EBay Thaigems

[KLC]

So I may have made a mistake but I won this sapphire on eBay today from Thaigems for $31. Regardless of the quality of the stone, I didn't get hurt on the price. I mostly bought it out of curiosity to check out the vendor. Has anyone purchased from them and could you share your experience? Was the stone you received as advertised?

 

[KLC]

Nobody?

 

[Rad_Fan]

I don't know anything about them but if you google using key words, such as pricescope, eBay, & thaigems, there a few threads on Pricescope. I am confused by the name, is it Thaigems, Thaigem, or Thaigemstore?

Not a pro, but if the gem looks like that on pictures, $31 could be an awesome deal. Hope you would report back once you got the gem.

 

[KLC]

I don't know anything about them but if you google using key words, such as pricescope, eBay, & thaigems, there a few threads on Pricescope. I am confused by the name, is it Thaigems, Thaigem, or Thaigemstore?

Not a pro, but if the gem looks like that on pictures, $31 could be an awesome deal. Hope you would report back once you got the gem.

Thanks. On eBay the seller is listed as Thaigems. They aren't affiliated with Thaigemstore to my knowledge. I could be wrong. They have thousands of positive reviews and a bunch of customer service awards from eBay so I thought I'd take the chance. I wouldn't have risked buying any expensive stones without seeing it in person but for $31 I thought I'd give it a chance. Lol

 

[KLC]

My bad. I just looked again at the confirmation and it is Thaigemstore.

 

[Arcadian]

Gosh, I haven't for many MANY years. IMO back then the images didn't look like the stones. (they're not that richly colored) and, you really have to have an expectation at that price, you're probably getting a stone thats been all kinds of cooked, dyed and laid to the side.

I have one stone from them that I kept, which was a very (very...lol) light pink sapphire. Found out that it was unheated since I paid the money to have a report done, but I spent more on the brief than I did the stone....lol , I think I spent something maybe 30 dollars? Some day I'll set it in something...maybe silver. Its pretty though but not the best cut (of course!)

Basically though, scale your expectations.

 

[KLC]

Gosh, I haven't for many MANY years. IMO back then the images didn't look like the stones. (they're not that richly colored) and, you really have to have an expectation at that price, you're probably getting a stone thats been all kinds of cooked, dyed and laid to the side.

I have one stone from them that I kept, which was a very (very...lol) light pink sapphire. Found out that it was unheated since I paid the money to have a report done, but I spent more on the brief than I did the stone....lol , I think I spent something maybe 30 dollars? Some day I'll set it in something...maybe silver. Its pretty though but not the best cut (of course!)

Basically though, scale your expectations.

Thank you. I don't have high expectations at that price by any means. If it looks half as good as the photos and video I'll honestly be surprised. I will of course take it to a local jeweler and make sure it is a natural sapphire as advertised. And I'll post pictures of the stone when I get it so others can judge for themselves. I'm cautiously optimistic because of the 31000 positive reviews in the last 12 months but I'm not going to hold my breath.

 

[chroman]

There was this thread recently, but I don’t think they posted a photo of how it looked in person

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/dark-purple-spinel.248355/

 

[KLC]

There was this thread recently, but I don’t think they posted a photo of how it looked in person
Thanks. I commented on it asking the OP if they could post a picture.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/dark-purple-spinel.248355/

 

[KLC]

I messed that up. Lol. I commented on the post you linked asking the OP if they could post a picture.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I recall a good many yrs ago I purchased 4or 5 stones from him. I was unhappy with them upon arrival and I decided to leave bad feedback for all stones. He was not well thought(of (Thai-gems)but I wanted demantoid garnets and either I bid or did buy it now.(A new deposit was found) The owner was so upset, he said his business stopped 100 % when people saw my feedback. I sent back the bad stones and he sent me new ones that were quite nice(not Russian nice), at discount. However I still spent 500.00 on three demantoids from him. I like them a lot. I had Jerry Newman recut one and was happy.

