I just completed a search for an unheated classic Burma (Mogok) ruby, and found the process quite interesting. I''m curious to see if my experience is typical or unusual.
I began cruising the internet, and established contact with a number of well known dealers (Cherrypicked, National Gemstone and others). My goal began was a 1.5 carat stone, which soon morphed into a 2+ carat search. I also visited my local jewler, who insisted they could bring stones in from various sources for me to look at. What I found most interesting is that unlike diamonds, there is no common language to describe or, from the consumer''s perspective, to evaluate, the quality of colored stones (I''m sure this has been covered in this forum before).
I saw a number of rubies, each of which had some kind of certification indicating Burma and unheated. One internet dealer carried a number of stones--some of which had certs (all different kinds), some which didn''t. Essentially what I was told by most dealers was either: a) I was "buying their "eye"" as far as the quality of the ruby (and they certainly were not impartial, disinterested parties), or, b) it was up to me, as a reasonably ignorant consumer, to figure out what I liked.
I was only able to find one dealer who had complete AGL certification for all his stones. The ruby I wound up purchasing was evaluated by an impartial (I believe) third party. It was the only case where I felt a degree of real comfort writing a large check. When I asked other dealers why they didn''t get AGL certs, I was told things like: too expensive (silly, as the cost would be a tiny fraction of the value of a 2 carat ruby), too slow, just not necessary, too political (!!), etc.
As you may know, a 2 carat unheated Mogok ruby is a MAJOR purchase. I can''t think of another category of goods where there is less quantitative information available, with the possible exception of certain kinds of art. I can understand why dealers don''t want to get the full AGL cert--if the stone doesn''t grade out well, they lose money. It certainly is much easier to just tell the consumer to "trust their eye".
My question is: why don''t more buyers require AGL certs? I can tell everyone who reads this that I believe it was to my clear advantage to know as much as I could about the ruby I bought.
I would be interested in reactions to this post.
I began cruising the internet, and established contact with a number of well known dealers (Cherrypicked, National Gemstone and others). My goal began was a 1.5 carat stone, which soon morphed into a 2+ carat search. I also visited my local jewler, who insisted they could bring stones in from various sources for me to look at. What I found most interesting is that unlike diamonds, there is no common language to describe or, from the consumer''s perspective, to evaluate, the quality of colored stones (I''m sure this has been covered in this forum before).
I saw a number of rubies, each of which had some kind of certification indicating Burma and unheated. One internet dealer carried a number of stones--some of which had certs (all different kinds), some which didn''t. Essentially what I was told by most dealers was either: a) I was "buying their "eye"" as far as the quality of the ruby (and they certainly were not impartial, disinterested parties), or, b) it was up to me, as a reasonably ignorant consumer, to figure out what I liked.
I was only able to find one dealer who had complete AGL certification for all his stones. The ruby I wound up purchasing was evaluated by an impartial (I believe) third party. It was the only case where I felt a degree of real comfort writing a large check. When I asked other dealers why they didn''t get AGL certs, I was told things like: too expensive (silly, as the cost would be a tiny fraction of the value of a 2 carat ruby), too slow, just not necessary, too political (!!), etc.
As you may know, a 2 carat unheated Mogok ruby is a MAJOR purchase. I can''t think of another category of goods where there is less quantitative information available, with the possible exception of certain kinds of art. I can understand why dealers don''t want to get the full AGL cert--if the stone doesn''t grade out well, they lose money. It certainly is much easier to just tell the consumer to "trust their eye".
My question is: why don''t more buyers require AGL certs? I can tell everyone who reads this that I believe it was to my clear advantage to know as much as I could about the ruby I bought.
I would be interested in reactions to this post.
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