Know any rare gems?

[Chrysoz]

Hi all!
I have recently switched my focus from sapphires, spinels, rubies...(you know the rest...) to scarcer gemstones, I really like the challenge to get my hands on them

Does anyone have any hints for me? Sites which is selling collectible gemstones.., suppliers that both sell rare facet-rough or faceted stones, or something like that...

But now to the main question; Have any of you heard of some rare gems recently that you think I may like? Any suggestions what I should buy?

 

[bar01]

Rarer than Rubies and Sapphires???!!!

How about a red diamond?

Well - you might enjoy reading some information from this site

 

[Pandora II]

Tsavorite?

all the garnet group in fact..

Danburite?

Ammolite?

 

[Upgradable]

Benitoite

 

[colormyworld]

There are so many rare stones. A few are bixbite,hauyne,pezzottite,taffeite,painite,uvarovite,and star spinel.

If you don''t have a copy of Walter Schumanns book Gemstones of the world you might think about trying to find a copy. It is a very good book for budding gemologists.

 

[Nicrez]

Date: 8/22/2007 1:47:34 PM
Author: colormyworld
There are so many rare stones. A few are bixbite,hauyne,pezzottite,taffeite,painite,uvarovite,and star spinel.

If you don''t have a copy of Walter Schumanns book Gemstones of the world you might think about trying to find a copy. It is a very good book for budding gemologists.

The Smithsonian also puts out a "gem" of a book...

Two perfect books to start with. I wouldn''t say most garnets are rare, actually quite the opposite, except for demantoid really...The rare stones that few gemologists ever remember is called the B Chart in GIA. We hated those stones because identification was fairly easy but you had to remember the multitude of names (except Zoisite aka Tanzinite)...and there are always more out there being discovered, some facetable, some not. They are certainly many that are too soft or unattractive to mount as jewelry, but if you seek for collecting, try some sites by Googling...

Here''s a sample of some prices/ct:
http://www.djraregems.com/raregems.html

Pink topaz is actually quite rare which I love, but it won''t be cheap...

 

[Pandora II]

That''s a point Nicrez.

By rare do you mean, gemstones that a really rare to find or gemstones that are rare to find in jewellery stores? Sapphires, emeralds etc are everywhere there, but you rarely see the nice garnets or tourmalines etc

Is this for your own collection or for sale?

 

[Chrysoz]

Thanks!
In fact, I meant REALLY rare

I already have some of the stones you mentioned.
I am afraid Red diamond is a little bit to expensive, at least untreated.
I am bidding at an extremely rare danburite at the moment, and I have already got for example tsavorite, painite (4 faceted and 1 crystal) , a phosphophyllite, Benitoite, haüyne, and as soon I can (and have the money) I will directly buy a taaffeite
And..It is for my own collection, I donät sell that rare gems yet.

Pink topaz was a very good hint! I will buy it as soon as I can (of course untreated) and show you the pics!

 

[Chrysoz]

Thanks for mentioning the book!
My parents have got the bookshop in town.. so it won''t be that hard to get my hands on one

 

[naderon]

A few rare options....

A clean faceted phosphophyllite (without a washed out colour, if you somehow have the luxury of being picky on this) would be considered quite the elusive collector''s piece! I can stare at the colour for days! Careful though, it''s quite fragile.

Another beautiful option is a clean pink poudretteite over 0.25 cts

Large bright clean open axinite with a GOOD cut, and with a fair amount of purple showing when looking down the table

STABLE Large clean faceted colourless ethiopian "crystal" opal with good play of colour... mind you, finding these with colour play like mintabie crystal opal will end in failure. There is quite a bit of ethiopian opal for sale on the internet, but 99% of it is not of interest for the serious collector of rare gems. That being said, there is that one or two pieces that show up that are absolutely beautiful and just blow you away... although it''s rare to locate one (and if you''re not one of the few first to have done so it will most certainly be snatched up). There is no foolproof test on stability since these haven''t been on the market for long, but one that''s been faceted for over a year without being stored in water are usually ok (just dont let it dry out since they can and often contain more water than most opals).

Pink painite from namya and pretty much any transparent fully terminated painite crystal

faceted fresnoite

 

[Chrysoz]

That''s what I call rare!
Thanks you Naderon, I will really try to get my hands on these, even if I know it will be hard with some...

