Jewelry Television

[~*Alexis*~]

Have anyone here ever used them? Are they worth the prices that you pay for a set of stone or stone?

Thoughts?

 

[belle]

do a search for ''jewelry television'' or ''jtv''

 

[conitta]

Date: 8/31/2006 8:11:50 AM
Author:~*Alexis*~
Have anyone here ever used them? Are they worth the prices that you pay for a set of stone or stone?

Thoughts?

I have bought from them for years. They have junk and they have really nice finished pieces...memo and Frank''s Red Carpet. The stuff JTV makes themselves is mostly junk. The return policy is great so there is not a problem if you do not like something. I do not buy very many loose stones from them. All that I have had appraised has been really great! They have my recommendation!!

 

[maxspinel]

I had bought from JTV too. They have great return policy and good customer service. Most of the loose stones that they offer are not top quality but their prices are reasonable and reflect their product. Just like the old saying, you get what you paid for. However. there was one incident that they actually shipped me the wrong stone. I won a Namibia Spessartite in their auction and they actually sent me a CITRINE looking yellowish stone

. When I first opened the box, I first noted that it was way too small for a 4.6 ct. Then there was no identifying flaws as illustrated in their picture and the color/sparkle just did not look like a spessartite garnet. I called them up right away and they admitted that it was their fault. They offered me 25% off on future purchases and quickly refunded my money after I returned the stone. It might just be a honest mistake but I haven''t ordered from them since.

 

[conitta]

I have seen items on the turn tables that I have seen in the retail store and they were 1/3 price of the retail. I even own a couple of jewelry pieces purchased else where and they have had the same thing and 1/3 the price I paid for them. I know this for a fact!!!

Like I have said the GG was amazed at the prices I paid for the items he appraised. They were the memo piieces. They also have some great diamond semi-mounts with VS diamonds.....I think you have to watch what you purchase because they do have lots of junk.They have price points and a variety for every pocket book.the rturn policy is great and they return your money. Everyone is very nice.

Connie

 

[~*Alexis*~]

Thanks for the reply. I bought a mixed 20.00ct gemstone parcel. So we will see. I think the whole thing including shipping was like 37.00 or near that. So we will see what I get. Do they send you a list of what is in it or do I have to take it somewhere and have them tell me??

Thanks for replying to me. This is my first gemstone purchase online. LOL

 

[conitta]

I have never ordered any of the parcels. A friend of mine has and they were not very good stones. They do not send a list of what is in them. They scoop them out of a gem hopper...lol

I would imagine that you would have to get the higher priced parcels to get the better gems if there is such a thing....But good luck with your purchase...

Connie

 

[maxspinel]

I did order their 60 ct parcel with the jewelry essential and sorting jars. Their stones are nothing to brag about. Lots of red garnets, amethyst and citrine. I did find a ruby and spinel but they are small and included. None of the stones can be made into any jewelry. I kept the kit though because the essential kit and the sorting jar. Since I''ll be taking the GIA Gem Identification course, I also think the parcel might be fun for me to practice.

 

[Rowan]

I ordered the 20ct parcel for my son for his birthday. He got the gem jars and jewelers tools and was very happy with it. He loves gems. He got a lot of blue topaz in his parcel. He did get a demantoid garnet and a yellow sapphire, very small ones, but mostly blue topaz, like I said.

 

[~*Alexis*~]

ok thanks for the reply. I will post her what I get when it comes in the mail.

 

[MINE!!]

OK.. I am going to be the devil advocate here. I just watched this JTV and the women "experts" of the show. Personally, I would not trust them as far as I could throw them.

Things I have heard in the hour that I have watched them.
1~ We do not know what the origin is. It could be Nepal, finland, the congo. I really don;t care. But it shows how hard it is to get these stones.. HUH?
2~ There is only 5% of gemstones that are retail grade.. 95% are commercial (ok.. I am still with them) We at JTV have the top 1-3% quality, the rest of the sellers have the bottem 2%.. HUH!!!!??? LOL


I think one of the other problems I would have is that NO 2 gemstones are alike. So they sell a stone for ummmm 1200$ and they have 50 of them. UMMMM... well, every stone has a different color to the same stone, every stone has different zoning, every stone has different windows and inclusions. It would not be like selling a 1 carat, round, VVS, D, 6.5mm GIA certified diamond. I am sure that with diamonds there would be variations, but with gemstones, there would be many many many more. So that beautiful, flashy, tanzinate with the huge window (that I am sure some JTV watchers do not recognize) would not be the dull, hazy windowed one that you would be paying 1200.00 for. To me, a colored gem just cannot be chosen based on the name and cut of the stone... and apparently to the sellers, it does not matter where it is from anyway.

