FoxyFox, This price estimate, as well as the start price, is the most outrageous nonsense. Indeed, the necklace is very nice. However, it is important to note that these sapphires are diffusion treated and rubies are lead-glass filled. This is a Thai-made piece of jewelry. This is not to say that thRead more
FoxyFox,
This price estimate, as well as the start price, is the most outrageous nonsense. Indeed, the necklace is very nice. However, it is important to note that these sapphires are diffusion treated and rubies are lead-glass filled. This is a Thai-made piece of jewelry. This is not to say that there is something inherently wrong with it; it is just not worth the price. I am 99.9% confident that this necklace comes from eBay seller gemsporium or egemdiamond (actually this is one and the same seller with two accounts).
I’d suggest you check out this seller. There is a pretty good chance that you will find exactly the same necklace at some point. If it is not there at the moment, it might be a good idea to contact the seller and ask him when this necklace will be in stock again.
Normally, the price of such a necklace is around $600 – $700 if you go for “buy it now”. However, if you are lucky, you can win it on an auction at a price even lower than that – $300 – $400. This is what it is actually worth, not $5700. Icollector.com business model is based on unreasonably high price estimates and start prices. In addition, they do not disclose the information on gemstone treatment. Yet another online auction site engaging in dishonest business practices.
Arnold, I do understand you. This kind of situation can be really frustrating. I agree with you that the auction site should step in and facilitate the return and the refund. You mentioned that they keep the money for two weeks. Is the auction site in question Catawiki? I know that they would hold aRead more
Arnold,
I do understand you. This kind of situation can be really frustrating. I agree with you that the auction site should step in and facilitate the return and the refund. You mentioned that they keep the money for two weeks. Is the auction site in question Catawiki? I know that they would hold all the payments for two weeks. Anyways, this system is designed to boost trust in the buyers, to make them feel safer, more protected. And if it’s not working to your benefit in a situation like this, then what’s the point to have it in the first place?
What they are saying about private sellers (non-business sellers) is true. The EU law with its right to cancel and return your order within 14 days does not apply here. However, this situation here has nothing to do with the EU law. I mean, the auction house (auction site) can have its own policy in place in order to protect its customers. It wouldn’t be against any law to expand this coverage so that private sellers’ customers are equally protected. And that would be very easy to do as long as the money is still in their account. So, there is no excuse for them not to do that. Except that they are not interested in that. It is bad for the business, I mean. They would rather earn their commission on this sale, and you are left with all the losses.
So, I would suggest you try to convince them that it is their obligation to step in and to protect your lawful interests. However, if it is already too late (they don’t have your money any longer), or you do not succeed in convincing them, here are a few things I’d suggest you give a try:
1. Check whether this seller is selling a lot of items. I mean, does it look like he/she is selling personal belongings from time to time or is it rather a business activity aimed at gaining profit? A lot of private sellers are not really private sellers within the meaning of the law. They are selling a large number of items on a regular basis and for profit. As a rule of thumb, they are not paying taxes. So, it might be a good idea to tell them that if they wouldn’t go for a refund, you might contact their tax authorities and pass on the information concerning tax evasion. I think this is by far the best approach. It has helped me several times actually.
2. Tell the seller that you would contact the police. As you rightfully noted, it can be regarded as fraud if there are serious discrepancies between the description/images and the actual goods. If the seller was from China, this wouldn’t help, but as the seller in question is from the EU, there is a pretty good chance he might reconsider his position.
3. Tell them that you have a powerful blog (e.g. for collectors of antique furniture) with millions of monthly visitors and you will start writing about them if you don’t get your refund. Tell them that in the long run this would hurt them much more than this single refund.
Let me know how did it go!
