Your biggest regret on gems

[Double E]

Thought of this lately, what’s everyone’s biggest regret in gems? Be it having bought a stone, passed something without purchase, breaking a gem, or anything in regards…..

This come to mind because I just missed the chance to get a small but could be best possible chrysoberyl…

 

[Timor]

Sorry to hear that you missed a dream chryso! Do you have pictures? Would still love to see it (only if it does not add to the pain though)
For me I think it might be the impulse buys of stones I just "liked" but did not "love" when I first started. Now they are just sitting there and it felt expensive to set them.

 

[Gloria27]

Thought of this lately, what’s everyone’s biggest regret in gems? Be it having bought a stone, passed something without purchase, breaking a gem, or anything in regards…..

This come to mind because I just missed the chance to get a small but could be best possible chrysoberyl…

Dropping and chipping a morganite.
Was the Chryso a silky radioactive neon yellow-green gem from an Etsy vendor?

 

[Double E]

Dropping and chipping a morganite.
Was the Chryso a silky radioactive neon yellow-green gem from an Etsy vendor?

Dropping a treasured gem could be painful…was the morganite purchased for a special or memorable occasion?

The chryso, not from Etsy and not silky at all. From a very nice vendor near to source instead.

 

[Double E]

Sorry to hear that you missed a dream chryso! Do you have pictures? Would still love to see it (only if it does not add to the pain though)
For me I think it might be the impulse buys of stones I just "liked" but did not "love" when I first started. Now they are just sitting there and it felt expensive to set them.

I don’t have picture, but truly believe in this vendor. I purposefully didn’t enquire about the stone when I was notified such rock available, because I believed I must bought it once we talked about it. I was quite confident I could get it if I responded instantly, but decided not to, since it’s not an ideal situation to buy it, raising a 10-month old child, spendings all around and the fact that I am making a pendant with a Fanta bought earlier last year.

 

[Double E]

Sorry to hear that you missed a dream chryso! Do you have pictures? Would still love to see it (only if it does not add to the pain though)
For me I think it might be the impulse buys of stones I just "liked" but did not "love" when I first started. Now they are just sitting there and it felt expensive to set them.

Positive is it looks like I am to some extent successful to avoid similar impulse buys that new buyers or beginners could easily turn into~

 

[CBianco]

Impulse buys and honestly all the finished colored gemstone rings I've bought. I'm extremely picky about colors of the center stone, once I bought a spinel ring where I was drooling over the photos of it (even using it as a color reference) but when I bought it and saw it irl it was a little disappointing. It just shows how important it is to see CS in person and not rely on photos too much. I've personally had much more luck buying loose and then setting it.

 

[diamondyes]

I don’t have picture, but truly believe in this vendor. I purposefully didn’t enquire about the stone when I was notified such rock available, because I believed I must bought it once we talked about it. I was quite confident I could get it if I responded instantly, but decided not to, since it’s not an ideal situation to buy it, raising a 10-month old child, spendings all around and the fact that I am making a pendant with a Fanta bought earlier last year.

I just want to send you a big big hug! 10 months old, oh you must be busy and sleepy. I have been there! And missed out on so many things. Webinars and buying opportunities etc etc etc.

Years from now you will not remember this string, or it will not sting so much. But I do remember that feeling of: Omg if I wasn’t so busy changing diapers I could’ve jumped on that opportunity! Agh!

The struggle is real. But this too shall pass. And your wee one will increasingly become a source of wonder and delight

-

But to actually answer your question: I spent $500 on moissanite back when it was still patented lol

 

[Double E]

Impulse buys and honestly all the finished colored gemstone rings I've bought. I'm extremely picky about colors of the center stone, once I bought a spinel ring where I was drooling over the photos of it (even using it as a color reference) but when I bought it and saw it irl it was a little disappointing. It just shows how important it is to see CS in person and not rely on photos too much. I've personally had much more luck buying loose and then setting it.

Buying gems is really difficult, buying a set one remotely is really the worst situation I can imagine. To be honest I don’t think would go this route, I don’t like that regret feeling especially I tend to research a lot before big purchase ( to me gems are big ones), and the regret grow even bigger. Very conservative of me.

But your recut squarish cushion Namya Jedi is one of the best I see here.

 

[Double E]

I just want to send you a big big hug! 10 months old, oh you must be busy and sleepy. I have been there! And missed out on so many things. Webinars and buying opportunities etc etc etc.

Years from now you will not remember this string, or it will not sting so much. But I do remember that feeling of: Omg if I wasn’t so busy changing diapers I could’ve jumped on that opportunity! Agh!

The struggle is real. But this too shall pass. And your wee one will increasingly become a source of wonder and delight

-

But to actually answer your question: I spent $500 on moissanite back when it was still patented lol

Terribly sleepy. And you are right that she’s my gem, and I actually inscripted her name on the Fanta, although I know we will barely see it

Do hope there’s another chance for May be a little bigger chryso of equal quality in future~

Moissy is a good travel gem still^^

 

[Gloria27]

Dropping a treasured gem could be painful…was the morganite purchased for a special or memorable occasion?

The chryso, not from Etsy and not silky at all. From a very nice vendor near to source instead.

Yes, wedding anniversary also my first stone so a learner stone but nonetheless. I bought 3 more to replace that one and ended up hoarding gems for the next decade.

