Thoughts on gemstones and jewelry

Quote:

Originally Posted by BirdyB Gold, silver, palladium, rhodium etc. have intrinsic value and are much discussed as a means of exchange in post SHTF economies. Or lack of economies. What are y'alls thoughts on gemstones, jewelry? Diamonds, Burmese rubies, sapphires of different colors, South Seas pearls, etc.

If you are buying for investment you will be paying a hefty markup so you will take a hit when you try to sell it. If you want to buy in a professional market you need lots of knowledge and experience to buy diamonds, rubies, sapphires and pearls for investment purposes. Diamonds are valued by color, cut quality, and clarity, unless you have experience in this you will not be able to price them and distribution is controlled by large companies. You will not be able to go to Botswana or South Africa and buy diamonds because you will not have access to good sellers and you will not know what you are buying. Buying gems on the street is never, ever good.

Rubies and Sapphires are nearly always treated in one or more ways to enhance the stone. The value of the stone varies according to the type of treatment it has received. A junk piece of corundum of no value at all can be made into a marketable sapphire by heating with chemicals and filling inclusions with glass. Same with rubies, they come from the same material and can be treated with the same products. Burmese rubies are mostly sold by the Burmese government in batches with a few stolen stones sometimes getting across the Thai border. Unless you can take a government batch you will only be able to get a Burmese Ruby from a dealer at a high price and, again, you will have to know how to grade and price it.

Unless you take a concentrated gemological course and find a way to get experience you will not be able to buy good product at reasonable prices and you will get ripped off every time you try to buy something. If you buy from dealers you will be paying a huge markup, if you want to buy size quantity for investment at good prices you need to go to a professional market like Chantabuiri in Thailand but you will have to know who to buy from and what to pay and you will need to take cash with you and change to Thai Baht.

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Thoughts on gemstones and jewelry