Gem Junkies - Your Opinion is Required!

[LD]

Ok - I've been conversing "offline" with a few fellow forumites about a purchase I was considering and I had a real tousle with this particular purchase! I'd love to have your thoughts. Here's the story! ..................

First up, for those of you that know me, you'll know that I HATE (with a passion) Topaz. It doesn't appeal to me because of the treatment (and I'm not talking about untreated Topaz here). I do however quite like fancy cuts! So, I was watching a UK shopping channel when bored and up popped Glenn Lehrer selling his wares! There was a blue topaz ring (in his signature Torus cut) for sale at £299 (that's about $460). It was just over 8ct with a tiny chip of a white diamond drilled into the hole in the middle. The setting was 9k white gold of about 3.5grams.

I like big rings and often wear costume jewellery, stones set in silver, that I've bought relatively cheaply. I actually get quite a lot of wear out of them so big/high rings are a staple of my costume jewellery collection. The problem with this ring however is the price! I couldnt' reconcile paying this amount of money for a TOPAZ! Okay, I know that a bulk of this price is down to the fancy cut and the setting but still, £299 still seemed a lot of money.

I was really prepared to hate it but when it arrived, the colour sucked me in .............. imagine how much I tried to resist it! Again, to my surprise, it performed really well in all lighting conditions and I also liked it on my hand.

Anyway, the upshot is that the price started to get in the way and I just couldn't justify keeping it. So I sent it back. I do regret it because the colour was just "me". If it had been half the price, say £150, I wouldn't have thought twice! Am I mad?

So my question to you is .............. what would you have done? Would you have kept it or sent it back?

Photos attached for you to see if they help!

 

[movie zombie]

if its "me" i keep it.
if the price gets in the way, it really isn't "me".
in this instance, i think it looked great on you and perhaps you should have kept it.......
why?
because now you're 2nd guessing yourself crazy the other way.
that is always the clincher for me: can i send it back and be happy about that....and you aren't so i think you should have kept it.
sorry.

 

[innerkitten]

I probably would have sent it back due to the price because I'm always on a jewelry budget so I have to be selective. But we all have different jewelry budgets. I also used to dislike blue topaz for a similar reason. I was worried because it's nuclear. But last year I bought a small blue topaz ring and earrings set in silver and my fingers and ears haven't fallen off. Not yet at least.

 

[T L]

To be honest, it reminds me of a wagon wheel.

Not to mention, the stone sits up pretty high, and it would probably get damaged.

Get a good night's sleep, you definitely made the right decision to return it.

 

[GemFever]

Awww... I hate to say it, but I would have kept it. You say you like costume jewelry, and statement pieces, and silver rings... and this piece pulled you in... and it looks pretty cool. I guess for me the deciding factor would be how much the £299 hurt my wallet and general jewelry budget. I wouldn't return it just because £299 seemed like too much for a topaz ring out of principle, but if spending that money meant that I'd be broke for a while... well, then maybe return it.

In any case, I hope a new pretty piece comes your way that will leave you in no doubt about how much you love it and want to keep it

 

[Jeweljunke]

LOL, I agree with TL. Absolute wagon wheel, or maybe a space station? I would have returned it.

 

[Jeweljunke]

Oh, and welcome back LD!

 

[LD]

All opinions welcome by the way! No offence will be taken! I'm genuinely interested to hear all responses both positive and negative!

The fact that I'm second guessing myself (as you say MZ) means that I am having doubts! I like the space station, weird, cool, in yer face look of it (and love love love high rings so no problem with that).

£299 though? Seriously? See, I just can't get past that!!!!!

GemFever - actually this is the coloured stone equivalent of a "mind clean" thing. I think if you're used to buying coloured gemstones and know their worth, overpaying is just a complete "no no". If I could get over that (or if it were cheaper) I'd have kept it in a heartbeat! Strangely, if you put an Alexandrite in front of me that was spectacular but over-priced I would consider keeping it because it would probably quality and value would balance out over time. There's no way with a Topaz that this will happen! I'm so contrary aren't I?

Inner Kitten - you don't need to worry about Topaz. The nuked variety was London Blue Topaz not any of the other versions. Most of the "hot" stuff was quarantined and put into hibernation until it cooled down. I don't think that other types of Topaz (Swiss etc) were affected so I'm pretty sure that you won't be growing a second pair of ears anytime soon!

 

[JewelFreak]

Yesss, how nice to see a post from you, LD!

Like TL, I think you did well by sending it back. Color is very nice, but it's sitting way up there begging to be chipped. And only 9 ct. gold? How often would you wear it for BP299? It's odd enough that you might like it for a while & then find yourself not putting it on much. For that price you can find something you don't have doubts about.

--- Laurie

 

[VapidLapid]

You absolutely did the right thing in returning it. I think stones like that are now illegal in countries that have signed the non proliferation agreement. When that two shilling topaz split on its clevage plane leaving you with a torn torus and a lost diamond crisp (I understand that over there what we call chips, you call crisps) then all you would have been left with for your £299 would be that awkward 9kt setting that you then would have a hard time finding a stone to fill.

 

[chrono]

For the right price, it can be a keeper for the unusual cut. However, no matter how fancy the cutting, I cannot in good conscience spend over $400 for a nuked topaz in 9kt gold.

 

[distracts]

Hey LD, welcome back!

If the price you paid was hindering your enjoyment, it was better to return it.

