Gemstones

Photo Credit: MyDiamondZone

0.84 Carat Victorian Era Old Mine Cut Diamond

Buy It Now Price: $1,250 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a wonderfully charming specimen of an antique, Victorian era old mine cut diamond.  Old cut diamonds are highly sought after by knowledgeable antique jewelry and gem connoisseurs.  This stone looks as if it has been hand-chiseled from a solid piece of crystal.

-Old mine cut diamonds were popular in the 19th century before the mathematics of light dispersion within diamonds was understood.  Because of this, these old cut diamonds lack the icy-white, cool brilliance of modern brilliant-cut diamonds, but make up for it with a warmth and vintage elegance that cannot be found in modern cuts.

-This Victorian era old mine cut diamond weighs 0.84 carats.  Although it is less than one carat, it is still a substantially sized stone and would look good in an engagement ring, period setting or other jewelry.

-This Victorian era old mine cut diamond rates a "K", or "faintly colored", on the GIA's D (perfectly colorless) to Z (lightly colored) diamond color grading scale.  This may seem like a mediocre ranking at first glance, but it is actually fairly good for an antique cut stone.

-This Victorian era old mine cut diamond is exceptionally well proportioned for an antique cut stone.  Because they were hand cut, most old diamonds suffer from significant bulges, lopsidedness or other obvious cutting asymmetries.

-With an asking price of $1,250, this Victorian era old mine cut diamond sports a price per carat of $1,488.  This is actually quite reasonable for an old cut stone, particularly one as attractive as this example.  I have seen similar stones sell for close to $2,000 per carat.

Other Old Mine Cut Diamonds

Cons:

-Antique cut diamonds are not the bargains they used to be in the early 2000s.  Since that time, prices have risen substantially as diamond lovers have came to appreciate the unique characteristics of these beautiful, old gems.  However, I feel that even with their higher prices, old cut diamonds are still compelling tangible assets that will see strong price appreciation in the future.

-Our Victorian era old mine cut diamond has an SI2 clarity rating.  This means the stone is "slightly included" or flawed.  While it isn't a great score, it is perfectly acceptable for antique diamonds, which tend to be more heavily flawed than more modern stones.  In addition, the stone's clarity rating is driven by a single inclusion which is only occasionally visible when viewing the diamond from the front.

-Diamonds, especially old cut diamonds, are fairly illiquid.  If you intend to buy this gem as an investment, be prepared to hold for a bare minimum of 7 to 10 years.  However, a longer holding period would be better.

Photo Credit: Mayan-Carvings-Clothing-and-Jewelry

Rough Guatemalan Jadeite Jade Slab

Buy It Now Price: $115 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a beautiful slab of rough Guatemalan jadeite jade.  Jadeite jade is a microcrystalline gemstone material that has been prized throughout history for its extreme toughness and subtly alluring appearance.

-This piece of rough Guatemalan jadeite jade measures 160 mm (6.30 inches) long by 80 mm (3.15 inches) wide by 17 mm (0.67 inches) thick.  It weighs 696 grams (1.53 pounds) and originates from the Motagua river valley in Guatemala - one of the world's few major deposits of this rare gemstone.

-There are actually two different varieties of true jade in existence: nephrite jade and jadeite jade.  Jadeite jade has historically been the rarer of the two.

-While most jade antiques and artifacts from before the 18th century are nephrite, Central America is an exception to this rule.  All pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations, including the Olmecs, Mayans and Aztecs, exclusively used highly prized jadeite jade in their decorate arts.  This is because the only source of jade in the region was jadeite jade from Guatemala.

-This piece of rough Guatemalan jadeite jade is a striking mix of dark green and light grayish-white material that is known locally as jaguar jade because it resembles the coat pattern of the indigenous big cat.

-The Chinese have traditionally had a strong cultural affinity for jade and have, consequently, driven both global demand and pricing for the precious material.  However, the superlative physical properties of "The Stone of Heaven" are gradually becoming known in the West.  In the future, I believe a significant portion of jade demand, perhaps even a majority, will originate outside of China.

-I believe that rough jade is significantly undervalued in today's market.  And, of all the different varieties of jade, rough Guatemalan jadeite jade is probably the least appreciated and most undervalued.

Other Rough Jadeite Jade

Cons:

-The very highest quality Burmese jadeite jade - called Imperial jade - is a translucent, vivid green color that almost looks like emerald.  Unfortunately, no Guatemalan jadeite jade approaches this level of quality.  Instead, most rough Guatemalan jadeite jade is opaque like this specimen, reducing its desirability and value.

-This rough Guatemalan jadeite jade slab is only 17 mm (0.67 inches) thick.  This will limit its potential uses to jade carvers, albeit modestly.  A thicker slab would be more desirable.

-Rough jade is a raw material.  In order to maximize its value, it would have to be fashioned by a skilled jade carver.