Update - coated diamonds!

[Tabs]

I agree with Klosblue, IF they intend to sell "coated" diamonds, or in fact any other coated gemstone they should at least be up front and have "coated" in the gem name whilst they are selling it.

 

[Klosblue]

Actually, taking this one step further, TJC always stated categorically that they did not sell filled rubies (other channels do). They have recently started selling filled rubies in their lower priced Platinum Coated SS range but again have been totally up front and honest by advertising these as "fissure filled". IMHO, their honestly earns respect and shows they are a reputable company with nothing to hide. That's one of the reasons why they are the only TV Jewellery channel I will buy from.

When will Gems and 'the other lot' realise that being economical with the truth only leads to people being ultra suspicious of their whole business ethic?

 

[Oops-a-daisy!]

Thank you gemcherub for bringing this to our attention. :wavesmilie:

There is no fancy name for the blue diamonds, but it was confirmed to me yesterday that they are coated too. I feel a big fool for buying them in the first place to be honest - I should have known better!

Although they have added this new 'coated' treatment to their website, I do feel strongly that it should be made clear in the title. One minute we're being told the enhancements are general and don't necessarily apply to Gems gemstones, then on the other hand we're told all the treatments are listed on the enhancements page, so that we're aware of what we're buying. It's all very confusing.

I've sent mine back. I know that if I ever want to buy coloured diamonds in the future, I'll be checking the treatments very carefully, no matter what channel or vendor.

 

[Meeshoo]

Last night I received a holding email in response to my query. I'll let you know as soon as I receive anything else:

Dear Mrs XXX

Thank you for your earlier e-mail.

We have passed on your comments to the appropriate department and they will contact you shortly.

Kind regards,

 

[gemcherub]

Thank you gemcherub for bringing this to our attention. :wavesmilie:

There is no fancy name for the blue diamonds, but it was confirmed to me yesterday that they are coated too. I feel a big fool for buying them in the first place to be honest - I should have known better!

No way should you feel a fool! along with the rest of us you placed your trust in Gems Tv and in my opinion they have abused it by not being upfront and honest!

 

[Tabs]

This has now got me wondering if my blue and black diamonds are coated too..altho not from Gems. I assumed that most coloured diamonds were heat treated, the same way that topaz are to make them the varying shades of blue we know well.

 

[tequila]

it will be interesting to see if they answer you meeshoo guess they will be having a lot of coloured diamonds returned

Last night I received a holding email in response to my query. I'll let you know as soon as I receive anything else:

Dear Mrs XXX

Thank you for your earlier e-mail.

We have passed on your comments to the appropriate department and they will contact you shortly.

Kind regards,

 

[Pinkpussycat]

There is no fancy name for the blue diamonds, but it was confirmed to me yesterday that they are coated too. I feel a big fool for buying them in the first place to be honest - I should have known better!

Disgraceful state of affairs Oopsy and you have no reason to feel foolish over GEMSTV's blatant deceit. The fact that they didn't state one way or the other if the diamonds were coated does not let them off the hook, and if I find out mine are also coated I shall be returning them pronto and I will want EVERY bit of the purchase price refunded regardless of the fact I bought them in 2008. When did you buy yours hon?? PC:.

 

[sweetpea]

First paragraph,taken from the news page of ST
GemsTV is pleased to announce that its Senior Vice President of Gemstone Acquisition & Marketing, Richard W. Hughes, has won the 2009 coveted Antonio C. Bonanno Award For Excellence in Gemology, conferred by the Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA). The Bonanno Award is one of the highest accolades in the gemstone industry and recognises an individual’s efforts in successfully advancing the profile of gems and gem-producing countries

Dunno about anyone else but I find this somewhat ironic!!!!!

 

[Meeshoo]

This has now got me wondering if my blue and black diamonds are coated too..altho not from Gems. I assumed that most coloured diamonds were heat treated, the same way that topaz are to make them the varying shades of blue we know well.

Tabs most coloured diamonds are irradiated or HPHT treated NOT heat treated. Heat treatment is literally just heat and most gemstones nowadays are heat treated. Does that make sense? Did you mean to say coated not heated? Because Topaz is coated.

Guaranteed your blue and black diamonds will be irradiated or HPTP. If they weren't you'd have paid £thousands.

