Best deal you've ever got??

[psproot12]

This is a topic dedicated to your best buys, not necessarily the best stones but the best stones for the money, it's all about price per carat for the nicest piece possible OR just a complete bargain.

This is my complete bargain:

This piece isn't exactly drop dead gorgeous, or even nice but for $2.27 (free shipping) can you really complain?? I bought it from Centergemstone on ebay, they still have some great bargains. I bought this while I was still in university and at this time I didn't know the difference between a ruby and sapphire, but I knew a star looked cool and for under $3, I decided to pick it up.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_ssn=centergemstone&_sop=3


VIDEO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-pzCZ-_rmk&feature=youtu.be

1.12 ct black star sapphire cabochon (looks much better in the video than the picture)

I want to see your best deals!!

 

[chrono]

There are many incredible bargain hunters in CS and sadly, I am not one of them. I get good buys but I am nowhere close to many of them who are able to snag amazing looking gems for practically pittance. I do not feel comfortable sharing the price I paid for the higher value items so I will only share those that I love best under $500. I also think it is a little unfair of me to post some of these because I purchased them before the major price increases happened. As I said earlier, these are good deals but not great deals.

1 ct round chunky/antique cut unheated blue sapphire with AIGS brief for $300.
3.7 ct trilliant chrysoberyl for $500
4 cttw rounds and oval sphene for under $150 to make a complete earring and pendant suite

 

[LoversKites]

I got a demantoid of just under 1ct for $20, I think it was a good deal as it's precision cut and pretty imo

 

[psproot12]

1 ct round chunky/antique cut unheated blue sapphire with AIGS brief for $300.
3.7 ct trilliant chrysoberyl for $500
4 cttw rounds and oval sphene for under $150 to make a complete earring and pendant suite

Don't cut yourself short, those are some nice deals! The color of the sapphire is excellent and the trillion cut chrysoberyl is breathtaking. All under $1000!

 

[psproot12]

Is there a thread explaining the difference between precision and traditional cutting?

 

[chrono]

I don't think there is one but I like to use this website as a reference to explain the difference between precision cutting and non-precision cutting. It's all about how precise the meetpoints are, the fineness of the polish, and the angle combinations.

http://www.osirisgems.com/precision_cutting

 

[Niel]

This is a friends ring but I made it. Stone 70 bucks, stetting is 14k gold and someone gave it to us for free, setting 30 bucks. Its a chryso

 

[Niel]

Here's a Chryso I recently bought and sold. 2 CTS, lovely lovely cut, $50 bucks setting was from eBay, somebody rebuilt the prongs for the setting for 30 bucks.

 

[chrono]

Neil,
I thought your SIL's e-ring is an amazing deal; great looking chrysoberyl at a great price coupled with the gorgeous Art Deco setting, also at an amazing price.

LK,
Wow, that light green 1 ct demantoid for only $20?

PSProot12,
Can't beat your 1 ct black star sapphire for barely $2. If you consider the shipping cost from the vendor's point of view, it is as though the stone is free!

 

[Niel]

Neil,
I thought your SIL's e-ring is an amazing deal; great looking chrysoberyl at a great price coupled with the gorgeous Art Deco setting, also at an amazing price.

LK,
Wow, that light green 1 ct demantoid for only $20?

PSProot12,
Can't beat your 1 ct black star sapphire for barely $2. If you consider the shipping cost from the vendor's point of view, it is as though the stone is free!

Chrono do you remember the setting debacle?

The stone didn't fit the setting, so I had to return it and find a stone to fit the setting AND match the yellow gold basket.
It ended up being a yellow sapphire. Still a good deal.

Its a shame she hated ovals so much as that oval one with baguettes cost less than hers did.

 

[chrono]

That's right; it didn't fit so you had to start all over again. It was a very nice looking precision cut step cut chrysoberyl though.

 

[Niel]

That's right; it didn't fit so you had to start all over again. It was a very nice looking precision cut step cut chrysoberyl though.