OMG, this one https://auctionet.com/en/1232125-smaragd-11-60-ct is already at 192 euros! And it's two more days to go. Awful! Poor bidders! Here is an "emerald" exactly like this one (image attached). $12.99, free shipping :) I am not sure whether this dyed quartz is worth even $12.99... I mean, whaRead more
OMG, this one https://auctionet.com/en/1232125-smaragd-11-60-ct is already at 192 euros! And it’s two more days to go. Awful! Poor bidders! Here is an “emerald” exactly like this one (image attached). $12.99, free shipping 🙂 I am not sure whether this dyed quartz is worth even $12.99… I mean, what is that you can do with it?
auctionet.com or Garpenhus Auktioner are total bastards!!!
Bergholm, Before I say anything about the price, I'd like to say a few words about another important aspect here - the quality. I have bought and sold many diamonds (including pink diamonds), and I am very much familiar with this type of pink diamonds - I2 - I3 clarity diamonds (referred to also asRead more
Bergholm,
Before I say anything about the price, I’d like to say a few words about another important aspect here – the quality. I have bought and sold many diamonds (including pink diamonds), and I am very much familiar with this type of pink diamonds – I2 – I3 clarity diamonds (referred to also as Piqué). It is good that the description is honest on this. The seller clearly states that it is I2 to I3 clarity.
What is not entirely honest here, it’s the images. They are photoshopped and substantially enhanced. In reality these diamonds are by far not that vivid pink and saturated. They are much paler and with a brownish hue. I attach an image of a pink diamond here that I bought about a year ago. It’s stock photo was as vivid-pink as yours. So, the reality is very much different. It is always the case with these pink diamonds. So, don’t even dream that this case here is any different. I guarantee you, it is not.
Secondly, these diamonds always have some nicks and cracks. They are always hidden in the images in order to get a better price.
Last but not least, the price – $2490 for this diamond is absolutely outrageous. I have always been buying 1+ carat diamonds (I mean, the same quality and color as this one but bigger). The price range has been from $250 to $290 (including shipping). Oh, and that did include a certificate worth another $30. So, we come to a price of $220 to $260 for 1+ carat diamond. This one should cost no more than 1/2 of that then.
First of all, I would like to say that I agree with everything @Anna has said here. I have bought several "gemstones" with GGL certificates, and they all turned out to be cheap fakes. But I also want to share an interesting experience I have had with eBay's feedback scores. A few years ago I neededRead more
First of all, I would like to say that I agree with everything Anna has said here. I have bought several “gemstones” with GGL certificates, and they all turned out to be cheap fakes.
But I also want to share an interesting experience I have had with eBay’s feedback scores. A few years ago I needed three small diamonds for a piece of jewelry that I wanted to be made for me. I found these accent stones at a decent price and quality on eBay. I believe the seller was from Hong Kong or Singapore (don’t remember exactly). The seller had a few hundred unique feedback and it was 100% positive. So, I had no reason not to trust him. I ordered the diamonds, paid for them, and after several weeks received the parcel. From the very start, they did not look right. I have seen and held in my hand many diamonds, but these ones simply didn’t look right. I tested them with my diamond tester – no reaction. Brought them to a lab and it turned out to be glass. If a seller decides to cheat me, I would expect to receive moissanite or some sort of crystal in the worst-case scenario. Really, glass?! I was shocked! 100% positive feedback and they send me worthless glass!
Anyways, after lengthy arguments, I was able to return the purchased items and received a full refund. Of course, I wanted to warn other potential buyers about such dishonest and outrageous practices. So, I left negative feedback. No explicit or offensive language, no swearing or anything. Just mentioned that I bought diamonds, received glass instead, it was testified by an official, trustworthy lab, be aware. So, everything was in line with eBay’s policies.
After a month or so I recalled this incident and decided to check upon this seller’s feedback – isn’t there more negative feedback from other scam victims. What a surprise! The seller had 100% positive feedback again, and my feedback had disappeared. I wrote an e-mail to eBay asking to explain what was the reason for deleting my feedback. They never bothered to reply. Then I understood that eBay’s feedback scores have to be taken with a grain of salt. I still do pay attention to them but I always remember this experience I had.
