Taaffeite as the center stone for E-ring

[absolutanne]

My fiance and I have decided to go into a very unconventional route to an engagement ring. He has given me the liberty to design my own and have this ring as THE engagement ring. It''ll ruin the surprise of the ring, I know, but he knows that if he chooses something I do not like, I will not wear it. So since I do not agree with the cost to rarity ratio of diamonds and its overabundance, every woman in the western hemisphere and japan has a diamond as an engagement ring, I want a taaffeite to be my center piece.

THis is the stone one of my jewelers sent to me. It is a 3ct round brilliant, jewelry quality taaffeite and he will cut it down to a 1.7 ct asscher to me. My question is do I, as a customer, have to purchase the entire 3 ct stone + pay the cost to cut it? or will he cut it to an asscher and I will be charged the $/ct amount of that stone?

He listed $8200 for a beautiful 1.7 ct Taaffeite. This is not including the side stone baguettes + the platinum setting. Is this too expensive for what it''s worth? I am working with 2 other jewelers. We are also wanting to have this stone as an investment due to its rarity (I don''t believe there is a Taaffeite asscher any where)

Please tell me if this is an overpriced stone?

Thanks

 

[neatfreak]

Hmmmm, I believe taaffeite is an 8 on the MOH's scale, so you'd probably want to be careful with it if worn everyday. I don't know anything about buying taaffeite for investment purposes, but usually it's not a good idea to buy gems as investments as a general rule...

Are you buying it because YOU love it? Or because your jeweler is trying to tell you it's a good deal? The latter would worry me...as supposedly one of the rarest gemstones in the world this is selling for $8200? That seems too good for a fine quality gem IMO...

And I don't know why anyone would cut down a 3ct "very rare" stone to yield a smaller asscher? It just doesn't make sense...something seems fishy.

ETA: You might want to have this moved to the colored stones forum, a lot of gem aficionados hang out there.

And welcome!

 

[emeraldlover1]

Date: 10/23/2008 10:22:18 AM
Author:absolutanne
My fiance and I have decided to go into a very unconventional route to an engagement ring. He has given me the liberty to design my own and have this ring as THE engagement ring. It''ll ruin the surprise of the ring, I know, but he knows that if he chooses something I do not like, I will not wear it. So since I do not agree with the cost to rarity ratio of diamonds and its overabundance, every woman in the western hemisphere and japan has a diamond as an engagement ring, I want a taaffeite to be my center piece.

THis is the stone one of my jewelers sent to me. It is a 3ct round brilliant, jewelry quality taaffeite and he will cut it down to a 1.7 ct asscher to me. My question is do I, as a customer, have to purchase the entire 3 ct stone + pay the cost to cut it? or will he cut it to an asscher and I will be charged the $/ct amount of that stone?

He listed $8200 for a beautiful 1.7 ct Taaffeite. This is not including the side stone baguettes + the platinum setting. Is this too expensive for what it''s worth? I am working with 2 other jewelers. We are also wanting to have this stone as an investment due to its rarity (I don''t believe there is a Taaffeite asscher any where)

Please tell me if this is an overpriced stone?

Thanks

Personally, I can''t comment on the price. Is the price for the 3ct? or is it for the 1.7 after it is cut? My other question is...becaue of the crystal characteristics for the taaffeite are you sure that you will like this gem/mineral as an asscher? Also, the color seems to be pretty light in this stone. Of course its just a picture but I don''t know, it just seems like a lot of money to me for what you are getting. I don''t really know too much about the pricing of gemstones but I''d say its probably in your best intrest to do some comparitive shoping.

 

[absolutanne]

Thank you for your kind responses neatfreak and emeraldlover1! Well we are not collectors by any means so main purpose of acquiring this stone is for the e-ring. $7200 for the round brilliant 3 ct stone, $8200 after it''s downsized to a 1.7 ct asscher. Does that make any sense though? Why would I buy a smaller stone for higher price? Is it because the asscher cut is so uncommon?

We are inexperienced in this industry which is why I''m reaching out into the forums. I will post this in the colored gems section.

Thanks so much!

 

[emeraldlover1]

Date: 10/23/2008 11:08:53 AM
Author: absolutanne
Thank you for your kind responses neatfreak and emeraldlover1! Well we are not collectors by any means so main purpose of acquiring this stone is for the e-ring. $7200 for the round brilliant 3 ct stone, $8200 after it''s downsized to a 1.7 ct asscher. Does that make any sense though? Why would I buy a smaller stone for higher price? Is it because the asscher cut is so uncommon?

We are inexperienced in this industry which is why I''m reaching out into the forums. I will post this in the colored gems section.

Thanks so much!

It sounds like he is charging you for the 3ct stone plus the re-cutting fee. I wouldn''t do it. Personally, i would be concerned about having that stone cut into an asscher cut to begin with. You may not like it. No idea why there aren''t more of them. Asscher cut''s and step cuts in general aren''t the most comon but I doubt that would have any impact on the price.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 10/23/2008 11:08:53 AM
Author: absolutanne
Thank you for your kind responses neatfreak and emeraldlover1! Well we are not collectors by any means so main purpose of acquiring this stone is for the e-ring. $7200 for the round brilliant 3 ct stone, $8200 after it's downsized to a 1.7 ct asscher. Does that make any sense though? Why would I buy a smaller stone for higher price? Is it because the asscher cut is so uncommon?