I know. I sent it back and regretted it for months. He out it up for sale a month ago again and I bought it. So theres that.

 

[LoversKites]

LK,
Wow, that light green 1 ct demantoid for only $20?

'Mint demantoid' should be a thing Yes, it was from Jeff Davies on one of his ebay auctions - for some reason few people wanted to bid on it and I was lucky.

 

[T L]

Well, I did get a lot of good buys, and I won't go into them, but I will also just say that settings have gone up and up since metal prices rose astronomically about five years ago. Before that, I obtained some beautiful and heavy mounts and settings, with diamonds, for very low prices.

I was really lucky once as I obtained a gorgeous gold and diamond ballerina halo setting from a dealer going out of business for $250. It has eye clean baguettes, and is a solid setting (not hollowed out). The picture doesn't do it justice. It has a 12mm bluish Tahitian pearl that I obtained separately for it. It's much nicer than this very old photo. I get tons of compliments on it. It's a heavy mounting. I still can't believe what I paid for it. There was a pearl in it already, but I replaced it with a nicer one. The original price for the ring was around $2K, as I remember it being sold for that. The dealer was liquidating, and I pounced on it. The whole piece, including the mount, pearl, and setting cost, was less than $400. The pearl is much bluer in person, not as gray, and the mount is really thick, heavy and well made. The diamonds sparkle like crazy.

 

[T L]

I got a demantoid of just under 1ct for $20, I think it was a good deal as it's precision cut and pretty imo

Wow, that's a nutty price, and you need to take photos of it for us. Did you open a thread on it?

 

[T L]

Here's a Chryso I recently bought and sold. 2 CTS, lovely lovely cut, $50 bucks setting was from eBay, somebody rebuilt the prongs for the setting for 30 bucks.

Chrysoberyls are awesome gems, and highly underrated. I think the prices on them are really good right now, but who knows how long that will last.

 

[MCAUDI]

This rhodolite garnet was at a local jewelers and they had it marked $42. I snapped it up. It's about 10 x 13 mm. I had them make this ring for me and the side stones are a pair of studs I replaced with some from WF.

Marcy

 

[Niel]

Here's a Chryso I recently bought and sold. 2 CTS, lovely lovely cut, $50 bucks setting was from eBay, somebody rebuilt the prongs for the setting for 30 bucks.

Chrysoberyls are awesome gems, and highly underrated. I think the prices on them are really good right now, but who knows how long that will last.

Totally agree. I have currently two that I think are very good examples. A 6.5 cushion and 7x5 step cut (that chrono was talking about) both combined are about 500. Im a fan.

 

[LoversKites]

I got a demantoid of just under 1ct for $20, I think it was a good deal as it's precision cut and pretty imo

Wow, that's a nutty price, and you need to take photos of it for us. Did you open a thread on it?

Nope, because it's not very photogenic, but here's a quick one. It has an eye visible inclusion. Although the colour is nicer IRL than in this photo, it has a yellow modifier which doesn't show up on camera (at least to my eye). The picture I posted before is more accurate.

Edit - i only now realised how awful it looks in this photo, lol. Oh well.

 

[michellechan2211]

I got this stone off Uli's for I think less than 25 dollars, including shipping.



It is a white topaz with some visible inclusions (as can be seen in the pic) and it is I think 7.2mm across. I had it set into a pendant mounting (Deb Blazer helped me with that, the above picture is hers too) and gave it to my mom. ^_^

There are others, but I have no pictures with me at the moment so...

 

[T L]

I got a demantoid of just under 1ct for $20, I think it was a good deal as it's precision cut and pretty imo

Wow, that's a nutty price, and you need to take photos of it for us. Did you open a thread on it?

Nope, because it's not very photogenic, but here's a quick one. It has an eye visible inclusion. Although the colour is nicer IRL than in this photo, it has a yellow modifier which doesn't show up on camera (at least to my eye). The picture I posted before is more accurate.