I have also seen on this board, and in the forum some confusion on different stones. For example, the question of a Mandarin garnet came up and what a Mandarin really was. Some, understandabley thought it was just the color name and not a specific type of garnet. I am wondergin how misleading JTV and other mass stone selling stations can be sliding info by and it being false... It is just a thought.

I am not saying that alll the things on JTV are not going to be wonderful stones. But I think it is defintely a case of Buyer Beware. I went with someone who EDUCATED me on my stone, not read something from suppliers and then were not sure where they stones can from. I would do the reseearch on the stones that you are interestd in FIRST then look and see if you can find a really good deal.. or you may end up buying an orange spess called Mandarin for the price of a real Mandarin.

 

[~*Alexis*~]

OK guys I got my stones in the mail yesterday. I got a few blue topaz, actually good quality, although they are probably around .30 to .40. I got a few amythyst. Clear, round. Seems like some good cuts.

I got 2 pear cut light green stones. I am thinking that they may be green amythyst.

I know I got a peridot, decent size about .5.

I got some orange stones, one was quite large. over 2 cts but checkboard cut (its round)

Yellow stones. Clear. Sparkly. Thinking citrine. maybe a yellow sapphire.

Then I got.....a white stone. Very sparkly. I was thinking it was white topaz. its about .3 to .4 or so. I will try and get some pics and then you all can help me. For what I paid I was actually suprised with what I got. Only 1-2 of them were not very good. I looked at them through my loupe and they were decent.

I will post pics soon.... I am at work now...hehe

 

[maxspinel]

Date: 9/5/2006 5:40:40 PM
Author: MINE!!
OK.. I am going to be the devil advocate here. I just watched this JTV and the women ''experts'' of the show. Personally, I would not trust them as far as I could throw them.

Things I have heard in the hour that I have watched them.
1~ We do not know what the origin is. It could be Nepal, finland, the congo. I really don;t care. But it shows how hard it is to get these stones.. HUH?
2~ There is only 5% of gemstones that are retail grade.. 95% are commercial (ok.. I am still with them) We at JTV have the top 1-3% quality, the rest of the sellers have the bottem 2%.. HUH!!!!??? LOL


I think one of the other problems I would have is that NO 2 gemstones are alike. So they sell a stone for ummmm 1200$ and they have 50 of them. UMMMM... well, every stone has a different color to the same stone, every stone has different zoning, every stone has different windows and inclusions. It would not be like selling a 1 carat, round, VVS, D, 6.5mm GIA certified diamond. I am sure that with diamonds there would be variations, but with gemstones, there would be many many many more. So that beautiful, flashy, tanzinate with the huge window (that I am sure some JTV watchers do not recognize) would not be the dull, hazy windowed one that you would be paying 1200.00 for. To me, a colored gem just cannot be chosen based on the name and cut of the stone... and apparently to the sellers, it does not matter where it is from anyway.

I have also seen on this board, and in the forum some confusion on different stones. For example, the question of a Mandarin garnet came up and what a Mandarin really was. Some, understandabley thought it was just the color name and not a specific type of garnet. I am wondergin how misleading JTV and other mass stone selling stations can be sliding info by and it being false... It is just a thought.

I am not saying that alll the things on JTV are not going to be wonderful stones. But I think it is defintely a case of Buyer Beware. I went with someone who EDUCATED me on my stone, not read something from suppliers and then were not sure where they stones can from. I would do the reseearch on the stones that you are interestd in FIRST then look and see if you can find a really good deal.. or you may end up buying an orange spess called Mandarin for the price of a real Mandarin.

You are absolutely right in being the devil''s adovate. In fact, the same thought process should be applied not just to JTV, but to any vendors. The bottom line is JTV is no riskier than other companies. For any item over $500 or any amount that an individual considers not a throw away, the consumer better insist on a good return policy and getting an independent third party appraisal. As I mentioned in the earlier post, JTV did send me a yellowish citrine instead of a spessartite garnet.

This can in fact happen with other companies too, either due to an honest mistake or intentional misrepresenation. If the individual ordering the item does not have the knowledge or equipment to tell one gem from the other, or a synthetic from a natural, or the price of one vs. the other, then they should seek independent evaluation instead of trusting the description posted by seller.

