New Alexandrite Pictures.

[RNgemlover]

Apology accepted... But I must ask... WHY ME? Why would you write something like that on MY thread?

 

[T L]

Date: 2/5/2009 11:00:32 PM
Author: shaunrice
Apology accepted... But I must ask... WHY ME? Why would you write something like that on MY thread?

Shaun,
Nothing against you at all. Usually when something is too good to be true, it often is. You had mentioned it was a museum quality piece afterall. However, you apparently have a great eye for value and super finds, so you''re very lucky and very smart to get certs. I was just asking that''s all. Believe it or not, in other gemological forums and this one, people have asked me if I had certs to back up my surprising finds, and I have not taken any offense whatsoever. I often enjoy the feedback and discussions.

By the way you''re not the only person people have warned about a stone perhaps not being what it is. Mochi just won a paraiba tourmaline from ebay, and people told her to go get it checked out because it might not be what it seemed by the pictures. She didn''t take any offense to it and appreciated the information. The thread is down below.

In future, I will not make comments like that to you, so again, I apologize if I offended you.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/5/2009 11:00:32 PM
Author: shaunrice
Apology accepted... But I must ask... WHY ME? Why would you write something like that on MY thread?

TL makes a valid point. There was a big discussion about whether a cert should be obtained on more expensive gems not long ago, and since PS is a consumer focused forum, it''s important that concerns like that are pointed out. I mean, when TL or anyone else asks if a stone is real or not, it''s probably because they don''t want that poster spending money (often quite a bit) on a misrepresented item. I seem to recall that you were very helpful to me in that respect too, concerning that lab-created alex I had set. So you shouldn''t take offense. TL was trying to help, not insult.

 

[FrekeChild]

Date: 2/5/2009 10:33:53 PM
Author: shaunrice
Here are certificate, and appraisal on Alexis. The only thing I covered was the value because it is none of your business. Any other proof you would require??? Again, do not write anything that baseless and offensive on any of my threads again!

First of all, I do not mean any offense by this at all, but I do not trust appraisals from people who are jewelers instead of actual gemstone appraisers. They have a vested interest in making you happy, and if they tell you that you got a great deal, and your stone is worth much much more, you''re probably going to visit them again.

As for your comments to TL, I think that you blew her question way out of proportion, and following her around a subforum to harass her is completely uncalled for. If you feel attacked, there is the "Report Concern" button that is meant to be used for problems that you have.

Having said that, I think TL has a valid question. I''m sorry you felt attacked, but it did not come off as an attack to me or to several other posters.

 

[RNgemlover]

Well, whatever, now you know, they are real

 

[RNgemlover]

I remember your stone, and it was purple in daylight. That was a rather obvious observation. Given the fact that in this very thread I said several times it was certified, and mentioned waiting for an appraisal... I found her question insulting.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/6/2009 12:44:10 AM
Author: shaunrice
I remember your stone, and it was purple in daylight. That was a rather obvious observation. Given the fact that in this very thread I said several times it was certified, and mentioned waiting for an appraisal... I found her question insulting.

Well, it just really seemed like TL was NOT out to get you. Your stones are very pretty, and since you obviously love alexandrites, no one wants to see you get duped. I doubt it was meant to be offensive. Besides, any poster can miss what''s obviously stated in previous posts - we skim sometimes. Like when I stated in my first post in that thread that mine was more than likely lab-created. I figured as much - didn''t need reiteration, thanks.

 

[FrekeChild]

I have experience with jewelers in New Mexico, and from my experience, they are not exactly knowledgeable about gemstones in general. If your Alexandrite is worth as much as they are telling you it is, it will be worth it to send it to someone who is an independent appraiser and who does NOT have a vested interest in selling you other items of jewelry.

To quote a PS article:

" Independent appraisers

Abuse of this system has led to the rise of independent appraisers. These are appraisers who don’t sell gems or jewelry at all and who have no vested interest in the outcome of the appraisal. They get paid the same whatever the conclusions, whether you buy it or not and whatever you pay. Most have top gemological credentials as well as additional training and credentials in appraising and usually have significantly more experience than the store appraisers. Independents often do work for banks and estates and get involved in tax and customs matters as well as the usual insurance type documentation. They can also be very useful for shoppers. Many customers, especially for very expensive items find that an independent appraisal is an invaluable part of the shopping process both for evaluating stones as well as craftsmanship of the final piece. Most sellers will allow a return period of 7-30 days from your purchase to return for a full refund. This time can be used to get an inspection from an independent appraiser to both confirm what the dealer has told you as well as to provide more that may have been omitted. Often even the suggestion that a deal will be contingent on an opinion by an independent will help get the best possible merchandise for the best possible price.

