Tanzanite

[Grizelda]

The rings were beautiful and in my younger days I would have wanted one so much, particularly the 8 carat emerald cut one. But now I'll just admire them on the model's finger. I have an issue, however, with the supply of Tanzanite. Many years ago, QVC swore up and down that the mine was almost depleted and that the stones would become rarer with each passing year. Not true, it seems. If QVC are selling them from all their sites across the world at competitive prices, there could be no shortage. I wonder what the real story is.

 

[Bea Frugal]

You did well to resist imo. They don’t tell us that it’s 6-7 on the mohs hardness scale and has a tendency to fracture if it hits against something. I’d say it’s only ok as a dress ring or else earrings or pendant. I also don’t like being told it’s much rarer than diamonds - what does that mean? It might be rarer but does that make it more valuable? Give me a Ceylon blue sapphire any day. Qvc don’t sell them because they really are valuable. Good diamonique options options might do the job.

 

[donna255]

Grizelda, we had a thread a few months back from a member here's who Tanzanite faded.

So, believe it or not, diamonique is the way to go with Tanzanite.

Tanzanite does not water, and then using washing liquid etc will fade it even quicker.

Yes, the famous it will be gone by 2010


Gemporia are just as bad, yes the mines are being closed by the government as stocks are so low. Then they do days and days of Tanzanite.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I have the real thing and Eek versions. If the Eek versions have a design you like that’s the way to go if you want the look without the worry of price or endurance

My gripe with Q is that the settings are a bit OTT and lack class in their design but for a bit of bling you can get the odd nice piece. When working full time I wore a different gemstone ring every day but not much opportunity now and since lockdown and hand gels I’ve gone back to Eek as it’s no big deal if they go dull or damaged.

However I only have 1 bottle of shampoo, 1 conditioner, 1 body lotion, 1 face moisturer (all high street stuff) on the go so I save a fortune on beauty stuff so it’s each to their own as to what they spend their money on, mine is sparkly gems!

 

[Loveinamist]

I thought it was access to the mine by boat and the workers risking their life to get across was the issue.

 

[Linwood]

When Joan Rivers was alive she did a jewellery show on Q. so that was some time ago and she insisted that there wasn't any tanzanite left and that the tanzanite available since came from China. Joan was very knowledgeable about jewellery and even personally knew the man who renamed the gem Tanzanite.
I am always amazed that these gem experts still blather on about the depleting mine.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Broken record. We can all talk along with the same old clap trap which they have been spouting since pussy was a kitten.

 

[Ballerina]

Confession of a gullible f/sucker!

I bought a quad A tanzanite from Gemstv back in 2005, sold as AAAA but I think it may be AAA in reality. Set in 18ct gold, approx 1.5ct stone with crappy shrapnel diamonds barely worth a mention, priced at £179. Quite expensive considering the whole kit and kaboodle weighs 2.8g, so not much gold weight. It is a size N/O and I take a Q or R, depending on the design. It went in the drawer of oblivion, to be altered whenever I got around to it. About 5 years went by, (I move like a glacier) and I went to a good jeweller, who I know very well and trust as he is my Brother. He didn't laugh at me but his expression said it all and he asked if I could return it. I said not but why would or should I want to? He said I can't just make it larger as there is not enough gold, the setting may be compromised and the tanzanite was so poorly set that it would probably crack. ****! He has offered to reuse the stone (providing it comes out unscathed) and make me a ring without pique diamonds, seriously, they are that bad. I have not sent it yet as he has been hit hard business wise by the pandemic, so I don't want to take the pi$$. So, although so far the stone doesn't seem to have faded, never seen much sunlight in 16 years, I think I will buy an eek instead. I am a bit clumsy with jewellery and knowing me, I would whack it and break it. I never knew how soft it was, Gemporia never tell you that do they? Of course the mine is closed and guarded by dragons, vampire bats and unicorns with AK47's. it makes me question which ethical source Mr Bennett previously sourced his from with all the thieving that was going on, hmmm... Rarer than diamonds, maybe so. Diamonds are pretty abundant but really good quality diamonds are truly rare. The tanzanite coming out now is almost always heated to enhance the colour anyway, another thing they breeze past admitting.

