JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$$

[T L]

I was watching the show, "The Vault" on JTV.com the other day, and was shocked to see them selling beryllium diffused sapphires, denoted as "sunset sapphires" for around $15K. I just had to share this in the hopes that people will find this thread and learn how terribly wrong that is. They listed the treatment of the stone at the bottom of the screen, which I'm sure they do since the big andesine lawsuit/scandal. I was sitting with my mouth hanging open. I guess people can charge whatever they want for a gem, but this is why education is so key. An unknowing viewer would think they were gettng some world class stone, and not some dyed piece of junk.

 

[Treenbean]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

I used to have bad insomnia and the only thing that would make me sleepy was the jewelry wheel close up. Round and round.

They used to try to make themselves more credible by enlisting celebrity clients. I remember Whoopie Goldberg was on the list.

 

[minousbijoux]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

I am so glad you mentioned this - I was watching gemtv the other day and was shocked at their discussion of various stones and the amazing deals a buyer would be getting. They start with a previously set ring, and say it has the most amazing [fill in the blank stone. And between the treatments and the lighting, the stone really does look vivid and beautiful. Then they say something ridiculous like the stone would normally sell for $10,000/ct. They don"t mention treatments and they avoid talking about clarity (unless it is eye clean in which case they say so, but use the term incredibly liberally). Then they say something like due to its being really old inventory, they will let this ring with its [typically between 2-5] ct stone go for, oh I don't know, $6,900. Let's say the mounting would normally cost $1,500. It means the audience members will be purchasing a highly treated sapphire/"paraiba"/fill in the blank stone for outrageous amounts. I start screaming at them every time I turn it on (so don't turn it on, I know). I also think they should be turned into the better business bureau, but I'm not sure there is outright fraud, just tremendous overcharging. And I guess some people don't mind that.

 

[T L]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

It's not against the law to sell a $1 stone for $10,000/ct, but it is against the law to say a stone is something it is not (like calling a blue topaz an aqua, or a synthetic stone, natural, etc. . . ). However, this JTV spot had to be the most blatant overcharging I have ever seen on any of these network shows, or even from Tiff & Co, and places with a huge markups. Because there are no regulations on the price, they can sell for whatever they want, so the poor uninformed consumer is a potential victim. Would any of you buy a yugo for the price of a Mercedes? No, but in the gem world, it happens all the time, especially on these gem shopping programmes.

 

[VapidLapid]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

And it really is immoral. Many people have the expectation that there is legitimate value behind the prices charged for things. When they see luxury goods described as being rare and valuable, and are told they are comparable to famous museum quality items with which they have nothing in common, the outrageous asking prices are (wrongly) perceived by some as a testament to the inherent value of the item that is offered.
Where are my blood pressure pills?

 

[Indylady]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

Yup. Sick.

I remember back in the day, JTV actually carried loose parcels of small Burmese rubies and a few other decent things.

 

[chrono]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

Stunned is all I can say, and very sad to hear of such business practice. At least they’ve gone one step further and now declare treatment but that’s where it ends, I suppose. I know it’s up to the consumer to do their own homework on treatment but to overcharge like this feels like watching a robbery happening right in front of your eyes and feeling powerless to stop it.

 

[LD]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

The majority of sapphires (if not all) on the jewellery shopping channels in the UK are BE diffused. Sunset sapphire is a term that's been used for several years now and typically denotes the orangey-red ones.

In addition, nearly all of the Rubies are filled and dyed or a combination of both.

I daren't even consider what's been done to Emeralds.

Clarity and colour enhancement are the norm.

Coated coloured diamonds are also popping up.

Unless Joe Consumer knows where to look the treatments/enhancements are tucked away on a website somewhere. Even then you have to know what you're looking at to fully interpret them.

 

[T L]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

LD,
Do the British television channels charge thousands and thousands of dollars for a loose be-treated stone though? I'm not defending them, but the thing that is really most disturbing is what JTV is charging for this diffused corundum.

 

[LD]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

LD,
Do the British television channels charge thousands and thousands of dollars for a loose be-treated stone though? I'm not defending them, but the thing that is really most disturbing is what JTV is charging for this diffused corundum.