Edit - i only now realised how awful it looks in this photo, lol. Oh well.

LoversKites,
Thanks for the photo. For $20, I would be thrilled to death with that piece.

Great bargains everyone!!

 

[Niel]

Here's a Chryso I recently bought and sold. 2 CTS, lovely lovely cut, $50 bucks setting was from eBay, somebody rebuilt the prongs for the setting for 30 bucks.

Chrysoberyls are awesome gems, and highly underrated. I think the prices on them are really good right now, but who knows how long that will last.

Totally agree. I have currently two that I think are very good examples. A 6.5 cushion and 7x5 step cut (that chrono was talking about) both combined are about 500. Im a fan.

I wanted to come back to say the last 2 chryso I don't consider a "steal". I think I paid a fair price for them. What I DO think, though is, like TL said, they are underrated gemstones that can make "steal" e rings if your into FLY diamonds or lighter yellow sapphires. My cushion looks like a little drop of lemonade. And a 6.5 ct diamond that color would be thousands, and that stone wasn't even 200. And most fancy cushion diamonds don't come with nearly as nice a cut.

 

[psproot12]

Neil,
I thought your SIL's e-ring is an amazing deal; great looking chrysoberyl at a great price coupled with the gorgeous Art Deco setting, also at an amazing price.

LK,
Wow, that light green 1 ct demantoid for only $20?

PSProot12,
Can't beat your 1 ct black star sapphire for barely $2. If you consider the shipping cost from the vendor's point of view, it is as though the stone is free!

I once shipped a postcard while in Thailand and I can vouch for the cheap shipping there. It did take 2 months to ship! But, shipping would've been at least a $1.50, probably closer to $3 even if he got the stone for 50 cents it's still barely worth it. He shipped because it's worth more to ebay sellers to lose a couple of bucks then get a bad rating, still it has a nice star did you see the video? Also, the precision cut link was very interesting, no wonder prices can vary so much per carat.

 

[psproot12]

Well, I did get a lot of good buys, and I won't go into them, but I will also just say that settings have gone up and up since metal prices rose astronomically about five years ago. Before that, I obtained some beautiful and heavy mounts and settings, with diamonds, for very low prices.

I was really lucky once as I obtained a gorgeous gold and diamond ballerina halo setting from a dealer going out of business for $250. It has eye clean baguettes, and is a solid setting (not hollowed out). The picture doesn't do it justice. It has a 12mm bluish Tahitian pearl that I obtained separately for it. It's much nicer than this very old photo. I get tons of compliments on it. It's a heavy mounting. I still can't believe what I paid for it. There was a pearl in it already, but I replaced it with a nicer one. The original price for the ring was around $2K, as I remember it being sold for that. The dealer was liquidating, and I pounced on it. The whole piece, including the mount, pearl, and setting cost, was less than $400. The pearl is much bluer in person, not as gray, and the mount is really thick, heavy and well made. The diamonds sparkle like crazy.

WOW!! 2k ring for $250?? That's a deal! How much did you pay for the nicer Tahitian?

 

[T L]

Well, I did get a lot of good buys, and I won't go into them, but I will also just say that settings have gone up and up since metal prices rose astronomically about five years ago. Before that, I obtained some beautiful and heavy mounts and settings, with diamonds, for very low prices.

I was really lucky once as I obtained a gorgeous gold and diamond ballerina halo setting from a dealer going out of business for $250. It has eye clean baguettes, and is a solid setting (not hollowed out). The picture doesn't do it justice. It has a 12mm bluish Tahitian pearl that I obtained separately for it. It's much nicer than this very old photo. I get tons of compliments on it. It's a heavy mounting. I still can't believe what I paid for it. There was a pearl in it already, but I replaced it with a nicer one. The original price for the ring was around $2K, as I remember it being sold for that. The dealer was liquidating, and I pounced on it. The whole piece, including the mount, pearl, and setting cost, was less than $400. The pearl is much bluer in person, not as gray, and the mount is really thick, heavy and well made. The diamonds sparkle like crazy.

