Tips for new buyers?

[lillyana]

Hi all, first post here (although I've been hanging around unregistered for a while and I've been a watcher of GemsTV for quite some time). Glad to be here. :heart:

I really enjoy watching GemsTV and even occasionally buying a thing or two! However, I find that getting the 'best' out of GemsTV requires a little bit of experience. Since my first purchase, I've been trying to figure out how to get the best bargains. I was hoping we could share them, as it may be extremely helpful for some of us. Apologies if this has been done before; my search bar doesn't seem to work for some reason.

Some stuff I've picked up: (Some may be very obvious, but I would have appreciated knowing some of this as a new buyer.)

• Diamonds: I think very hard before buying diamonds. Diamonds on GemsTV (especially the ungraded or diamond chips) tend not to look great (i.e. don't sparkle). However, I've never bought an expensive diamond ring from GemsTV - does the quality improve?
• Checking gems: When I buy a piece of jewellery from GemsTV, especially of the cheaper variety - 0-50 GBP - I make sure to hold it to the light. I purchased two rings and they both had cutting problems. It's not always noticeable at first and especially so if you're all excited about your new purchase. I had to look at it in different lights and different angles. That being said, I think their coloured gems are sometimes absolutely stunning.
• Earrings: I think hard before buying earrings, because unfortunately the 30-day money back guarantee is void if you remove the earrings from the 'clear' plastic bag. The plastic bag is not opaque but it is not completely translucent either. If you're worried about cutting, inclusions, workmanship etc., there is no way to test it beforehand and it's certainly near impossible to spot in the 'clear' plastic bag. I bought a pair of Kyanite earrings that were actually lop-sided, but it wasn't something I found out until I wore it!
• Schedules and Rules: Sometimes going tuning in at irregular hours can mean better deals, but it's unlikely that they're going to do a crazy big-quantity deal if not as many people are on - it's a balance. Nevertheless, I make it my personal rule never to buy any piece of jewellery if I haven't seen it being demonstrated first by the presenter (I'm a web-buyer, so they have the past auctions listed on the website - they're sometimes veeery tempting). For starters, the graphics sometimes don't quite capture the look of a piece of jewellery, particularly for gems like opals or moonstones.
• Gem Quality: Gems such as a charoite and opals - where you get random patterns on them so each rock often naturally differs from the other - I tend to suspend my belief that I'd be getting the particularly luscious ring on the presenter's hand. It is natural to show the piece of jewellery that is one of the more attractive ones out of the stock, so I try not to get too drawn in by the gorgeous plays of colour.
• Close-ups: I don't know if this is just me, but I think the close-up images of the ring in the black background don't really reflect what your gem will look like in day-time light. However, it is very shiny.

Any more ideas? Please feel free to chip in.

 

[gemgem]

This is really useful - newbie here too and not a long time lurker so all this info is great.

I actually posted on another thread but as I had just joined all of my comments have to be approved by a mod and it seems they haven't been approved yet. I have seen quite a few comments about the amount of gold in rings decreasing and making a ring unwearable as an everyday piece. I'd be interested to hear from people about what kind of weight you would need or should look for and if for some carat weights you should just avoid if the gold weight is sub-par.

Also with regards to the point about gem patterns, I agree. I tend to order a couple of the same item if possible so that I can choose which I like best.

With earrings if I have removed them from the packet and then discovered a fault or inclusions that were not stated during the presentations I just include a letter with my return stating why I am returning them not in the sealed packet and I have always had a refund. This has happened to me three times, two purple amethyst and one green amethyst set. I don't know much, but I do know that amethyst is a cheap enough gem that they shouldn't be using pieces with huge inclusions in. I also stated in my letter that I would like a replacement but only if they didn't have the same inclusions in and I got a refund not a replacement which I think says a lot about theur quality unfortunately

 

[Sacha]

Welcome to you lillyana and gemgem and thanks for your interesting posts. I had written a longer reply but selecting 'preview' has somehow made it disappear and too late at night to start again. You both seem to have things pretty much sussed and if you ever wish to post about your purchases we would be delighted to see them. :nod:

 

[lillyana]

This is really useful - newbie here too and not a long time lurker so all this info is great.

I actually posted on another thread but as I had just joined all of my comments have to be approved by a mod and it seems they haven't been approved yet. I have seen quite a few comments about the amount of gold in rings decreasing and making a ring unwearable as an everyday piece. I'd be interested to hear from people about what kind of weight you would need or should look for and if for some carat weights you should just avoid if the gold weight is sub-par.

Also with regards to the point about gem patterns, I agree. I tend to order a couple of the same item if possible so that I can choose which I like best.

With earrings if I have removed them from the packet and then discovered a fault or inclusions that were not stated during the presentations I just include a letter with my return stating why I am returning them not in the sealed packet and I have always had a refund. This has happened to me three times, two purple amethyst and one green amethyst set. I don't know much, but I do know that amethyst is a cheap enough gem that they shouldn't be using pieces with huge inclusions in. I also stated in my letter that I would like a replacement but only if they didn't have the same inclusions in and I got a refund not a replacement which I think says a lot about theur quality unfortunately

Really good point ... I want to find out as well which metal weights are substantial enough to carry x amount carats etc. -- admittedly, I don't really pay attention to gold weights, but I know that might just bite me in the butt at one point. :grin:

I had no idea you could still return earrings if you've taken them out of the packet if you write them a letter. I'll definitely keep this in mind. Very helpful!