For a while I communicated with him by e-mil inquiring about his wife and conditions in Thailand, which was under some turmoil at the time. Truthfully, I ended up liking the guy. My stones were over three carats each and I am still happy with them. They are still unset in my safe deposit box.
I have bid on rubies from Thailand ebay for real cheap. I sent 2 or 3 for verification to AGL. One came back heated, the others composite. I have set a pink sapphire which I think is glass filled, but I can see surface reaching fractures which may mean the stone has not been filled. The color is beautiful.
Your sapphire probably won't look quite as good as the pictures, but set it in silver and it will look nice.

Annette

 

[T L]

That store is one of the oldest gem stores on eBay.

Alexandrite, Sapphire and ruby are probably the last gems I would buy from inexpensive overseas sellers like Thaigemstore. There are good deals to be had on various kinds of garnets, and other semi precious stones. You always have to assume invasive treatment (diffusion, irradiation, fillers, chemical enhancement) when buying commonly treated gems, and especially synthetics/simulants.

 

[KLC]

Hi,

I recall a good many yrs ago I purchased 4or 5 stones from him. I was unhappy with them upon arrival and I decided to leave bad feedback for all stones. He was not well thought(of (Thai-gems)but I wanted demantoid garnets and either I bid or did buy it now.(A new deposit was found) The owner was so upset, he said his business stopped 100 % when people saw my feedback. I sent back the bad stones and he sent me new ones that were quite nice(not Russian nice), at discount. However I still spent 500.00 on three demantoids from him. I like them a lot. I had Jerry Newman recut one and was happy.

For a while I communicated with him by e-mil inquiring about his wife and conditions in Thailand, which was under some turmoil at the time. Truthfully, I ended up liking the guy. My stones were over three carats each and I am still happy with them. They are still unset in my safe deposit box.
I have bid on rubies from Thailand ebay for real cheap. I sent 2 or 3 for verification to AGL. One came back heated, the others composite. I have set a pink sapphire which I think is glass filled, but I can see surface reaching fractures which may mean the stone has not been filled. The color is beautiful.
Your sapphire probably won't look quite as good as the pictures, but set it in silver and it will look nice.

Annette

Thank you Annette. I was hoping someone who had purchased from him would comment. I was thinking I may use it in a sterling silver pendant that was a gift from my father before he passed away. It currently has a rather poor quality, very pale amethyst in it and I wanted a better looking stone (but not an expensive stone since it is silver after all) for it so I would wear it more often. Hoping this one is nice enough, but if not, at least I didn't spend much.

 

[VividRed]

At that price you should expect lattice diffusion.

Honestly though, keep it if you like it and don’t worry about it’s true value. In any case, there is no free lunch so you probably paid what it’s worth plus the markup the vendor added.

 

[chroman]

I’ll admit to just picking up this spess for a reasonable price.

Yes, its got some inclusions, and the lower pavillion tier is cut too steep, and someone took a bite out of the pavillion. We’ll see how the color looks IRL.

I’ve had a eye out for some practice recut material, so all this stone has going against it isn’t so bad. If I end up cutting too much off it... at least it was cheap.

 

[T L]

eBay is a great place for lapidaries looking for practice material. My cuprian was an eBay purchase many years ago, and a lapidary recut it. It was the worst native cut I ever saw. The only thing it had going for it was that it was deep.

 

[mdi]

My bad. I just looked again at the confirmation and it is Thaigemstore.

I purchased two very small rubies (I don't remember the total weight but I think it was about half a carat) to use in bezel set earrings in my third holes. They were pretty much what I was expecting, and my jeweler has been doing this long enough that he's pretty good at detecting filled/composite -- he said they were natural. They've also been through his ultrasonic cleaner a few times now, and haven't suffered any adverse effects.

Supposedly they are unheated, but who knows for sure? IMO doesn't really matter for a third holes piercing that looks pretty good--and a nice, rich red--at a distance. Keep your expectations low.

I also bought a silver grey spinel from them just for fun, but it had a fairly big window so I sent it back. I was pleasantly surprised that they refunded the cost of the stone and the shipping cost I had paid.

(Note: this is all in reference to "thaigemstore" specifically)

 

[chroman]

eBay is a great place for lapidaries looking for practice material. My cuprian was an eBay purchase many years ago, and a lapidary recut it.