The JTV is for the masses, not the elites. They really don’t have the cherry-picked items that you can only find in top quality sources. They target for the middle market where consumers either don’t care or do not have the knowledge to differentiate the average from the best. However, their prices are reasonable for these types of stones and they do carry a hassle free return policy. As far as the knowledge of the JTV show hosts are concerned, some have GG degree while others have only pretty faces. They are only salesman in a talk show and not necessarily experts in procuring, grading or pricing the stones. Anyhow, one should always take the words of any salesman, including experts with a grain of salt. The consumers should take diligent effort to validate the source of any claims. BTW, even the show hosts proclaim they don''t know the origin of the stones, in most cases, the origins are listed in the web site of the item so you can always check it out.

 

[Barbara]

Hi Max Spinel -- I know this isn''t on topic but is the dog in your atavar a long haired Chihuahua or a Pomerianian? I have a long haired Chi that is the light of my life but she''s not that fuzzy. Regardless, of breed, it''s adorable! I''m a newbie and couldn''t figure out how to send an email just to you, so sorry folks.

Barbara

 

[maxspinel]

Date: 9/11/2006 6:41:42 PM
Author: Barbara
Hi Max Spinel -- I know this isn''t on topic but is the dog in your atavar a long haired Chihuahua or a Pomerianian? I have a long haired Chi that is the light of my life but she''s not that fuzzy. Regardless, of breed, it''s adorable! I''m a newbie and couldn''t figure out how to send an email just to you, so sorry folks.

Barbara

Hi Barbara,
He is our beloved little friend, an adorable Pomerianian that I''ve always thought is the cutest being on earth. We lost him two years ago due to a blockage in his intestine. He did not survive the surgery and died two days later. We were totally devastated. We adopted a malti-poo one year ago. She looks entirely different from him and is cute in her own way. However, he is still the best in my heart and can never be replaced. I really miss him.

 

[conitta]

JTV was showing Tanzanite stones last night at low prices. The color was there but the cut of the oval was way off!

Guess that was why they were selling it so per carat.They do have some nice finished pieces of jewelery as I have said before. The ones that are memo pieces or on consignment are better quality, but not the pieces they manufactor themselves.

Connie

 

[ger100]

Hi all,

I am new to this group.

I watched JTV on and off for about 2 years, for a few minutes at night when they hit TV here (not on all day in my part of CT). I finally bit the bullet and bought a 2 cwt spessartite (mandarin) garnet ring with 8 small diamonds in a 14 KT white gold setting for $400 in April. It is excellent, and I love it. But using a formula for stone size, I''m suspicious that it might be a bit less than 2 cwts...I can''t prove it myself though since it is still mounted, and I am new to gems. The bottomline is...I love it. And I had a lot of fun at a party recently explaining that garnets come in all colors, etc.

JTV is annoying since they size everything too small. I need an 8.5 or 9 size in rings, and they rarely have them that large. I need a 7.5 bracelet and they usually have only 7.0 or less. So...not one bracelet in this house from JTV. Do not let them resize a ring for you (resized= nonreturnable). I got stuck with a windowed tanzanite ring that way! Beautiful on TV, lousy in person. The diamond setting is very nice...my consolation.

I bought a slide made of a huge Citrine with 4 square Hessonite garnets, a few small diamonds, 14 KT two-tone for $100, and a sterling omega to hang it on for $24. Also something I just love. I have no idea if it''s "worth" the price.

Last month I got 2 oval Citrines with the snap-fit earring settings and put them together (in 2 minutes), to complete my matching set. The price of spessartine earrings was way off budget. Citrine makes a good match. I sent the first set of supposedly matched (not) Imperial topaz stones ($) back before I got the citrines.

Since then I pretty much gave up with the jewelry, having sent back at least 4 tsavorite and 4 tanzanite rings which had everything from the window in the center (got stuck with that one), to cracks to chips, to one ring which looked worn for at least a year (scratches on the gold), in other words, JUNK. I sent back a set of champagne stud earrings. They were brown and looked more like lumps of mud than diamonds.

I decided to try the loose gemstones. Along the way, I''ve also gotten a few books, bought some equipment, (dichroscope, scale, 10x magnifier, refractometer, SW ultraviolet light, and a SG kit from other vendors...and some small bright light sources). I could not get the hang of the spectroscope (4 different sellers), and have not yet opted for a pricey microscope.

