Diamonds(?)

[TheManWithNoName]

Some 'Salt and pepper' Diamonds look quite nice - but they need to be priced for what they are, relatively cleanish diamonds but with some VERY noticeable black inclusions (not to be confused with heavily included white diamonds with white inclusions that give the stone a 'cloudy' appearance ie, like those that Gemporia use as accents stones or in their cheap silver ring).

They only become a problem when they use the 'salt and pepper' name to make it sound like a special variety of Diamonds - and then try to price them up the same as 'normal' transparent colourless diamonds.

I've seen both. I saw a retailer recently selling a 1ct 'salt and pepper' diamond for just £50 recently. It looks really nice - and was priced really well.

Then i've seen others selling S&P Diamonds for ludicrous prices simply because of the word 'Diamond'.

'Diamond' should not automatically mean "expensive".

 

[Rose de France]

I paid 255.69 PLN (circa £50) for my ring. Gemporia used to accept Polish currency when they had a Polish-language TV channel (and for a week after it stopped broadcasting). Good old days.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

I paid 255.69 PLN (circa £50) for my ring. Gemporia used to accept Polish currency when they had a Polish-language TV channel (and for a week after it stopped broadcasting). Good old days.

They seem that desperate these days, they'd probably accept anything other than Monopoly money.

 

[donna255]

Many don't want real diamonds now because of the Blood Diamond connect.
I remember watching a documentary, might have been Discovery Channel? About them, it was Tiffany who did the whole a diamond is love and pushing the engagement ring must be a diamond. Seems way back early 20th century diamond sales dropped as the ultrarich being the only ones who bought them. So the idea of diamonds are a symbol of love and everyone should buy a diamond ring to prove how much you loved your future wife.

Have to say I prefer coloured stones and find diamonds quite boring. Well, I have seen a real untreated pink diamond ring in a very high-end jeweller. The colour was a pale peach/pink, they have quite a few yellow diamond jewellery.

 

[AndyW]

Agree. Much prefer a natural zircon, like this (juwelo). 6mm, nice modern and wearable design. Love the arts & crafts hammered look too.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Many don't want real diamonds now because of the Blood Diamond connect.

True - which is why it's important to buy from a seller that works with the Kimberley Process.

Rubies, Emeralds and Sapphires are as bad too.

Yianni Melas is often exposing companies, CEO's of mining companies and corrupt politicians. He despises Gemfields and they way that they operate - and he calls them Bloodfields for a reason.

 

[Marietta]

Agree. Much prefer a natural zircon, like this (juwelo). 6mm, nice modern and wearable design. Love the arts & crafts hammered look too.
View attachment 27603

Depends on the location - Cambodian zircon, yes
Singhida, no.

 

[AndyW]

Depends on the location - Cambodian zircon, yes
Singhida, no.

Or Nigeria. The white/clear ones are better than Cambodia in my opinion - especially when unheated and precision cut, they have a real soft "champagne" (ok, brown ) which somehow warms the dispersion. Like the difference between led strip lighting in a commercial building and the soft, subdued light thrown by a candle stuck in a wicker-clad Mateus Rose bottle in an underground Italian bistro.

 

[Jojo1]

Many don't want real diamonds now because of the Blood Diamond connect.
I remember watching a documentary, might have been Discovery Channel? About them, it was Tiffany who did the whole a diamond is love and pushing the engagement ring must be a diamond. Seems way back early 20th century diamond sales dropped as the ultrarich being the only ones who bought them. So the idea of diamonds are a symbol of love and everyone should buy a diamond ring to prove how much you loved your future wife.

Have to say I prefer coloured stones and find diamonds quite boring. Well, I have seen a real untreated pink diamond ring in a very high-end jeweller. The colour was a pale peach/pink, they have quite a few yellow diamond jewellery.

I love my coloured stones and have a few genuine diamond pieces in platinum, but i’m looking around at lab grown loose stones and will likely purchase something large and believable under £500, because i’d rather pay off my house, avoid the human and environmental impact and not buy into the propaganda of the diamond mining goliaths that are trying to drive up the cost of crappy diamonds. It just makes the Putins of the world richer once the sanctions ease. Plus, unless you buy one off 6 figure jewels from high end jewelers that will buy your pieces back, you’ll get peanuts for it.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

I don't see the point in synthetic 'gemstones' personally - they have no value or appeal in my opinion.

A lab created Diamond is about as appealing as glass. Both colourless. Both man made. Both cost pennies to make. Both worthless.

 

[Ant7t]

I don't see the point in synthetic 'gemstones' personally - they have no value or appeal in my opinion.

A lab created Diamond is about as appealing as glass. Both colourless. Both man made. Both cost pennies to make. Both worthless.