Nice find! There’s so much less-than-desirable material out there, that finding anything decent is pretty rare. It does happen, but definatly not the norm.

It’s a strange feeling to intentionally look for badly cut windowed stones..

 

[KLC]

eBay is a great place for lapidaries looking for practice material. My cuprian was an eBay purchase many years ago, and a lapidary recut it. It was the worst native cut I ever saw. The only thing it had going for it was that it was deep.

That turned out lovely!

 

[KLC]

I purchased two very small rubies (I don't remember the total weight but I think it was about half a carat) to use in bezel set earrings in my third holes. They were pretty much what I was expecting, and my jeweler has been doing this long enough that he's pretty good at detecting filled/composite -- he said they were natural. They've also been through his ultrasonic cleaner a few times now, and haven't suffered any adverse effects.

Supposedly they are unheated, but who knows for sure? IMO doesn't really matter for a third holes piercing that looks pretty good--and a nice, rich red--at a distance. Keep your expectations low.

I also bought a silver grey spinel from them just for fun, but it had a fairly big window so I sent it back. I was pleasantly surprised that they refunded the cost of the stone and the shipping cost I had paid.

(Note: this is all in reference to "thaigemstore" specifically)

I requested some additional pictures and it has some pretty obvious flaws that weren't apparent in the pictures and video they posted on eBay. I think these pictures have been altered as well so I have some serious doubts I'll end up liking it in person.

 

[arkieb1]

The stone has a few inclusions, for that price for a natural stone you would expect them, a small thin window in the centre and expect the colour not to look like the photos ie either be way lighter or way darker.....

You probably won't be able to tell if you like it until you see it.

 

[KLC]

Well the stone arrived today. It looks nothing like the pictures on eBay. It's much lighter in color and has a bigger window. In bright indirect light it's almost a cornflower blue (1st & 3rd pictures). Second picture is indoors in very dim lighting. All in all I'm not completely dissatisfied, especially considering what I paid, but I won't be ordering anything else off eBay. In direct sunlight the color is EXTREMELY pale and impossible to photograph with my cell phone.

 

[whitewave]

Thanks for the pics. I agree, nothing at all like the vendor pics

 

[Rad_Fan]

...but I won't be ordering anything else off eBay....

Thaigems is just one of the vendors using the eBay as platform to sell. I personally don't think eBay is at fault here and there are better vendors on eBay. Keep on hunting and enjoy the journey!

 

[voce]

It comes across on camera as a very gray teal, not even close to classic cornflower blue as the earlier pictures you received. I am shocked at the fraud here. It's a different gemstone! Have you contacted the vendor to see if he sent the wrong stone? I'd demand a return.

 

[lovedogs]

It comes across on camera as a very gray teal, not even close to classic cornflower blue as the earlier pictures you received. I am shocked at the fraud here. It's a different gemstone! Have you contacted the vendor to see if he sent the wrong stone? I'd demand a return.

I'd ask for a refund for sure, and leave poor feedback. $17 is still money, and the pics from eBay are totally doctored images.

 

[KLC]

It comes across on camera as a very gray teal, not even close to classic cornflower blue as the earlier pictures you received. I am shocked at the fraud here. It's a different gemstone! Have you contacted the vendor to see if he sent the wrong stone? I'd demand a return.

I've emailed them but haven't heard back yet. I'll give them until tomorrow before I contact eBay. It's definitely not even close to the same stone. I took another picture today in full sun. It's terrible! Looks like glass.

 

[KLC]

I'd ask for a refund for sure, and leave poor feedback. $17 is still money, and the pics from eBay are totally doctored images.

Actually it was $42 with tax and shipping. I'm sending it back.

 

[lovedogs]

Actually it was $42 with tax and shipping. I'm sending it back.

Oh yeah that's bullshit. But just FYI sending it back might create an account there problems. You might not be able to track it,and the vendor can say they never got it. I would just ask for a refund under the "item not as described" report.

 

[KLC]

Oh yeah that's bullshit. But just FYI sending it back might create an account there problems. You might not be able to track it,and the vendor can say they never got it. I would just ask for a refund under the "item not as described" report.

I'll do that. Thank you.