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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
If you are going to invest in diamonds, like anything else, you have to know what you are doing.
I suspect that most of us in the CCF know something about coins, but very few us us would be savvy enough to invest in diamonds, and know what they are doing.
I am a gemcutter. I facet sapphires.
I have a couple of diamonds, both cut and uncut. However, I DO NOT know enough to be able to invest in diamonds in a knowledgeable way. That does not stop me from owning them. They are an integral part of my gem species collection. I have about 200 faceted unset stones.
Diamonds and coins have some things in common:
1. They both can be graded and slabbed by a third party.
2. To be a successful investor, you have to know your market.
I don't have the skill of a diamond grader and I haven't put in anywhere enough time or effort in, to understand the diamond market.
Perhaps I may be a little more skillled in the coin category.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
Quote:
I don't have the skill of a diamond grader and I haven't put in anywhere enough time or effort in, to understand the diamond market. Nor do I know much at all, and the little reading I have done on the subject tells me that diamond grading is highly technical. It's not just color/clarity that determines the value of a diamond, but also the exactness of the cut. It's even more nitpicky than faceting sapphires, and I've been told that a poorly cut diamond will severely undercut its value. A gemologist friend forwarded me this pdf document on how to grade the cut of diamonds. While I don't understand much of it, I understand that any diamond of value needs a gem certification to asses value--you can't take people on their word. sel_69l, are you faceting Australian sapphires? It would be interesting to see pictures of your work. I've mined a lot of sapphire, and someday I'll get a few cut. They aren't very big rough--between 2 and 3 cts. Edited by DVCollector
11/18/2011 10:27 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
DVCollector:
My favourite gem material to cut is Australian yellow sapphire. You can expect to loose about 2/3 of the material off a rough piece of stone to yield a nice clean faceted stone, cut to refractive index laws.
I have a few books on mineralogy, crystallography and gem faceting, and a couple on jewelry, courtesy of my father's estate. I also have a couple of authorative books on the diamond industry.
If you cut to yield maximum carat weight from rough, still expect to loose half of the rough weight. That is what the cottage industry does in Sri Lanka does.
A very large proportion of World production of small diamonds is currently cut by small businesses in India.
Most of my sapphire rough has come from the Anakie area of Central Queensland, and I have purchased the material from traders who regularly visit there. I can't justify a return trip from Sydney on expense grounds.
I have, however successfully fossicked for some nice small blue sapphires from a place called Nullamanna, which is about 20 kilometres northeast of Inverell, in New South Wales.
You say that you have mined for sapphires. Where have you been digging? Yogo Gulch, I have heard, can yield some nice, but small stones. Is this site still active?
Sorry, I can't produce reasonable pics. at the moment, my camera is not good enough. Some current mobile 'phones are better than my camera! I will be spending around $1000 or so on a good camera and a new computer around mid next year.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
I have some cognac diamonds from Argyle--but hardly flawless, nicer stones. I have a nice faceted cornflower blue Yogo, but I have never mined there...it's private property and for the most part inactive. I have mined placer deposits at Rock Creek Montana. Here is the color range (unheated) for 2-3ct rough. Heating will bring out the blues more. Someday, I'll get a few faceted.  I realize this is off-topic, so I'll stop...  Edited by DVCollector
11/18/2011 11:29 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
Detection of diamond fake material is relatively easy, if you have the right equipment.
By far the most common diamond stimulant is cubic zirconia, which, to be honest, is a very reasonable gem material in it's own right, provided it is marketed that way.
Almost all natural diamond, except for one scarce type, is a good conductor of electricity. Cubic zirconia is an electric insulator. Two simple contact probes on either side of the stone, with a voltage across them, will very quickly distinguish between suspected cubic zirconia and a diamond. You don't need to take the stone out of the setting for this test.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4897 Posts |
@ DV or Sel- what about Moisonite? Is any that is on the market natural or is is it all lab created? I've been told both. so I'm a little confused...as per usual...
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3184 Posts |
Gold and silver are better and much more liquidable.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4008 Posts |
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You don't need to take the stone out of the setting for this test. No, but you DO need to avoid touching any metal parts with the electrical probes while doing the test.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
I have never heard of Moissonite has having an investment potential.
Interesting stuff, worth looking up elsewhere on the 'Net for those who are interested.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1450 Posts |
Sel,many of the "TV Jewelry" shows here in the US offer Moissonite in jewelry,usually cheap jewelry. I agree,there is no investment potential.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4897 Posts |
I am actually talking about natural Moissonite not manufactured. I was not trying to allude to investment potential in cheap jewelry. I was trying to ask if NATURAL Moissonite, being many times more rare than any "precious" stone, held any value?  Edited by amida17
11/19/2011 10:04 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1450 Posts |
I think the fact that it can be synthesized limits its investment potential. Incidentally,I was at a gem and jewelry show yesterday and was talking to a vendor who owns mines in several countries mining a variety of minerals and he told me DeBeers had sold off their business because they can't control supply anymore. He also said some market gurus in the diamond market are predicting a drop of 40% in diamond values over the next year. Again,this is hearsay(I have not been able to confirm the sale of DeBeers)but this guy is in a position to know such things!
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
hockingzig: As I understand it, what you say about De Beers is right.
The reason why De Beers were loosing control of the supply side of the diamond industry goes back the the Argyle Diamond Mine in Western Australia coming on stream around 20 years ago. At one time the Argyle deposit was the biggest supplier of gem grade diamonds from a single mine in the world. I don't think it is now.
The best stones (about 5% of the top stones), from the Argyle deposit were and are still being cut in Perth, and released directly onto the top quality gem market, outside De Beers control.
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Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
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Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
google de beers sells mine...looks like they sold several.
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Replies: 50 / Views: 4,964 |
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Posted 11/18/2011 10:25 pm
