Newbie needs help to choose an emerald

[zedflying]

I am kind of new to emeralds. Due to the lack of local resources, I have to purchase a stone remotely which is not ideal. I have been working with two IG vendors. Need some experts' advise on which one to choose or none!

The stones below are all from the same origin but two different vendors. No.1 and 2 stones $/carat (unit price) are priced 10% and 28% higher than No. 3-5 stones (which all have the same unit price)

No.1: 3.08 ct

81e3ea47e15d4bab93d1a0c27854b2c2.MOV

drive.google.com

No.2: 2.07ct

5ee32016a93247008ce901ecea822134.MOV

drive.google.com

No.3: 3.36ct

IMG_5707.MOV

drive.google.com

Another video for No.3

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EAX55mcy7cTZ-XCxjw_Qd8gJG-Tutmfn/view?usp=share_link

No.4 (bigger one) and 5 (smaller one): 3.58ct and 2.13ct

IMG_4435.MOV

drive.google.com

@Autumn in New England for visibility.

 

[Autumn in New England]

How fun! Ok, so I'm just going to jump right in. Naturally, these are merely my opinions and are based solely upon the vids provided. You also need to consider subtle (or even not-so-subtle) nuances of color and clarity in person, as well as treatments (and having the stone you ultimately choose certified by a major lab, if it does not already come with a report). A generous return policy is a MUST.

I would strike #3 out of contention immediately, because of what appears to be a huge dead spot of a window. #2 has a nice cut, but the clarity and color do not look as fine as #1. Out of the first 3 stones, #1 is the clear winner for me.

I would strike #5 from contention for the same reason as #3... very large window. #4 looks to be quite vivid with a decent cut, but #1 still edges it out for me.

#1 would be my choice based entirely upon the info provided. Do you have a favorite so far?

 

[CaseyLouLou]

Listen to @Autumn in New England and make sure there is a good return policy and that you use a form of payment that is disputable in case there is an issue. I learned the hard way.

I defer to her on the choice too but #1 looks gorgeous. It’s really hard to tell the color undertone from photos so ask questions about whether it’s a blue green or yellow green. Good luck!

 

[zedflying]

How fun! Ok, so I'm just going to jump right in. Naturally, these are merely my opinions and are based solely upon the vids provided. You also need to consider subtle (or even not-so-subtle) nuances of color and clarity in person, as well as treatments (and having the stone you ultimately choose certified by a major lab, if it does not already come with a report). A generous return policy is a MUST.

I would strike #3 out of contention immediately, because of what appears to be a huge dead spot of a window. #2 has a nice cut, but the clarity and color do not look as fine as #1. Out of the first 3 stones, #1 is the clear winner for me.

I would strike #5 from contention for the same reason as #3... very large window. #4 looks to be quite vivid with a decent cut, but #1 still edges it out for me.

#1 would be my choice based entirely upon the info provided. Do you have a favorite so far?

I've been debating myself. I feel like No.1 and No.4 have a lighter green color (tone?) than No.2 and No.3. But I agree No.1 seems to have more sparkle. Thank you for the thorough review.
I have another video for No.1 (and have also asked the vendor to send a tweezer's video to see clarity more clearly): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VgVGA5F4CeSc9RXFkFfBSOK9VNijD3O-/view?usp=share_link

 

[lovetodream]

How fun! Ok, so I'm just going to jump right in. Naturally, these are merely my opinions and are based solely upon the vids provided. You also need to consider subtle (or even not-so-subtle) nuances of color and clarity in person, as well as treatments (and having the stone you ultimately choose certified by a major lab, if it does not already come with a report). A generous return policy is a MUST.

I would strike #3 out of contention immediately, because of what appears to be a huge dead spot of a window. #2 has a nice cut, but the clarity and color do not look as fine as #1. Out of the first 3 stones, #1 is the clear winner for me.

I would strike #5 from contention for the same reason as #3... very large window. #4 looks to be quite vivid with a decent cut, but #1 still edges it out for me.

#1 would be my choice based entirely upon the info provided. Do you have a favorite so far?

