Ludicrous Prices

[TheManWithNoName]

Your £10 sounds a bargain - pretty, large specimens are keenly priced!

Many of the mineral shows I attend feature sellers who do their own mining. For example, one of my regular go-to sellers, Bulgaria Minerals, mine their own specimens, genuinely cutting out the middleman (and reducing costs to us customers).

Much different to Gemporia's version of "cutting out the middleman," who claim to do just that - but in their next breath, tell us that the three Amigos are heading to trade shows such as Tucson or Hong Kong to purchase from other traders - which is akin to me buying my eggs from Tesco, but telling people I brought them direct from the farm............

 

[rubia]

Many of the mineral shows I attend feature sellers who do their own mining. For example, one of my regular go-to sellers, Bulgaria Minerals, mine their own specimens, genuinely cutting out the middleman (and reducing costs to us customers).

Much different to Gemporia's version of "cutting out the middleman," who claim to do just that - but in their next breath, tell us that the three Amigos are heading to trade shows such as Tucson or Hong Kong to purchase from other traders - which is akin to me buying my eggs from Tesco, but telling people I brought them direct from the farm............

Spot on.

 

[historymystery]

Many of the mineral shows I attend feature sellers who do their own mining. For example, one of my regular go-to sellers, Bulgaria Minerals, mine their own specimens, genuinely cutting out the middleman (and reducing costs to us customers).

Much different to Gemporia's version of "cutting out the middleman," who claim to do just that - but in their next breath, tell us that the three Amigos are heading to trade shows such as Tucson or Hong Kong to purchase from other traders - which is akin to me buying my eggs from Tesco, but telling people I brought them direct from the farm............

Ah, but you're forgetting that Gemporia only buy the best of the best of the best....

 

[SnowMoon]

Gemporia are currently bunging out a South Sea Mother of Pearl bangle (mosaic style) for £249. However, you can go to WalMart and pick this very similar item up for $26.99. Granted I don't know if it is South Sea MOP or not, but I very much doubt anyone seeing one, or the other, on the wrist would know either. https://www.walmart.com/ip/AeraVida...y-Gifts-for-Women/760930413?classType=REGULAR

gemporia's offering. https://www.gemporia.com/en-gb/product/south-sea-mother-of-pearl-bangle-id-66.5mm/odtl28/

 

[Ostrichkeeper]

Gemporia are currently bunging out a South Sea Mother of Pearl bangle (mosaic style) for £249. However, you can go to WalMart and pick this very similar item up for $26.99. Granted I don't know if it is South Sea MOP or not, but I very much doubt anyone seeing one, or the other, on the wrist would know either. https://www.walmart.com/ip/AeraVida...y-Gifts-for-Women/760930413?classType=REGULAR

gemporia's offering. https://www.gemporia.com/en-gb/product/south-sea-mother-of-pearl-bangle-id-66.5mm/odtl28/

I just turned on my tv to see the end of the bracelet auction and was waiting for the price to drop but it didn’t. I can’t believe that anyone would pay such an inflated price for something easily found elsewhere for way less. It’s just pieces of shell glued to the surface, hardly worth the amount they’re selling it at. And as you said SnowMoon nobody would know where it came from and I doubt anyone would be interested lol.

 

[rubia]

I just turned on my tv to see the end of the bracelet auction and was waiting for the price to drop but it didn’t. I can’t believe that anyone would pay such an inflated price for something easily found elsewhere for way less. It’s just pieces of shell glued to the surface, hardly worth the amount they’re selling it at. And as you said SnowMoon nobody would know where it came from and I doubt anyone would be interested lol.

I saw the earrings that was enough!

 

[AndyW]

Which would you rather have?

A modern resin-filled, moulded, heated and glued bangle for £250 or a Victorian card case, still in great condition and could easily be used today as a credit card case, for around £70 (images attached)?

 

[Ant7t]

Which would you rather have?

A modern resin-filled, moulded, heated and glued bangle for £250 or a Victorian card case, still in great condition and could easily be used today as a credit card case, for around £70 (images attached)?