 

[secretagentlaura]

I bought a few pieces from a popular-with-the-expats jeweller in Bangkok many years ago that I regret. A ring and matching earrings in a rainbow of coloured sapphires, and a blue topaz pendant and earrings that matched a dress I had really well.

Now that I've been lurking and learning on PS for many years, all I can see when I look at the topaz pendant is it's big window. And when I look at my rainbow sapphire ring and earrings, I really notice the sloppy metalwork of the settings. This was before I owned nicer pieces to compare them to. I'd love to be able to go back in time and shop as a better-educated consumer, or maybe even just skip this jewelry shop altogether, though it was a fun place to go with my friends.

 

[T L]

Sorry to hear that you missed a dream chryso! Do you have pictures? Would still love to see it (only if it does not add to the pain though)
For me I think it might be the impulse buys of stones I just "liked" but did not "love" when I first started. Now they are just sitting there and it felt expensive to set them.

I think many of us can relate to your situation.

 

[Mjay]

I found a orangy brown french cut diamond listed by Benma diamonds on eBay. I couldn’t get it out of my mind so I decided to pull the trigger. It sold right before I got to it. I was sick. I saw it pop up on Fima diamonds Instagram a few days later with an $1800 markup. I was super annoyed and couldn’t bring myself to purchase it. I’ve been regretting it ever since. It’s been years and I think about it constantly.

 

[diamondyes]

I bought a few pieces from a popular-with-the-expats jeweller in Bangkok many years ago that I regret. A ring and matching earrings in a rainbow of coloured sapphires, and a blue topaz pendant and earrings that matched a dress I had really well.

Now that I've been lurking and learning on PS for many years, all I can see when I look at the topaz pendant is it's big window. And when I look at my rainbow sapphire ring and earrings, I really notice the sloppy metalwork of the settings. This was before I owned nicer pieces to compare them to. I'd love to be able to go back in time and shop as a better-educated consumer, or maybe even just skip this jewelry shop altogether, though it was a fun place to go with my friends.

I chalk my experiences like up to the cost of education. Which is valuable in itself! Now you can see the difference. It is a journey to get here.

 

[LilAlex]

Mostly the things I bought and the things that I did not buy. Really just those two.

 

[FL_runner]

I bought some things over the years that were less expensive than what i REALLY wanted thinking it would “scratch the itch” but in the end I should have just saved up for bucket list items!

 

[Starstruck8]

I bought some things over the years that were less expensive than what i REALLY wanted thinking it would “scratch the itch” but in the end I should have just saved up for bucket list items!

So true! And for me, not just some but many. It's quite depressing to think of how much I have spent, and of what I could have bought for the same money - fewer but better quality. I should have listened to what my old mother said - the way to save money is to buy top quality first time.

 

[diamondyes]

I bought some things over the years that were less expensive than what i REALLY wanted thinking it would “scratch the itch” but in the end I should have just saved up for bucket list items!

Oh haven’t we all!!!

 

[Double E]

the way to save money is to buy top quality first time.

We have to mark this down!

 

[FL_runner]

We have to mark this down!

I think I’ve finally mostly learned my lesson! I should have listened to my mom

 

[llamacat]

Impulsive buys or analysis paralysis and missing out.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

too dark saphires from the mall jewler
all my saphires suck the kumera big time

 

[Cinders]

Same regrets as many above, too many impulse buys and too many missed things due to indecisiveness. It would be nice to have a truly orderly mind with a list of wants and a logical approach toward attaining those items.

I really, really dislike regret.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I regret selling some colored stone rings and dismantling one. And there were more than a few that got away. (especially that Leon M pad ring).

cheers--Sharon

 

[toomuchB]

I regret being born after fancy colored diamonds took off.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Great question and hopefully others will learn from our mistakes.


My biggest regret is being careless with my gems. I lost a pear shaped Alexandrite that was a lovely minty/blue green to purple (not top quality, but beautiful just the same) and losing a 4 carat red/purple spinel. The Alexandrite was lost in a move and I wore the spinel in a gem holder for just awhile and looked down and it was gone! I could never find it. Some other small regrets along the way such as having a gem re-cut which resulted in a change of color or selling gems because I thought I could replace them and later found out I could not. But it really has been a fun journey.

 

[icy_jade]

Not buying more when prices were lower

 

[voce]

Buying too many bargain gems before I truly knew how to distinguish quality.

Also, separating my pieces by metal and then misplacing/losing the silver ones. Now, a number of rings are missing and probably will only turn up when I'm moving.

 

[toomuchB]

Buying too many bargain gems before I truly knew how to distinguish quality.

I started off dong this and then quickly found this forum and read many similar tales, years ago. So I stopped buying for about 7 to 8 years - instead focused on educing myself and seeing stuff IRL when I had the chance. I doubt I spent much over 350 dollars on the early stones, and they've all been resold.

So, thank you the posters who admitted to this mistake to help people like me.

I still have a smaller scale regret now that I think about it.
I sold a 0.5ct Bekili color change garnet for maybe a third of what I could have gotten for it. I had not realised that prices soared quite a bit for material with a decent blue colorway and good color change.

However I did replace it with a much finer 1ct (and it cost about 15 times the half ct!)