Mistakes….. I’ve made a few…..

Bron357 · Jun 25, 2021

While I am proud of my “scores”, don’t think for a minute it has all been smooth sailing on my colored gemstone journey. The main thing is I have learnt, I’ve done more reading, done courses and bought appropriate equipment so hopefully not too many pitfalls lay ahead.
So I’m ”show casing” some of my wonderful mistakes.
First up is my Spessartite Garnet, that isn’t. I think this was one of my first Pricescope Posts. So proud I was, thought I’d ticked all the boxes and bought very well. Nicely made ring, good heft, 14kt gold, lovely. Except it’s a synthetic sapphire. “What” “huh” - I was shocked. Truth is that back then I didn’t even know sapphires came in orange!
Next is my Opal Heart Pendant. Yes, it’s an Australian Opal set in 14kt gold. I bought it at auction, in person BUT I hadn’t inspected the lot. It came up and I thought “I’ll be having that”. Ugh, opal has a significant crack, I should have inspected it before bidding/ buying.
Next up are my Multi gemstone 18k earrings. Very pretty. Hallmarked for 18k yellow gold, except they aren’t. Fake hallmark. Only realized this when the gold plate wore off. Expensive mistake.
Next another pair of earrings. Set in 14kt white gold with wee diamonds, though not great quality. Thought the green gemstone was likely Chrome Tourmaline. Loved the color. Had them quite a while when the light caught the stone “just right”. Yikes, it’s a doublet. Green something stuck on a glass backing. Well that was Surprise!
Finally, my mothers mistake and one I didn’t pick up one. Mother bought from a reputable auction house a beautiful diamond watch with a diamond tennis style bracelet, all 14kt white gold, and paid a considerable sum for it. She wore it many years until she decided it was too loose on her wrist and the bracelet needed shortening. I dutifully took it into my jeweler and we were all in shock when it was revealed all the gems in the bracelet were CZ. A handmade, tapering size, individually claw set, articulated 14kt white gold bracelet set with CZ! Ouch. Currently being turned into a bracelet with a marquis Moissanite - salvage something out of it.
All is often not what it seems.
Share your follies and let’s laugh lest we cry……

ringo865 · Jun 25, 2021

@Bron357 thanks for sharing your foibles! They are all beautiful, though, so hopefully the ”price per wear” is ultimately worth the happiness and joy you get from wearing them. (If not, take all the “great deals” you got, and add them to this, then divide by total to get an average price, which might make you less sad that the outright price per piece.)

That “spess” tho, and that watch! Who knew? (And faking a hallmark? Egad, if that’s a thing, i might be in trouble. Who carries around acid testing kits with them?)

YadaYadaYada · Jun 25, 2021

I once bought a white gold aquamarine ring from Goodwill auctions that ended up being silver! It was stamped for gold and everything so it seems that they used the mold from a gold ring and cast it in silver. I was able to return it and get a refund.

Actually most of my mistakes have been returned because I will not buy something without a return policy.

lambskin · Jun 26, 2021

I admire Bron357 in this post. Wowza such costly mistakes. I wonder about a few of my pieces but won’t get it checked out and prefer ostrich in the sand mentality. Fakes are so good now there is no telling what one is buying and the delay and cost to certify kind of takes the fun out of buying pieces.

