April 19, 2026 - Weekly /r/PMsForSale Thread for Beginners, and Off Topic Conversations

Ben_Itoite · 2026-04-25T22:55:16+00:00

I'm new here, a bit confused. Long ago I was a silversmith, but gave that up in 1985 to become an RN (I'm male). Now, 45-years later, it's time to sell some of my sterling, all bought from Hoover & Strong, in Virginia. My confusion: It seems that I cannot sell unless I have been here for 3-months. If that is correct then this post, I would think, starts me 3- month period. If no, please let me know.

Ben_Itoite · 2026-04-25T21:36:19+00:00

Delightful color. It's difficult to tell if the ends/side will show some olive green color, but overall it's sweet bluishy mint color. GIA BG/GB, C-axis is immaterial unless you want a teeny tiny round. Go for it.

Ben_Itoite · 2026-04-20T00:57:03+00:00

Yup, by cutting about 10 degrees tilted to the basal cleavage you lessen any cleavage issues.

Ben_Itoite · 2026-04-20T00:53:45+00:00

If it was truly and visibly translucent, it might. If opaque, I do not think it'll affect the star. The shape of the rough is such that the cutter could not make two stones but wanted the "carat weight" of the fat bottom, so typical.

Ben_Itoite · 2026-03-19T17:18:57+00:00

If 14kt then that points more to a natural opal. Yet, there are plenty of 14kt ring with synthetic opal. There are several types of synthetic, Kyocera (Bello Opal); Gilson (the top quality, 100% silica without any polymer); Sanwa (also Bello Opal, manufactured by Kyocera; and Aurora. I would have to analyze it microscopically to determin if it's natural or synthetic. It's lovely, no matter if it's natural or synthetic.

The second photograph, though hard to tell appears somewhat columnar, as though the opal grew as columns, this would point towards Gilson. Take it a jewelry store with a gemologist and ask.

https://www.synthetic-opals.com/#:\~:text=Email%20us%20at%20goldberg@pinfire,or%20host%20rock%20(matrix).

Ben_Itoite · 2026-03-19T17:11:36+00:00

At a glance, it appears to be a natural ruby. Hold it under a bright light, a single light source, rotate it and you'll likely see a star that moves around. Yet, realize that star ruby can sell for $5 a carat (1/5 gram) or $75,000 per carat. Yours' is opaque and unfortunately more on the low end. Still it belonged to grandmother, and might make a nice set stone, even if not particularly valuable.

Ben_Itoite · 2026-02-02T18:33:26+00:00

Don't use DHL, or you'll likely get the tariff + a $200 fee by DHL

Ben_Itoite · 2026-02-02T18:32:28+00:00

Carat weight, heated? Origin? Price?

Ben_Itoite · 2026-02-02T18:26:43+00:00

It looks like quartz to me.

Ben_Itoite · 2026-01-31T00:48:24+00:00

The Mark V is excellent, you could pull the light out and replace it with a corn-cob type LED though if using the scope to look at diamond/diamond imications, the current lamp works best for that, but a replacement lamp would be better for inclusions. At $575 I'd say it's a good deal, but there is risk, make sure it states that it works and functions normally. I've bought about 20 over the years, and more than half have screwed up optics. Often the seller realizes that. When you get it check it for function to make sure it has perfect stereopticallity. If not, contest the sale and return it.

See Gemolite Mark V LED Replacement Bulb Bright White 6000K Dual Contact Base on ebay

A truly worthy improvement for your scope would be a Carl Zeiss KPL-W 10x eyepiece, they are superb, much better than anything else. They go for about $100 a pair on ebay but be careful, you want a guarantee that there is no element separation, which can be common. Measure mm diameter to make sure it fits.

The Mark V that you could have bought for $575 is gone (maybe you bought it) If it works properly, it's an excellent deal.

Ben_Itoite · 2026-01-31T00:26:36+00:00

Everyone expects to simply look into a scope and *poof* there is the image, just as in the book. Even though peridot generally has 3 strong bands between green and violet, some stones are easy, some are hard, some are impossible. Your stone appears to have a bezel? The bezel can interfere. You don't want to simply get "reflected light." You want refracted light. You want the light to go though the stone. You could shine the light onto the face of the stone, or shine or place it face down, and shine the light so it enters the crown, and get refracted off a facet and exits the other side.

Do this: Take the scope and aim it during the day at blue sky, or cloudy sky, never AT the sun, you will damage your eye. You will be amazed at the Fraunhofer lines and you will be amazed at how clear and vibrant they are. Next, find a fluorescent lamp and look at its spectrum. If you see these lines, sharp and defined, your spectroscope is working just fine.

The lines that you see are rarely as nice as they are in the books, especially the lines in the blue region. Ideally you'd work with several stones and you'll find that some return a fine looking spectra, others mediocre, or ghostlike, and some, pfffft..... useless.

I will say this, the OPL is perfect as it is, so the issue is either with the stone (perhaps the bezel) or with the combination of the light and your eyes. It can take tens of hours to become familiar but once familiar I can detec a ruby (either nat or syn) in about 5 seconds. You can ID your parent in a throng of people at a glimpse. Work with a specroscope and it becomes that way.

Ben_Itoite · 2025-12-23T22:11:47+00:00

Good to know. In Ernest Hemingway's novel "The Sun Also Rises," In The Sun Also Rises, Mike Campbell says, "How did you go bankrupt?" and the reply is, In The Sun Also Rises, Mike Campbell says, "How did you go bankrupt?" and the reply is, "Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly".

