Gem Collector Prices

[rubia]

Yeah they have their own lab she said.
On Gemporia they say that they pick one or two pieces to be valued by external valuer.
But I've just thought all the certificates say "Birmingham assay office"
So who is certifying that what you get is what they say it is.

Yes I was,always led,to believe that too.

 

[Ant7t]

So far, I’ve yet to see any Amber from Gemporia with insects inside – which means its value is minimal.

I bought some from JM, which 'is' Gemporia, but that was some time ago. And I could actually see the bugs. If I recall one had 3 flies in.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Yeah they have their own lab she said.
On Gemporia they say that they pick one or two pieces to be valued by external valuer.
But I've just thought all the certificates say "Birmingham assay office"
So who is certifying that what you get is what they say it is.

If they have their own lab, then that concerns me.

As for the Assay office, that's for valuations and Hall marking I believe rather than grading stones.

 

[Solent Warship]

If they have their own lab, then that concerns me.

As for the Assay office, that's for valuations and Hall marking I believe rather than grading stones.

So if everything is done Inhouse, then you could be buying anything unless you're knowledgeable and have your own refractometer

 

[Solent Warship]

If they have their own lab, then that concerns me.

As for the Assay office, that's for valuations and Hall marking I believe rather than grading stones.

Maybe more people are questioning their integrity.
Tonight on Gemporia with mouthpiece Lindsey, they were selling an A5 spiral notebook. But because they called it Kimbie Amethyst Notebook the final supersonic price was £9.99. She was screaming about it. What the hell has a notebook got to do with jewellery.
I pity Toby and Jake, they're taking Lindsey to Tucson. Hope they keep her mouth taped up

 

[AndyW]

If they have their own lab, then that concerns me.

As for the Assay office, that's for valuations and Hall marking I believe rather than grading stones.

Yes, that's right. The Assay Office is a quasi- governmental "weights & measures" type body that requires (and allows, where the item doesn't meet statutory minimum weights) manufacturers of precious metal goods to have their items tested and proved to be what they claim. Items that meet the required standard under the Hallmarking Act are then stamped by the Assay Office, which includes a mark identifying which of the current four UK offices undertook the assay.

Safeguard is a separate limited company, owned by and located within the Birmingham Assay Office, which provides non-statutory valuations of various types. They take into account market prices across the industry, which qualifies any valuation somewhat of course. As pointed out on another thread, a Grandidierite ring valued ten years ago would probably be worth less today. So a Safeguard valuation (which Gemporia uses to calculate its auction "Start Price") is a value fixed in time. Probably not as relevant to Gems TV items, which are newly manufactured, I do wonder how old some of the Safeguard-calculated "Start Prices" are on Gem Collector!

AnchorCert is the laboratory testing facility within the Birmingham Assay Office group of offerings. If we assume fairly that TGGC is not in the business of outright fraud, their authenticity cards will be perfectly fine for mineral identification purposes (allowing for their silly naming - Lehrite, Tulelei etc) and weights. Where they are questionable is on the other - perhaps more important - aspects such as cut and clarity but they're no different in that respect to other retailers or even other laboratories. For example, a diamond grading from EGL might be suspect when compared to the same from GIA.

 

[Ant7t]

Maybe more people are questioning their integrity.
Tonight on Gemporia with mouthpiece Lindsey, they were selling an A5 spiral notebook. But because they called it Kimbie Amethyst Notebook the final supersonic price was £9.99. She was screaming about it. What the hell has a notebook got to do with jewellery.
I pity Toby and Jake, they're taking Lindsey to Tucson. Hope they keep her mouth taped up

And I saw a bit of that. Got bored of waiting for the price.

 

[Solent Warship]

This week I've seen enough evidence of things bought in China being sold at extortionate prices.
First was a piece of carved Amber (as in photo) these are available on Chinese websites for a lot less.
Gem Collector had a carved Obsidian Buddha on this week that was identical to one I bought for almost nothing. They had it on at £99.99.
People are not stupid, there must be more like me that shop the internet

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Apparently, this is 'Indicolite'.