 

[GemFever]

I totally agree with the "mind clean" equivalent. Hey, maybe you should use the money you saved to recreate this ring with a better stone! Eh? Maybe in silver instead of gold, but something as big and noticeable

 

[colorluvr]

Personally, I find the price to be pretty high for the stone/setting and if you were iffy on it, then sending it back was probably the best thing to do.

I have a topaz that is almost London Blue, but not quite and a most gorgeous color with really nice cutting. It was sold as "gentle heat only" but that and a nickel, gets me a nickel. It's too big for me to wear as a ring (11mm), and it's not a collector stone, so why do I still have it?????? I'm not sure, I've been asking myself that question a lot (about a lot of my stones)... maybe a pendant someday.... maybe DB very soon - lol.

The good thing is that I didn't pay very much for it. I find this color to look a little less "nuked" looking than the one you showed, which is why I like it better I think, but if you liked that color and "interesting" cut, maybe you can find something similar that you like for a more reasonable price.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I purchased a blue topaz ring about 6 yrs ago. It was 6 cts and 14 kt gold. A gorgeous color. When you and TL posted pictures of your Pariba tourmalines they match the color of my topaz. I don't need a pariba. I paid $199 six yrs ago, the same ring sells for over $400.00 now. I love it.

The ring you have shown has great color, has unusual design and is fits what you are looking for. I agree that costs have gone up for all jewelry items and of course has to do with your budget. I think its different, and I am not bothered by irradiation in stones anyway. I think much too much is made of such things on here. I like the ring. Its unusual.


Annette

 

[SB621]

Though I'm not a huge fan of blue topaz I do have a earring/pendant/ring set because it is my DH's birthstone. It has grown on me a lot and I find now that I wear it more often. So if I had loved that ring when I first saw it I probably would have kept it. Though it wasn't my taste it was a very unique piece LD....AND WELCOME BACK!

 

[Kim Bruun]

Well... If you want my honest opinion, I think the ring is a bit gimmicky. It's pretty, but in a sterile, almost synthetic sort of way (if you catch my drift). It definitely looks futuristic - like a tiny UFO had landed on your finger.

Yes, the colour is beautiful, but like you, I'm not big on nuked topaz. And I know the colour is not exactly easy to find in other stones - I've never seen aquamarine this intense, paraiba tourmaline is very costly, and apatite is unwearable for rings. What other options are there? Heated zircon?

The idea of the small diamond dropped into the topaz is daring. I think I prefer this approach when the diamond is dropped into opaque or translucent material (like carved jade, sugilite, charoite, perhaps even opal) to play on the contrast rather than have two transparent materials competing in terms of sparkle and fire, but that's a question of preference.

 

[0-0-0]

LOL, I agree with TL. Absolute wagon wheel, or maybe a space station? I would have returned it.

+1 with a black background it'd look like something from Star Trek.

 

[Enerchi]

Knowing how classic and special all of the other items we've seen of yours - this one seems out of place, IMO. I don't think you'll regret sending it back, but maybe keep searching for another interesting setting that's a little less, um, 'wheel like'? I do agree that the colour would be intriguing, that's for sure!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

"A deal is not a deal if you don't get what you really want"--Mrs. Salvo's tagline.

Thought it was apropos here.

cheers--Sharon

 

[innerkitten]

OT: What part of the UK are you from/ in? My husband grew up in Telford ( sometimes he says Shrewsbury) and lived in Brighton till he moved to California. We were just there.

 

[LD]

Innerkitten - I'm a Londoner by birth (and very proud of my Cockney routes!!!!) but I moved northwards about 20 years ago and have stuck here! I'd love to move to California and be in the sunshine though!




Thank you everybody for your comments and thoughts! It's amazing how one man's meat is another's poison!!!! Strangely, I really thought you were all going to tell me I was mad and needed to be certified for sending it back (because it's an unusual cut) so I'm surprised that's not the case! I love Canuk's quote from Mrs Salvo's tagline and I think she's right about it summing up this situation.

I had been tempted to get it again for another look but you've all convinced me of the errors of my ways (TL breathes a huge sigh of relief and I'm back being her friend again!!!!).

Thanks guys! Decision made!

 

[minousbijoux]

Oh good - just checking back in to see if you were at peace with your choice. Glad to see you are. It totally wasn't my taste, but I admire when someone likes something completely different.

 

[LD]

Thanks Minous! Karma has been restored to the LD household!

 

[Starzin]

I absolutely loved the colour and the torus cuts have a strange fascination for me, so I understand the impulse. I can also understand being drawn by that colour which is a bit mesmerizing.

In the end though, I think you made the right decision for you since you couldn't balance the cost with the "want" factor for that particular ring

How-sum-ever....all is not lost - ever the enabler here - go here http://www.gem2000.com/lehrer.php and choose your colour and a gem you'll be happy with and take us on a project journey! Let us know if the cost of buying a topaz torus this way is comparable, you may be back for that ring yet! (Though I do fear for the stone's edges in that side shot).

ETA: Unfortunately they're wholesale only so you need a jeweller to inquire for you. But if you're over the topaz, maybe this could tempt you

 

[LD]

LOL Starzin, if there's one gem that I really don't need more of, it's Alexandrite!!!!! It's my favourite gem and I would NEVER buy a Torus made from that - it would be an abomination to man-kind and an insult to Alexandrite.

 

[Starzin]

ROFL! I wasn't suggesting an alex torus - that alex is for sale on their site (posted 12 April) and knowing your fondness for them, I posted it to tempt you. However they have some paraiba torus, just think of them as already having the window removed