my Tanzanite (bargain) treasure

[BeachBerries]

Hi! I took a chance on an item from a "small business" vendor and after a horrible shipping experience, this arrived. It has lots of inclusions, and unfortunately perhaps a fine crack (not sure of the term) from not being shipped in any kind of protection (arrived in a paper envelope with no box, no bubble wrap, no nothing). A little too rugged for me! The setting is fine but I think there is a fine crack. I still love it. My rugged 3 ct tanzanite that almost did not arrive.

It is popping blue usually, especially in the sun, dark purple at times inside. There is a rainbow in a corner sometimes, also a little red pops once in a while. In incandescent light, it is lighter violet.

I had my jeweler check it and he wasn't sure if the line was from stress/mistreatment, and he said it is okay but I probably can never reset the stone because of it. He thought the inclusions were neat, too.

 

[musicloveranthony]

Tanzanite does have such a wonderful color when it's heated. With it being in a ring with low cut prongs, please be very gentle with it (unlike the vendor was). I have a Tanzanite ring that I very rarely and gently wear and it still developed a couple chips and surface scratches

 

[BeachBerries]

Tanzanite does have such a wonderful color when it's heated. With it being in a ring with low cut prongs, please be very gentle with it (unlike the vendor was). I have a Tanzanite ring that I very rarely and gently wear and it still developed a couple chips and surface scratches

Ah, it does! I haven't seen an unheated one. I remember reading how they were discovered as gemstones after lightning struck some rocks near a waterfall in Tanzania and that heat made the stones turn blue/purple : )

I will be careful with mine. They are actually sending me a free replacement (and I don't have to send this one back because of the horrible shipping experience and damage to this stone). So, I'm hoping that one has a better trip to my home.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

What a huge chunk of glorious blue! Send more photos.
Free replacement! I'm glad someone appreciates your business.

 

[Mooshi]

I love that! I humbly request so many more photos please

 

[Autumn in New England]

There's just no other gem with tanzanite's mesmerizing coloration... ah that richly saturated purplish-blue with red flashes. I love it so very much; I just wish the hardness and durability were better. *sigh*

I've seen many unheated tanzanites, and while most are going to be along the lines of the "ocean" hues (usually a weak mixture of green, blue, and brown), I have seen a few that have a rather nice medium blurple shade. But I've never seen one in the super fine color that was unheated. It's the nature of the beast, unfortunately.

Anyway, as long as you're aware the inclusions (especially those that transect the stone) could be affecting its durability, then it sounds like you're very pleased with your bargain buy. Enjoy it!!

 

[BeachBerries]

There's just no other gem with tanzanite's mesmerizing coloration... ah that richly saturated purplish-blue with red flashes. I love it so very much; I just wish the hardness and durability were better. *sigh*

I've seen many unheated tanzanites, and while most are going to be along the lines of the "ocean" hues (usually a weak mixture of green, blue, and brown), I have seen a few that have a rather nice medium blurple shade. But I've never seen one in the super fine color that was unheated. It's the nature of the beast, unfortunately.

Anyway, as long as you're aware the inclusions (especially those that transect the stone) could be affecting its durability, then it sounds like you're very pleased with your bargain buy. Enjoy it!!

Thank you for such valuable information! I actually would love a seafoam look to a stone. I had been searching for such an aqua for a while and gave up. They color them to get rid of the greens, don't they. I was also searching for a green sapphire (my birthstone) and lukewarm gave up. I have a "green" color change one I got from the National Sapphire place (I'm not even going to go into what that was like!) I don't wear that ring yet because of the bad feelings I have. I'm strange.

This tanzanite ring I found on Amazon. I stalk Amazon sometimes looking for interesting things. I like it more than Etsy lately because 1) I've gotten screwdled on quality. I like the Amazon return policy in my scavenging searches, plus at times I find a ridiculous deal and can check it out without fearing losing my hard-earned money. That was the case with this tanzanite. It's still on there. The last Amazon rep I talked to told me that Amazon might have been culprit with missing box. The seller kind of echoed the same. I have no idea how fulfillment work when Amazon manages your stock, but I reckon I could see them keeping the actual item in a bin of hundreds and the gift boxes in another then throwing them together and putting into a mailer. I can see it 50/50 honestly. Makes more sense for me for a fulfillment company to have the packaging as intended by the seller. 51/49 I guess. Anyway, I paid about $40 for this ring, on sale. It's 3 carats in 925 art deco setting (I love the claws as a bird enthusiast).