As far as I'm aware, coated diamonds are only just making an appearance in the UK. Therefore I'd be surprised if diamonds you bought say, a year ago, would be coated. I hope to God I'm right about this because if not then I, for one, will never buy from GemsTV again.

To my knowledge black and brown (and all shades of brown) diamonds are not coated. The reason is that they are very very very cheap in the first place so why spend money coating them? It won't increase their price. There may be a slim chance that brown diamonds are coated to achieve an even colour but I've asked the question of several people I know and the general consensus is that you'll be safe to assume that black and browns aren't coated. HOWEVER, let's see what GemsTV come back with.

This is really really really pants. Since SteveA left this Company have just gone down hill rapidly.

 

[Tabs]

Meesh, maybe my info or memory is totally off skew but i allways thought most topaz came out of the ground brown and was heat treated, bringing us sky, swiss or london blue varieties. My diamonds came from RTV and i think were something like £125 ish for a carat of diamonds, its not a big deal really, just makes you think

 

[Meeshoo]

First paragraph,taken from the news page of ST
GemsTV is pleased to announce that its Senior Vice President of Gemstone Acquisition & Marketing, Richard W. Hughes, has won the 2009 coveted Antonio C. Bonanno Award For Excellence in Gemology, conferred by the Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA). The Bonanno Award is one of the highest accolades in the gemstone industry and recognises an individual’s efforts in successfully advancing the profile of gems and gem-producing countries

Dunno about anyone else but I find this somewhat ironic!!!!!

I can't tell you how well thought of Richard Hughes is.

I therefore found it incredulous that he joined GemsTV NOT TO MENTION that he works for a company selling BE diffused and lead filled Rubies when he has openly criticised both of these methods.

I'm not surprised he's won such an accolade but I really can't understand why a man with such a phenomenal reputation and vast knowledge would advocate this method of selling AND even consider selling coated diamonds.

 

[Meeshoo]

Meesh, maybe my info or memory is totally off skew but i allways thought most topaz came out of the ground brown and was heat treated, bringing us sky, swiss or london blue varieties. My diamonds came from RTV and i think were something like £125 ish for a carat of diamonds, its not a big deal really, just makes you think

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but Swiss and London Blue Topaz are irradiated aren't they???? Do you remember that there was a huge hoohaa about 3 or 4 years ago because the irradiation level of London Blue was found to be so sky high that the US banned it from sale for about 10 years until it had "cooled" enough to be sold!!! I'm not a lover of Topaz so it's off my radar I'm afraid but I'm pretty positive that the Topaz you've mentioned haven't just been heat treated they've been nuked.

Before I get the RTV crew coming and slamming me into oblivion here can I just say that I would not buy diamonds from RTV because (a) they are normally I1-I3 in clarity which I wouldn't touch and (b) the colour is normally I, J, K which is awful when coupled with an I grade clarity. They're the lowest of white diamonds and generally you can get similar quality from Argos. That's for the white diamonds and the ones I've seen have been cloudy, yellow and highly included so I am basing it on my own returned purchases with them.

In terms of their coloured diamonds .......... I haven't bought any from them and the fact they don't declare enhancements is the very reason I haven't. I would be highly suspect of the blue diamonds. The blacks, well they'll be irradiated I would think and would be less concerned about those.

For some reason I had assumed you meant QVC or Rocks and Co and it hadn't occurred to me you may be talking about RTV. So, on reflection, I would say that you should get in writing from SteveB what treatments have been applied - sorry if I was misleading before.

 

[Oops-a-daisy!]

No way should you feel a fool! along with the rest of us you placed your trust in Gems Tv and in my opinion they have abused it by not being upfront and honest!

Disgraceful state of affairs Oopsy and you have no reason to feel foolish over GEMSTV's blatant deceit. The fact that they didn't state one way or the other if the diamonds were coated does not let them off the hook, and if I find out mine are also coated I shall be returning them pronto and I will want EVERY bit of the purchase price refunded regardless of the fact I bought them in 2008. When did you buy yours hon?? PC:.

Thank you both, I don't feel quite so bad now. I thought the prices were too good to be true, but figured it was down to the clarity rather than the treatment.

