IMLDS2
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posted on November 14, 2000 12:41:45 PM new
Hi,
I have some BEAUTIFUL topaz and ruby bracelets. I've listed them twice with no bids.
After thinking about it I see that it is because I don't know HOW to describe them!
Is anyone willing to let me send a picture and they can describe it...or help me to do so?
I really LOVE how everyone is so helpful on this message board...pretty wonderful in a dog eat dog world...isn't it?
Thanks 
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sulyn1950
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posted on November 14, 2000 01:52:52 PM new
Well, I don't know if this will be of much use to you, BUT I am a jewelry buyer!!!! I also am a browser NOT a searcher so when I am browsing I like to see in the title what it is: Example-Beautiful Ruby Bracelet-14KT-7 1/2
I like to see the KT of gold or if it is SS I like to see if it is 925. I like the size of the bracelet or ring or necklace in the title if possible because I, of course, wear a certain size and don't like wasting time on an item I can't wear. I know jewelry can be sized, but I don't have any place to have it done locally so I just look for my size.
In the description be sure and list total carat weight of the gemstones and the length of the item. Also describe WHAT type of clasp it has. Lobster, C, insert box ect and whether or not it has safety chain or safety clasp. Even if you have a great picture, sometimes its hard to see what the clasp looks like. If they have one of those fancy "designer" types of clasp like the big oversized "C" you need to mention that. They are my favorite right now!
Give dimensions on the individual stones such as length and width in MM (helps me get an idea as to size-CT weights can be misleading since stones have different weights EVEN if they are the same size)
AND TO ME MOST IMPORTANT IS THE WIDTH OF THE BRACELET. When you are looking at a close up and the darn thing looks 1" wide you get quite a different mental picture/expectation and can be sorely disappointed when it arrives 1/8"wide!
You can "pretty" up the description with WOWs and AWESOMES if you like BUT I buy based on the photo, measurements, weight, style clasp and width and of course PRICE we all like a good value, but if the weight of the gold is listed and the weight/size of the gemstones is listed I can figure out if the price if fair or not. I am not looking for "give-a-ways".
Hope this helps a little. I just wanted to give you 1 buyer's perspective. Sulyn
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rarriffle
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posted on November 14, 2000 03:26:30 PM new
Sulyn, I need your help too. I am getting ready to list a dinner ring. large lemon citrine stone, size 8 1/2. I do not know the gold weight exactly. I do not know the carat size of the stone. How do I describe it? I do know the value of the gold content. I can measure the length and width of the stone. I do know its 14kt gold. What else should be included? 
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njrazd
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posted on November 14, 2000 04:59:26 PM new
I sell jewelry and would be glad to help, but sulyn is giving you great advice. If you do not know carat weight, you should show the stone measurements in millimeters. That will give most people a pretty good idea of the approximate carat weight.
Metal content and size are the two biggest features, as well as link style and clasp (if applicable.)
And a good picture will tell the full story.
******************
That's Flunky Gerbiltush to you!
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Borillar
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posted on November 14, 2000 05:14:04 PM new
Ummm . . . sulyn1950, by US law, all Sterling Silver sold in the USA must be 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. I believe that there is a long-standing international agreement to that effect as well.
Nonetheless, since many Buyers are not aware of this serious crime for selling non-925 SS on US soil, we end up putting 925 Sterling Silver in all of our auctions where we sell it.
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geminspector
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posted on November 14, 2000 07:55:09 PM new
IMLDS2 -- hi, I'm a jewelry appraiser in RL. If you would like to post or email a picture to me I would be happy to help. If possible put the bracelet next to a ruler or coin when shooting the picture.
--Brought to you by MHO Productions--
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IMLDS2
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posted on November 14, 2000 08:03:04 PM new
Thanks guys for your help and suggestions!
I've learned a lot..and I was needing help.
--How do you measure milimeters?
--The bracelet I have is gold over silver..is this good?
They sell for $100 retail...I got a good deal of $25.
--My camera won't take a good picture...the topaz is very light.
Ok...lets see if I can get a [bounce} ball bouncing...probably did it wrong...sigh..
Carole
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unknown
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posted on November 14, 2000 08:11:31 PM new
Well if it's Vermeil (Gold over Sterling) then that isn't all that good.
The K_mart and Wallmart will frequently sell Vermeil Tennis braclets for $25
I used to buy those as wholesale closeouts for $12 and sell them for ~$30.
