened, try not to dwell on it, hard as I know that will be, and just concentrate on all the goodwill and heart and thoughts of you that went into her purchase.

One possibility to help you feel a bit better might be to discreetly enquire as to the name of the vendor (if it is not on the ‘certificates’), and leave a stinking yelp or other review.
 

Aino

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Thank you very much for your honest reply @fenestrate . I believe, she must known on some level that she lost thousands soon after that trip so this kind of closure is good, we both can move on and I will cherish these jewelry pieces regardless. She told me that they were taken on a tour to a fabulous jewelry factory and people got all hyped up and dazzled by all the glorious bling. After the trip though, she didn't feel great about the purchase and she kind of went "out of sight, out of mind" and took the jewelry to her bank deposit box. Now she said, she doesn't really care anymore - those thousands were lost years ago and it doesn't have an effect on her today financially (she is a very positive person). But she has definitely learnt a lesson.

Thanks again, I'll wear the necklace to a wedding we have in couple of weeks :))
 

mrs-b

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Please get them appraised. The emerald cut ruby looks like colored glass to me. But the other ruby does not. I don't see any indications of the emeralds being synthetic. My main concern would be with the style of both pieces. Can you please take some photos from a greater distance, so we can get a better idea of what you mean about the setting?

From what you've said, it would probably be better having them made into individual pieces; on what I think is the ring, for instance, I can see the ruby color showing through the emerald, making it murky looking.

And if there's any chance of these being genuine - and I think probably the emeralds are, if not the rubies - you need to know so they can be treated accordingly. Apart from anything else, the emerald cut ruby may in fact be either a ruby or a spinel - both still worth hard dollars and worth treating as quality items.

I think getting these pieces valued would be a mark of respect, which is a good idea when talking about a gift intended as an heirloom. But again - find out what you've got, and re-set accordingly; even a cheap setting would show off these stones in a more flattering way; that double-sided thing is doing the gems no favors at all and makes for a very lumpy setting.
 

fenestrate

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That’s a lovely way to look at it Aino. Sounds like you have a wonderful, positive outlook like your mother.

We all - literally all of us - have that object we overpaid for on holiday in the heat of the moment - it’s not ideal but mixed in are some pleasant memories of the time and place and hopefully, with the passage of enough time, a rueful chuckle and a good tale to tell!
 

fenestrate

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Respectfully to Mrs-B, but I believe resetting these stones will be throwing good money after bad. And, in this particular case, that same would apply to an appraisal, too.

I further suspect the emerald cut ruby to not even be synthetic as previously stated but in fact simply glass. Apart from the deeply unlikely clarity, and the fact that were it real, a flawless pigeons-blood ruby doesn’t ‘fit’ into the lineup of 14k, low quality emeralds and a glass-filled ruby, abrasions along the facet junction ought’nt be there for a pristine gem.
 
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PreRaphaelite

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The sweet gesture is the most important thing. Returning the gesture back in a way that makes Mum happy is the kindest thing you can do now. You could have a replica made in quality gems someday if that appeals, but otherwise I’d suggest telling her a little fib: that you’d had *one* of them appraised (whichever one you sorta kinda like) and it came back as a lovely (whatever gem it was sold as) and you love it!

Wear that one piece whenever you see Mum socially and offer to ‘share the wealth’ as it were, in order to rehome the other pieces as gifts to her friends or other family members.... or other people’s grandchildren etc.

Mum already senses that she took a loss on the jewellery, so let that be the only loss she suffers. Salvaging her feelings by keeping one of them would be a kindness to her. <3
 

Winterinaustralia

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I don’t know about the jewellery, but you have an awesome mum; worth way more than a big fat ruby or emerald! I have to say I am envious of that!
So sorry she got swindled (maybe) but show her this thread about how much she means to you and maybe the lost dollars might even be worth it, I know I’d be very proud if my daughter said these things about me. Good luck whatever you decide:wink2:
 

bludiva

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There are some jewelers who will give you a free or low cost informal appraisal...there's one local to me who will examine up to 5 pieces for $50. Maybe that's a way to get some of the answers you are looking for without having to spend a lot on formal appraisals.

In any case I think your idea of wearing the piece when you see you mum next at thay wedding is a lovely one. To the extent that you can feel good about wearing thebpieces and she sees you enjoying them, i think that will make her feel better about the whole thing too. :kiss2:
 

qubitasaurus

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I would definitely get them appraised, they've been kept for years specially for you. The highly magnified images are making the inclusions look extreme -- when in reality they're probably typical for emeralds. Do you have more zoomed out photos?

Unfortunately I suspect the emerald cut is synthetic, maybe not glass as it hasn't abraded much, but it looks to good to be true. The rest may not be worth a tone, but I'd consider checking it out anyway, then I would follow insecuresweetgirl's suggestion. I don't think there is any danger of your mum trying to shop for jewelry again.
 

MissyBeaucoup

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I think @bludiva is right. If you have a local certified jeweler you do business with, they can probably give you a general idea along the lines of, “which of these is worth having reset?” Not every jeweler knows colored stones well, but you may not need to send them off for full appraisals. If it’s in the context of possible work for them, they might just tell you what you’ve got.

I agree with @mrs-b that it’s a sign of respect to your mom and gratitude to at least check on the value. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a happy surprise that set your mom at peace? In any case, you have a mom who’s a gem!

PS We’d love to see some more hand shots and pictures of the settings. They’re sentimental pieces and deserve to be celebrated!
 

seaurchin

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Aino, you know your mother best of course but when I read through this thread, it occurred to me that wearing the jewelry in front of your mother might just remind her of the whole mess rather than make her feel better. Just a thought, for what it's worth.
 

icy_jade

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I think @bludiva is right. If you have a local certified jeweler you do business with, they can probably give you a general idea along the lines of, “which of these is worth having reset?” Not every jeweler knows colored stones well, but you may not need to send them off for full appraisals. If it’s in the context of possible work for them, they might just tell you what you’ve got.

I agree with @mrs-b that it’s a sign of respect to your mom and gratitude to at least check on the value. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a happy surprise that set your mom at peace? In any case, you have a mom who’s a gem!

PS We’d love to see some more hand shots and pictures of the settings. They’re sentimental pieces and deserve to be celebrated!

Agree... I’ll want to at least give it a try and maybe test one or two of the most hopeful pieces or bring to a regular jeweller if you have one. At worst they are worth nothing, which is what you may already be assuming anyway. At best they are worth something, and it’ll be so great if you can tell your mum that.
 

mdi

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I'm sorry, I don't have anything productive to contribute to this thread, but I needed to tell you that your Shiba is gorgeous--and such good taste too: Marimekko!
 

cmd2014

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I think a lot of people have gone on holiday and bought jewelry that they later come to regret (or at least, come to find out might not be what they thought it was). I know I have. The pieces are pretty regardless of what they turn out to be, and the thought behind them is priceless. If it wasn't too much money, I would probably have them appraised just so you know for sure what it is that you have. Then you can decide what to do with them.
 

partgypsy

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I want to give you a heads up that many regular jewelers do not know much about the various gemstones. They will be able to tell you whether the diamonds are real or not, but not about what kind of gemstone, treatments, value of the stone. They are not being paid and you are getting what you paid for. If I was me, if you were curious, send off the two rubies for appraisal. The emeralds are not worth getting evaluated. They look natural but not of high enough quality that they would be worth anything even if treatment-free.
I am still mad for your Mom that I do feel that she was taken advantage of, either in the quality of the stones, or in the case of the rectangular 'ruby" if it is even a ruby. I wish we could have consequences for the jeweler if he sold something not as advertised.
 
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