@Anna is absolutely right on this - it is dyed beryl. This is the way it goes - they (manufacturers of these items) take low-quality beryl (usually white) and dye it with green color. When it is dyed, it is impossible to tell what the initial color was. Now it is green and it is beryl. As you may knRead more
Anna is absolutely right on this – it is dyed beryl. This is the way it goes – they (manufacturers of these items) take low-quality beryl (usually white) and dye it with green color. When it is dyed, it is impossible to tell what the initial color was. Now it is green and it is beryl. As you may know, green beryl is called emerald. However, not when it is dyed. They can call it whatever they want, but it is nothing more than cheap, dyed beryl after all.
What amazes me is that Catawiki’s “experts” keep on accepting and listing these items for years. And they allow labeling these items as emerald necklaces, bracelets, etc. Could it be that they don’t know what it is? Possibly, but then they are no experts. Could it be that they do know what it is? Possibly, but then they are fraudsters.
This listing made me laugh. Through the tiers, though. Catawiki auction site proudly presents itself as listing only unique and special objects. They say they have professional experts vetting every submitted item. They say all the auctions are supervised by a notary public. And they do not allow to use stock images in the listings. What a shame! What a shame when you compare their words and actions! Here is the original listing of this item on eBay (with the same images :)): https://www.ebay.com/itm/Green-Emerald-1161-50-Cts-Earth-Mined-4-Strand-Round-Shape-Beads-Necklace-Rare/362439204534? (just in case this listing gets removed by eBay, I attach the screenshot here, too).
So, to cut the long story short, I am happy for you, Martin65, that you didn’t bid on this item. I have no intention to say that everything is fake and bad on Catawiki, but you have to exercise due care because most of their “experts” are good for nothing. Or they are instructed to close their eyes to many things. Who knows…
Natural Top Red Ruby & Fancy Sapphire 728 Cts Necklace on icollector.com auction site. How much should I bid?
Editor
FoxyFox, This price estimate, as well as the start price, is the most outrageous nonsense. Indeed, the necklace is very nice. However, it is important to note that these sapphires are diffusion treated and rubies are lead-glass filled. This is a Thai-made piece of jewelry. This is not to say that thRead more
FoxyFox,
This price estimate, as well as the start price, is the most outrageous nonsense. Indeed, the necklace is very nice. However, it is important to note that these sapphires are diffusion treated and rubies are lead-glass filled. This is a Thai-made piece of jewelry. This is not to say that there is something inherently wrong with it; it is just not worth the price. I am 99.9% confident that this necklace comes from eBay seller gemsporium or egemdiamond (actually this is one and the same seller with two accounts).
See lessI’d suggest you check out this seller. There is a pretty good chance that you will find exactly the same necklace at some point. If it is not there at the moment, it might be a good idea to contact the seller and ask him when this necklace will be in stock again.
Normally, the price of such a necklace is around $600 – $700 if you go for “buy it now”. However, if you are lucky, you can win it on an auction at a price even lower than that – $300 – $400. This is what it is actually worth, not $5700. Icollector.com business model is based on unreasonably high price estimates and start prices. In addition, they do not disclose the information on gemstone treatment. Yet another online auction site engaging in dishonest business practices.
Return denied by an online auction house. Reason – private seller. What to do?
Editor
Arnold, I do understand you. This kind of situation can be really frustrating. I agree with you that the auction site should step in and facilitate the return and the refund. You mentioned that they keep the money for two weeks. Is the auction site in question Catawiki? I know that they would hold aRead more
Arnold,
I do understand you. This kind of situation can be really frustrating. I agree with you that the auction site should step in and facilitate the return and the refund. You mentioned that they keep the money for two weeks. Is the auction site in question Catawiki? I know that they would hold all the payments for two weeks. Anyways, this system is designed to boost trust in the buyers, to make them feel safer, more protected. And if it’s not working to your benefit in a situation like this, then what’s the point to have it in the first place?