They've gone through phases of doing so. So, yes.

I gave up watching them a while ago because I found that it was bad for my blood pressure! However, about 2 years ago there was one that was selling Rubellite for thousands of £s. It was all irradiated and ONLY confirmed after I pressed and pressed for an answer.

Interestingly, one of the channels is now calling gemstones by fancy names i.e. Ouro Verde Quartz, Platina Amethyst, Amazon Quartz, and then, more worringly, they have sometimes used locality to indicate a quality such as Ceylon sapphire (think dark inky colour), Tanzanian Ruby (highly treated, great clarity very red rubies - nearly all under 1ct) and some superb ones for Tourmalines that I can't find at the moment!

 

[T L]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

Thanks LD, unsurprising information as always from these gem shopping programmes.

 

[minousbijoux]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

We should start our own "gem truth" channel - where all we do is take calls and explain why each and every instance is not the amazing deal that the channel next door implies... Now THAT would be fun!

 

[LD]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

Thought you might like to play a game! These are all screen grabs from one of the worst (in my opinion) jewellery channels in the UK.

So, what are these gemstones do you think?

 

[T L]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

Thought you might like to play a game! These are all screen grabs from one of the worst (in my opinion) jewellery channels in the UK.

So, what are these gemstones do you think?

Well not sure, but I'm assuming they're "top museum grade world class" material.

 

[Pandora II]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

Ugh! Please someone tell me that Richard Hughes is no longer working for Gems TV... it really pains me!

 

[VapidLapid]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

I think they are gall stones set in 24 kt fool's gold.

 

[LD]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

Ugh! Please someone tell me that Richard Hughes is no longer working for Gems TV... it really pains me!

I believe he is

 

[LD]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

Not gall stones these (as TL guessed) are RARE gemstones and once you see the pictures below you'll understand why!

Rare is one word, but I can think of many many many more words, far more apt!!

 

[Deathspi]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

LD, I'm also in the UK, and love the way the jewellery channels have to attach a place name or something to make the stone sound exotic. Even better, I was looking up gem treatments for...Gems TV I think, and just got directed to a huge table of them saying I should expect treatments to much of what they were selling!

Also, have you seen that really annoying American guy on Rocks & Co.? He makes out he's a really big name in the gem industury and has brought x number of stones onto the Market, but he seems to practially live in the studio! (I find him much easier to watch when muted lol!)

 

[LD]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

LD, I'm also in the UK, and love the way the jewellery channels have to attach a place name or something to make the stone sound exotic. Even better, I was looking up gem treatments for...Gems TV I think, and just got directed to a huge table of them saying I should expect treatments to much of what they were selling!

Also, have you seen that really annoying American guy on Rocks & Co.? He makes out he's a really big name in the gem industury and has brought x number of stones onto the Market, but he seems to practially live in the studio! (I find him much easier to watch when muted lol!)

Don't get me started I could rant for hours. You're talking about Tony Diniz? The bloke who bought his own jewellery from the channel by phoning in from a hotel bedroom to make his sales look better? Outed by mistake by a presenter who thought it was funny?

He was also one of the directors of this set up but I believe it's been bought out by a German(?) organisation fairly recently.

Don't get me started I can feel my blood pressure rising!!!

 

[Deathspi]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

Ha! You learn something new every day!

I must admit, some of his stuff does look very nice, but he's so dodgey I wouldn't buy from him...He IS quite amusing to watch though.

BAM!! PRICEDROP!!!! :O

I feel sorry for the people who have to co-present with him!

 

[chrono]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

Wow, those don’t even look remotely close to “world class”, much less the photograph which makes me think the pictures have been photoshopped?

 

[LD]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

Wow, those don’t even look remotely close to “world class”, much less the photograph which makes me think the pictures have been photoshopped?

Without a shadow of a doubt!

Don't you love the way that they've categorised the Tsav as AAA! Somebody must have been wearing green contact lenses when they looked at that one.