Not quite sure how they came to that conclusion, considering both the photo next to the price and the stone shown on screen are clearly Green Tourmaline........

It's not even a greenish-blue. It's bottle green!

 

[AndyW]

It's not even a greenish-blue. It's bottle green!

Good grief! Was £600 the final price?! This is a really good example of where their certificate could be meaningless. It's a very murky, muddy colour, isn't it with no a trace of blue at all. Here are two others at a fraction of the price, arguably better cut and colour.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Good grief! Was £600 the final price?! This is a really good example of where their certificate could be meaningless. It's a very murky, muddy colour, isn't it with no a trace of blue at all. Here are two others at a fraction of the price, arguably better cut and colour.

View attachment 31739

Since the price didn't end in .99, I suspect it was the starting price - I didn't stick around to see the final price. However, based on recent sales of similar stones, they seem to go for around £199, which is still too expensive, especially considering they're claiming it's something it's not.

I bought a 3.75ct Green Tourmaline from Gem Collector for £29.99, though that was probably around 10 years ago. Even accounting for inflation, it wouldn't come close to the prices they're trying to charge these days.

What’s more important is that I’ve suspected for a while that they no longer lab-test their stones, and I think particular stone confirms it. I don't believe that any credible lab would certify that stone as 'Indicolite'. I don't even believe that they'd consider it a 'Blue-Green Tourmaline'. It's a straight forward text-book Green Tourmaline.

 

[Ant7t]

View attachment 31723

Apparently, this is 'Indicolite'.

Not quite sure how they came to that conclusion, considering both the photo next to the price and the stone shown on screen are clearly Green Tourmaline........

It's not even a greenish-blue. It's bottle green!

I'm partially colour blind and even I can see that's not blue, not by a long stretch.

 

[Solent Warship]

Since the price didn't end in .99, I suspect it was the starting price - I didn't stick around to see the final price. However, based on recent sales of similar stones, they seem to go for around £199, which is still too expensive, especially considering they're claiming it's something it's not.

I bought a 3.75ct Green Tourmaline from Gem Collector for £29.99, though that was probably around 10 years ago. Even accounting for inflation, it wouldn't come close to the prices they're trying to charge these days.

What’s more important is that I’ve suspected for a while that they no longer lab-test their stones, and I think particular stone confirms it. I don't believe that any credible lab would certify that stone as 'Indicolite'. I don't even believe that they'd consider it a 'Blue-Green Tourmaline'. It's a straight forward text-book Green Tourmaline.

I know it's only a photo but could you possibly say if this is the blue green you mean. I purchased this beginning of last year. Can't think where I've put the actual stone.

 

[Solent Warship]

Did anyone see the Mexican Amber with the bugs in them. I've bought 2 pieces from a geologist I know and didn't cost anywhere near what Gem Collector were asking.
All their prices are increasing across the board. Even some stones they've had on before have increased in price. Which Jim and Emily say doesn't happen.

 

[Ant7t]

Did anyone see the Mexican Amber with the bugs in them. I've bought 2 pieces from a geologist I know and didn't cost anywhere near what Gem Collector were asking.
All their prices are increasing across the board. Even some stones they've had on before have increased in price. Which Jim and Emily say doesn't happen.

I didn't see them. I have some from JM with bugs in, but they were bought years back. And stones increase in price: I can understand that, BUT, if they are already in stock, OR have already been shown at some point, that I can't see. 'Usually' they reduce items for those still in stock, not put up. If they can't sell them on the lesser price, how can they sell them on the higher??

 

[Solent Warship]

I didn't see them. I have some from JM with bugs in, but they were bought years back. And stones increase in price: I can understand that, BUT, if they are already in stock, OR have already been shown at some point, that I can't see. 'Usually' they reduce items for those still in stock, not put up. If they can't sell them on the lesser price, how can they sell them on the higher??

