Coated Tanzanite - Question for Gav

I recently bought a stunning 5.6 Ct AAA Tanzanite from your One collection. When I took it to be appraised, the jeweller insisted that it was 'coated' because it was 'too cheap' to be genuine. He wanted to charge me £200 to have it tested in a lab, which I refused. As it displays velvet blues with flashes of purple, pink and red I didn't believe him and refused to have it tested. But the seed of doubt is there and obviously takes the shine off my purchase. Can you guarantee that your AAA Tanzanites have no other enhancements other than 'heated'?

I'm not Gav so I hope you don't mind me responding but this question was asked of Rocks and Co when they first started. Gav categorically stated that none of their Tanzanite was coated.

Also, to my knowledge, the majority of coated Tanzanite found so far has been under 1ct in weight although there have been a few over 2ct. As yours is substantially bigger, it's highly unlikely to be coated. If you paid between £250-£350 per carat then this is "normal" £ per carat for a TV jewellery outlet.

Lastly, coated Tanzanite can be fairly easy to spot. I've got an article on it somewhere and if I can find it, will post up later.

Most likely your jeweller is suffering from "sour grapes" syndrome. Many high street jewellers only have access to limited amounts of Tanzanite and they pay (and then charge) far more than you do buying direct from Rocks and Co.

I hope that's helped?

I can't find the article I wanted to show you but here are some others.

By the way, if you want peace of mind, you can have your Tanzanite tested by Safeguard (they send stones to a gem laboratory for testing). I can't remember the exact cost now and I think it may be based on carat weight BUT I had a 2ct Alexandrite examined and I think from memory it was around £30-50 ish. I know that they have identified coated Tanzanite in the past so you'd be in good hands with them.

http://www.gia.edu/research-resources/gems-gemology/summer2008-contents/summer2008-article3.html

http://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=23770

http://www.nationaljewelernetwork.c...reatments/e3i047c06d053d60ec8b7a7188fbec7fbbe

Dear Sesinuk:

Thanks for your patronage and the post.

Meeshoo is correct, as per our ‘Gemstone Enhancements & Care’ webpage Rocks & Co. guarantee that none of our Tanzanite (including AAA Tanzanite) is coated. While these situations are frustrating, it’s not the first time I’ve had to deal with seeds of doubt planted by a jeweller’s erroneous comments.

Our ‘Gemstone Enhancements & Care’ page http://www.rocksandco.com/library/ge...nhancement.asp is your definitive guide to the enhancements applied to gemstones sold on Rocks & Co. It is regularly updated by yours truly and written in an easy to understand format.

On page 242 of my new book, ‘The Clever Gem Buyer’, http://www.rocksandco.com/book2/books.asp I give some good tips on getting jewellery appraisals. It is also available as a webpage here http://www.rocksandco.com/book2/book...asp?page=s3-04. I strongly suggest all our customers give this a read before getting jewellery appraised.

Please note that how much you paid and where you purchased has no bearing on the appraisal. A true professional will make their assessment based purely on what they see. If the appraiser is just curious, let them know at the end of the process. Also, in my mind, no trustworthy appraiser charges a percentage of the item’s valuation. It should always be a fixed fee based on time spent.

I prefer truly independent appraisers that do not buy or sell jewellery. As a result, like Meeshoo I recommend SafeGuard http://www.theassayoffice.co.uk/safeguard/index.html. A subsidiary of The Birmingham Assay Office, SafeGuard does not buy or sell jewellery and charges a fixed price for each item appraised (approximately £49, but please check with them). They therefore have no vested interest in the product, or its replacement value and promise you an unbiased opinion every time. They actually have a gemmological laboratory onsite. I visited it about four years ago and was very impressed. SafeGuard Jewellery Valuations are also available from over 1,000 retailers in the UK, making it very convenient to get a professional appraisal from a truly independent government affiliated organisation. To find a retailer near you click here http://www.theassayoffice.co.uk/safeguard/fsjvr.php.

I hope this helps and that you enjoy wearing your AAA Tanzanite. As always, if you need any help regarding gemstones, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or drop me a PM or post here at Shopping Telly.

Kind Regards,

Gav

Tanzanite

Thanks Gav and Meeshoo for your thorough answer to my question. It does put my mind at rest. In my heart, I knew that it wasn't coated as it had so much fire and depth, but when you're dealing with an expert it does add the element of doubt.

Thanks

S

Hi sesinuk, firstly :wow: lucky thing snagging a big tanzy. Hope you're feeling happier now you've had such comprehensive replies to your question.

I'm afraid I've also encountered the sour grape syndrome at a jewellers when I took my tanzy for appraisal. I had it valued by Safeguard, and can echo what you've been told, they are totally impartial, and I was very pleased with my valuation.

:doggie:

Maybe the jeweller was just trying to make money from you ? wouldn't go back there.

I realise that this is a little "after the event" but if I could add to what what Gav was saying about truly Independent Jewellery Valuers.......
There has been a new trade association set up called the Association of Independent Jewellery Valuers.
Their members are not only required to be highly experienced and qualified but have to sign a declaration that they do NOT buy, sell or broker jewellery.

This could be a useful resource for anyone faced with similar problems to Sesinuk

Hope this helps

Adrian

Does Gav ever appear in front of the cameras these days? He used to be my favourite on screen expert.

PJ