Thank you (both the OP and AINY) for posting videos and then your opinion - I learned a lot just reading your post and going back to the videos to see what you saw. My instincts agreed with you, but I didn’t know the why.

 

[zedflying]

Listen to @Autumn in New England and make sure there is a good return policy and that you use a form of payment that is disputable in case there is an issue. I learned the hard way.

I defer to her on the choice too but #1 looks gorgeous. It’s really hard to tell the color undertone from photos so ask questions about whether it’s a blue green or yellow green. Good luck!

This is a great point! do you know if paypal is disputable? I will for sure avoid any wire transaction.

 

[Autumn in New England]

This is a great point! do you know if paypal is disputable? I will for sure avoid any wire transaction.

Have the vendor send you an invoice via PP for goods and services. And make sure you have a return/refund policy all hammered out in writing before sending payment.

 

[JSG2185]

I am kind of new to emeralds. Due to the lack of local resources, I have to purchase a stone remotely which is not ideal. I have been working with two IG vendors. Need some experts' advise on which one to choose or none!

The stones below are all from the same origin but two different vendors. No.1 and 2 stones $/carat (unit price) are priced 10% and 28% higher than No. 3-5 stones (which all have the same unit price)

No.1: 3.08 ct

81e3ea47e15d4bab93d1a0c27854b2c2.MOV

drive.google.com

No.2: 2.07ct

5ee32016a93247008ce901ecea822134.MOV

drive.google.com

No.3: 3.36ct

IMG_5707.MOV

drive.google.com

Another video for No.3

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EAX55mcy7cTZ-XCxjw_Qd8gJG-Tutmfn/view?usp=share_link

No.4 (bigger one) and 5 (smaller one): 3.58ct and 2.13ct

IMG_4435.MOV

drive.google.com

@Autumn in New England for visibility.

My eye is most drawn to #1 so I would personally go with that one out the bunch.

I definitly would not go #3 because it is so dark in the middle.

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

#1 and then #2, different flavors.
Do you know if #2 has a darkening of the corner just because of the angle, or is that extinction?

The others aren't speaking to me.

 

[elle_71125]

#1 for this girl. It’s the only one that looks alive to me (bright, has movement, etc). I don’t care for #3 or #5 as they both have sizable windows.

 

[Avondale]

It appears everyone (myself included) unanimously prefers #1 for now. I will say, though, considering 1 is a good deal larger than 2, and 2 is the more expensive stone, there's probably a reason for that. I would want to know what that reason is, why 2 is priced more highly. Photos and videos don't tell the full story.

if paypal is disputable?

Yes, PP is disputable. Make sure to use Goods & Services, not Friends & Family (F&F is not disputable). They should send you an invoice to your PP email which you can pay.

As Autumn said, make sure you have the return policy in writing and in detail beforehand - what happens if the stone is damaged, if it comes back from a lab with a different designation, or if you just don't like the colour. What happens if it doesn't arrive at all and how long will you wait until you can accept it has been lost/stolen in transit? Include what the refund covers and who pays the shipping. Also include any other questions you think to ask. Depending on where the vendor is, getting a gem imported back into their country could be a difficult process.

Make sure to have it clearly stated, both in the emails and on the invoice, the gem you're buying with full description, including size, natural stone, origin and level and type of treatment. Ask specifically about any flaws the stone might have - you want them to give you a clear answer about what is and isn't there, and you don't want anything left to "you can see it in the video/pictures". Demand a thorough description. Don't leave things to assumption or "we can figure it out later if there's a problem".

It's annoying to have to manage all of these details, especially with how unnecessary they turn out to be if everything with the stone checks out and you're happy with the purchase. But in case there's a problem this is what will save your money. And it's also what will give you piece of mind while you wait for the emerald to arrive.

 

[monarch64]

#1 and I didn’t even look at the rest.

 

[CaseyLouLou]

It appears everyone (myself included) unanimously prefers #1 for now. I will say, though, considering 1 is a good deal larger than 2, and 2 is the more expensive stone, there's probably a reason for that. I would want to know what that reason is, why 2 is priced more highly. Photos and videos don't tell the full story.