The mixed facet parcels were so-so in April. Lately, however, they are great for someone like me, pretty much a beginner with intense interest. I have been getting small rubies. One is almost spotless, over 1 cwt, simply gorgeous. I''ve gotten a lot of citrine, amethyst, Prasiolite, and clear stones which are driving me crazy. In between are some interesting larger stones lately (Aquamarine, Blue Topaz), and it does not depend on the size of the parcel. My best luck has been with those which come with, for example, a teeny tiny icky radiated blue diamond. The diamond is ick, but the parcel stones were good, at least for me. I''ve gotten a few nice fairly large Andesine/Labradorite stones in the parcels, including 3 with green. One cream colored stone and several peach colored (translucent) have the greatest green sparkles when you turn them, and some are color-change.

I''ve sent back only one parcel which came with the 50 bottle box. Don''t buy the 50 bottle box, tray 2. The covers don''t stay on. The tray 8 with 100 square boxes is very good.

I bought 9 stones at auction a few weeks ago and returned 8. It cost only the return postage, which more than paid for the 1.4 cwt trillion spessartite (melon/mandarin color) which I got for $36...the one stone I kept.
Last week I bought what was said to be "the last item" on a "min. .98 cwt green Labradorite" cushion for $100. It turned out to be 1.04 cwt, with a color shift to red, and great green sparkles when you turn it. This week the "same" stone is listed for $150. Or so it seems to be the same stone...there is no way to tell what you will get. They could show a "minimum" carat weight stone on TV which just happens to be 50% larger (!) on the sample, and they have "only" 500 of them available, most of which are probably much much smaller than the sample.

It''s all very iffy. However, I bought a small Demantoid, said to be a min .14 cwt, which turned out to be .26 cwt for $69. It is yellow-green with unreal flashy sparkle...a beauty. I bought it just "to see" but decided to keep it since it is so neat.

So...parcels, equipment, books, auctions, and a very good refund policy make JTV a lot of FUN. Get on their email list for advance notice of free shipping. That way you only pay for the return shipping. I use flat rate priority with the label printed online so that it has delivery confirmation and can be tracked. Cost: $4.05...less than a class or another book. I''m waiting for them to ban me from buying, since I returned a LOT of stuff once I started to learn what was what.

My question now is, how do I get rid of the big batch of garnets, yellow stones, amethyst and other stuff from the parcels which I don''t want?

I collect antique glass and have the know-how for that, but am totally lost as to how to turn ANY of the stones back into cash...should I get the need! Ebay, at least for antique glass, is not good lately, either for buying OR selling.

And, I heartily thank whoever sponsors this chat group. Last night I read an hour''s worth of good stuff on mandarin/spessartite, tsavorite/grossular, andesine/labradorite...real eye openers.

Oh, and watch Cheryl on JTV for gemstones. She seems to know a lot. But again, as someone said, she is there to sell. Yet she does educate you about the stones as well. Tommy and Mandy are a lethal combination...too easy to get caught up in their hype.

Ger

 

[ger100]

One more question: the mandarin Spessartite garnet in the JTV ring has very very fine parallel lines just under the face (seen in several areas only under 10x). I believe these are Tirodite fibers (Palagems article). The article made it sound like this was almost a definitive sign for Namibian origin. Is that correct? The stone has great sparkle, but is almost impossible to photograph without getting black areas in it. The black areas are not seen with the naked eye! This is the same thing as the trillion stone I bought...there was a lousy photo on the JTV auction, but the stone is brilliant to the naked eye, and obviously difficult to photograph. Hmmm

Also, can someone point me to the formula for calculating Spessartite gem size when still set...I might have used the diamond formula...don''t remember.

Thanks
Ger

 

[colormyworld]

The volume of a one ct spessartite will be about 13% less than a one ct diamond.
Spessartite has a S.G. of about 4.16 while diamond is 3.52.

 

[ger100]

Super! Then my Spessartite probably really is a 2 cwt

because I seem to remember getting something like 1.8+ as the cwt using what I think is the diamond formula.