I was just irritated watching Adina in her 8pm hour. First it was the monologue about the friggin' Hope diamond for at least 10 minutes. Then she unveils her stunning rare collection of Marabaia Hope Topaz. F me! Sorry for expletives but wtf? It is a clear topaz stone, not a diamond and to top it all, it is coated that colour, so not guaranteed stable at all. Not even heated, or something that might last. Misselling imo, constant references to Harry Winston and that old hope diamond, Smithsonian Museum and then peddles this mass produced rubbish for all under £30 a piece. What a joke, Harry W and Smithsonian wouldn't wipe their ass with it, probably too painful. So exclusive you can only buy it from Gemporia, nobody else wants to stoop that low. Gemporia seem to be doing this all the time now, with long drawn out lectures to whip you into a buying frenzy, endless irrelavent comparisons with genuine rare stones and then a load of crap that is supposed to be on a par. Is it just me, or does it annoy any of you good people? Paul keeps telling me "they can't hear you!" when I am arguing with the telly / laptop! I just hate lies, tell me the truth, no matter how bad and I will cope but don't lie to me. I always said that to my children. Rant over!

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I get peed off when they spend for ever on the Eek shows comparing them to real diamonds as if it is nearly impossible to tell the difference one being 10 grand and the other 29.99. Shut up and just sell the darn things as a piece of costume jewellery.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Just looking at the bits in tonight’s Eek show and I see they are labelled Debbie Flint’s earrings/brooch/necklace. Is this new or have I missed the biggest tat peddler getting her own range? Not that any are my taste.

 

[stratobuddy]

I got hyped into buying some Moissanite - - - it's better in every way than a diamond (they said).

 

[Millie's Mum]

Confession of a gullible f/sucker!

I bought a quad A tanzanite from Gemstv back in 2005, sold as AAAA but I think it may be AAA in reality. Set in 18ct gold, approx 1.5ct stone with crappy shrapnel diamonds barely worth a mention, priced at £179. Quite expensive considering the whole kit and kaboodle weighs 2.8g, so not much gold weight. It is a size N/O and I take a Q or R, depending on the design. It went in the drawer of oblivion, to be altered whenever I got around to it. About 5 years went by, (I move like a glacier) and I went to a good jeweller, who I know very well and trust as he is my Brother. He didn't laugh at me but his expression said it all and he asked if I could return it. I said not but why would or should I want to? He said I can't just make it larger as there is not enough gold, the setting may be compromised and the tanzanite was so poorly set that it would probably crack. ****! He has offered to reuse the stone (providing it comes out unscathed) and make me a ring without pique diamonds, seriously, they are that bad. I have not sent it yet as he has been hit hard business wise by the pandemic, so I don't want to take the pi$$. So, although so far the stone doesn't seem to have faded, never seen much sunlight in 16 years, I think I will buy an eek instead. I am a bit clumsy with jewellery and knowing me, I would whack it and break it. I never knew how soft it was, Gemporia never tell you that do they? Of course the mine is closed and guarded by dragons, vampire bats and unicorns with AK47's. it makes me question which ethical source Mr Bennett previously sourced his from with all the thieving that was going on, hmmm... Rarer than diamonds, maybe so. Diamonds are pretty abundant but really good quality diamonds are truly rare. The tanzanite coming out now is almost always heated to enhance the colour anyway, another thing they breeze past admitting.

I was just irritated watching Adina in her 8pm hour. First it was the monologue about the friggin' Hope diamond for at least 10 minutes. Then she unveils her stunning rare collection of Marabaia Hope Topaz. F me! Sorry for expletives but wtf? It is a clear topaz stone, not a diamond and to top it all, it is coated that colour, so not guaranteed stable at all. Not even heated, or something that might last. Misselling imo, constant references to Harry Winston and that old hope diamond, Smithsonian Museum and then peddles this mass produced rubbish for all under £30 a piece. What a joke, Harry W and Smithsonian wouldn't wipe their ass with it, probably too painful. So exclusive you can only buy it from Gemporia, nobody else wants to stoop that low. Gemporia seem to be doing this all the time now, with long drawn out lectures to whip you into a buying frenzy, endless irrelavent comparisons with genuine rare stones and then a load of crap that is supposed to be on a par. Is it just me, or does it annoy any of you good people? Paul keeps telling me "they can't hear you!" when I am arguing with the telly / laptop! I just hate lies, tell me the truth, no matter how bad and I will cope but don't lie to me. I always said that to my children. Rant over!

Gemporia are also churning out a load of overhyped rubbish on their Jewellery Maker channel too....