Yes, PP is disputable. Make sure to use Goods & Services, not Friends & Family (F&F is not disputable). They should send you an invoice to your PP email which you can pay.

As Autumn said, make sure you have the return policy in writing and in detail beforehand - what happens if the stone is damaged, if it comes back from a lab with a different designation, or if you just don't like the colour. What happens if it doesn't arrive at all and how long will you wait until you can accept it has been lost/stolen in transit? Include what the refund covers and who pays the shipping. Also include any other questions you think to ask. Depending on where the vendor is, getting a gem imported back into their country could be a difficult process.

Make sure to have it clearly stated, both in the emails and on the invoice, the gem you're buying with full description, including size, natural stone, origin and level and type of treatment. Ask specifically about any flaws the stone might have - you want them to give you a clear answer about what is and isn't there, and you don't want anything left to "you can see it in the video/pictures". Demand a thorough description. Don't leave things to assumption or "we can figure it out later if there's a problem".

It's annoying to have to manage all of these details, especially with how unnecessary they turn out to be if everything with the stone checks out and you're happy with the purchase. But in case there's a problem this is what will save your money. And it's also what will give you piece of mind while you wait for the emerald to arrive.

I recently had someone tell me “Let’s not go there, my gems are high quality” when asking about their return policy. Definitely passed on that one!

 

[Autumn in New England]

I recently had someone tell me “Let’s not go there, my gems are high quality” when asking about their return policy. Definitely passed on that one!

Unreal...

 

[zedflying]

It appears everyone (myself included) unanimously prefers #1 for now. I will say, though, considering 1 is a good deal larger than 2, and 2 is the more expensive stone, there's probably a reason for that. I would want to know what that reason is, why 2 is priced more highly. Photos and videos don't tell the full story.



Yes, PP is disputable. Make sure to use Goods & Services, not Friends & Family (F&F is not disputable). They should send you an invoice to your PP email which you can pay.

As Autumn said, make sure you have the return policy in writing and in detail beforehand - what happens if the stone is damaged, if it comes back from a lab with a different designation, or if you just don't like the colour. What happens if it doesn't arrive at all and how long will you wait until you can accept it has been lost/stolen in transit? Include what the refund covers and who pays the shipping. Also include any other questions you think to ask. Depending on where the vendor is, getting a gem imported back into their country could be a difficult process.

Make sure to have it clearly stated, both in the emails and on the invoice, the gem you're buying with full description, including size, natural stone, origin and level and type of treatment. Ask specifically about any flaws the stone might have - you want them to give you a clear answer about what is and isn't there, and you don't want anything left to "you can see it in the video/pictures". Demand a thorough description. Don't leave things to assumption or "we can figure it out later if there's a problem".

It's annoying to have to manage all of these details, especially with how unnecessary they turn out to be if everything with the stone checks out and you're happy with the purchase. But in case there's a problem this is what will save your money. And it's also what will give you piece of mind while you wait for the emerald to arrive.

It appears everyone (myself included) unanimously prefers #1 for now. I will say, though, considering 1 is a good deal larger than 2, and 2 is the more expensive stone, there's probably a reason for that. I would want to know what that reason is, why 2 is priced more highly. Photos and videos don't tell the full story.



Yes, PP is disputable. Make sure to use Goods & Services, not Friends & Family (F&F is not disputable). They should send you an invoice to your PP email which you can pay.

As Autumn said, make sure you have the return policy in writing and in detail beforehand - what happens if the stone is damaged, if it comes back from a lab with a different designation, or if you just don't like the colour. What happens if it doesn't arrive at all and how long will you wait until you can accept it has been lost/stolen in transit? Include what the refund covers and who pays the shipping. Also include any other questions you think to ask. Depending on where the vendor is, getting a gem imported back into their country could be a difficult process.

Make sure to have it clearly stated, both in the emails and on the invoice, the gem you're buying with full description, including size, natural stone, origin and level and type of treatment. Ask specifically about any flaws the stone might have - you want them to give you a clear answer about what is and isn't there, and you don't want anything left to "you can see it in the video/pictures". Demand a thorough description. Don't leave things to assumption or "we can figure it out later if there's a problem".