Thanks a bunch!
Ger

 

[VRBeauty]

Hi ~*Alexis*~:

Your question made me nostalgic for my colored gemstone collection and had me running down to the basement (I keep it in the safe) to retrieve it so I could play with it for awhile! About 90% of my collection is from JTV. Most was bought several years ago, starting in 2000, when it was broadcasting in my town only after midnight. I lost a lot of sleep that year! Back then it was called ACNTV (America's collectors network, I think). One of my early purchases was a mixed parcel and tray. As far as I can tell there was nothing terribly valuable in there, but it gave me a chance to examine and play with lots of colored stones up close, not to mention dazzle my friends. They also sold a lot of product in their on-line auctions, and I suspect not nearly as many people were bidding online, so I was able to pick up a lot of individual stones at wonderful prices that way. JTV is also a good place to get exposed to a wide variety of stones. Thanks to JTV my little collection includes sillimanite (destined for a pair of earrings), hyacinth zircon, hessonite garnet, red labradorite, a yummy bubblegum pink tourmaline (2 1/4 ct, $ a Columbian emerald (1 3/4 ct,$28!), almost 2 ct precious topaz, and fire opal.

A few hints:

1) Don't rely solely on JTV's information on gemstones and values; a lot of it is hype. Supplement what they tell you with information from other sources like pricescope and other internet sites. I have one or two gemstone reference books that I also used when considering JTV purchases.

2) Remember that the per carat prices they quote are usually for large, perfect, well cut stones. Most of the stones they are selling do not meet these criteria! Check out Daniel Stair's website for more info on gemstone cutting quality: http://www.customgemstones.com/

3) Get a milimeter gauge so you can better visualize the size of the stones they're selling. (I also created a little reference set by measuring and labeling the stones in the mixed parcel I bought. The 50-jar tray is perfect for this!)

4) Use the supermegamagnification that they use to show individual stones to examine the cut, saturation, color, etc. of what they're offering for sale. I've found that what they show on their turntables is pretty representative of what I recieve. If the stones they show don't meet your standards, chances are the stone they send you won't, either.

5) Their return policy is indeed no-hassle, but you still end up paying for shipping both ways and those shipping charges can really add up!

6) In my experience their single gemstone parcels have either very small stones of larger stones with poor saturation or cut, and/or banding. In other words, stones that they couldn't possibly sell as onesies.

Fortunately most of their jewelry is not my style so it's never really been a temptation for me.

BTW every individual stone I've bought from them as a "min XX carats" weighing at least 15% more than the stated weight -- one tanzie I bought as a 1.10 ct stone weighed out at 2.5 cts! Last year I bought a "10 ct." unheated aqua that weighed out at 17 carats. It made a beautiful pendant for my mother!

So my advice would that JTV is a decent place to start learning about the varieties of gems availavle. Proceed with caution, and then enjoy!

 

[maxspinel]

I stated in an earlier post that I won a 4.6 ct Namibian spessartite in auction and they shipped me a citrine. At first glance, the color of citrine and spessartite can sometimes look similar but the properties are very different. It might be an honest mistake but the box containing the stone was sealed neatly with tape, indicating that it has probably gone through some kind of inspection. They have a lot of interesting stuff but I''ve never bought from them since that incident.

 

[ger100]

Hi,

I''ve seen the Red Carpet material, but what is "memo" and how can you tell one vendor from another? And which vendors are the good ones??

Thanks
Ger

 

[conitta]

Date: 9/29/2006 5:09:18 AM
Author: ger100
Hi,

I''ve seen the Red Carpet material, but what is ''memo'' and how can you tell one vendor from another? And which vendors are the good ones??

Thanks
Ger

Memo pieces are pieces the vendor has on loan to JTV. If it doesn''t sell in a certain amount of time they pack them up and send them back. When I speak of the RED CARPET pieces I am referring to the higher end ones.You can look at the pieces and tell the difference in them and what JTV has made.

Connie

 

[ger100]

Yes, red carpet is much more pricey. But, how can you tell a memo or consignment piece. I have never heard them use either of these phrases, and have also never heard them say that the piece would be returned if not sold.
Thanks
Ger

 

[conitta]

Date: 10/1/2006 7:32:00 PM
Author: ger100
Yes, red carpet is much more pricey. But, how can you tell a memo or consignment piece. I have never heard them use either of these phrases, and have also never heard them say that the piece would be returned if not sold.
Thanks
Ger

I have heard them say that many many times. The pieces that are set in 18K are the best. The appraiser couldn''t believe what I had paid for my jewelry pieces.Like I have said before, I have seen pieces(with my own eyes) in retail selling for 3 times the price JTV had the same piece for. I own a few of these pieces

.