Daisys and Diamonds · Jun 26, 2021

Bron357 said:
While I am proud of my “scores”, don’t think for a minute it has all been smooth sailing on my colored gemstone journey. The main thing is I have learnt, I’ve done more reading, done courses and bought appropriate equipment so hopefully not too many pitfalls lay ahead.
So I’m ”show casing” some of my wonderful mistakes.
First up is my Spessartite Garnet, that isn’t. I think this was one of my first Pricescope Posts. So proud I was, thought I’d ticked all the boxes and bought very well. Nicely made ring, good heft, 14kt gold, lovely. Except it’s a synthetic sapphire. “What” “huh” - I was shocked. Truth is that back then I didn’t even know sapphires came in orange!
Next is my Opal Heart Pendant. Yes, it’s an Australian Opal set in 14kt gold. I bought it at auction, in person BUT I hadn’t inspected the lot. It came up and I thought “I’ll be having that”. Ugh, opal has a significant crack, I should have inspected it before bidding/ buying.
Next up are my Multi gemstone 18k earrings. Very pretty. Hallmarked for 18k yellow gold, except they aren’t. Fake hallmark. Only realized this when the gold plate wore off. Expensive mistake.
Next another pair of earrings. Set in 14kt white gold with wee diamonds, though not great quality. Thought the green gemstone was likely Chrome Tourmaline. Loved the color. Had them quite a while when the light caught the stone “just right”. Yikes, it’s a doublet. Green something stuck on a glass backing. Well that was Surprise!
Finally, my mothers mistake and one I didn’t pick up one. Mother bought from a reputable auction house a beautiful diamond watch with a diamond tennis style bracelet, all 14kt white gold, and paid a considerable sum for it. She wore it many years until she decided it was too loose on her wrist and the bracelet needed shortening. I dutifully took it into my jeweler and we were all in shock when it was revealed all the gems in the bracelet were CZ. A handmade, tapering size, individually claw set, articulated 14kt white gold bracelet set with CZ! Ouch. Currently being turned into a bracelet with a marquis Moissanite - salvage something out of it.
All is often not what it seems.
Share your follies and let’s laugh lest we cry……

You make the prettiest mistakes
Love love love the orange

My mistaken were all much more disappointing and i scraped them all last year
Lost some money but hapoy i don't have them any more
A couple of my booboos

Bought a morganite ring on trade me
it was tiny and faded
though about replacing the stones but the setting was just too small
Also from trade me got a rose quartz pendent - not overly exspensive but still a complete waste of money- sooo pale just awful

Also bought a few SS Karen walker pieces new
Earings too small and ring didn't fit
Too hard to return - saving those for a gift aa never worn - looked absolutly beautiful on the internet

westofhere · Jun 27, 2021

I used to buy all my pendant chains (box, wheat) from pawn shops until I bought one hallmarked as 14k that was plate. That’s when I realized that hallmarks aren’t necessarily true. And that having local independent jewelry stores I’ve worked with for decades is invaluable. And that I’m happy to pay more for peace of mind!

kgizo · Jun 28, 2021

Thanks for sharing your experiences and this is a really helpful and informative post. The fraud of the wrong hallmark and selling CZs as diamonds aren’t your mistakes IMO. You looked for the appropriate identifying marks and I would expect the auction house to have a gemologist evaluate a piece like that.
Years ago I bought an uncerted OEC from a well reviewed vendor that has been in business for over 30 years. Took it to an appraiser who confirmed it was a diamond of the color and clarity the vendor stated. Contacted Erica at LAD to do the setting and so thankful that she encouraged me to send it to AGS because they identified it as moissy. The vendor immediately refunded me but whole experience really threw me for a loop.

Mreader · Jun 28, 2021

kgizo said:
Thanks for sharing your experiences and this is a really helpful and informative post. The fraud of the wrong hallmark and selling CZs as diamonds aren’t your mistakes IMO. You looked for the appropriate identifying marks and I would expect the auction house to have a gemologist evaluate a piece like that.
Years ago I bought an uncerted OEC from a well reviewed vendor that has been in business for over 30 years. Took it to an appraiser who confirmed it was a diamond of the color and clarity the vendor stated. Contacted Erica at LAD to do the setting and so thankful that she encouraged me to send it to AGS because they identified it as moissy. The vendor immediately refunded me but whole experience really threw me for a loop.

WHOA. That is crazy and scary!

Lucia88 · Jun 28, 2021

my diamond studs are not certified. i bought them on ebay as 1.06 ct h color and i1 clarity. their cost was $ 1400. I don't know if I paid dearly for them. but now I understand that you cannot trust the seller in a word. I have not yet worn them to the gemologist, but I see that one stone is flat and a rib eye. it has a crack and small defects. the other has dark carbon. if I was familiar with this site before, I would never have made such a mistake!