Almost There
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2003
- Messages
- 27
I am in Bangkok and bought a 27 carat amethyst from a store called Royal Lapidary recommended by my hotel concierge. The price was $750. The stone, while it looked nice in the store, doesn''t look that amazing back in the hotel. It has a nice color to it and decent "flash" on the edges, but it''s not the deep purple/red that seems to command higher prices in my quick checks online. There is one small inclusion on the surface of a facet on the bottom of the stone- almost like a very small pit. It''s not visible frolm the face, nor are there any other visible inclusions.
Without seeing the stone I know it''s tough but can anyone give me an idea of the price range for amethyst in this size?
When I did a little more research on the store tonight I found that while it''s considered a reputable dealer it has also been involved in the typical Thailand gem scam more than once, according to internet reports. They also were fairly high on the quote they gave me to have the stone set in white gold with diamonds...I had my wife''s e-ring made so I have a pretty good idea of the cost of settings and diamonds.
On the other hand they are a member of the "Jewel Fest" association and the store was huge with very nice collection of jewelry so I felt safe making a purchase there.
Any thoughts?
Without seeing the stone I know it''s tough but can anyone give me an idea of the price range for amethyst in this size?
When I did a little more research on the store tonight I found that while it''s considered a reputable dealer it has also been involved in the typical Thailand gem scam more than once, according to internet reports. They also were fairly high on the quote they gave me to have the stone set in white gold with diamonds...I had my wife''s e-ring made so I have a pretty good idea of the cost of settings and diamonds.
On the other hand they are a member of the "Jewel Fest" association and the store was huge with very nice collection of jewelry so I felt safe making a purchase there.
Any thoughts?