Emerald cert (GIA)

[floozybean]

Hopefully this pic is clear. I’d be paying approx $2200 per carat. I don’t have the budget (or desire) for a perfect, untreated emerald. I do also know how rare this is so it’s not the goal. I expecting minor to moderate oiling but….is surface resin a full stop? I paid for the cert so am a few hundred dollars in (nbd but figured worth noting).

 

[PinkAndBlueBling]

I wouldn't pay $20,000+ for a resin-filled emerald. I personally wouldn't want the worry of resin, nor knowing my stone was so fractured it required it. The treatment might be minor, but for that amount you can find something a little smaller that only has oil, which is traditional.

If you are willing to go smaller, with the same color, let us know and we can help. I've bought from JR ColombianEmeralds a couple times and been happy. There are other trusted vendors, but of course I can't think of them now and I need to feed the furbabies, so wait for others to chime in.

This is from GIA regarding treatment:

 

[floozybean]

I’d definitely take vendor recommendations. Thank you.

I rather like the person I’m dealing with now, but I’m simply just not savvy to fair market value and am afraid of overpaying for an inferior stone.

The “acceptable” levels and methods of treatment seems to vary wildly depending upon the source. It’s somewhat confusing for someone who is interested in learning but not in the industry.

I'd actually love an unbiased opinion from an emerald expert who isn’t on the other end of the selling process. I’d happily pay a small fee for their time and assessment if such a service existed?? Like, a loose emerald consigliere?!

 

[Avondale]

The “acceptable” levels and methods of treatment seems to vary wildly depending upon the source.

What is acceptable is entirely a matter of personal preference. What might be acceptable for one person may be entirely unacceptable for another, so in reality what matters is what is acceptable to you.

In order to decide that, you need to know what the different treatments that exist out there are, how they are performed, how they affect the stone and how they affect the value (so that you don't overpay).

In the case of this particular emerald, I can draw several conclusions based on the report.
1. Resin present in cavities means it was resin that was used as a clarity enhancement instead of the traditional oiling. Oil is usually preferred by people because it only has an effect on perceived clarity and can be removed very easily by soaking the emerald in acetone overnight. Resins are more contemporary treatments. I don't know much about them, only that they're more stable and they also provide additional stability to the stone itself.
2. The level of treatment is identified as F2, meaning moderate, meaning the emerald is sufficiently included. Although the concern of durability raised above is entirely valid, I've noticed it mentioned on vendor's websites and etsy pages that traditional oil is used less and less and more gems get treated with resin. So it may not be that resin was necessitated by how fractured the gem is, it might just be that that's what they used. Take that with a grain of salt, though, there's no way to confirm what's true.
3. Resin present in surface cavities means the gem has at least one cavity that's currently not noticeable because it's been filled with resin. At least the level is minor.

Btw, it's a stroke of luck, so to speak, that you know the type of treatment in this particular case. GIA usually doesn't disclose it, they only state the level.

 

[Rfisher]

Btw, it's a stroke of luck, so to speak, that you know the type of treatment in this particular case. GIA usually doesn't disclose it, they only state the level.

No way!!!! That’s crappy of them.

@floozybean
You can search here for plenty comments over the years on pro/con thoughts on traditional oiling vs opticon and the like - and of course non treated.

Only thing I can add to what’s already been said is what’s going price per carat for a minor oil 10 carat emerald that looks attractive? I think that’s relative in getting opinions that matter to you.


What you think about moderate opticon vs moderate traditional oil - I think is the question
What do you do if/when the opticon yellows? Is that harder to have re-done than re-oiling?
I think finding that out from whomever you’d use (that has experience with both) is where I’d lean to.

Because this seems to be a destination item for you. It’s not like you are one of the random posters looking for financial investment advice -

 

[Rfisher]

Too late to edit

Add excel/opticon to any opticon statement.

Emerald Re-oiling Advice Please

Last week, in a consignment store, we found an emerald in a beautiful diamond setting. Apparently the piece was originally designed to hang from a diamond necklace, but could be detached and worn as a broach. My wife intends to add a bale and wear it as a pendant. The diamonds and platinum...

www.pricescope.com

There’s some trademember opinions to be found in this thread, as well.

 

[Megan Hill]

Here you can find an interesting article about all kind of treatments:

Emerald Enhancements: A Consumer and Trade Guide - Gem Society

Almost all cut emeralds have had clarity enhancements. Learn how these emerald enhancements work, what substances are used, and how to detect them.

www.gemsociety.org

I think it is important to differentiate between unhardened resin (alternative for cedar oil used for fissures) and hardened resin (type of glue used for cavities).

 

[Megan Hill]

So in your case, i think the stone has F2 (Moderate) unhardened resin (or oil) and Minor hardened resin treatment as well