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Calling All Emerald Experts!

kimmyintexas

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 30, 2009
Messages
128
Hi there!

I am currently on the hunt for the perfect emerald for a custom ring honoring my beloved grandmother who passed away recently. Emerald was her birthstone and she loved Elizabeth Taylor so I think this is a perfect idea. : ) Anyway, it seems from reading on here that both Embassy Emeralds and Master Cuts are good sources. Can someone help me understand the reason for such a big price difference in these two stones, please. I would be most grateful. I'm sure there is a perfect reason but I don't have enough knowledge to know what it is. Each vendor also has stones around the 2 carat mark that I may go with if I decide to go smaller rather than larger and they more in the same price range as each other on them. Thanks in advance!

http://www.embassyemeralds.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&manufacturers_id=&products_id=665

https://www.mastercutgems.com/Produ...d_3_59_ct_OLD_STOCK_-_GFTP-Gem.php?FromPage=1

Kimmy
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
18,023
Not an expert, but a few potential things stand out.

The master cut one has a very reputable lab report, whereas the EE doesn't have a report. Also, the mastercut one looks extremely vivid/neon/glowy, and the EE one (although a nice color) doesn't have that ideal color and glow.
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 22, 2004
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38,364
Don't know the level of treatment on the EE emerald, although it looks very clean, just not glowy.
MS stone is upfront with the details. Quite included though.
 

Bron357

Ideal_Rock
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6,532
Emeralds can be tricky. Origin is important (Columbian still rules) and minor treatment (oil) is to be expected. Without a lab report you don’t know if coloured oil was used or fillers.
Emeralds can have a blue modifier, that reduces the price. The first gem is showing to me a blue modifier, the second gem is more pure green. The closer to vivid emerald green the better and pricer.
Inclusions are part and parcel of the gem so you want as close to transparent as possible. The second gem is a better colour but more translucent.
Just be aware emeralds are a brittle gem, they can crack or chip with impact so best to choose a protective type setting if wearing as a ring.
And again, chose a vendor who accepts no fuss returns in case seeing the gem in person is as you expected.
 

kimmyintexas

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 30, 2009
Messages
128
I like it, but worry about not having a report.
I don't info about a report on the JR site either. Or maybe just not on the ones that caught my eye.
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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I don't info about a report on the JR site either. Or maybe just not on the ones that caught my eye.
hmm, interesting. I thought that Caysie of CVB has purchased from JR (or at least set stones from them), which is why I think of them as reputable. But I'd be a bit nervous without a report. I wonder if they'd get one if you paid the cost (I think around 160)?
 

kimmyintexas

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 30, 2009
Messages
128
hmm, interesting. I thought that Caysie of CVB has purchased from JR (or at least set stones from them), which is why I think of them as reputable. But I'd be a bit nervous without a report. I wonder if they'd get one if you paid the cost (I think around 160)?

I'd definitely be willing to pay for it if that's all it costs. Thanks for your help.
 

Anne111

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Nov 30, 2017
Messages
381
'perfect emerald' sounds like very expensive. 'perfect' is hard to come by.
www.wildfishgems.com has a pretty broad selection, all either oil-only, or no-oil at all.
 

kimmyintexas

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 30, 2009
Messages
128
Yeah, I don’t mean it like that. I definitely can’t afford actual perfect. Thanks for the link!
 

kimmyintexas

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 30, 2009
Messages
128
Don't know the level of treatment on the EE emerald, although it looks very clean, just not glowy.
MS stone is upfront with the details. Quite included though.

Are you familiar with this company? I don't see that their jewels have reports and for clarity it just says "natural". Can't be actually just natural at these prices, I don't think.

https://jrcolombianemerald.com/product/40159
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
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Apr 22, 2004
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38,364
I’m unfamiliar with that company. Natural treatment can mean anything. You’re correct that I would ask more questions regarding treatment before deciding whether to send for a lab memo.
 

prs

Brilliant_Rock
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Dec 26, 2017
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1,883
My view on emeralds is the same as my view on jade. For Emerald and Jade it costs about $100 to get a GIA cert confirming the stone is natural and quantifying treatments. Given that a good GIA report at least doubles the value of a gem, the absence of a report almost certainly means the gem has problems.

The GIA cert for emeralds that determines both Country of Origin and treatments costs about $175. IMNSHO if the vendor didn't request an origin report, you can be pretty sure the emerald is not from Columbia!
 

kimmyintexas

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 30, 2009
Messages
128
My view on emeralds is the same as my view on jade. For Emerald and Jade it costs about $100 to get a GIA cert confirming the stone is natural and quantifying treatments. Given that a good GIA report at least doubles the value of a gem, the absence of a report almost certainly means the gem has problems.

The GIA cert for emeralds that determines both Country of Origin and treatments costs about $175. IMNSHO if the vendor didn't request an origin report, you can be pretty sure the emerald is not from Columbia!

I get what you’re saying but two of these vendors that don’t seem to offer reports are both Columbian, now living in Florida, and both claim to source the gems themselves...from Columbia. So wouldn’t they know the origin? Both have been in business for 20+ years as well. I don’t know what to think. Buying diamonds is so much easier! lol
 

prs

Brilliant_Rock
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I guess if you were interested in a particular stone, you could make your purchase conditional on them getting a GIA cert with your desired levels of treatment, and perhaps origin. You could offer to pay for the cert and see how they react.
 

Anne111

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Nov 30, 2017
Messages
381
Even if your seller really buys inside Columbian, that doesn't mean much. Columbians can fly to Zambia and back as anybody. If the mark-up of UNPROOFED origin is high enough, the ticket is easily paid. Without a lab report that says Columbia there is no reason to pay extra for origin.
 

Rad_Fan

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Sep 1, 2018
Messages
3,173
I guess if you were interested in a particular stone, you could make your purchase conditional on them getting a GIA cert with your desired levels of treatment, and perhaps origin. You could offer to pay for the cert and see how they react.

@prs, just curious if you have done this before. If I agree to pay for the GIA/AGL cert before committing to the purchase, what happen if the cert comes back not to be as expected and decided to cancel the transaction? Who should cover the cert cost?

If I pay for fee, the seller gets to keep the cert for that particular gem and could potentially benefit from selling the same stone at a higher price because the cert paid by me…no?

@kimmyintexas, sorry if I hijacked your thread but thought this might be interesting to others too.
 

prs

Brilliant_Rock
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No, I've never done it, I just don't believe in dealing with vendors who refuse to get certs on their stones. However here's how I think it would work:

Let's say you are interested in purchasing a $5,000 emerald, but only if that Emerald is Columbian and has minor (AGL) or F1 (GIA) traditional oil treatment. You tell the vendor you will buy the stone for $5,200 if he will produce a cert that confirms your requirements. The vendor could reply as follows:

1) Sure we will get the cert.
2) We will get the cert but we want you to send us the $200 up front.
3) Get Lost!

What you do if the vendor answers 1) or 3) is obvious. If the answer is 2) you pay the $200 and then if no cert is forthcoming, you just saved yourself $5,000, and know never to do business with this vendor ever again. If the cert comes thru good, the vendor is pretty much committed to you because you already paid him the $200.
 

Rad_Fan

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Sep 1, 2018
Messages
3,173
@prs, great tips! Thank you.
 

Anne111

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Nov 30, 2017
Messages
381
1) Sure we will get the cert.
2) We will get the cert but we want you to send us the $200 up front.
3) Get Lost!


Very good!
 
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