Need advice regarding Alexandrite ring I am purchasing

[Ari]

Hello, I am nearing completion of transaction for purchase of an Alexandrite ring I found on ebay. The seller is someone I've purchased from before and seller also has 100% favorable feedback to his credit. I have become a bit anxious over this purchase however after reading info re Alexandrite here- I would appreciate your thoughts on the Alexandrite in this ring - Described as 1ct old cut natural Russian Alexandrite 5.6 mm Thanks in advance! Ari

 

[VividRed]

Hard to tell the color change with only pictures in the same light. Has the vendor shown you pictures and videos in different/changing light settings?

And very importantly, may we know how much he is asking?

 

[T L]

Is there a highly reputable lab report (GRS, Gueblin, SSEF, GIA or AGL) that indicates it is a natural Alex from Russia????

 

[Ari]

Hard to tell the color change with only pictures in the same light. Has the vendor shown you pictures and videos in different/changing light settings?

And very importantly, may we know how much he is asking?

 

[Ari]

price is $2, 385 - I asked if certified and was told I would need to do this - I have not asked for additional photos but will do so- should I request natural outdoor photos ?

 

[IcePhoenix]

Make sure the Russian origin is certified by a reputable lab, Russian alexandrite carries a premium and you definitely don't want a Russian price tag for Brazilian or Indian material (not that they are ugly), it would be like paying for a Burmese ruby for a Mozambique stone or paying for an Argyle fancy pink diamond and getting a regular pink diamond. Again not that regular pink diamonds, rubies from Mozambique or Indian alexandrites are ugly stones, but the Argyle, Burmese and Russian origin are market's favourites because they are know as either sites of discovery or sites known for producing high quality material

 

[lovedogs]

price is $2, 385 - I asked if certified and was told I would need to do this - I have not asked for additional photos but will do so- should I request natural outdoor photos ?

I would absolutely not buy without a reputable certification . Otherwise you could be paying over 2k for a lab stone. And yes you need to ask for photos/videos of the color change.

 

[tkyasx78]

Do not buy if it is not certified. If it was real this would already have been done.
By the time you have it removed and sent in, you will be out your money.

 

[T L]

Yes, I concur with the others. Do not purchase without that lab report with origin.

 

[IcePhoenix]

Yes, I concur with the others. Do not purchase without that lab report with origin.

Would you say that lotus lab is an appropriate lab for CS?

 

[Bron357]

Ok.
Firstly I know this seller as well, I’ve purchased from them too.
Secondly, the ring is probably Alexandrite and diamonds BUT there are no photos of the incandescent colour and a main driver of price is the strength and % of colour change. Some Alex’s don’t change to purple or strongly or fully.
Thirdly, I doubt if it is Russian, you have to have a lab report and it’s difficult to attribute origin. So unless it comes with an appropriate top lab report it’s best to assume it isn’t Russian and not pay a premium for supposed or assumed origin.
Once you receive the ring you should send the ring off to AGL for a gemstone brief ($85) or Prestige Origin report ($270). If the report doesn’t confirm natural Alexandrite you will be able to return it for refund under eBay rules but you won’t recoup the cost of the report.
I think it’s a lovely ring for the money and as long as the gem is natural and there is a satisfactory colour change, to your eyes, then it’s an good buy at that price.

 

[T L]

Would you say that lotus lab is an appropriate lab for CS?

I think their specialty is sapphire. I honestly don’t know enough about that lab, and I don’t know if they can tell Russian origin. I’m still trying to find out if they even have access to a mass spectrometer, which is essential in testing some sapphire.

 

[T L]

Honestly, if I were a vendor selling an alexandrite with Russian origin, I would get a lab report. Vendors and consumers go nuts for true Russian alexandrite, so it doesn’t make sense this dealer doesn’t have an origin report. Something seems fishy.

 

[Ari]

Thanks for the good advice- requested the info you mentioned- Appreciate your help! Ari

 

[lovedogs]

Honestly, if I were a vendor selling an alexandrite with Russian origin, I would get a lab report. Vendors and consumers go nuts for true Russian alexandrite, so it doesn’t make sense this dealer doesn’t have an origin report. Something seems fishy.

Exactly. If it were really Russian,the vendor would have had it tested to prove it.

 

[Bron357]

Honestly, if I were a vendor selling an alexandrite with Russian origin, I would get a lab report. Vendors and consumers go nuts for true Russian alexandrite, so it doesn’t make sense this dealer doesn’t have an origin report. Something seems fishy.

The vendor is a estate jewellery liquidation/ dealer/ pawnbroker on eBay 17 years with nearly 90,000 feedback, all positive too!
They just sell what they get as they get it. They have Certified Cartier and other designer pieces plus GIA certified pieces but it seems that they do not seek out certification themselves, probably because they have about 6,800 listings current on eBay.
I wouldn’t give any “credit” to claims of it being Russian without a report but if the buyer was to fork out $270 for the Prestige origin report and it not be Russian, the eBay seller will undoubtably refund, but the buyer is have to bear the cost of the report themselves.

 

[new-beginning]

and I certainly would want excellent pics of the color change. yes, I know they are difficult to photograph but Multicolour seems to be able to do that successfully.

 

[Rfisher]

No one else thinks OP’s picture #1 and #3
IS the vendor showing the color change?
I haven’t looked at the listing directly, but
Looks like it on my monitor, as it were.
Picture #1 has patchy “violet” areas that #3 doesn’t have.

