Apatite price?

[Maria L]

Hi all!

I came across this Apatite set on a 18k pendant with diamond over the weekend. Apatite with paraiba neon blue is on my wishlist and I like the setting.
I had done a lot of online research all saying Apatite with neon blue were rare and valuable. However when I did price research last night, I couldn't believe that many only cost as little as $10, still with nice colour and excellent clarity (heavily treated i think)! Only a few looked like zircons marked with higher prices.
The one I like is about $520usd, 0.8ct. The stone itself is transparent, looks frosted but does glow nicely.
Can you advise me the market price for Apatite please? The big difference between prices really confusing me.

 

[Bron357]

I’d pass.
The gem is small, cloudy and the setting light weight and bland for $520. Apatite is inexpensive.

 

[Maria L]

I’d pass.
The gem is small, cloudy and the setting light weight and bland for $520. Apatite is inexpensive.

Thanks so much

 

[fredflintstone]

Most blue Apatite is heated, though some from Madagascar is not. You have Paraiba blue to a Vietnam Cobalt blue Spinel color, the latter being mostly from Madagascar and is hard to find. There is also green Apatite that can be outstanding neon or can be a dull yellowish green. There is also purple Apatite, rare and yellow, violet, colorless and red. Brazil produces many colors.

A good blue Apatite over a carat will run anywhere from $50 to $100.00 a carat. The finest examples will run higher, that are larger sizes or very rare saturated colors.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Apatite is beautiful, but tends to be inexpensive because of its durability (or lack thereof). Not only is it a 5 hardness, but it's also quite brittle. Naturally, you don't have to worry much about that if set in a pendant or earrings. But if this material were harder and tougher, I think we'd see much higher pricing.

 

[Maria L]

Apatite is beautiful, but tends to be inexpensive because of its durability (or lack thereof). Not only is it a 5 hardness, but it's also quite brittle. Naturally, you don't have to worry much about that if set in a pendant or earrings. But if this material were harder and tougher, I think we'd see much higher pricing.

Thanks, I will give this pendant a pass. Think I may like to collect a loose stone with much lower price instead

 

[Maria L]

Most blue Apatite is heated, though some from Madagascar is not. You have Paraiba blue to a Vietnam Cobalt blue Spinel color, the latter being mostly from Madagascar and is hard to find. There is also green Apatite that can be outstanding neon or can be a dull yellowish green. There is also purple Apatite, rare and yellow, violet, colorless and red. Brazil produces many colors.

A good blue Apatite over a carat will run anywhere from $50 to $100.00 a carat. The finest examples will run higher, that are larger sizes or very rare saturated colors.

Thanks, I will give this pendant a pass. Think I may like to collect a loose stone with much lower price instead