Serendibite, painite, Jeremejevite or sphalerite?

[Procer]

Hey pricescope.

I have a rather personal question for you all on taste and preference. I ask this because I am about to invest in a collectors stone. I have my view on the matter, but I would love to hear others view to have a more nuance view, expanding my horisont so to speak.

I have narrow my investing choice down to either serendibite, painite, jeremejevite or sphalerite. Jeremejevite and sphalerite are the two I am leaning towards given their splendid color and transperancy. But in order to get a nice color one most look for a larger stone and because of this a larger price. The two others have another beauty of their own given their extreme rarity, and their rather interessting, admittingly dull, color and loustre. But the color compared to the more bright colored sphalerite and jeremjevite is nothing to speak of, well their is my problem. Color over rarity and provance? Or provance and rarity over color?

 

[chrono]

Procer,
Can you please elaborate on your usage of the word "invest"? Are you planning to collect based on a personal choice/reason or are you truly looking to invest?

 

[Procer]

I ment invest in the sanse that it is going to be a rather pricy investment for me to buy one of the above mentiont stones, and it will be a price in my collection. But it will also be an investment with the eye for future reselling with a bit of profit of course, if I ever should want to sell. I can't see why the one should exclude the other.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

If you want an investment (aka, something you can sell at a later date for more than you paid for it), I would stay well away from gemstones, specially collector's stones. Most are far too unknown to have a healthy secondary market. Take a look through Diamond Bistro and see what individuals can get for second hand stones (and remember that a lot of the buyers there are PSers who place a premium on some cutters).

What do you consider a pricy investment? If you want an investment stone, you need to look for the absolute creme de la creme - flawless colour, clarity, well cut, etc. It won't be easy, specially considering that you want to avoid the major dealers, like Palla, since there is a considerable mark up for their expertise and knowledge.

 

[JewelFreak]

If you want to 'invest" in a stone for your personal collection & enjoyment, that's one thing. But as stated above, as a profit-producing investment, a gem must be of desirable color, well saturated, excellent clarity & cut, large enough to interest buyers, and of a type people will pay a premium to own. A historic provenance is advisable too. Take a look at eBay pricing for the stones you mentioned -- most are well under $1000, and remember, any prices quoted there are what the seller hopes to get, not necessarily what he actually realizes. You might also roam through some of the auction houses' jewelry sales for loose gems -- see the type & quality they offer; I don't think you'll find any of these 4 there. Good luck!

 

[Pandora II]

Can you buy at true wholesale price or less? If not then your chances of even making your money back are slim.

As for buying a stone for a collection... as a collector I find it very easy: if the stone doesn't say 'I am yours and you NEED to take me home' then it's not mine. If I dream about a stone then it's definitely mine!

Buy what speaks to you. Even within very unattractive species (I have dunilites and they are super-icky) you will still find the example that will call your name.

 

[LD]

I've got all 4 of those gemstones and don't believe them to be "investment" stones i.e. for resale purposes. I also wouldn't class Sphalerite as the same as Jeremejevite.

 

[blithesome71]

Among the four you've mentioned, I'd pick Jeremejevite.




(But if I were to buy an extremely rare collector's gem, with enough moolah ofcourse, I'd choose Haüyne or Phosphophyllite )

 

[distracts]

(But if I were to buy an extremely rare collector's gem, with enough moolah ofcourse, I'd choose Haüyne or Phosphophyllite )[/quote]

oooh, Haüyne.