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Meeshoo

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Ok, I've just received this email from Rocks and Co:-

An attractive cocktail of oranges and pinks, Padparadscha (along with fine blues) are Sapphire's rarest and most coveted colours. While its name is derived from the gem's semblance to a pinkish-orange lotus flower, our modern word 'Padparadscha' is a corruption of the Sinhalese 'padma' (lotus) and 'raga' (colour). Delightfully seductive, Padparadscha Sapphires are so rare and beautiful that they are highly prized by collectors. While Padparadscha Sapphires were originally an exclusively Sri Lankan Sapphire, today they are recognised as also hailing from Madagascar, Vietnam and Tanzania. Nevertheless, Sri Lanka is the 'classic' source for Padparadscha Sapphire and examples from this resplendent isle remain highly coveted. The big news is that our selection all hail from the gem gravels of Sri Lanka, the original source for Padparadscha Sapphire. Obtaining these gems required a Herculean effort - they are extremely scarce and very challenging to source. It has taken a very long time (over 10 years) and careful patience to accumulate enough of these gems for lines of jewellery. Colour plays a major role (50 percent) in determining value in all gems. Given this, it is no wonder Padparadscha Sapphire is so famed. Don't miss this rare opportunity to add rare and beautiful genuine Sri Lankan Padparadscha Sapphire jewellery to your collection.

If you are tempted to buy, PLEASE do your research first.

1. Padparadschas are amongst the rarest natural colour of Sapphire in the world.
2. They are disproportionately expensive
3. To be called a Padparadscha - they MUST be natural and NOT BE diffused.

If they are BE diffused and the picture of the one in their advert STRONGLY suggests they're diffused, they should be called "Padparadscha coloured ...."

IF YOU WANT A TRUE PADPARADSCHA MAKE SURE YOU DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND ASK ROCKS AND CO IF THEY ARE UNTREATED BEFORE YOU BUY. Heated natural Pads are fine but if they're treated they are NOT entitled to be called Padparadschas.

I'm appalled that IF Rocks and Co are selling treated Padparadschas, they haven't disclosed this in their advert which is totally and utterly misleading. ASA would be very interested in this - especially as other channels have had their hands FIRMLY slapped about this. Oh and the same goes for Imperial Topaz.

In April 2007, the Laboratory Manual Harmonisation Committee (LMHC), a committee with representatives from the world's leading gem labs, published a statement on Padparadscha Sapphire ("Information Sheet #4). Here are the main points:

Padparadscha sapphire is a variety of corundum from any geographical origin whose color is a subtle mixture of pinkish orange to orangey pink with pastel tones, and low to medium saturation. Now look at the picture below. Does that look pastel or a stone with low to medium saturation? No.

The name 'padparadscha sapphire' SHALL NOT be applied in the following cases:

* If the stone has any colour modifier other than pink or orange.

* If the stone has major uneven colour distribution when viewed with the unaided eye and the table up +/- 30 degrees

* If the stone has been treated by lattice diffusion of a foreign element, treated by irradiation or dyed, coated, painted, etc.
 

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A good friend has just pointed out to me that the Rocks and Co website states that the AAA Padparadscha sapphire (whatever that is) is heated but not treated.

IF that's the case then the photo above has been highly photoshopped OR these would never be classed as Pads in a month of Sundays.

Use your discretion and make sure you ask the questions if you're interested in buying. Caveat Emptor.
 
"The Clever Gem Buyer" makes a distinction between "padparadscha colour sapphires" (diffused, which Rocks & Co have been selling for a long time) and "padparadscha sapphires", so I'm thinking these are NOT diffused. I do hope the presenters will clarify this on air.
 
If that's the case MissM then they SERIOUSLY need to make sure that if these gems were evaluated they would be judged to be Pads and not pink sapphires. The picture in their advert IS NOT a Pad. If it's a non BE diffused gemstone then it's a pink sapphire. There's nothing about that gem colour that suggests a Pad.
 
I got these years ago, so can't remember the details exactly, but the band I think was sold as padparadscha, and the solitaire as pad. colour.

I know you probably can't tell much form a piccy, but any opinions on them would be interesting.


On a side note, I would like a green sapphire ring, but have just seen two travesties in the "art" of the window...sigh. :down:
 

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Caught a few of the padparadscha items...with extra windows for your viewing pleasure.

How can Diniz sit there and wax lyrical if he really has 12yrs experience in the business??
 
Ooooo Meerkat I haven't seen any - not that I watch Rocks and Co much! What did he say about them?