I would wait until closer the Christmas, and try to get no more than $50. And you will need a very good photo.
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IMLDS2
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posted on November 14, 2000 08:21:51 PM new
Yes..I'd love to send you a photo...where would I send it?
What does RL stand for?
Thanks
The old auction number is:
433936409 on ebay...
I can take another with a ruler if you need it?
On the tag it says it's 7 1/4" long..gos..Amy/Dia accent. The stone is 1/8" across and just shy of 1/4"long.
One bracelet is topaz...the other is either ruby or garnet..(light purple)???I know they are genuine stones.
Let me know if you need anything else?
Thanks!
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mcjane
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posted on November 14, 2000 10:09:01 PM new
My guess is RL means "real life"
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tarisa
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posted on November 14, 2000 10:18:21 PM new
imlds2 - I'm not a jewelry expert by any means, but I did notice a couple things about your auction that might have stopped you getting hits or bids.
The misspelling in the title of 'bacelet' didn't get you the hits from any bidders who do title only searches.
Also, your auction wouldn't come up for me at *all* in Netscape, I had to view it in IE to see anything below the line that says 'Description'.
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geminspector
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posted on November 15, 2000 04:56:18 AM new
IMLDS2 -- You can send to [email protected]
It is my guess that you have amethyst and citrine bracelets. Both quartz, both fairly inexpensive.
Looks like approx. 6.00 x 4.00 mm. I count seven stones in your auction photo. That will make it approx. 3.00 Cts. total weight.
It is considered "fine costume jewelry" As far as retail value goes, something like this is largely demographical. If you go to Dillard's (upscale department store) to shop they can be quite expensive for what they are because the only buy a few, while Home shopping on the other hand may have a whole truckload of them and are willing to make a smaller profit margin because they sell in volume. I would say at $25.00 each, you paid the Home Shopping price.
--Brought to you by MHO Productions--
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barbarake
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posted on November 15, 2000 05:43:19 AM new
I agree with geminspector - they're probably amethyst (light purple) and citrine (yellow). Be very careful about making claims such as 'real topaz'. I realize that in this case you probably thought it was real but I'd bet a lot of money that they're not. This is one of my pet peeves - for example, whenever you see 'smoky topaz', I guarantee that you're seeing 'smoky quartz'.
Also, try to get close-ups of the bracelet - I can't see any details at all.
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njrazd
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posted on November 15, 2000 08:31:21 AM new
The auction description would not download for me either on Netscape and I don't have IE at work, so you might want to correct that if you can.
*****************
That's Flunky Gerbiltush to you!
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IMLDS2
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posted on November 15, 2000 11:47:47 AM new
Hmmmm....I DID get them from Kmart...they vehemently said they were REAL TOPAZ and RUBY...
I wouldn't have paid that much for junk..sigh...I went back twice on different days and each clerk said the same them...they were GENIUNE(sp?)
So what should I do? What is citrine?
Thanks!
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genie9
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posted on November 15, 2000 05:24:24 PM new
Hi IMLDS2,
Real Citrines are very rare and are unlikely to be found any where but with exceptional jewelers at emerald and ruby prices.
The "citrines" commonly found for sale are really only heat colored quartz - but are legally allowed to be called "citrine". Amethysts are also quartz.
They are not valuable and are very abundant.
Find a good jeweller if you think you have some good stones, who can tell you in minutes (for a reasonable fee) what the stones are.
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rarriffle
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posted on November 15, 2000 06:18:27 PM new
So genie, if a jeweler tells me I have a Lemon Citrine Quartz, 17 x 24 mm, 14kt gold setting with about $75.00 worth of gold. Do I or do I not have a decent ring? Someone wants me to sell this for them on ebay. They want at least $150.00 for this ring. If there is no chance of getting that, I don't want to waste my time. Need some good advise here, please????
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njrazd
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posted on November 15, 2000 06:36:43 PM new
rarriffle...I can guarantee you will not get anything close to retail price on eBay. Did the jeweler say that $75 was wholesale or retail?
You can always check out the closed auctions to see if there is anything similar and how much the high bid was.
IMLDS2...If you could, I would return them to K-mart and tell them they were falsely advertised. There is no way topaz and rubies could be confused with citrines and amethysts. Do you still have your receipt?
************************
That's Flunky Gerbiltush to you!
