tanzanite round - good deal?

[leeenie]

My boyfriend and I saw this 3ct round tanzanite in Key West on vacation, and we both thought it was gorgeous - beautiful deep blue color with purple flashes at certain angles (though apparently one color stones are more valuable?). The saleswoman quoted us $2200 just for the stone (setting is hideous, we would reset it), we looked at it for awhile but couldn''t decide, so we stepped out to talk about it. We went back an hour later and expressed interest in buying, but the owner wouldn''t sell it for that price - he said he would only sell it for $2800. In addition, it was non-returnable. So we didn''t buy. I can''t stop thinking about it because it was such a beautiful color, nice cut, and round (which is rare for tanzanites, and I don''t like any of the other cuts really). Tell me I didn''t miss out!!!

sorry the picture isn''t that great, the stone was gorgeous in real life!!

 

[pearcrazy]

I think you can find a similar size and quality Tanzanite in that ballpark. I think it's good that you resisted temptation and an impulse buy that you may have regretted later, especially since the ring would be non-returnable. Here's a 5 carat beauty for $2700

http://www.e-tanzanite.com/tanzanite-gemstone-6.htm

 

[widget]

I agree with Pearcrazy!

I think you can find a similar size and quality Tanzanite in that ballpark. I think it''s good that you resisted temptation and an impulse buy that you may have regretted later, especially since the ring would be non-returnable.

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[leeenie]

That is a nice one. I haven''t seen as many rounds (for some reason I like rounds a lot more than any other cut).

 

[valeria101]

This one (link) is one exception to the rule that Tanzanite is not cut round unless there is very strong karma says so

If this is interesting at all (large as is), I'd ask about the funky color in that picture - that's as much amthyst as anything...

And one more exception (Link).

The round at Africagems is probably the closest to what you have seen - the other two are larger.

see picture below

I have no reason to believe that these shops take pictures in the same conditions - and with no standardized grading is hard to tell how different these are (what else is new).

 

[valeria101]

This didn''s want to upload above for some reason.

 

[Camellia]

Ana
Interesting variations in colour. The tanzanites that I''ve always drooled over in shop windows are coloured like the bottom right. I can''t describe the effect they have on me - the colour makes me want to dive in and be swallowed up by it - if that makes any sense?

 

[leeenie]

Ooh, pretty. Looks like rounds are out there, just a little more pricy - except the Africa Gems one which is cheaper per carat than the one I saw. I just love the bi-color thing with tanzanites, I like them more than sapphires (except they''re not as hard). The very purple-looking one looks like it might have flashes of red-purple in it, which is pretty. Are all these places reputable? I''ve never bought a stone over the internet. I probably won''t be buying for awhile, so hopefully the prices don''t go up too much - the salesperson was trying to get me to buy based on that.

 

[widget]

Author: leeenie
....hopefully the prices don''t go up too much - the salesperson was trying to get me to buy based on that.

I know what you mean...I''ve been hearing for years that the prices will go up...one source gemstone, etc. I''d be curious to hear what the experts currently think on future prices of Tanzanite...

I''ve borrowed this chart from the National Gemstone site: www.preciousgemstones.com. It''s old, only showing tanzy price trends up to 2003, but it''s interesting!. Luckily you weren''t looking for a stone in the early ''80s!

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[valeria101]

Date: 3/29/2005 11:28:10 AM
Author: leeenie

Are all these places reputable?

Pala and Africagems are... as far as I know. I have never attempted to buy from Awesomegems, but you may find someone who did on Pricescope - the place is mentioned every now and then.

 

[tanuki]

Out of curiosity - why are Tanzanites generally not cut round? What is the preferred shape?

 

[Sagebrush]

refernce Widget''s chart.

It is correct as far as it goes but it is five years out of date and tanzanite prices have increased a great deal since 2000. Prices on this gem have seesawed for the past two decades from a retail high of about $1200 per carat to a low of $500 per carat (gem quality).

Another factor, fine color tanzanites under 3 carats are much rarer than those above 3 carats. The market has finally recognized this and there is almost no differential for smaller sizes. Were the market to really wake up 1-3 carat gem quality stones would cost more than larger stones.

If you can buy a fine (gem quality) stone under $800 per carat today, its a buy. Most of the lows were the result of artificial pressures. The last one due to tanzanite''s being erroneously identified with Al Queda fundraising.