On why he waxes lyrical - that's easy! He's a director of the company so the more he sells, the more profit the company makes. So he'll tell you black is white, red is green and padparadschas are padparadschas!!!!
 
Any mention of treatment Lexxy? They sound BE diffused by the colour. If so, this is gross mis-selling.

Anyway, if they're not BE diffused, they certainly don't fit the definition of a Pad!
 
I did hear Tony Diniz specifically say that they are NOT Be diffused.

They certainly did look very pink; but it could just be the effect of studio lights. I bought a padparadscha colour sapphire from Rocks & Co a while back, and sent it back because it was more orange than it looked on screen, and I just didn't like the colour. (I had a similar experience with a pink spinel from Rocks TV, which also went back because it had more orange overtones than appeared on air.) Will be interesting to hear what they're like if anyone buys one.
 
i wasn't watching for long enough unfortunately, but looks like Miss M has the info for you Meesh ;)

from what i've read on here, they have my attention for a max of 15 seconds & a "oh yeah?!" expression on my face! :D can't say i'm looking for anything sparkly at the moment but i do know Rocks&Co would be the last place i'd look to spend my dosh...
 
TD was at pains to stress they were the real deal and not BE diffused...maybe he has been reading this forum!! lol

All but two didn't appear to be much different in colour from pink sapphire...he said he bought them off someone who had had them 20yrs, and later that was 15yrs....hmmmmm. Oh and those dreadful windows. They need to sack all their cutters, or gat them trained properly. Thank goodness I now know what I am looking at, unlike most of the audience, sadly.
 
TD was at pains to stress they were the real deal and not BE diffused...maybe he has been reading this forum!! lol

All but two didn't appear to be much different in colour from pink sapphire...he said he bought them off someone who had had them 20yrs, and later that was 15yrs....hmmmmm. Oh and those dreadful windows. They need to sack all their cutters, or gat them trained properly. Thank goodness I now know what I am looking at, unlike most of the audience, sadly.

He has just said the guy he got them off has had them for 25 years now!!!:thinking2:
 
Welllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll enuf said me thinks!

Anybody remember when this story was touted on GemsTV? Their first lot of Pads was supposed to be from somebody's collection? When challenged, suddenly everything changed to "Pad Coloured" - coincidence? Perhaps!
 
I saw one which looked like Hot Pink Coated Topaz! I think I know who he got them from! :54:



Everest - no not the mountain!!
 
A few(fairly bad) piccies of the "pads"...
 

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Thanks for the piccies Meerkat.

I've got to say that none of those fit the description that a Pad should be pastel coloured do they? Mind you, they win the prize for gems with a view!
 
Indeed, Meeshoo. I don't know much more than there should be a mixture of pink and orange, but of the items I saw, there was no hint of orange or peach or anything at all.

I am so glad my eyes were opened by the contributors here. I just watch for comedy value now....and for a bit of ranting at the telly!!
 
I have a Pad sapphire, probably coloured, rather than the real deal. I bought it in a moment of madness about 3-4 years ago from GTV. It is really orange and I don't like it much. I should have returned it at the time but laziness, inertia etc. got in the way! I have never worn it which is a shame but that orangey hue doesn't suit my skin. I am a Swede and have very, very pale skin, the colour just isn't flattering on me.

I have not bitten the bullet and actually bought anything from Rocks & Co. Judging by the majority of posts I read on here, I am wise not to!

Thanks Meeshoo, Klosblue and all for your advice, you have saved me ££'s with your advice

Inge x :)
 
I have a Pad sapphire, probably coloured, rather than the real deal. I bought it in a moment of madness about 3-4 years ago from GTV. It is really orange and I don't like it much. I should have returned it at the time but laziness, inertia etc. got in the way! I have never worn it which is a shame but that orangey hue doesn't suit my skin. I am a Swede and have very, very pale skin, the colour just isn't flattering on me.

I have not bitten the bullet and actually bought anything from Rocks & Co. Judging by the majority of posts I read on here, I am wise not to!

Thanks Meeshoo, Klosblue and all for your advice, you have saved me ££'s with your advice

I had to double check when I read this post! - I thought I'd maybe written it myself and not remembered (then I saw the Swedish bit and realised that it wasn't me lol) But it all applies exactly.

Oh and if anyone wants to see the most beautiful padparadscha ever, there's one in the Natural History Museum's collection of loose stones. It fits Meesh's description perfectly but isn't like the stones above at all...............
 

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