I'm in an odd mood today. The lab diamonds: clever, but that's about all. And the glass. Tell that to Lalique, or Murano. I will go back to sleep now.

 

[Battiola73]

Unfortunately not all of us can afford to buy expensive real gemstone jewellery. I do have one opal and one emerald and diamond ring that were presents from years ago. I also have a pair of real good quality turquoise earrings that my godmother gave me over 50 years ago.

I have quite a lot of cz jewellery from QVC, some of which is 25 years old and looks as good as new. All set in sterling silver, some rhodium or platinum plated. I do draw the line at the stainless stuff now being sold.

I do have some genuine gemstone pendants which were made by a friend’s son whilst he was training to be a jewellery maker. My favourite is an inch teardrop shaped seraphinite cabochon bezel set in silver.

 

[historymystery]

Unfortunately not all of us can afford to buy expensive real gemstone jewellery. I do have one opal and one emerald and diamond ring that were presents from years ago. I also have a pair of real good quality turquoise earrings that my godmother gave me over 50 years ago.

I have quite a lot of cz jewellery from QVC, some of which is 25 years old and looks as good as new. All set in sterling silver, some rhodium or platinum plated. I do draw the line at the stainless stuff now being sold.

I do have some genuine gemstone pendants which were made by a friend’s son whilst he was training to be a jewellery maker. My favourite is an inch teardrop shaped seraphinite cabochon bezel set in silver.

I have a Swarovski white crystal ring set in sterling silver - bought from TJC for £7 in a sale five years ago. I bought it purely and simply because I liked the design of the ring, it was cheap and a piece I could take on holiday and not worry if I lost it. It has lovely flashes of colour from the stone, and is a ring I still wear occasionally. If you like it and you can afford it, then that's it in my book - I'm under no illusions that it's an investment piece, it's costume jewellery - but surely it makes no difference if you like it and as long as you're aware of what you're buying and not had the wool pulled over your eyes by some shyster, then that's all that matters.

 

[rubia]

Agree. Much prefer a natural zircon, like this (juwelo). 6mm, nice modern and wearable design. Love the arts & crafts hammered look too.
View attachment 27603

That's a smart ring like it a lot

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Unfortunately not all of us can afford to buy expensive real gemstone jewellery.

I understand that. But 'fake' gemstones just seem false economy to me. They still cost a lot of money, for something that is man made.

Personally, I don't see the point in still paying a lot of money for, example, a synthetic Ruby, when a piece of red glass could look just as good for a fraction of the price of even a synthetic stone.

'Fake' just doesn't have any value to me. The 'worth' of a gemstone is in it's rarity and history.

 

[Battiola73]

I wouldn’t buy synthetic stones like the lab grown ones as even they are out of my price range. I think the most expensive piece was a pair of earrings that cost me £35.00. I don’t buy for investment and I don’t have anyone to leave my jewellery too, just buy because I like pretty sparkly jewellery. Everyone has different tastes and budgets which I can truly understand.

What I’ve never done is buy fashion jewellery i.e. glass stones in non precious metal. Some of which is so expensive (much more so than my sterling silver offerings).

Hope I’ve not offended anyone with my opinions

 

[Jojo1]

Coated diamonds? Oh gosh now they (Angeline) are saying their I3 natural coloured diamonds are the price of coated diamonds- which i have yet to come across at any reputable jeweler. I let the comment slide about the same weight of platinum being heavier than the same weight of gold. Too much sun?

 

[Ant7t]

Coated diamonds? Oh gosh now they (Angeline) are saying their I3 natural coloured diamonds are the price of coated diamonds- which i have yet to come across at any reputable jeweler. I let the comment slide about the same weight of platinum being heavier than the same weight of gold. Too much sun?

I'd never heard of them, but it seems to be a thing. I picked a page, and it said they 'start' at $18 a carat. What $ that is, I didn't bother to check

 

[Marietta]

Coated diamonds? Oh gosh now they (Angeline) are saying their I3 natural coloured diamonds are the price of coated diamonds- which i have yet to come across at any reputable jeweler. I let the comment slide about the same weight of platinum being heavier than the same weight of gold. Too much sun?

Never heard of coated diamonds, but I'd stay away from 'I3.'

 

[Rose de France]

Personally, I don't see the point in still paying a lot of money for, example, a synthetic Ruby, when a piece of red glass could look just as good for a fraction of the price of even a synthetic stone.

A piece of red glass will never be equal to synthetic ruby. It doesn't have the durability of corundum. I don't have any synthetic rubies but I'm sure they have more brilliance, luster, and fire than red glass. Lab-grown ruby has the same physical, chemical, and optical properties as the natural ruby. Glass is very different than corundum.