Alexandrite Afghanistan gem seller

[TristanNgems]

Hello all I have been reading posts for the last few hours and decided to ask a question.

I am currently over in Afghanistan,I have previously bought stones with great results and appraisals.(tanzanite,and black diamonds) all being real.

Recently I have been searching for an alexandrite stone for an engagement ring. I have since moved bases now in Kandahar and have been going to a gem salesmen who gets pretty good quality stones. He had shown me a 4ct approx I believe alexandrite that someone had bought included was a Gia cert( I have read the article about Gia messing up an alexandrite appraisal) the stone was greenish gray and turned brownish. I had asked if he could find a better one smaller and he has been searching. Today I stopped by to check on the tanzanite ring I am making fir my lady.

He told me he found an alexandrite with green to red color change.he said it was extremely hard to find. he is not one to sell fakes. He said it would be 1200ct. he says it is 1.89ct and I have not seen it yet. My question is what lights/ methods should I buy or use to see if it's worth it/ real. He is reputable and many people have had high appraisals on other stones and diamonds for they are real. What do you think?

 

[chrono]

If GIA has made mistakes and other reputable and experienced vendors have made mistakes (untreated stone turned out to be synthetic), what do you think the odds are that he found you a natural green to red colour change alexandrite? Are there any reputable labs close by where you can get the alexandrite checked out? Unless you are skilled with identifying magnified inclusions, there is no way you can verify/self ID an alexandrite. Worse yet, flux grown synthetic alexandrite's flux can resemble inclusions in a natural alexandrite.
http://www.alexandrite.net/chapters/chapter7/index.html

 

[TristanNgems]

I would have to send it out to the states,do you think it is worth the risk? I know a woman who had found one out here and it appraised for 15k. I still have yet to see it but there is a gem expert out here I could have take a look at it,but he had said previously it was unlikely to find one above a half carat.

 

[chrono]

If you sent it to AGL/GIA/whatever lab and the result is something else, what recourse do you have? If none, then are you willing to risk several thousand dollars? Appraisals are generally inflated (feel-good) numbers and most appraisers are more versed with diamonds than coloured stones.

 

[LoversKites]

http://www.alexandrite.net/chapters/chapter7/index.html

Really interesting read.

 

[TristanNgems]

I'm thinking it may be more trouble and risk than it is worth

 

[Andelain]

he is not one to sell fakes.

If this is true, he's very much an anomoly over here. There are other stones with color change, and synthetics. I can tell you that a real Alex with that color change is worth more than that, and no Afghan vendor will sell you something he could get more for elsewhere.

 

[lambskin]

Alexandrites are really rare and there are a lot of synthetics -I would stay away from this one

 

[the_mother_thing]

Can you possibly give him a deposit for him to get it certified by AGL, with the understanding that you will buy it if it comes back favorable? Then again, that may not bode well for locals & their customs ... Not sure.

 

[TristanNgems]

Thank you so much all. I'm thinking I should just pass.

 

[Andelain]

Thank you so much all. I'm thinking I should just pass.

Wise choice.

 

[minousbijoux]

Thank you so much all. I'm thinking I should just pass.

Wise choice.

+1