and this is what the ASA is for .....
- Thread starter vegasplayer
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Sadly because Rocks & Co have chosen to persist with their ridiculous style of presentation and have taken no notice of the constructive criticism given on this forum, I think you will find this adjudication to be the first of many!
M
Meeshoo
Guest Shopper
Tony are you reading this????? This is EXACTLY what we've been saying on this forum.
Extract from the reply to the ASA by Rocks & Co
Rocks & Co said that Patroke Kunzite was Kunzite from the Patroke mine in the Kunar Valley region of Afghanistan and was the most intensely coloured Kunzite on the market which meant it often commanded a much higher price than other types of Kunzite, excepting individual collectors' pieces. They said, like all gemstones, the price varied based on quality and weight, for example a "D" graded white flawless diamond over one carat in weight would have a much higher price than an "N" graded off-white coloured diamond full of inclusions of the same weight. They said that whilst "regular" Kunzite could retail at between US $100 and US $500 per carat depending on flawlessness, cut and colour, Patroke Kunzite could retail at between US $1,000 and US $5,000 per carat. They also noted additional value would be added to jewellery pieces by famous brand names. Totally and utterly misleading. You cannot compare the price/quality/colour of diamonds to Kunzite!!!! There is NO WAY that Patroke Kunzite retails at US$5,000 per carat UNLESS you buy it at Tiffanys. To compare to Tiffanys is a joke.
Rocks & Co said that, based on their gem buyers commercial experience in the gemstone industry, Patroke Kunzite stones of larger sizes (15 carats plus) were very uncommon. They said that wholesale prices of Patroke Kunzite, sold at many of the large gem trade shows world-wide, for example in Tuson, Arizona or Basil, Switzerland, could be between US $400 and US $1,000 per carat and that these prices could easily be verified by attending the shows. They said the ring in the auction contained a Patroke Kunzite stone of 22.16 carats and that, based on the minimum wholesale price of US $400 per carat, the wholesale price of the gemstone alone could be calculated to be US $8,864, whereas, based on the maximum wholesale price of US $1,000 per carat, the wholesale price of the gemstone in the ring could be calculated to be US $22,160. They said that these prices excluded the costs of the gold, diamonds, labour and design used in the final ring. They said that, typically in the jewellery industry, a mark-up of anywhere between five and ten times the manufacturing cost was applied to get the retail price for a complete piece of jewellery. Stunningly misleading in terms of prices per carat / wholesale / retail
Well done Vegasplayer. Deep respect.
I wonder if you had this valued in the UK what the valuation would be? Well I can tell you......................
This is a 22.11ct Kunzite pendant bought from GemsTV for £299 about 2 years ago. It's not Patroke Kunzite BUT it rivals and is even better than some of the Patroke I've seen so I'm guessing would qualify as a "collectors stone" as per the Rocks and Co response above. Should you wish to compare it with a piece of Patroke Kunzite, the ring (bottom left) in the second photograph is a Patroke - the others are "normal" Kunzite.
The 22.11ct pendant was valued by Safeguard at £695. These are facts. Not fiction. Should Mr Diniz like me to qualify this by posting a copy of the Safeguard valuation I would be MORE THAN HAPPY to do so.
This is why there's negative feedback on over-inflated prices.
Extract from the reply to the ASA by Rocks & Co
Rocks & Co said that Patroke Kunzite was Kunzite from the Patroke mine in the Kunar Valley region of Afghanistan and was the most intensely coloured Kunzite on the market which meant it often commanded a much higher price than other types of Kunzite, excepting individual collectors' pieces. They said, like all gemstones, the price varied based on quality and weight, for example a "D" graded white flawless diamond over one carat in weight would have a much higher price than an "N" graded off-white coloured diamond full of inclusions of the same weight. They said that whilst "regular" Kunzite could retail at between US $100 and US $500 per carat depending on flawlessness, cut and colour, Patroke Kunzite could retail at between US $1,000 and US $5,000 per carat. They also noted additional value would be added to jewellery pieces by famous brand names. Totally and utterly misleading. You cannot compare the price/quality/colour of diamonds to Kunzite!!!! There is NO WAY that Patroke Kunzite retails at US$5,000 per carat UNLESS you buy it at Tiffanys. To compare to Tiffanys is a joke.