Pricescope provides a list of independent appraisers. "

To go to the list

Link to those in NM

 

[RNgemlover]

Now that was truly helpful. I really had no idea. My insurance company accepts the appraisals I get locally, so I never thought about sending my stones away except for GIA certificates. I''ll give Larry Philips a call tomorrow, and see what he thinks. Thanks!

 

[FrekeChild]

You''re welcome. I''m considering harassing him myself.

 

[RNgemlover]

tl i want to apologize for being so defensive. i badly misunderstood. as a result of this, i took my stones to a certified independent appraiser this am, and he put them under his microscope. he is certain they are authentic, and is going to appraise them on feb24th. sorry i responded so poorly. restraint of tongue and pen is a lesson i have a very hard time with

i''ll post again when the rings are done.

 

[T L]

No problem Shaun, and no need to apologize. It''s often difficult to convey feelings with the written word, so I can understand why you were upset. I meant absolutely nothing by my question to you at all, and I think BEG and Freke did a great job tyring to explain what I did so poorly in conveying in the first place. Thanks. Good luck on your appraisals, and congratulations again on your exciting Alexandrite finds.

 

[LD]

Crikey I've come late to this thread.

Shaun you KNOW I'm an Alexandrite collector so please take this in the spirit it's intended?

There are some excellent synthetics on the market, so good that "natural" type inclusions are now popping up in them - a sad fact of how the gemstone industry is progressing in technology! I have no idea whether your lovely Alex is real or synthetic BUT if you believe it to be wonderful then you MUST get a proper certification.

I once bought a very very very good synthetic - believing it to be real and sold as such. I have to say that my gut instinct was that something was wrong because it was too good to be true - and that also came with a jeweller's appraisal. Anyway, to cut a long story short I sent it off to the Birmingham Assay Office in the UK and after extensive testing they showed it was synthetic but they commented that it was a very very very good one and would have fooled most people.

As Freke has pointed out, jewellers are not the right place to judge an Alex because (a) they don't always have the necessary equipment to thoroughly put a stone through it's paces and (b) unless they see Alex all the time, they won't have the experience.

I do believe that TL was trying to help and certainly wasn't trying to offend in any way. I'm sorry if you took it that way but honestly, wouldn't you prefer that we told you how we see it as we're all like minded peeps! I will be exceptionally happy for you if your Alex is real and gutted if they're not but you do need to get them checked out and put through their paces to be sure. Try sending them to AGTA (I linked to them somewhere on one of your threads if that helps)?

 

[RNgemlover]

another internal of alexis, and again, she is certified natural chrysoberyl (alexandrite) already, and is going for another appraisal by an independent certified appraiser on the 24th.

 

[RNgemlover]

The second appraisal is done, there was a cancelation... This appraiser, a certified independent appraiser, valued Alexis at more than the last appraiser... Lizzy was also appraised and both stones were found to be natural chrysoberyl (alexandrite), of exceptional quality... I was staggered before, now I''m speechless. I''m soo soo soooo sorry TL for being such a rude )(#@@$ when you were only trying to help me out. If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have done this second appraisal. Thanks SOO SOOOOO much.

 

[RNgemlover]

The new ring is finally done!

 

[RNgemlover]

I can''t load pictures for some reason...

 

[RNgemlover]

here we go

 

[RNgemlover]

another

 

[RNgemlover]

It looks very old fasioned. I like it!

 

[RNgemlover]

on the table

 

[RNgemlover]

Well, against the rules GIA gave me the results for the alexandrites! Both are now GIA certified natural alexandrites! Still waiting on my 1.1 carat unheated blue sapphire (i''m doing origin on that one), a yellow stone I thought was a sapphire but now am not sure what on earth it is, and a padparadscha... We''ll see lol!