 

[JASUSANG]

Hi, I am new to the forum. I do not have any complaints when it comes to purchasing gems,jewelry supplies, or jewelry from JTV. I have purchased several parcels, single stones, snap-tite kits, jewelry, tools, books, etc... I have found several aquamarine, garnets, citrine, a couple of rubies, a red labordorite, blue diamond, yellow diamonds (teeny tiny), rutiliated quartz, white zircon, peridot, andalusite, a tanzanite, and some polished stones in the parcels I purchased. The stones are fun for the beginner collector like myself. I have purchased a gem scale, tools, and a book from them also. I won a .50 spessartite "antique" style pendant after joining their "Girlfriend Club." It is a very pretty pendant and a nice looking spessartite-that mandarin orange color. And right now I''ve signed up to receive their "treasure chest" of gemstones giveaway. I have to say that like others in the forum have mentioned, the stones are not top quality and you may spend a lifetime looking for that one stone in the parcel that would pay for the parcel, like they advertise. Anyway, they do have excellent customer service and you may return your purchase if you are not satisfied. I returned an apatite ring I purchased from them and had no difficulty in receiving a refund-just make sure if you purchase any rings, not to have it sized by them before you see it. I enjoy listening to Sharon and Tamara on the show-they have a blast selling jewelry and are always laughing. I also purchased a red spessartite and a snap-tite ring which I love. I do not see inclusions at all in the stone. I have purchased mandarin garnets the snap-tite leverback earrings and hessonite garnets which I put in snap-tite post earrings. And... I have purchased some checkerboard round garnet earrings and a cute orange-red spessartite ring from them.

I have been forewarned about purchasing stones and/or jewelry from jewelry shows. They are not held liable if they don''t clarify the quality of the stones/jewelry. so just look for the shows where you should understand the refund/return policy. One of my worst purchasing experiences was with Ultimate Shopping Network. I purchased a mandarin garnet ringfrom them which had a nick on the stone. I returned it and they refused to refund our money. Finally, after contacting the owner of USN, he refunded our money PLUS I got a mandarin garnet ring with pave set diamonds as a reconciliation gift. I believe the problem there was customer service was not the best in the world.

 

[ger100]

Hi again,

Just a follow-up on my earlier "dissertation" on JTV. They continue to tout the imminent disappearance of Tanzanite. But they are always loaded with supply, and always with some one or other reason (very creative folks) why they still have it! Well, I finally bit down and bought 2 fairly expensive pieces: both were shown as a nice rich medium blue, emerald cut, priced about average retail. Elsewhere I saw some of comparable size and condition, at a higher price, some lower, but mostly lower priced. Yet I was still chicken to try other sources because of JTV''s easy return policy.

This is one of the times in which I got much much less than I paid for: Both stones were medium purple. The only way to see rich blue would be by turning them sideways. In other words, they were cut on the wrong axis (I believe this is the correct explanation). And probably done by natives, something which they said had "just begun to happen," and something which they weren''t abiding. This native cutting, by apparently inexperienced cutters, also explains the windowed stone in my ring (boughts months before I knew what windowing meant, although even then the stone didn''t seem "right" to me).

Now they are saying that the Tanzanite govt is stopping this type of "individual" activity, choosing instead to focus on mining since the quality of product coming out of the mines has declined. NEWS FLASH: The quality could still be there, but you''d never know it from the stinky cutting. I sent both stones back, thoroughly disgusted. No more JTV Tanzanite adventures for me!

I like the parcels and the auctions. As I''m learning more, what another person wrote about the quality of the stones in the parcels is pretty much correct. They are good for newbies, intermediates, with some cast-offs which they would not use in good jewelry. However, I think that you CAN find a treasure here and there, and they pretty much ultimately pay for themselves in that regard...plus the fun of opening the "surprise" mix and trying to figure out what is what. So the adventure there is a net-net.
The auctions are mixed, but sometimes something nice can be gotten, IF everybody else misses it.

They seem to have gotten more popular. Guess that means the quality will decline.

Although, on the auctions, what you see, is what you get, and you can still return it. On the other hand, that means you have to watch what you bid, because if you win it and keep it, you can''t ask for a price reduction just because you got caught up in the bidding fever.

As I said before I returned 8 out of 9 stones from my first experience with the auctions, but the 9th was a gorgeous trillion Spessartine garnet, 1.4 cwt. which was not very photogenic! It is still hard for me to take a decent photo, although it is the most brilliant glorious stone. You can hold it at arm''s length in very low light and it twinkles like an orange star.

Ger