posted on July 11, 2004 06:23:09 PM new
(See update further along in this thread.)
We have some gold necklaces, 18", and rings in sets, but they are not diamonds. I know that QVC has different names for such things--like Diamonique. Is there a generic name I can use to sell these things?
Tom: No smart remarks. I know--I considered some of them you have on your mind this very moment!
These are nice--just not real diamonds--and I'm sure there's someone out there who would want them.
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[ edited by Roadsmith on Jul 11, 2004 06:38 PM ]
[ edited by Roadsmith on Jul 14, 2004 09:54 PM ]
posted on July 11, 2004 06:37:00 PM new
Aha! CZ is what I was trying to think of. Do you think that's the best generic word to use for them?
Lucy: The pendants are on very fine gold chains--the clasps etc. on the chains aren't big enough for a mark, but it appears to me they're gold (maybe 14K or lower).
The pendants and rings are all marquise shaped - not huge but large enough to see easily. Very pretty. I took them to a jeweler because the "diamonds" sparkled more than I thought CZ would, but he said they weren't diamonds. I didn't ask him about the "gold" chains.
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posted on July 11, 2004 06:54:54 PM new
Lucy: The jeweler didn't say they were CZs. Just not diamonds. I didn't ask further.
They are from an estate and came with a lot of costume jewelry and some very nice rings that are "real stuff."
They are extremely sparkly, Lucy, which makes me think they're CZ or something like it. They sure fooled me; only reason I thought they might be fake is that they appear to be about 2 - 3 carats each.
Glassgrl--Thanks for the link. As soon as my auctions are over tonight, I'll check into it.
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posted on July 11, 2004 07:26:00 PM new
C.Z. has been around for a while and is still very much in use. They are far denser than diamond but are very sparkly. In fact an investigative reporter in the US took a couple of diamonds and a couple of identical custom cut c.z.'s to a number of high profile jewellers. Only about 50% of them were able to differentiate the two without testing equipment. Other diamond simulants are Fabulite(strontium titanate) and moissanite(silicon carbide) Moissanite is easy to spot though because it has very strong double refraction. If the piece is older the stones could also be 'paste' a high refractive index glass.
To sum up if they are c.z. they will feel heavier than a diamond of the same size. eg a 6.5mm diamond is approx 1 carat. a 6.5mm c.z is almost 1 3/4 carats.
paste on the other hand is generally found in older pieces and is less dense than diamond. So they will weigh less than a diamond of the same size. I don't have the exact comparison at hand just now though.
Warm regards,
Adrian
[ edited by zircon4 on Jul 11, 2004 07:27 PM ]
posted on July 11, 2004 08:41:43 PM new
Gee, you guys are great!
Thanks, Adrian, for that information.
Glassgrl--I do not have a black light, alas.
Pictures will be coming when I've had one more jeweler take a look at these items, maybe this week. I have a recurring nightmare that I sell them for a few dollars on Ebay and they're really diamonds!
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posted on July 11, 2004 08:56:22 PM new
Roadsmith...Take them to a pawn shop and try to borrow a thousand dollars on them. They'll tell you real quick if they're real diamonds or not. Seriously, many large pawn shops have people and laser equipment on site that are more experienced in authenticating precious stones than most jewelers.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on July 11, 2004 09:17:51 PM new
You're welcome Roadsmith, always happy to help. I just try not to say anything unless I am pretty sure of my ground. One thing to consider is, what do you guess they are worth? It might be worthwhile talking to a GIA qualified valuer. If for no other reason than the fact they have no vested interest in the value. Unless you have a pawnbroker that is a personal friend I would be wary of taking that route. Someone with less than your best interests at heart might tell you that they are fakes even if they aren't. Once they dash your hopes they then offer you a little more than they told you in the first place "coz you look like an honest person who could use a break". I do not mean to be cynical it's just that you hear of this type of thing too often. I cannot help with the jewellery side of things, but I know a little about stones. LOL
Warm Regards,
Adrian
posted on July 12, 2004 01:32:30 AM new
Roadsmith, gold is always marked, it has to be by law so if your chain clasps do not have a carat mark on them, no matter how small the spring ring is, they are not gold.
Sometimes when the clasp is tiny a tag is added & that will have the mark, such as 14K. Check again with a strong magnifier you may have missed it, it could be there.
However they could be vermeil, which is sterling silver with a gold overlay, it could 24K gold over silver. It has a beautiful rich gold look to it, which the overlay is. Vermeil is not marked, gold always is & that's practically the only way you can tell the two apart.
Vermeil jewelry is very nice, it is not cheap costume.
Krementz makes very beautiful costume jewelry & much of it is vermeil.
posted on July 12, 2004 05:48:55 AM new
Morning!
"Krementz makes very beautiful costume jewelry & much of it is vermeil."
As you stated mcjane above, I also found that a jeweler friend of mine had mistaken Krementz for being 14K and when he bought it from me for scrap and then went to sell it for his profit he then came accross another jereler who told him its Vermeil, and the only way they found this out was to cut the bracelet, it didn't matter anyway since it was being scraped.
But Krementz is the only jewelry I ever found to look, feel and ware like real 14K.
If you ware a Krementz and a 14K bracelet at the same time you will see that they match up in looks, ware and style.
Krementz also used Great looking stones that look as good as a diamond.
Roadsmith, I like the idea of taking your jewelry to a pawn shop and like sparks said,
you will find out right away what you have.
posted on July 12, 2004 08:52:34 AM new
Again, thanks all! Sometimes it staggers me to realize how much knowledge is packed into the heads of "our people" here on Vendio. What would we do without each other?!
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posted on July 14, 2004 09:55:56 PM new
Okay, people: Here's the update on the fake diamonds.
Another jeweler today confirmed they are not real diamonds and said they are CZ; the "gold" necklaces are not real gold, either.
So. . . I guess I'll research a bit and maybe put them up for sale. If I do, I'll post pictures at that time. Thanks again for your advice!
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"Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same, but better."
- Sidney J Harris
posted on July 15, 2004 01:39:03 AM new
Validating your jewelry 101, right here on Vendio. All the contributors here should take a bow. I'm still learning, from the best.