WOW!! 2k ring for $250?? That's a deal! How much did you pay for the nicer Tahitian?

I paid $60 for the other Tahitian, and there was a Tahitian in there already, so I have two pearls.

So $250 + S&H + $60 + jeweler's setting fee was less than $400 for everything after all was said and done. I bought the pearl online from a reputable dealer.

 

[LoversKites]

I got a demantoid of just under 1ct for $20, I think it was a good deal as it's precision cut and pretty imo

Wow, that's a nutty price, and you need to take photos of it for us. Did you open a thread on it?

Nope, because it's not very photogenic, but here's a quick one. It has an eye visible inclusion. Although the colour is nicer IRL than in this photo, it has a yellow modifier which doesn't show up on camera (at least to my eye). The picture I posted before is more accurate.

Edit - i only now realised how awful it looks in this photo, lol. Oh well.

LoversKites,
Thanks for the photo. For $20, I would be thrilled to death with that piece.

Great bargains everyone!!

Yes! I do love it.

 

[psproot12]

Seriously, that's ridiculous! I'm honestly very impressed! I'm going to be on the look out now for jewelers going out of business!! I think scrap value on that alone is at least $500!

 

[T L]

Seriously, that's ridiculous! I'm honestly very impressed! I'm going to be on the look out now for jewelers going out of business!! I think scrap value on that alone is at least $500!

Well, it was before metal prices took a huge price increase, but yes, it was a good deal, and the diamonds are amazing too. I love this ring. I wish I had better pics of it. My camera isn't downloading right now, otherwise I would take some better photos of it. The shank is solid and too. The underside gallery has a lot of gold too, like a web, in order to hold up the diamonds. I couldn't believe it.

 

[psproot12]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-08CT-NATURAL-UNHEATED-UNTREATED-ZAMBIAN-EMERALD-OVAL-TOP-GREEN-GOOD-LUSTER-GEM-/380897823983?pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item58af478cef

Looks like I have another best deal. It's windowed and included but it's still a transparent, green emerald.

Based on this you would think I only buy gems under $10 but I've spend $2,000 and $1200 on a couple of yellow sapphires, as well as some larger pieces I bought with family members for use as heirlooms and pieces of wedding jewelry.

 

[T L]

Here's a Chryso I recently bought and sold. 2 CTS, lovely lovely cut, $50 bucks setting was from eBay, somebody rebuilt the prongs for the setting for 30 bucks.

Chrysoberyls are awesome gems, and highly underrated. I think the prices on them are really good right now, but who knows how long that will last.

Totally agree. I have currently two that I think are very good examples. A 6.5 cushion and 7x5 step cut (that chrono was talking about) both combined are about 500. Im a fan.

I wanted to come back to say the last 2 chryso I don't consider a "steal". I think I paid a fair price for them. What I DO think, though is, like TL said, they are underrated gemstones that can make "steal" e rings if your into FLY diamonds or lighter yellow sapphires. My cushion looks like a little drop of lemonade. And a 6.5 ct diamond that color would be thousands, and that stone wasn't even 200. And most fancy cushion diamonds don't come with nearly as nice a cut.

They're also untreated as well, typically (who knows anymore, these days). Some chrysoberyls are brownish or olive in color, so I would avoid those, but yours are nice, and you did still get a good deal, despite the fact they're underrated/undervalued. They have great durability, hardness, and take a fabulous luster too.

Here's my recent set stone. Bad pic, but I got the reproduction vintage style setting for around $120 on ebay because it was 10K gold (who cares, and who notices?), and the stone is a diamond cut chrysoberyl with amazing color, sparkle and luster. The cutting is fabulous too. I love the setting because the metal surrounding the stone makes it pop even more since its a nice tone. I think I paid $100 for the stone, and it's 2 carats, and around 8mm.

I love this ring.