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 Post subject: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 7:50 pm 
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I was wondering if posting this in the "Scams" section, but it's so absurd that I'll post it here. Apparently eBay likes to show me in the homepage the crappiest stuff you can imagine. Well, this is beyond imagination. After the "solar quartz" (groups of quartz crystals painted with -likely- paint markers, now look&behold! A top-quality "watermelon tourmaline" that can be yours for only 1500 USD!!! :roll:
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/EXTREMELY-RARE- ... 3cf56fd4aa
:smt078

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 Post subject: Re: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 11:27 am 
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The seller explains that watermelon tourmaline is green (outside), red (inside) and white (rind), yet he shows a psychedelic crystal :| . Part of me wonders if perhaps he just put the wrong photo up, or is just truly a :^o .

Maybe I'll write and ask him which it is :P .

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 Post subject: Re: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 11:42 am 
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I was tempted to drop the seller a note yesterday.
Why don't you do that today Barbara and report back.


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 Post subject: Re: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 5:23 pm 
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Okay ... This is what I wrote to the seller:

"The photo you show here is obviously NOT a watermelon tourmaline. Have you perhaps uploaded the wrong photo, or is there something else going on?"

Here is the seller's response:

"If you do not think its watermelon tourmaline than what exactly do you think it is."

I'm tempted to write back and ask him if he truly thinks its watermelon tourmaline :roll: . Perhaps with an attached photo of a real watermelon tourmaline. Then again, I do have other things to do.

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 Post subject: Re: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 8:32 pm 
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Another response from the seller:

"I already know that it is Watermelon Tourmaline. Its a rare form like how a Herkimer diamond might have oil drip in it. Not all Watermelon Tourmaline looks alike. This is actually a very beautiful specimen mined and cut professionally . You might not believe its Watermelon Tourmaline because of its size but I have a video of the crystal as well. I mine gems and diamonds. I sell the expensive minerals occasionally because I am more of a collector. I didn't mean for my last message to seem inconsiderate I was just wondering what you thought it might be."

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 Post subject: Re: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:35 pm 
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OK, I couldn't resist:
Barbra wrote:
What gemological evidence do you have regarding the identification of this crystal? I am quite sure it is NOT tourmaline...or, for that matter any naturally occurring mineral crystal.
Have you had this optically tested? Optical character? Refractive Index?
I'm betting the answer is NO.


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 Post subject: Re: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 10:53 am 
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What a shock- this seller does not accept returns. I sent the seller my thoughts on this fake stone. I hope I wasn't too harsh. :D

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 Post subject: Re: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 5:24 pm 
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Hey Nick, please be harsh, he/she obviously needs a good, old fashioned, "ass-kicking".
Barry.


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 Post subject: Re: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 10:53 pm 
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Seller responds:
Quote:
It was cut to be a healing crystal. Its rare to see this kind of Tourmaline in such condition and amazement. Im sorry to hear your not sure if this is Watermelon Tourmaline. What exactly do you think it is?

Barbra wrote:
Dear antiquequeststash,

I wouldn't blindly speculate on what it is without testing, but I am quite sure what it is NOT.
Sorry, but I work as a gemologist/geologist and find a posting like this bordering fraudulent misrepresentation.


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 Post subject: Re: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 8:14 pm 
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I went to the auction and asked if he had certs.

This was his reply:
Dear wilsonsintexas,

It was cut to be a healing crystal. I have not ran test but it can't be anything else besides watermelon tourmaline. I have another smaller prism cut watermelon tourmaline that was tested. They both came from the same mineral ore.
- antiquequeststash

I send him my email address, and he sent the following "CERTS"

He thinks that he bought the real ting.



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 Post subject: Re: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 10:01 pm 
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Often times these people have been totally duped. There's a woman who sells at our local flea market who has been sold a real bill of goods by some guy she calls "doc." He sells her stuff with bad ID info telling her it's worth a lot. It's probably best not to pile too hard on him. Yes, it's irresponsible to sell something you don't know much about, but he doesn't know enough to know how little he knows. It's frustrating to see someone like this bring disrepute on the trade, but I doubt he means bad. Now, the people selling to him...

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 Post subject: Re: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 12:40 am 
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Agreed. I feel bad for everyone who is being duped.....but the seller is offering this as a $1500 tourmaline xl. We know it is, as best, an experimental project.......
I think we must call this fraudulent misrepresentation....as that is what it is.


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 Post subject: Re: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 12:28 pm 
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Has been relisted for 500 bucks. New description states tourmaline with fluorite like cut. Not sure what that means so I asked the seller for clarification. Since it does come with a cert. from the Mineral Fairy I offered 5 bucks for the stone.

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 Post subject: Re: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 1:23 pm 
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Scarodactyl wrote:
Often times these people have been totally duped. There's a woman who sells at our local flea market who has been sold a real bill of goods .

Latest story: She has a ring with what is purported to be rubellite in it - perfectly clean, a little salmon in color and about 2 carats. She wants $75 for it. I asked how she knew it was tourmaline, and her husband said he had given one of her pieces of schorl to the man, and it had been cut from that.
Talk about turning a sow's ear into a silk purse.

*sigh*


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 Post subject: Re: Watermelon "tourmaline"
PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 1:42 pm 
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Scarodactyl wrote:
Often times these people have been totally duped. There's a woman who sells at our local flea market who has been sold a real bill of goods by some guy she calls "doc." He sells her stuff with bad ID info telling her it's worth a lot. It's probably best not to pile too hard on him. Yes, it's irresponsible to sell something you don't know much about, but he doesn't know enough to know how little he knows. It's frustrating to see someone like this bring disrepute on the trade, but I doubt he means bad. Now, the people selling to him...

Enough people have questioned this seller on the authenticity of this stone. The answer is not to reduce the price on this phony stone from $1500 to $500. They need to find out what they are selling. I could make a fortune selling Rolex watches on E-bay. They sell for 20 bucks on the corner of 47th st. and Broadway in N.Y.C. As long as the guy in the black overcoat says they are genuine I should be good to go. :D

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