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rarriffle
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posted on November 15, 2000 06:40:51 PM new
njrazd, the jeweler said the melt down value on the gold was about $75.00. He is a friend of my hubby's. Hubby also checked with scrap gold buyer, he concurred, about $75.00 worth of gold. 
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IMLDS2
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posted on November 15, 2000 06:50:44 PM new
Thanks for all your suggestions...does anyone know where a small timer can find nice jewelry for a low price?
I don't care if it's gold...or diamonds...I kinda like SUZANNE SOMMERS style of jewelry.
Yes...I still have the receipts...so you guys(who are much more experienced than I //
think I should return them?
Sigh...
Carole
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genie9
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posted on November 15, 2000 06:51:38 PM new
I will say only that I never get near retail price on the odd piece of gemstone jewellery that I sell on eBay.
I luck out finding it really cheap once in awhile (a secondhand shop sells it for 5 or 10 dollars because they don't have a clue) and then I list it at that price on eBay. Maybe I get $25.00 for nice amethyst earings.
In late October I sold an antique (1920's) 14K stickpin with real seed pearls for $15.00 (Yuck!).
I wont be listing jewellery for a long time. Youre probably better off holding on to it or selling it privately.
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Borillar
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posted on November 15, 2000 08:37:42 PM new
Lordy, NO, [b]IMLDS2{/b]! Costume Jewelry with "paste" often sells for more on eBay than many real semi-precious gemstone jewelry does. The other thing is that if you don't get your price the first time around, raise your price when you list it the next time. The reason being is that jewelry really has no value at all -- unless someone likes it.
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njrazd
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posted on November 15, 2000 09:25:07 PM new
INLDS2...unless you like them enough to keep them if they don't sell, I would return them. And you might want to let the store manager know about the information you received. It's illegal in every state to misdescribe an item like that. The sales people should know that a tag that says Amy/Dia Accent means Amethyst with Diamond chips and NOT rubies.
But, for a quarter, try listing it at your buy price and see what you get. As a dealer, I would only bid about $10 on them, but with Christmas coming up, you might get lucky.
And I've bought Suzanne's jewelry on eBay several times. I love that stuff, too! Try a search on Somers & Summers. Lots of sellers mispell the name.
rarriffle...if you've got $75 worth of meltdown gold, you might get $100 for the ring. Although that is a nice size Citrine, it's not that rare of a stone unless the color is really dark.
Everything is worth listing at least once or twice. You never know who's shopping.
*********************
That's Flunky Gerbiltush to you!
[ edited by njrazd on Nov 15, 2000 09:26 PM ]
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barbarake
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posted on November 16, 2000 03:53:34 AM new
rarrifle - Any chance of posting a picture of the ring? $75 of scrap (14K) gold equals about 15 grams (roughly 1/2 ounce) of gold - not counting the citrine weight. This would be a pretty heavy ring.
If it's an exceptioally nice or unusual setting, you might get significantly more.
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geminspector
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posted on November 16, 2000 04:27:55 AM new
IMLDS2 -- I just want to clear up a few things for you. First, any old jeweler may not be able to tell you what you have. You need a Gemologist to do that. I have known MANY jewelers who take one look at a blue stone and call it sapphire....in other words misidentify many stones, based on color.
I do agree with njrazd that the tag on one of your bracelets is describing amethyst and diamond. However, there is no such thing as a diamond "chip" They will most likely be "single cuts" (fewer facets) and very small.
If I were in your shoes I would be more interested in finding out what I really have, you may certainly have recourse with the store you bought them from.
"Real Citrine"...I am not sure what genie9 is refering to. As a gemologist, I have never heard the term used for any species other than quartz. Is it possible that genie9 is refering to yellow sapphire?
If your town is big enough there may be an independant gem lab in your yellow pages. The charge for gem identification varies. I charge $10. Of course in your case that is almost half of what you paid for the bracelet and may not be worth it to you.
--Brought to you by MHO Productions--
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genie9
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posted on November 16, 2000 12:17:08 PM new
geminspector;
Yes I agree that one needs a gemologist, not a jeweler to assess stones properly. I am lucky to have a access to a good one from Holland.
For the citrine - yes it's quartz, but I meant Natural citrine as opposed to heat treated amethyst. Sorry about the confusion. That's what happens when one relies upon ageing memory alone!!!
Ive seen some old natural citrine jewellery sell at Emerald prices. But I suppose every gemstone peice has to be evaluated for itself: Cut, clarity, weight and setting (and whose makers mark appears!).
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