I already have a great phosphophyllite with the best color I have ever seen, but sorely the peice is only 0,08ct

Wish it was larger...

I bidded on a faceted fresnoite for not long time ago, but I didn''t know it was THAT rare, so I lost it on around 20$

 

[perry]

Chrysoz:

A suggestion if I may.

I think it is great that you are building such a great collection. I do not think you will really find the unique and rare stuff on ebay though. Those items tend to be in the relm of industry insiders.

Few people know that Palagems started as a store selling mineral speciments along with some kinds of gemstones mined locally. They still sell mineral samples and have access to much more (and you should see their private collection). Check out their website.

My thoughs are ... that if I was really looking to build a really good collection of the unique and rare items I''d work with the people at Pala International - or someone similar - who has contacts worldwide on interesting and rare mineral and gemstone items. I''d let them know what I was doing - my budget - and timeframe - and let them keep their eyes open for me. I''d bet that in 5 or 10 years you could have a collection that would put many local museums to shame.

Perry

 

[Chrysoz]

I know that what you are saying is perfectly true, and.. in fact you read my mind, that is exactly what I need. That is also just what I meant with the text:
"Does anyone have any hints for me? Sites which is selling collectible gemstones.., suppliers that both sell rare facet-rough or faceted stones, or something like that..."

I also knew (but thanks for pointing it out) that you can''t find that really unique gems on ebay, but this far I haven''t succeded to take contact with any suppliers good and cheap enough.
This is my thoughts: At the moment, I would not be able to buy even the least expensive sapphire with the money I have got(or am able to get), so what I am doing now is buying the best bargains I can for the money I have.
You may see it as a waste of money, and I party agree, I could save the money for one really uniqe stone, but I also see the "long-time-investment" in it.
When I get a decent job, or start my own company, first then, I will be able to start saving money for the "real" collection and at that piont, I will also have my whole collection to sell. Since I am trying to get good stones for the money i pay, I can hope to sell the stones at a better price than I bought them for.
I belive that is a better alternative, because lets say I save all money I get in 5 years, i would still only have about 3500-4000 dollars. Do you get a collection worthy a museum for that money. Probably not, maybe a decent large sapphire.

But you so right about one thing, If I established contacts now already, it would go much better and easier to get the right stones when I have got money enough. Because in the end, I know money is nearly all that matters (of course together with the right knowledge and passion)
I would really appreciate some "insiders" to contact, each one of them is a step forward for me.

One thing I came up with now; ebay IS a very good place to learn about stones, even if what you get is not the most unique peices. I have got a great part of my knowledge from my business on ebay, in one way or another. (I assure that words is not for Ebay''s defense...there is many dishonest sellers and fakes, but sometimes you have to learn that the hard way)

 

[Evelina]

I know that Alexandrites are very rare. Especially the ones that have 100% color change. The best ones come from Russia I think.

 

[CaraMish]

vanadium chrysoberyl

phenakite

neither are truly rare, however...

How about cabochons? Fine quality cabochons get overlooked, IMO.

Also, whatever the gem, you could collect stones with exeptional faceting from around the world...american, ukrainian, german, and also the very famous chinese concave faceting

...

I have two good contacts I would recommend; not sure how to do so since we're not supposed to promote vendors and I don't want to get spanked...

 

[Kismet]

Date: 9/27/2007 4:33:12 PM
Author: CaraMish

I have two good contacts I would recommend; not sure how to do so since we''re not supposed to promote vendors and I don''t want to get spanked...

I''m pretty sure it''s just vendors that cannot promote themselves or other vendors. Consumers can recommend whomever they like. Of course, if I''m wrong I''ll take my spankings.

 

[CaraMish]

Thanks, Kismet!

Look here and here; I''ve purchased from both vendors and received excellent stones...

 

[Harriet]

New sources! Thanks.

 

[empress]

I too am looking for what I think is a rare stone - Cobalt Spinel. I''ve seen pictures of it in reference materials - all to die for - but have not come across anything for sale that comes up that that standard. How do I go about finding such a treasure?

I, too, have been lurking at the sidelines for a while, and am a newbie to the list.

Thanks,

Empress

 

[Harriet]

Richard M., who posts here, may have one: www.artcutgems.com