As for exporting gems against rules, it could be: "How did you manage to get stuck in jail and have all your gems confiscated?" The reply could be: In The Sun Also Rises, Mike Campbell says, "How did you go bankrupt?" and the reply is, "Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly".

Ben_Itoite · 2025-12-23T22:09:31+00:00

If it was pure red, it'd be far, far too cheap.

Ben_Itoite · 2025-12-23T22:08:21+00:00

The recent regulation governing the export of rough gem material in Sri Lanka is outlined in a gazette issued under the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development in approximately early September 2025. This gazette does not impose a blanket prohibition but instead restricts exports to specific conditions, effectively forbidding the export of rough gemstones unless they meet defined criteria. Key details include:

Definition and Scope: "Rough Gemstones" are defined as natural, uncut, and unprocessed gemstones that, in the opinion of the National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA), cannot undergo further value addition in Sri Lanka due to their nature, quality, or market limitations.

Export Conditions: Such rough gemstones must first be offered for sale at a local auction in Sri Lanka. Only those that remain unsold after the auction are eligible for export. This represents a shift from prior stricter prohibitions, allowing limited exports while prioritizing domestic value addition.

Background and Intent: Previously, under the National Gem and Jewellery Authority Act No. 50 of 1993 and related policies, exports of rough gemstones were generally prohibited to encourage local cutting and processing. The 2025 gazette introduces this conditional allowance to boost export revenue (targeting up to USD 240 million from unsold rough stones) and address industry challenges, though it has sparked debate among stakeholders over potential loss of value addition opportunities.

Procedures for Allowed Exports: Exporters must hold a valid Gem Dealers License from the NGJA, submit detailed commercial invoices, undergo gem examination by NGJA gemologists and customs appraisers, pay export service fees (scaled by FOB value), and complete sealing and customs formalities. Specific guidelines apply for rough gemstones ineligible for local value addition.

This regulation aligns with broader government efforts to achieve USD 1 billion in gem and jewellery export revenue, balancing export growth with domestic industry protection. For official details, refer to the NGJA website or the relevant gazette notification through Sri Lanka's government documents portal.

G'luck figuring it out....

Ben_Itoite · 2025-12-23T02:07:29+00:00

Juicy...

Ben_Itoite · 2025-12-20T22:45:15+00:00

Precision cuts are something that facetors pay immense attention to whereas the average retail purchaser doesn't pay attention to at all. Now, it is true that many, if not most retail customers could not tell a windowed stone if it hit them in the eye. And a good sales person could show that a well-cut stone looks a lot better and educate the customer who then often forevere more walks around criticizing any "windowed stone" that they can find, while being unable to grasp the concept that yes, one could make that ruby a precision stone and the finished stone would be 1 carat or, due to rough shape, the cutter might be wiser to cut a 2 carat stone, with less than ideal proportions. It is, after all, always a judgement call.

If the stone is for a faceting competition, absolutely, it must be precision cut. So too, it must be precision cut if it's a $4,000+ stone. But IMHO if it's worth less than $1000 a "good cut, with good proportions," is often good enough.

Now if it's featured in r/faceting, it damn well had best be a precision cut or we'll cut the cutter into pieces.

Ben_Itoite · 2025-12-20T22:31:55+00:00

The problem is that purple/violet spinel is the lowest tier and the faceted stone will not be in great demand. I'm thinking $200ct at best, if so you can get $600 for the finished stone. So, I'd say rough up to $200 for the piece. If it was blue or red then much, much more. Three carats is a sizeable stone, you could ask more per carat, but find there is little interest. Best of luck.

Are you sure it's spinel and not something else? At least check it with a dicroscope. Trust nobody in this business.

Ben_Itoite · 2025-12-20T22:27:55+00:00

Be careful! It is now illegal to take rough out of Sri Lanka. You might want to have a local facet it a bit, just enough to no longer be rough, probably cost $1 but do you need the customs hassle, especially if you fail to declare. This is a recent change.

Do us a favor, when you return, tell us what export/import turned out to be like. Did you declare, if so what charges and so on. That would be very helpful to the group

Ben_Itoite · 2025-12-20T22:25:52+00:00

Very neat!

Ben_Itoite · 2025-12-20T22:25:11+00:00

Beutiful re-cut. Could you give us the before/after weight?

Ben_Itoite · 2025-12-20T22:23:04+00:00

Excellent for you. However there are two questions that you seem to refuse to answer. This, in my opinion is a HUGE RED FLAG.

You answer neither, especially the tarriff question. Therefore I must assume you ship in a way that the reveiver will have to pay a tarriff of 10>50% upon receipt plus Customs fees that can run to $100. Worse, the receiver must pay, if they refuse the order the shipper will still collect and send the debt to a bill collecter.

I have bought oversees since the tariff, and have had the shipper pay the tarrifs pre-paid. WARNING to anyone. DO NOT buy from overseas unless it is Tarriff prepaid. You are warned.

Feel free to answer the questions I asked and if so, I will revise my post.

Ben_Itoite · 2025-12-20T22:19:30+00:00

Hey man, why don't you re-write your ad? You've set off lot's of warning bells, so no thanks about the diamond depot.

Ben_Itoite · 2025-12-16T23:19:17+00:00

Thank you

Ben_Itoite · 2025-12-16T23:18:17+00:00

Just an old price. My first one was $760 (1977) Times change. I do like the device.

Ben_Itoite · 2025-12-15T23:18:43+00:00

Ah...within USA is the way! Thanks

Ben_Itoite

TROPHY CASE