 

[Ballerina]

Gemporia are also churning out a load of overhyped rubbish on their Jewellery Maker channel too....

I used to watch JM years ago. Bought a starter kit of tools, beads and findings. They are all still in my craft boxes, it was during my lost years and you all know about those!

There used to be a nice lady on here, I think she was called Argeybargey, I enjoyed reading her posts. She bought a lot of Jewellery Maker stones. I think she used to sell her creations and got really ticked off because she had customers who complained that when they got wet, the stones would bleed dye all over clothes, linens, towels and skin etc.. I felt ever so sorry for her as I think she put a lot of £££ the Bennett family's way and I don't think customer services were at all helpful. I could be wrong about some details as it was back in the mists of time. The whole Gemporia platform is pure rubbish, oversold inferior products.

 

[Turandot]

The mine closure scenario is used on all channels and not only for tanzanite.
On TJC sleeping beauty turquoise mine is apparently closed but still they have loads of it . They are always on about heirlooms.

 

[donna255]

This is the one I bought, now it was £23 when I did buy it.

https://www.qvcuk.com/Diamonique-3ct-tw-Simulated-Tanzanite-3-Stone-Ring-Sterling-Silver.product.344169.html?sc=NAVLIST

It is a great colour band, not thin and sparkles.

There are a few in Clearance at around £15 too.


In the early days before Steve bought the company, Gems did do some excellent rings. I have a few that are 4 grams of gold. That section of shopping telly was nearly as busy as QVC back then, people used to buy inspect and send back some had loups to check the stones. I never paid more than £50 for any ring I bought. Then they got hit by two scandals one their Russian alexandrite was actually Indian people were outraged and got their money back. The other was the(sorry too early for cannot remember the actual name), the lotus colour sapphire. People never knew that rubies unless
££££ are always filled as they will have cracks this was not a scandal but just never mentioned.

QVC some years back sold Russian Diopside and Dale/Charles telling us about the mine which could only open a few months a year because the ground was frozen. Yes, a man and his dog guarded the mine. I have noticed Gems doing that now with Russian diamonds. Yes, Russian diopside is different from normal diopside brighter the colour more intense, and I did buy a 5 stone from QVC. Lovely ring, simple, and I used to be asked if they were emeralds?

 

[Grizelda]

Grizelda, we had a thread a few months back from a member here's who Tanzanite faded.

So, believe it or not, diamonique is the way to go with Tanzanite.

Tanzanite does not water, and then using washing liquid etc will fade it even quicker.

Yes, the famous it will be gone by 2010


Gemporia are just as bad, yes the mines are being closed by the government as stocks are so low. Then they do days and days of Tanzanite.

The presenter Catherine Goldsmith wears an engagement ring with a deep blue stone. I believe she comes from a family who sells jewelry in London. Is the stone in her ring Tanzenite, does anyone know? With her supposed knowledge of jewelry, would she wear Tanzenite if its reputation is so bad? On the other hand, maybe the stone is something else. In any case, it is very noticeable and quite beautiful.

 

[donna255]

I think it could be Ceylon Sapphire rather than Tanzanite?

 

[Ballerina]

Hi Donna,

I think the nothing over £50 rule was very well considered. I agree, back in the day, you ould get some very nice pieces, with decent stones and substantial gold weight. I bought a couple of rings (super bargains at £70 each) with around 4g of gold in each that had very unusual stones. I have not seen Adamite on the tv or the web since. Once again, back then they only sold rings in N/O and so they too sit in the drawer of oblivion but I think one day I will get them made bigger, there should easily be enough gold to play with. I had not heard about the two scandals you mentioned but I can well believe it. Did Gemstv make an admission to customers about the incorrect provenance of the Alexandrite, or was it outed by a customer do you know?

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I remember when IW sold loose gemstones. I was very tempted but felt that no local jeweller would look at them and I wasn’t in a position to go to anyone else.

 

[Bunnytown]

The presenter Catherine Goldsmith wears an engagement ring with a deep blue stone. I believe she comes from a family who sells jewelry in London. Is the stone in her ring Tanzenite, does anyone know? With her supposed knowledge of jewelry, would she wear Tanzenite if its reputation is so bad? On the other hand, maybe the stone is something else. In any case, it is very noticeable and quite beautiful.

Yes it is a tanzanite, she has talked about it on her blogs or instagram. Her father made it.