They are sending me a "replacement" this weekend, so I'm excited to see how it turns out on my already free ring (Amazon refunded me without me asking after I told them I thought it was bad policy to say 2 day shipping and it was running on a week (that was before even it arrived looking like it had come from another continent during a hurricane). So it's my free 3 carat tanzanite.

When I opened the mailer, after my disgust in the mailing, I was so thrilled that the setting was ok (usually that's the first thing messed up for my orders) and the stone, this stone! The blue is unbelievable, and it loves loves the sun. It is from an electric blue to royal. It has rainbows and what looks like a white inclusion running through it (when I saw that, I thought, my internal claw mark across my heart and goes with the claw setting). It might be my imagination, but the inclusions seem to make it sparkle more, give more rainbows at times. The fine lines, my amateurish jeweler who I love told me could be inclusions, too, or from stress. I genuinely believe he isn't sure, and I don't take my treasure hunt finds to anyone but him because I live in a beach town with a lot of pretty snobby jewelry stores who have snickered at me when I brought something. Recently, I found a 1 carat demantoid journey ring on Amazon from a silver seller I love, they only had one, and I felt like it might have been "found" in the warehouse, I don't know, first listed in 2013. I grabbed that thing up for a steal (like $100). It's been in my What are You Wearing posts, and oh I am in love with demantoid. That green, those blues, the diamond flashes. It has teeny tiny white sapphires on the side. Truly a dainty ring I am glad to have, but I can't wear every day. I've worn this tanzanite every day since the 13th. I feel blessed to have it. And, I can't wait to get the replacement to see if it is actually as good in color (and if the shipping is acceptable) or if I got a one-off.

And now, some pictures! This is my cracked, included stone (maybe you all can help me determine how cracked it actually is or if I am being picky over a free ring). I love it.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Thank you for such valuable information! I actually would love a seafoam look to a stone. I had been searching for such an aqua for a while and gave up. They color them to get rid of the greens, don't they. I was also searching for a green sapphire (my birthstone) and lukewarm gave up. I have a "green" color change one I got from the National Sapphire place (I'm not even going to go into what that was like!) I don't wear that ring yet because of the bad feelings I have. I'm strange.

This tanzanite ring I found on Amazon. I stalk Amazon sometimes looking for interesting things. I like it more than Etsy lately because 1) I've gotten screwdled on quality. I like the Amazon return policy in my scavenging searches, plus at times I find a ridiculous deal and can check it out without fearing losing my hard-earned money. That was the case with this tanzanite. It's still on there. The last Amazon rep I talked to told me that Amazon might have been culprit with missing box. The seller kind of echoed the same. I have no idea how fulfillment work when Amazon manages your stock, but I reckon I could see them keeping the actual item in a bin of hundreds and the gift boxes in another then throwing them together and putting into a mailer. I can see it 50/50 honestly. Makes more sense for me for a fulfillment company to have the packaging as intended by the seller. 51/49 I guess. Anyway, I paid about $40 for this ring, on sale. It's 3 carats in 925 art deco setting (I love the claws as a bird enthusiast).

They are sending me a "replacement" this weekend, so I'm excited to see how it turns out on my already free ring (Amazon refunded me without me asking after I told them I thought it was bad policy to say 2 day shipping and it was running on a week (that was before even it arrived looking like it had come from another continent during a hurricane). So it's my free 3 carat tanzanite.

When I opened the mailer, after my disgust in the mailing, I was so thrilled that the setting was ok (usually that's the first thing messed up for my orders) and the stone, this stone! The blue is unbelievable, and it loves loves the sun. It is from an electric blue to royal. It has rainbows and what looks like a white inclusion running through it (when I saw that, I thought, my internal claw mark across my heart and goes with the claw setting). It might be my imagination, but the inclusions seem to make it sparkle more, give more rainbows at times. The fine lines, my amateurish jeweler who I love told me could be inclusions, too, or from stress. I genuinely believe he isn't sure, and I don't take my treasure hunt finds to anyone but him because I live in a beach town with a lot of pretty snobby jewelry stores who have snickered at me when I brought something. Recently, I found a 1 carat demantoid journey ring on Amazon from a silver seller I love, they only had one, and I felt like it might have been "found" in the warehouse, I don't know, first listed in 2013. I grabbed that thing up for a steal (like $100). It's been in my What are You Wearing posts, and oh I am in love with demantoid. That green, those blues, the diamond flashes. It has teeny tiny white sapphires on the side. Truly a dainty ring I am glad to have, but I can't wear every day. I've worn this tanzanite every day since the 13th. I feel blessed to have it. And, I can't wait to get the replacement to see if it is actually as good in color (and if the shipping is acceptable) or if I got a one-off.