I bought mine at the beginning of November, in the last batch of pinks, evergreens, blues, scarlet and canary's. I'm wondering now if the pink diamond ring I bought in the summer may have been coated as well. I would have thought yours would be ok hon since you bought them quite a while ago. M xx

 

[Tabs]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but Swiss and London Blue Topaz are irradiated aren't they???? Do you remember that there was a huge hoohaa about 3 or 4 years ago because the irradiation level of London Blue was found to be so sky high that the US banned it from sale for about 10 years until it had "cooled" enough to be sold!!! I'm not a lover of Topaz so it's off my radar I'm afraid but I'm pretty positive that the Topaz you've mentioned haven't just been heat treated they've been nuked.

Before I get the RTV crew coming and slamming me into oblivion here can I just say that I would not buy diamonds from RTV because (a) they are normally I1-I3 in clarity which I wouldn't touch and (b) the colour is normally I, J, K which is awful when coupled with an I grade clarity. They're the lowest of white diamonds and generally you can get similar quality from Argos. That's for the white diamonds and the ones I've seen have been cloudy, yellow and highly included so I am basing it on my own returned purchases with them.

In terms of their coloured diamonds .......... I haven't bought any from them and the fact they don't declare enhancements is the very reason I haven't. I would be highly suspect of the blue diamonds. The blacks, well they'll be irradiated I would think and would be less concerned about those.

For some reason I had assumed you meant QVC or Rocks and Co and it hadn't occurred to me you may be talking about RTV. So, on reflection, I would say that you should get in writing from SteveB what treatments have been applied - sorry if I was misleading before.

Its no problem at all hun, and not misleading (well not me anyway) obviously the whole theme of this thread made me wonder about my own diamonds...its not something i'm going to make a huge hoo harr over. I hadn't actually seen the item regarding "nuked" london blue topaz, but can't say it overly suprised me

 

[Sacha]

Last night I received a holding email in response to my query. I'll let you know as soon as I receive anything else:

Dear Mrs XXX

Thank you for your earlier e-mail.

We have passed on your comments to the appropriate department and they will contact you shortly.

Kind regards,

Well, the cynic in me is wondering who they will consider to be the 'appropriate department'!
Lets hope its not the person who initially replied categorically denying any coating treatment.

Tbh I would have bought the 'Pink' earrings as well (instead of those Evergreen jobbies)
if Scott had had any left in stock when he was selling them.....in all colours......as deals of the day .....at Halloween. They had all sold out by mid-morning! So it looks like a number of folks out there are
in possession of these pink earrings!!

I do hope they not only refund you the cost of the earrings Oopsie but also all your p&p charges.

I also wonder if some Distance Selling Regulations may have been breached here?

 

[Meeshoo]

Well, the cynic in me is wondering who they will consider to be the 'appropriate department'!
Lets hope its not the person who initially replied categorically denying any coating treatment.

Tbh I would have bought the 'Pink' earrings as well (instead of those Evergreen jobbies)
if Scott had had any left in stock when he was selling them.....in all colours......as deals of the day .....at Halloween. They had all sold out by mid-morning! So it looks like a number of folks out there are
in possession of these pink earrings!!

I do hope they not only refund you the cost of the earrings Oopsie but also all your p&p charges.

I also wonder if some Distance Selling Regulations may have been breached here?

I don't think so because it's on their enhancement page.

Is it ethical? No.

Is it morally right to expect people to KNOW to ask the right questions? No.

The right department will be somebody in Thailand. It was CS in the UK that gave me the wrong information. Actually, you've given me a good idea. I'm going to email Richard Hughes direct .............

 

[Sacha]

Let's hope you receive a satisfactory and full explanation Meesh.

Tried to belatedly edit my last post as I was checking on the Gems website and found they have
an ex-demo pair of 'Canary' Diamond earrings up for future auction.

I noted in their details that they are described as "Diamonds (Yellow) Australia". I thought that
in the past their diamonds were all sourced from Africa?

 

[Oops-a-daisy!]

I thought that all the diamonds were sourced from Africa too Sacha. Even our natural pink diamonds bought a couple of years ago came from Africa. Interestingly enough the latest batch of coated pink diamonds were sourced from Australia too.

 

[Beady Belle]

It makes me really sad to read all these things about GTV. As Meesh has said, things have definitely changed since Steve A left, and I find it difficult to believe that we all used to spend so much time watching, buying and posting all our latest acquisitions, it used to be such fun.