 

[T L]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

LD,
In the U.S., there is a shopping channel called "Gem Shopping Network." They actually sell much higher end material, and some very expensive pieces, but again, they don't always talk about treatments (unless something is untreated). They denote their gems as the following gradings from 1 to 3, with 3 being the best.

1) "Top Gem Quality"
2) "Top Gem World Class"
3) "Museum Grade"

so even the lowest quality, Top Gem Quality, makes the viewer think it's the best there is. So when these television shopping channels use AAA quality, to World Class, etc. . . one must take it with a grain of salt. It is very disheartening to watch this knowing that many people actually think these are the best gems ever. I've seen them use the #2 grading on 99% of what they sell, and this includes brownish alexandrites, greyish black tourmalines, the whole nine yards. I will admit that they do have beautiful pieces from time to time, but I wish they were more honest about the actual quality.

 

[Deathspi]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

I agree that more honesty is needed with regards to gem quality and treatments(as I'm sure everyone here would agree), but I think we're a long way off seeing it as the norm.

It makes me sad to think that the people who buy this stuff are getting amazing quality for an amazing price and luckily I haven't met anyone yet who wants to brag about their quadruple A museum grade whatever. Good for me as I think there would be an arguement on the horizon! Anyway...at least some of the rings on those channels ARE pretty cheap...

 

[LD]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

Thanks for the info TL. Interestingly there's one channel in the UK that does label (some) of their items to disclose i.e. fissure filled Ruby, coated Topaz etc. However, they don't know (when asked) for sure whether a sapphire has had BE treatment or the treatment and/or levels of treatment applied to Emeralds. One thing I will say for them is that they are headed up by a great guy in customer service and he does his best to find out information when asked.

They had a shaky start about 4 or 5 years ago when they were repeatedly selling "Russian" Alexandrite but after a lot of arguing and wheeling in of the experts, they admitted their stones were from India. Curiously the buyers who were outside the UK were telling the UK guys that it was Russian and it went unchallenged - so they weren't knowingly mis-selling in the UK. They also offered everybody who had bought one the chance to return for a full refund. So it did end up well.

Also, this channel has THE best Tanzanite (as its parent company is one of Tanzanite One's sight holders). You can't beat them for quality/price of Tanzanite in the UK.

At least there's one. The others, well ........... mmmmmm ............ sounds a bit like the one TL has described!

 

[T L]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

Gem Shopping Network has some very beautiful tanzanite as well. They sometimes have reputable lab reports from Gueblin, GIA, AGL, to accompany stones, but more often than not, there is no lab report. You can ask for one for an additional huge fee though, which I assume is to persuade you not to send the stone to a lab. I heard their return policy is just awful though (check out "Gem Shopping Network Complaints") on google, and you'll see.

They also carry fancy colored diamonds from time to time with GIA reports. This one guy from Australia comes with them to the show. He obtains them supposedly from Argyle.

They have items that range for $50 to $150,000, so this programmme really has a vast range of items, and they have this new Circelli (the owner's name) collection of settings/mountings for colored stones. They are so blingy, your eyes would fall out. Tons and tons and tons of diamonds encrusted everywhere.

People can watch them online, so LD, if you're ever curious. . .

I have never bought anything from them, but Widget and some others have. There's an old thread on PS with some "Gem Shopping Finds" or something akin to that. I just like to watch. The funny, strange thing I have noticed is that once I see a stone really big on PS, like neon chrysoberyl, or spinels, they start showcasing it too. Lately they've had a run of some very nice Mahenge spinels, and other fancy colored spinels, very droolworthy, but very expensive. I also like to watch because I like to know I don't pay those prices.

 

[T L]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

As an addendum to this thread, I took a photo of the recorded JTV program. Look underneath the outrageous price, the treatment is listed as bedif (or beryllium diffused). The sapphire, even if it was untreated, looked like a pyrope. I rather have a pyrope, at least it wouldn't have been treated.

 

[LD]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

Well on the plus side at least they are declaring the treatment. However, I agree - yuck!

 

[chrono]

Re: JTV selling beryllium diffused "sunset sapphires" for $$

BE diffused “sunset” ruby for nearly $18K???