And now, some pictures! This is my cracked, included stone (maybe you all can help me determine how cracked it actually is or if I am being picky over a free ring). I love it.

I'd say you did pretty darn well for a free ring!!

 

[RRfromR]

Such a glorious blue

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

very very pretty
i would wear the damaged one whenever and baby the new one

 

[jaqjaqjaq]

That blue is fascinating! Love it

 

[RRfromR]

@BeachBerries we can buy vintage jewelry from Amazon?!! Oh my. How? What category? TIA!

 

[BeachBerries]

@BeachBerries we can buy vintage jewelry from Amazon?!! Oh my. How? What category? TIA!

It's not exactly vintage, it's new. I meant that it has a vintage look to me. If I'm allowed to put links on here for that, here it is, but much caution about the seller. My "replacement" came in today, and whoah. It was shipped exactly the same way, the envelope was slashed, ring slashed. I'll post pictures in a sec. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7R1N8G5?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1&psc=1 The one rating is from me.

The replacement came today in another paper Amazon envelope, no box. Envelope was slashed as was the zip lock ring bag the new ring was in. Shank has a huge gash in it. I'm going to ask my jeweler friend if they can buff it out for me. They aren't in till tomorrow.

The colors, on a happier note, are quite different! The replacement is an enchanting periwinkle! I tend to like my messed up stone better because of the electric blue (which is almost not believable) to dark purple, with rainbows. But I showed the replacement to a friend already and they liked the new one better. What do you all think? First image, the old stone on left with the very visible feather and many inclusions. To right, the new one, then lots of pics of the new one. And the deplorable delivery.

 

[BeachBerries]

very very pretty
i would wear the damaged one whenever and baby the new one

I think I definitely am. I love the wild colors in the damaged stone. It was heavily included to begin with (unless what I consider a feather was a fissure or crack or whatever the term is).

 

[BeachBerries]

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

It's not exactly vintage, it's new. I meant that it has a vintage look to me. If I'm allowed to put links on here for that, here it is, but much caution about the seller. My "replacement" came in today, and whoah. It was shipped exactly the same way, the envelope was slashed, ring slashed. I'll post pictures in a sec. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7R1N8G5?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1&psc=1 The one rating is from me.

The replacement came today in another paper Amazon envelope, no box. Envelope was slashed as was the zip lock ring bag the new ring was in. Shank has a huge gash in it. I'm going to ask my jeweler friend if they can buff it out for me. They aren't in till tomorrow.

The colors, on a happier note, are quite different! The replacement is an enchanting periwinkle! I tend to like my messed up stone better because of the electric blue (which is almost not believable) to dark purple, with rainbows. But I showed the replacement to a friend already and they liked the new one better. What do you all think? First image, the old stone on left with the very visible feather and many inclusions. To right, the new one, then lots of pics of the new one. And the deplorable delivery.

thats really bad
so the ring is dispatched from the same country you live in ?

i ask because if i buy pearls from China (Wen pearls) they are always opened by customs in NZ and arrive just in a plastic packet, a NZ post one, not in the one they left China in and no packaging just in a plastic bag like your ring and no paperwork

 

[BeachBerries]

thats really bad
so the ring is dispatched from the same country you live in ?

i ask because if i buy pearls from China (Wen pearls) they are always opened by customs in NZ and arrive just in a plastic packet, a NZ post one, not in the one they left China in and no packaging just in a plastic bag like your ring and no paperwork

Indeed. I live in SC and the shipping is from Amazon's warehouse just a few hours away, same country. The item description even says it comes with a giftable gift box, lol. I've yet to learn of it's an Amazon problem or seller problem because I don't know how they maintain stock. But I've bought a fair amount of jewelry from stores on Amazon and every purchase came in some kind of box of varying quality. Now I'm grateful for the times the box seemed sad.

The item was slashed by a person who was treasure hunting without their wallet. I guess they didn't like tanzanites and silver. Or, the contents were so small that they missed it. And they didn't have much time. The way both the envelope and ring ziplock were slashed looked like simultaneous angles, and perhaps the ring was stuck in a corner near the top. I'm glad it got here at all. I wish the shipping hasn't been so pathetic or Id try again at this price to get an undamaged stone and color. Try Before You Buy would be a nice option.

Amazon said they may shut this seller down.