 

[lovedogs]

No one else thinks OP’s picture #1 and #3
IS the vendor showing the color change?
I haven’t looked at the listing directly, but
Looks like it on my monitor, as it were.
Picture #1 has patchy “violet” areas that #3 doesn’t have.

If that's the color change then absolutely do not buy it

 

[Bron357]

Looking through their other listings (they have quite a few Alexandrite rings) it’s hard to work out if their colour change photos are accurate or just modified to resemble the incandescent effect. If the photos are “accurate” then none of the rings have a good colour change.
And that the issue with buying Alexandrite.
Once you make sure you are getting “mined from the earth” and not full of flaws it is ALL about the colour change colours, strength and percentage of change.
Ideal is vivid teal blue green changing to purple /red and over 90% change.
So the OP may need to wait to see the actual ring and review it’s colour change in person.
Fortunately the eBay seller offers a no problem 30 day return period for refund excluding shipping charges.

 

[new-beginning]

No one else thinks OP’s picture #1 and #3
IS the vendor showing the color change?
I haven’t looked at the listing directly, but
Looks like it on my monitor, as it were.
Picture #1 has patchy “violet” areas that #3 doesn’t have.

on my monitor the first pick is sapphire blue, the second is like a vivid aquamarine. Neither are what i would consider a true Alexandrite color. Of course, maybe my monitor is not accurate.

 

[whitewave]

Is this seller something like oldtreasures?

 

[Bron357]

Is this seller something like oldtreasures?

Yes oldtreasures333

 

[whitewave]

Yes oldtreasures333

I noticed they had a lot of alexandrite— wondered where it all came from

 

[Bron357]

I noticed they had a lot of alexandrite— wondered where it all came from

Not sure but they have a lot of nice things. I bought my diamond ring mount from them plus a diamond tennis bracelet. Their prices are good.

 

[whitewave]

Not sure but they have a lot of nice things. I bought my diamond ring mount from them plus a diamond tennis bracelet. Their prices are good.

Yes, they do seem to want to move pieces. I have several on my watch list

 

[Ari]

The vendor is a estate jewellery liquidation/ dealer/ pawnbroker on eBay 17 years with nearly 90,000 feedback, all positive too!

Thanks for the good advice- requested the info you mentioned- Appreciate your help! Ari

I purchased the ring- will see how color is in daylight and inside light- if good color/color chsnge will send for AGL brief- do I send ring or have stone removed?

They just sell what they get as they get it. They have Certified Cartier and other designer pieces plus GIA certified pieces but it seems that they do not seek out certification themselves, probably because they have about 6,800 listings current on eBay.
I wouldn’t give any “credit” to claims of it being Russian without a report but if the buyer was to fork out $270 for the Prestige origin report and it not be Russian, the eBay seller will undoubtably refund, but the buyer is have to bear the cost of the report themselves.

Hello, I am nearing completion of transaction for purchase of an Alexandrite ring I found on ebay. The seller is someone I've purchased from before and seller also has 100% favorable feedback to his credit. I have become a bit anxious over this purchase however after reading info re Alexandrite here- I would appreciate your thoughts on the Alexandrite in this ring - Described as 1ct old cut natural Russian Alexandrite 5.6 mm Thanks in advance! Ari

Hello, I am nearing completion of transaction for purchase of an Alexandrite ring I found on ebay. The seller is someone I've purchased from before and seller also has 100% favorable feedback to his credit. I have become a bit anxious over this purchase however after reading info re Alexandrite here- I would appreciate your thoughts on the Alexandrite in this ring - Described as 1ct old cut natural Russian Alexandrite 5.6 mm Thanks in advance! Ari

 

[Bron357]

The AGL Gem brief can be done while mounted. If you wanted the Prestige report to get origin confirmation, I think that’s done “unmounted”. Just be aware that unmounting / remounting will not only negate your ability to return unless “not as described” it will be an additional expense to you, also not recoverable from the vendor.
Vendors, quite rightly, have to be wary of buyers who remove gemstones from jewellery and then want to return the item. Gems can get damaged or even “switched” during this process. This is not to suggest any ill intentions on your part but scammers are out there unfortunately.
I don’t doubt that it is an Alexandrite, so I don’t think it worth the extra effort and cost to go for the Prestige report until or unless you resell it.
Without being too critical, nearly everyone thinks/ wants their Alexandrite to be Russian but in reality, most aren’t. Origin is important if you’re spending tens of thousands of dollars for a Russian origin, for more modest size gems I don’t think there is much point to origin distinction.
The big issue should be the colour change.
Irrespective of origin, an Alexandrites beauty and value is due to its colour change ability. If the colour change is too muted or not even then the price will always be less, Russian or not.
Russian and Brazilian Alexandrite is preferred because the daylight colour is green/ blue and the incandescent purple / red. Much of the Indian Alexandrite is more yellow toned (daylight) and brownish (incandescent) and that’s not as desirable to most.

 

[Jujeh]

Is it just me or do those colors look really off?

I haven't ever seen an alexandrite that neon.

 

[LilAlex]

Is it just me or do those colors look really off?

Agreed. Gorgeous daylight-color (Paraiba, almost) for a 1-ct alex, plus the ring and diamonds and it's $2K US??? If you think you can get away with paying this, you almost deserve to get taken

100% positive feedback just means that buyers were satisfied with the transaction -- not that they know anything or got what they think they paid for. No one ever gets their own report. I have never seen an actual bona fide Russian alexandrite in any store or any site.

I've noticed a lot of eBay sellers with amazing prices sell "vintage" pieces that look like they were freshly made in China. All similar stones and similar settings, but styles that are a century apart Vintage "style" is more like it.