I'll have the bangle But seriously, that card case is impressive and more value for money: even if it was made this century and not 5 1/4s of a century ago

 

[AndyW]

Crikey. Set in 2.6g, this opal is not smoked - it's dyed and they want £300 (live auction price):

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Crikey. Set in 2.6g, this opal is not smoked - it's dyed and they want £300 (live auction price):
View attachment 31744

Based on todays wholesale prices, 9ct gold is worth between £26.07 to £26.92 per gram. That makes that setting worth £70. Personally, for me, that stone has no value whatsoever - but lets just say its worth £30 wholesale (which it won't be), that makes that ring £100 at cost price in materials.

The profit in that is eye watering - and they have the audacity to put postage up by £1 because of the 'economic climate'.

 

[AndyW]

Based on todays wholesale prices, 9ct gold is worth between £26.07 to £26.92 per gram. That makes that setting worth £70. ...The profit in that is eye watering - and they have the audacity to put postage up by £1 because of the 'economic climate'.

After an hour with Dave Troth hawking one item at £499 (image 1), the rarest (plenty still left this morning, of course) Tar-hitian "circle pearls" strand - the ones with rings around them that they use to set in bracelets for about £50 - (not especially attractive, IMHO, not knotted & a short length at 17", which they didn't mention once), Ellis sold a 9K pendant (image 2), metal weight 1.92g. Fine but then rushed in a 0.45g chain for £48 (image 3) saying that the pendant needed a gold chain. Add on £5 P&P for this, which could go in a tiny letter-sized jiffy bag...

Absolutely no pendants should be hung on a chain this flimsy, especially one four times the weight of the chain. It was a nakedly pressure sale and, my, what a markup. Imagine taking this to a "Cash4Gold" type fraudster expecting anything near £48! They'd probably peel off a fiver and say "Buy yourself a coffee and sausage roll at Greggs."

 

[Always complaining]

After an hour with Dave Troth hawking one item at £499 (image 1), the rarest (plenty still left this morning, of course) Tar-hitian "circle pearls" strand - the ones with rings around them that they use to set in bracelets for about £50 - (not especially attractive, IMHO, not knotted & a short length at 17", which they didn't mention once), Ellis sold a 9K pendant (image 2), metal weight 1.92g. Fine but then rushed in a 0.45g chain for £48 (image 3) saying that the pendant needed a gold chain. Add on £5 P&P for this, which could go in a tiny letter-sized jiffy bag...

Absolutely no pendants should be hung on a chain this flimsy, especially one four times the weight of the chain. It was a nakedly pressure sale and, my, what a markup. Imagine taking this to a "Cash4Gold" type fraudster expecting anything near £48! They'd probably peel off a fiver and say "Buy yourself a coffee and sausage roll at Greggs."

I’ve noticed their pearls lately all seem to have those rings. I don’t like them but prob some do so no problem as long as they price them with the fact that they r not considered good quality in mind .They don’t. Also I always thought that one of the main attractions of Akoya pearls was the fact that they are round. Along with their surface glow of course. Still when they are giving size of Akoya there are 2 dimensions given with a small difference between the two indicating that they r not round. They mostly seem like rejects to me. Which is still fine if they would price them accordingly and not pretend they are Mikimoto standard.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Those Pearls look crap - and that chain, at that price, is appalling. Where do they get their arrogance from to justify those prices?

He's an equally flimsy, 0.46g chain from Cooksongold for less than half the price (£21.58)

https://www.cooksongold.com/Finishe...-011H&query=gold chain&channel=uk#description

 

[Marietta]

I’ve noticed their pearls lately all seem to have those rings. I don’t like them but prob some do so no problem as long as they price them with the fact that they r not considered good quality in mind .They don’t. Also I always thought that one of the main attractions of Akoya pearls was the fact that they are round. Along with their surface glow of course. Still when they are giving size of Akoya there are 2 dimensions given with a small difference between the two indicating that they r not round. They mostly seem like rejects to me. Which is still fine if they would price them accordingly and not pretend they are Mikimoto standard.

'Ringed' pearls are not good quality by anyone's estimation. Their arrogance is unbelievable!