The stone (which must be 10 carats or more) is announced as an amethyst. I went to examine it. Clearly it is a topaz (color, style of cutting, brilliancy, inclusions). I could not check the RI, but I am pretty sure it is a topaz. I let a bid order for 1000 euros. But I was outbidded and the hammer price was 1200 euros (+ 27,6% fees). I feel frustrated because I am sure the buyer bought the jewel for the setting and its diamonds, and will think forever that the center stone is a basic amethyst of no interest. While I would have appreciated it for the special beauty of this big topaz !
OK the stone is very flat and has a huge window, but I liked it nevertheless.
Rare relatively speaking but not too unusual. Looks like the typical purple-pink "cyclamin" color that Katlang is famed for (but Brazil produces as well).
Rare relatively speaking but not too unusual. Looks like the typical purple-pink "cyclamin" color that Katlang is famed for (but Brazil produces as well).
Yes, I know - bought a few years ago two cristals from an Idar-Oberstein cutter - both with a fracture parallel to the c-axis.
Got one included 4,75 ct stone from the first and from the second cristal 3 smaller and one clean 1,75 ct gem. I would call the color "cherry blossom". Orign is Katlang.
A clean 10 ct stone would be extremely rare. I understand Isi wanted this stone.
Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2013 9:16 am Posts: 239 Location: Germany
@Barbra I had several times the issue with different real auctionhouses which sold stones tested from their experts, that the stones where wrong classified. Classified e.g. as kornerupine but was spodumen. classified as spinel, but was saphire... But all of them took back the gems without discussion and confirmed my ID when I complaint.
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:29 pm Posts: 1047 Location: Paris
Yes Barbra, I didn't say that the pendant was XIXth century, I just wanted to point out that this pink color of topaz was commonly used in some degree in former times. I would say that this pendant was more from the years 1920-1930. It definitely was a topaz, not an amethyst. No confusion possible when you have seen enough of both these stones. The inclusions were very typical for topaz. Even from the picture you can guess that something is not consistent with amethyst. Which decided me to go an see it for real.
You would be surprised to know how many stones are misannounced or misrepresented in that kind of auction sales. A special effort of checking and lab testing is done by auctioneers on "major" stones like rubies, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds. But as to the rest...
There are not so many gemologists among the staff in their offices, although I have had quite a bunch of them as pupils. And Arglthesheep is right. It is not rare that a sale is cancelled afterwards because the buyer has its item checked and it is not what is was supposed to be. I experienced it myself too !
large sinhalite --> a zircon another sinhalite --> a large 10 ct andalusite chrysoberyl --> a sapphire ( but with a typical chryso color) rhodolite mixed in spinel lot ( several times!) 4 little Taaffeite --> one a sapphire, one a greyish mauve "tanzanite"
Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2013 9:16 am Posts: 239 Location: Germany
@Stephen yes there are nice ones out there. Just aquired lately a lot of smaller stones from the bluegreen variety. not often seen in the past... Very similiar as the nice blue Euclase...
@Stephen yes there are nice ones out there. Just aquired lately a lot of smaller stones from the bluegreen variety. not often seen in the past... Very similiar as the nice blue Euclase...
Come on - post a picture of the lot...
Most of them are pear shapes around 0,20 ct in different orientations - face green, bluegreen, violetblue ....
Chrome kornerupine has imo a spectacular pleochroism.
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