And Sacha, thank you for the kind post.

One thing I'd also be interested to know is which kinds of gems are more prone to inclusions than others, so we have a balanced expectation for specific gem types. For example, in my opinion it's fairly impossible to find inclusion-free natural emeralds for under 50 quid, but you should be able to find clean topaz or aquamarine gems for cheaper price points.

 

[gemgem]

Really good point ... I want to find out as well which metal weights are substantial enough to carry x amount carats etc. -- admittedly, I don't really pay attention to gold weights, but I know that might just bite me in the butt at one point. :grin:

I had no idea you could still return earrings if you've taken them out of the packet if you write them a letter. I'll definitely keep this in mind. Very helpful!

And Sacha, thank you for the kind post.

One thing I'd also be interested to know is which kinds of gems are more prone to inclusions than others, so we have a balanced expectation for specific gem types. For example, in my opinion it's fairly impossible to find inclusion-free natural emeralds for under 50 quid, but you should be able to find clean topaz or aquamarine gems for cheaper price points.

I think if it is classed as faulty or a quality issue rather than you've just changed your mind I would imagine they would have to refund, just in case I think the letter shows that you are genuine and not trying anything on to see how it looks.

 

[Meeshoo]

One thing I'd also be interested to know is which kinds of gems are more prone to inclusions than others, so we have a balanced expectation for specific gem types. For example, in my opinion it's fairly impossible to find inclusion-free natural emeralds for under 50 quid, but you should be able to find clean topaz or aquamarine gems for cheaper price points.

Coloured gemstones are classed as Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 as follows:-

Type 1: Stones that are often virtually inclusion free. They are so abundant in this quality that even minor inclusions detract from their desirability. Some stones in this category are Aquamarine, Labradorite, Zircon, Green Tourmaline (not other colours), Danburite, Tanzanite etc.

Type 2: Stones that are usually included. Stones with minor inclusions visible to the unaided eye are often faceted for use in jewelry. For example, Apatite, Alexandrite, Rubies, Sapphires, Garnets, Spinel, all colours of Tourmaline except green, Topaz (except blue) etc.

Type 3: Stones that are almost always included. Even specimens with obvious inclusions are faceted for use in jewelry. Examples are Emerald, Sphalerite, Sphene etc.

When you're buying jewellery with coloured gemstones the priorties should be (not in any order):

1. Colour - it's subjective as to what is "best" and what isn't. You should buy what appeals to you. For example, I'm super sensitive to stones that have grey and brown modifiers and steer away from them as much as possible.

2. Cut - if the gem is poorly cut, it negatively affects the performance and look of the gem. Having said that, there are poorly cut gems and then poorly cut gems. Windows the size of patio doors should be avoided and I'm yet to find anybody who says they love them! However, for some very expensive and sought after gems, they will have been poorly cut (sometimes) to preserve weight. In those instances, if the colour, clarity and size is there, a small window can be forgiven and with very clever setting can be minimised.

3. Clarity - Don't get hung up with trying to find gemstones that are inclusion free. Gemstones are made by nature and actually in some instances will provide instant clues as to whether the gemstone you've bought is real! So long as inclusions don't take over the gem and spoil the look, most collectors will tolerate themm.

4. Carat weight - gemstones over 1ct are usually more expensive and sought after (especially in the rarer gemstones) but you should buy the size of gem you like (determine the size you like in mm rather than carat weight as this varies by gemstone).

Lastly, and the most important thing when you're buying gemstones is knowing what you're buying. If a gemstone is cheap you should assume it has been treated in some way. Some people find treatments acceptable, others don't. The value of a gem diminishes quite substantially where invasive treatment has been applied e.g. if a sapphire has been Be diffused it will be worth a fraction of a natural low heat sapphire. A natural sapphire without any treatment is worth more again! A good gemstone buyer will research research research and decide what tolerance they have for treatments. Knowing what to ask is very very important. Good companies will disclose treatments (and GemsTV has a very good list of treatments and they also tell you to assume their gems have been treated). This is a good policy. Most people will start by collecting like this but may become more fussy and then start looking for natural gemstones.

To give you an indication of how treatments affect gemstones, if you have a 1ct "padparadscha" sapphire that has been Be diffused it's worth about £30-50 (if that). A natural 1ct Padparadscha sapphire with heat only would probably be around £2,000 and one that's unheated (if it were a good specimen) could well be £7,000-8,000 - these are all rough prices and of course will vary on the gem itself and so this example is only designed to demonstrate the difference that treatment might make.

In terms of goldweight you asked what would be an acceptable goldweight for X carat ring? That's very subjective and personal choice. I personally like a medium weight ring as heavy weight rings can be too cumbersome BUT it depends on the gem, the setting, the durability, how often I want to wear it etc etc. If it's too light however it won't stand everyday wear. Unfortunately, metal prices have risen incredibly over the past few years and to cut overheads settings are getting thinner.

Hope that helps