We are inexperienced in this industry which is why I'm reaching out into the forums. I will post this in the colored gems section.


Thanks so much!

No worries! Glad to hear it's for the ering and not an investment!

In a rare colored stone the most important thing is going to be the color and the carats, so it just seems odd that you'd cut such a rare stone down KWIM? The cut (i.e., it being an asscher) probably doesn't matter at all unless it's an extremely rare/huge collector stone (think the Hope Diamond). Not to mention the fact that the price per carat just seems so low for something so rare, it makes me wonder if the stone isn't great or the color isn't one that is desired, etc.

I would search around and learn as much as you can first...unfortunately with such a rare stone I have a feeling it will be harder than usual to garner information about it. Is your heart set on this stone? Or just something different from a diamond? I have a beautiful asscher sapphire...

 

[sparxs111]

Contact someone like whiteflash to source out the stone for you. They have lots of ins with people that deal outside of the diamond world as well. That save the ''uneducated'' trying to find something so difficult. I''ve used them to find coloured stones and they were very helpful. They can even then set it for you, saving more hassle. GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[denverappraiser]

I would second the durability concern about taaffeite for use in an engagement ring. It’s not out of the question but do choose a setting design that offers some protection.

Of course you’re paying for the material plus the cutting fee. What else would you expect them to do? As I’m sure you’ve discovered, big beautiful taaffeite is not easy to find and if you’re going to be picky about the cutting as well this is pretty much the only way you’re likely to get what you want in a reasonable amount of time short of an incredible stroke of luck.

ps. For all you lurkers out there who are looking for some gemstone trivia at your next cocktail party, this stone name is pronounced Tar-Fight and mostly comes from Sri Lanka.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Jewelry Appraisals in Denver

 

[rainydaze]

Date: 10/23/2008 1:40:40 PM
Author: denverappraiser
I would second the durability concern about taaffeite for use in an engagement ring. It’s not out of the question but do choose a setting design that offers some protection.

Of course you’re paying for the material plus the cutting fee. What else would you expect them to do? As I’m sure you’ve discovered, big beautiful taaffeite is not easy to find and if you’re going to be picky about the cutting as well this is pretty much the only way you’re likely to get what you want in a reasonable amount of time short of an incredible stroke of luck.

ps. For all you lurkers out there who are looking for some gemstone trivia at your next cocktail party, this stone name is pronounced Tar-Fight and mostly comes from Sri Lanka.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Jewelry Appraisals in Denver

oh THANK YOU Neil! my tongue was having spasms trying to figure this one out!!!

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Check the vendors listed in the coloured gems forum. All of them are good, reputable people, although some are higher end than others.

If you are looking for a world class gem, check Richard Wise. He has the best and charges accordingly.

I would be very wary of buying gems as an investment. You pay retail prices but, if you ever want to resell, you get trade prices at best. So there has to be a very significant increase in price for you to turn a profit. If you are very aware of trends, new finds and the availability of gems, you may have a chance. I don''t think it is for the layperson, though.

 

[coatimundi_org]

Nice taaffeite! We don't even get to study them in gemology school, because they're so rare and expensive--sad, I know. I would not cut that stone. I'd keep as much weight on it as possible.

Durability is ok, because it's 8-8.5 mohs and no cleavage issues--fairly tough stone like chrysoberyl.

Do you like the desaturated color of taaffeite? With your budget, there are many other unconventional stones out there. Do you want it solely for the rarity? I'm with the others about buying stones as investments--even taaffeite. If it's going to be your permanent e-ring, then you don't plan on selling it.

But, if you like the hue, and it's meaningful for you, then yah! I just wouldn't cut it down to 1.7.

eta: I don't think it's overpriced--colored gems vary so much, and with its rarity--that's the deal.

 

[oldmancoyote]

Date: 10/23/2008 1:40:40 PM
Author: denverappraiser
I would second the durability concern about taaffeite for use in an engagement ring. It’s not out of the question but do choose a setting design that offers some protection.

Of course you’re paying for the material plus the cutting fee. What else would you expect them to do? As I’m sure you’ve discovered, big beautiful taaffeite is not easy to find and if you’re going to be picky about the cutting as well this is pretty much the only way you’re likely to get what you want in a reasonable amount of time short of an incredible stroke of luck.

ps. For all you lurkers out there who are looking for some gemstone trivia at your next cocktail party, this stone name is pronounced Tar-Fight and mostly comes from Sri Lanka.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Jewelry Appraisals in Denver

...and for those wanting one more bit of trivia, Taaffeite was mentioned as the world''s rarest gem in the 1976 edition of the Guinness Book of Records.

Things have clearly changed since then, if you can get a nice 3ct stone for $2400/ct.

 

[emeraldlover1]

I found something today that said a Taaffeite with good color will run you about $4000 a carat.

 

[AprilBaby]

It''s gorgeous the way it is now. Why are you wanting to cut it? Never hear of it but I LOVE the color!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

For less than $8200, you could get a beautiful sapphire in a variety of colors cut into an asscher shape. Several people here have asscher stones cut by Jeff White, and I KNOW he charges less than $1000 to cut. The advantage of a sapphire is that it could be worn daily since it has a hardness of 9. You could even get a lighter pink if that is your color preference.

I''ll see if I can find you links here to some of his stones, but here is his site:

http://www.whitesgems.com/index.htm