See lessWhat they are saying about private sellers (non-business sellers) is true. The EU law with its right to cancel and return your order within 14 days does not apply here. However, this situation here has nothing to do with the EU law. I mean, the auction house (auction site) can have its own policy in place in order to protect its customers. It wouldn’t be against any law to expand this coverage so that private sellers’ customers are equally protected. And that would be very easy to do as long as the money is still in their account. So, there is no excuse for them not to do that. Except that they are not interested in that. It is bad for the business, I mean. They would rather earn their commission on this sale, and you are left with all the losses.
So, I would suggest you try to convince them that it is their obligation to step in and to protect your lawful interests. However, if it is already too late (they don’t have your money any longer), or you do not succeed in convincing them, here are a few things I’d suggest you give a try:
1. Check whether this seller is selling a lot of items. I mean, does it look like he/she is selling personal belongings from time to time or is it rather a business activity aimed at gaining profit? A lot of private sellers are not really private sellers within the meaning of the law. They are selling a large number of items on a regular basis and for profit. As a rule of thumb, they are not paying taxes. So, it might be a good idea to tell them that if they wouldn’t go for a refund, you might contact their tax authorities and pass on the information concerning tax evasion. I think this is by far the best approach. It has helped me several times actually.
2. Tell the seller that you would contact the police. As you rightfully noted, it can be regarded as fraud if there are serious discrepancies between the description/images and the actual goods. If the seller was from China, this wouldn’t help, but as the seller in question is from the EU, there is a pretty good chance he might reconsider his position.
3. Tell them that you have a powerful blog (e.g. for collectors of antique furniture) with millions of monthly visitors and you will start writing about them if you don’t get your refund. Tell them that in the long run this would hurt them much more than this single refund.
Let me know how did it go!
Are these emeralds on auctionet.com genuine?
Freddie
OMG, this one https://auctionet.com/en/1232125-smaragd-11-60-ct is already at 192 euros! And it's two more days to go. Awful! Poor bidders! Here is an "emerald" exactly like this one (image attached). $12.99, free shipping :) I am not sure whether this dyed quartz is worth even $12.99... I mean, whaRead more
OMG, this one https://auctionet.com/en/1232125-smaragd-11-60-ct is already at 192 euros! And it’s two more days to go. Awful! Poor bidders! Here is an “emerald” exactly like this one (image attached). $12.99, free shipping 🙂 I am not sure whether this dyed quartz is worth even $12.99… I mean, what is that you can do with it?
See lessauctionet.com or Garpenhus Auktioner are total bastards!!!
0.62 ct Pink Diamond on gemrockauctions
Freddie
Bergholm, Before I say anything about the price, I'd like to say a few words about another important aspect here - the quality. I have bought and sold many diamonds (including pink diamonds), and I am very much familiar with this type of pink diamonds - I2 - I3 clarity diamonds (referred to also asRead more
Bergholm,
Before I say anything about the price, I’d like to say a few words about another important aspect here – the quality. I have bought and sold many diamonds (including pink diamonds), and I am very much familiar with this type of pink diamonds – I2 – I3 clarity diamonds (referred to also as Piqué). It is good that the description is honest on this. The seller clearly states that it is I2 to I3 clarity.
See lessWhat is not entirely honest here, it’s the images. They are photoshopped and substantially enhanced. In reality these diamonds are by far not that vivid pink and saturated. They are much paler and with a brownish hue. I attach an image of a pink diamond here that I bought about a year ago. It’s stock photo was as vivid-pink as yours. So, the reality is very much different. It is always the case with these pink diamonds. So, don’t even dream that this case here is any different. I guarantee you, it is not.
Secondly, these diamonds always have some nicks and cracks. They are always hidden in the images in order to get a better price.
Last but not least, the price – $2490 for this diamond is absolutely outrageous. I have always been buying 1+ carat diamonds (I mean, the same quality and color as this one but bigger). The price range has been from $250 to $290 (including shipping). Oh, and that did include a certificate worth another $30. So, we come to a price of $220 to $260 for 1+ carat diamond. This one should cost no more than 1/2 of that then.