Rocks & Co said that, based on their gem buyers commercial experience in the gemstone industry, Patroke Kunzite stones of larger sizes (15 carats plus) were very uncommon. They said that wholesale prices of Patroke Kunzite, sold at many of the large gem trade shows world-wide, for example in Tuson, Arizona or Basil, Switzerland, could be between US $400 and US $1,000 per carat and that these prices could easily be verified by attending the shows. They said the ring in the auction contained a Patroke Kunzite stone of 22.16 carats and that, based on the minimum wholesale price of US $400 per carat, the wholesale price of the gemstone alone could be calculated to be US $8,864, whereas, based on the maximum wholesale price of US $1,000 per carat, the wholesale price of the gemstone in the ring could be calculated to be US $22,160. They said that these prices excluded the costs of the gold, diamonds, labour and design used in the final ring. They said that, typically in the jewellery industry, a mark-up of anywhere between five and ten times the manufacturing cost was applied to get the retail price for a complete piece of jewellery. Stunningly misleading in terms of prices per carat / wholesale / retail
Well done Vegasplayer. Deep respect.
I wonder if you had this valued in the UK what the valuation would be? Well I can tell you......................
This is a 22.11ct Kunzite pendant bought from GemsTV for £299 about 2 years ago. It's not Patroke Kunzite BUT it rivals and is even better than some of the Patroke I've seen so I'm guessing would qualify as a "collectors stone" as per the Rocks and Co response above. Should you wish to compare it with a piece of Patroke Kunzite, the ring (bottom left) in the second photograph is a Patroke - the others are "normal" Kunzite.
The 22.11ct pendant was valued by Safeguard at £695. These are facts. Not fiction. Should Mr Diniz like me to qualify this by posting a copy of the Safeguard valuation I would be MORE THAN HAPPY to do so.
This is why there's negative feedback on over-inflated prices.
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Sapphireblue
Registered Shopper
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2009
- Messages
- 244
Well done Vegasplayer!
I have just read the ASA letter.
What a confusing and pathetic defence. How can you compare a Kunzite with a flawless Diamond!
On the subject of silly starting prices, I have seen starting prices of well over £250,000 and then to drop down to very modest amounts in the last week.
Let’s hope that R&C take heed. I view this as a shot across the bows from the ASA.
Sapphireblue
I have just read the ASA letter.
What a confusing and pathetic defence. How can you compare a Kunzite with a flawless Diamond!
On the subject of silly starting prices, I have seen starting prices of well over £250,000 and then to drop down to very modest amounts in the last week.
Let’s hope that R&C take heed. I view this as a shot across the bows from the ASA.
Sapphireblue
What I don't understand is that there was an issue about starting prices previously with the ASA frowning upon them. TJC and Gems now put much more realistic starting prices and have done so for a while now but Rocks have been getting away with these stupendous ones. I genuinely think the psychology behind them is to make the viewer think they're getting a fabulous bargain but in my experience people immediately think "con" when they see the prices go from £20,000 to £299!! Somewhat defeating the purpose me thinks!
Is is simply coincidence that R&C don't appear to be broadcasting on Freeview at the moment? They've moved to Channel 40 but still only showing a blank screen with 'live auctions from 13.00' on it.
Are they really still having 'technical problems', or a maybe a big behind-the-scenes rethink in view of the ASA ruling and/ or comments on here?
Hmmm!
Are they really still having 'technical problems', or a maybe a big behind-the-scenes rethink in view of the ASA ruling and/ or comments on here?
Hmmm!
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G
Graham
Guest Shopper
Rocks and Co are now on Freeview only at the following times:
1pm - 6pm Channel 40
Midnight - 2am Channel 84
Plasmanoodle
VIP Noodle
sweetpea
Registered Shopper
^^^^^^^^:11::11::taphead:
gemcherub
Registered Shopper
I'll take 2 
Thanks for that info, Graham. They kept that one quiet, tho I see they've finally posted it on their website today. That's it for me and Rocks, then - I almost never watch TV at those times anyway!
Rats, I was in the market for a £2,000,000 blue diamond as well!
G
Graham
Guest Shopper
Sapphireblue
Registered Shopper
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2009
- Messages
- 244
Hi all,
To be fair to R&C.
They did say that their freeview number was going to change a couple of days ago. Can't remember the presenter, but they also ran advertorials during their breaks showing a row of houses saying that they are moving along or something. "from one number to another along the street" I didn't take much notice, I use Sky.
Sapphireblue
To be fair to R&C.
They did say that their freeview number was going to change a couple of days ago. Can't remember the presenter, but they also ran advertorials during their breaks showing a row of houses saying that they are moving along or something. "from one number to another along the street" I didn't take much notice, I use Sky.
Sapphireblue