It's annoying to have to manage all of these details, especially with how unnecessary they turn out to be if everything with the stone checks out and you're happy with the purchase. But in case there's a problem this is what will save your money. And it's also what will give you piece of mind while you wait for the emerald to arrive.

Have you ever used transferwise? The vendor accepts payment through transferwise or direct bank transfer. They seem to have a reasonable return policy though I will have to pay the return shipping ($90) if I am not satisfied with the purchase.

 

[Avondale]

Have you ever used transferwise? The vendor accepts payment through transferwise or direct bank transfer. They seem to have a reasonable return policy though I will have to pay the return shipping ($90) if I am not satisfied with the purchase.

Transferwise is basically just another way to send money directly to a bank account. You have no recourse from there. Once they have the money, you only get it back if they benevolently agree to give it back. Or if you sue them to oblivion which, depending on where you live and where they're based, could be less or a lot more difficult. On the other hand with PP you have a third party which has the power and ability to give you your money back regardless of what the vendor wants to do. That's not something you can expect from a bank.

At this point you need to decide whether you trust the vendor enough. Because just imagine that the stone arrives, you don't like it and want to send it back. Off it goes, shipping at your expense, while you're left waiting for it to arrive so that you can get your money back. Just how easy would it be for the vendor to simply... not refund you? Are they reputable, are they well known, would shouting their name loud all over the internet hurt their business?

If you decide to pay by wire transfer (or anything similar) you're assuming a lot of risk. With a well known, trusted and reputable vendor that could be okay. Just consider it very carefully beforehand.

 

[zedflying]

Transferwise is basically just another way to send money directly to a bank account. You have no recourse from there. Once they have the money, you only get it back if they benevolently agree to give it back. Or if you sue them to oblivion which, depending on where you live and where they're based, could be less or a lot more difficult. On the other hand with PP you have a third party which has the power and ability to give you your money back regardless of what the vendor wants to do. That's not something you can expect from a bank.

At this point you need to decide whether you trust the vendor enough. Because just imagine that the stone arrives, you don't like it and want to send it back. Off it goes, shipping at your expense, while you're left waiting for it to arrive so that you can get your money back. Just how easy would it be for the vendor to simply... not refund you? Are they reputable, are they well known, would shouting their name loud all over the internet hurt their business?

If you decide to pay by wire transfer (or anything similar) you're assuming a lot of risk. With a well known, trusted and reputable vendor that could be okay. Just consider it very carefully beforehand.

Thank you for the response. This is the first time I may buy a stone from an IG vendor abroad . I have to say I am definitely nervous. I will do a bit more research to see if there are other options in the US. I am still hesitant about all the hassles it potentially pertains...

 

[dk168]

No. 1 for me too, the colour pops at me, and the cut appears to be the best of the bunch.

Personal preferences and all that.

DK

 

[CaseyLouLou]

If you have the stone on hold, can you share the vendor name here? Maybe someone knows them and it would make you feel better.

 

[PrecisionGem]

One thing to keep in mind is that while all gemstones are difficult to photograph, emeralds are by far the most difficult. The intense green stones like emeralds, tsavorite and chrome tourmaline present problems with digital camera sensors. Every camera I own shows the color of emeralds much different than they are in person. Comparing photos from two different vendors, most likely using two different cameras is very difficult. The inclusions, also will show much more in most photos that in person.

 

[hardwear]

Following, I also am very interested in emeralds and have been following these IG vendors as well. After so much drooling on IG, you start to recognize fingers/jewelry of said vendors -LOL! This is not my post so I will leave for the original poster to decide if they want to share the vendors.

Difficult decision to buy online, It is very hard to pick as pictures and videos don't give you the full experience and in this case emeralds which offer pop of colors, movement, windows, alpine green vs blue green....so many choices. I have to feel, touch, try on in most cases. I have been trying to see emeralds in person, but a few local jewelry stores usually have to bring them in.

I am still learning and researching. I do like #1 and agree with good advice given above. Good luck! I look forward to seeing what you pick.

 

[wildcatz]

Can you use a credit card? PayPal has a terrible customer service record. Do a search on Reddit. It’s not unusual for them to take months to resolve any issue.