12.25 CT GGL CERTIFICATE UNHEATED EMERALD RING 925: eBay
Editor
First of all, I would like to say that I agree with everything @Anna has said here. I have bought several "gemstones" with GGL certificates, and they all turned out to be cheap fakes. But I also want to share an interesting experience I have had with eBay's feedback scores. A few years ago I neededRead more
First of all, I would like to say that I agree with everything Anna has said here. I have bought several “gemstones” with GGL certificates, and they all turned out to be cheap fakes.
See lessBut I also want to share an interesting experience I have had with eBay’s feedback scores. A few years ago I needed three small diamonds for a piece of jewelry that I wanted to be made for me. I found these accent stones at a decent price and quality on eBay. I believe the seller was from Hong Kong or Singapore (don’t remember exactly). The seller had a few hundred unique feedback and it was 100% positive. So, I had no reason not to trust him. I ordered the diamonds, paid for them, and after several weeks received the parcel. From the very start, they did not look right. I have seen and held in my hand many diamonds, but these ones simply didn’t look right. I tested them with my diamond tester – no reaction. Brought them to a lab and it turned out to be glass. If a seller decides to cheat me, I would expect to receive moissanite or some sort of crystal in the worst-case scenario. Really, glass?! I was shocked! 100% positive feedback and they send me worthless glass!
Anyways, after lengthy arguments, I was able to return the purchased items and received a full refund. Of course, I wanted to warn other potential buyers about such dishonest and outrageous practices. So, I left negative feedback. No explicit or offensive language, no swearing or anything. Just mentioned that I bought diamonds, received glass instead, it was testified by an official, trustworthy lab, be aware. So, everything was in line with eBay’s policies.
After a month or so I recalled this incident and decided to check upon this seller’s feedback – isn’t there more negative feedback from other scam victims. What a surprise! The seller had 100% positive feedback again, and my feedback had disappeared. I wrote an e-mail to eBay asking to explain what was the reason for deleting my feedback. They never bothered to reply. Then I understood that eBay’s feedback scores have to be taken with a grain of salt. I still do pay attention to them but I always remember this experience I had.
Emerald necklace – Catawiki auction
Editor
@Anna is absolutely right on this - it is dyed beryl. This is the way it goes - they (manufacturers of these items) take low-quality beryl (usually white) and dye it with green color. When it is dyed, it is impossible to tell what the initial color was. Now it is green and it is beryl. As you may knRead more
Anna is absolutely right on this – it is dyed beryl. This is the way it goes – they (manufacturers of these items) take low-quality beryl (usually white) and dye it with green color. When it is dyed, it is impossible to tell what the initial color was. Now it is green and it is beryl. As you may know, green beryl is called emerald. However, not when it is dyed. They can call it whatever they want, but it is nothing more than cheap, dyed beryl after all.
See lessWhat amazes me is that Catawiki’s “experts” keep on accepting and listing these items for years. And they allow labeling these items as emerald necklaces, bracelets, etc. Could it be that they don’t know what it is? Possibly, but then they are no experts. Could it be that they do know what it is? Possibly, but then they are fraudsters.
This listing made me laugh. Through the tiers, though. Catawiki auction site proudly presents itself as listing only unique and special objects. They say they have professional experts vetting every submitted item. They say all the auctions are supervised by a notary public. And they do not allow to use stock images in the listings. What a shame! What a shame when you compare their words and actions! Here is the original listing of this item on eBay (with the same images :)): https://www.ebay.com/itm/Green-Emerald-1161-50-Cts-Earth-Mined-4-Strand-Round-Shape-Beads-Necklace-Rare/362439204534? (just in case this listing gets removed by eBay, I attach the screenshot here, too).
So, to cut the long story short, I am happy for you, Martin65, that you didn’t bid on this item. I have no intention to say that everything is fake and bad on Catawiki, but you have to exercise due care because most of their “experts” are good for nothing. Or they are instructed to close their eyes to many things. Who knows…