That's what I thought.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

I know it's only a photo but could you possibly say if this is the blue green you mean. I purchased this beginning of last year. Can't think where I've put the actual stone.

I was thinking more along the lines of this colour.

The stone in your photo I would consider more on the blue side and very close to 'proper' Indicolite.

Out of curiosity, what did you buy it as - Blue-Green Tourmaline or an Indicolite?

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Did anyone see the Mexican Amber with the bugs in them. I've bought 2 pieces from a geologist I know and didn't cost anywhere near what Gem Collector were asking.
All their prices are increasing across the board. Even some stones they've had on before have increased in price. Which Jim and Emily say doesn't happen.

I saw them – and at £400 each, they were beyond ridiculous.

I bought a MUCH bigger piece from a gem fayre about four years ago, which came with a Certificate of Authenticity stating exactly what the inclusion was (some sort of extinct fly, off the top of my head). I paid about £60 for it.

One thing that really annoys me about Gem Collector/Gemporia is their lack of detail when selling.

If they’re offering amber with inclusions, they should specify exactly what insect is inside. Simply calling it a “bug” or “fly” is inadequate. An extinct species makes the amber more valuable than one still in existence, so they should jolly well know, and state, what’s inside.

The same issue applies to their so-called “meteorites.” What kind? Meteorites come from various locations, some being common and others incredibly rare. Given their pricing, Gem Collector should be providing this crucial information.

Likewise, when they sell “dinosaur bone,” they should specify the species. What dinosaur is the bone from? If they’re charging premium prices, they should be offering premium details.

They also rely on generic photos rather than showing the actual stone you’ll receive - unless it’s a one-off, which is rare for them. Alex once defended this, saying it would “take too much time to photograph each individual stone.” Yet, GemSelect, a far smaller organisation, photograph EVERY single stone individually. They also provide precise measurements (e.g., 10.23x6.45x3.23), whereas Gem Collector rounds them up or down (e.g., 10x6).

As always with Gem Collector/Gemporia, this lack of specifics just screams, “We want to put in as little effort as possible while charging as much as we can get away with.”

 

[Solent Warship]

I was thinking more along the lines of this colour.

The stone in your photo I would consider more on the blue side and very close to 'proper' Indicolite.

Out of curiosity, what did you buy it as - Blue-Green Tourmaline or an Indicolite?

Indicolite

 

[Solent Warship]

I saw them – and at £400 each, they were beyond ridiculous.

I bought a MUCH bigger piece from a gem fayre about four years ago, which came with a Certificate of Authenticity stating exactly what the inclusion was (some sort of extinct fly, off the top of my head). I paid about £60 for it.

One thing that really annoys me about Gem Collector/Gemporia is their lack of detail when selling.

If they’re offering amber with inclusions, they should specify exactly what insect is inside. Simply calling it a “bug” or “fly” is inadequate. An extinct species makes the amber more valuable than one still in existence, so they should jolly well know, and state, what’s inside.

The same issue applies to their so-called “meteorites.” What kind? Meteorites come from various locations, some being common and others incredibly rare. Given their pricing, Gem Collector should be providing this crucial information.

Likewise, when they sell “dinosaur bone,” they should specify the species. What dinosaur is the bone from? If they’re charging premium prices, they should be offering premium details.

They also rely on generic photos rather than showing the actual stone you’ll receive - unless it’s a one-off, which is rare for them. Alex once defended this, saying it would “take too much time to photograph each individual stone.” Yet, GemSelect, a far smaller organisation, photograph EVERY single stone individually. They also provide precise measurements (e.g., 10.23x6.45x3.23), whereas Gem Collector rounds them up or down (e.g., 10x6).

As always with Gem Collector/Gemporia, this lack of specifics just screams, “We want to put in as little effort as possible while charging as much as we can get away with.”

I'll have a look at Gem Select because Gem Collector is getting lapse. They show a decent stone onscreen but it's nothing like you receive.