Gemstones

Photo Credit: My Diamond Zone

0.6 Carat Fancy Yellow Old European Cut Diamond

Buy It Now Price: $895 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This half carat plus fancy yellow old European cut diamond drips with the elegance of pre-1930s Belle Époque/Art Deco high-society.

-This antique cut diamond weighs 0.6 carat, giving it a spread (diameter) of about 5.5 mm.  As a result, it would make the perfect center stone in a one-of-a-kind engagement ring or anniversary ring.

-The old European cut dominated the diamond trade from the 1890s through the 1920s.  It was characterized by a small table, deep pavilion and large culet.  These proportions give the cut exceptional fire and charm, but at the cost of reduced brilliance compared to modern-cut stones.

-With a clarity grade of VS2 (Very Slightly Included), there are no eye-visible inclusions in this gem.  In fact, it is difficult to find any flaws in this diamond under a 10x loupe!

-This old cut diamond has glorious color – a factor that could potentially boost its long-term value.  Although light yellow is the dominant hue, subtle bronze and green overtones combine to grant the gem a gorgeous champagne-color effect.

-This fancy yellow old European cut diamond has been certified by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) – the most respected diamond grading authority on the planet.

-This gem was undoubtedly hand-cut by a skilled, old-world craftsman in one of the traditional diamond cutting centers of Europe – most likely either Antwerp or Amsterdam.  Although Antwerp is still a diamond trading center today, most stones are now machine-cut in India, China or Israel.

-I believe that old mine cut and old European cut diamonds are compelling investment vehicles.  But this stone is particularly interesting because it is not only an old European cut diamond, but is also a colored diamond.

-The asking price for this yellow old European cut diamond is only $1,492 per carat, which represents exceptional value for such a stunning vintage stone.  Many old cut diamonds of this size and quality sell for $1,800 a carat or higher.  Although they are tough to find, I did feature another lovely old mine cut diamond selling for a similar per carat price some time ago.

-This straw-yellow old European cut diamond has fairly good symmetry, a desirable attribute that is somewhat unusual for a hand-cut stone from the early 20th century.

-The buy-it-now price of $895 is eminently reasonable for such a charming and beautiful antique gem, especially considering that a modern-cut, colorless diamond of the same size might trade for $1,200 to $2,800.

Cons:

-This diamond is cut a bit shallowly for an old European cut stone.  Its depth is only about 60%, while we would normally expect a value of 65% to 80% for this type of antique cut.  However, the overall look of the gem is paramount, and this fancy yellow old European cut diamond is simply dazzling, regardless of its theoretically-imperfect proportions.

-Although this diamond is definitely light yellow, its color is not nearly intense enough to be considered canary yellow – also known as “Fancy Vivid” in the industry.  Large canary yellow diamonds are extremely desirable and expensive in today’s gemstone market.

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Photo Credit: paul’s rok shop

Maya Mint Jade Slab from Guatemala

Buy It Now Price: $130 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Guatemala is the source of this pleasingly chunky slab of jade.  The name “Maya mint” refers to the characteristic, light-green color of this variety of Central American jadeite jade.

-This block of Maya mint jade measures 5.25 inches (13.3 cm) long by 2.75 inches (7.0 cm) wide by 0.88 inches (2.2 cm) thick.  It weighs in at a substantial 657 grams (1.45 pounds).

-There are actually two types of true jade: nephrite and jadeite.  Although they are chemically distinct from each other, they both possess very similar physical characteristics, including extreme hardness and toughness.

-This specimen of Maya mint jade is the jadeite variety.  Jadeite is generally rarer than nephrite and usually commands a higher price.

-We can verify that this slab is jadeite jade by calculating its density, which is weight divided by volume.  In this case, the formula is 657 gm/(13.3 cm x 7.0 cm x 2.2 cm), which comes out to 3.21 gm/cm3.  This is very close to the theoretical value of 3.30 gm/cm3 for jadeite.  However, this trick only works with regularly-shaped blocks of rough jade.

-Being a metamorphic rock, jade is only found in locations with substantial tectonic plate activity.  So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that nearly all commercial jade deposits originate in the seismically active “Ring of Fire”, which encircles the Pacific Ocean.

-This Maya mint jade slab has a very tight-grained, compact crystal structure.  You can tell this because the edges of the block are quite sharp, without any raggedness or chipping.  This is important because the more compact and denser a piece of jade, the finer a finish it will take.

-This example of Central American jade was almost certainly mined in the Motagua River valley, which sits on the geologically active boundary of the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate.  The Motagua River was the primary source of jade exploited by the ancient Meso-American cultures, such as the Olmecs, the Mayans and the Aztecs.

-Unlike Burmese jadeite, Guatemalan jadeite is almost never treated to enhance its color or clarity.  This is a tremendously important consideration because bleached or dyed jades are often brittle and can fade in color over time.  In contrast, it is obvious that all-natural jades – like this Maya mint green specimen – will be very desirable in the future.

-Although it might seem a little far-fetched right now, I am firmly convinced that rough jade slabs and blocks are excellent tangible investments, especially when paired with gold and silver bullion.

-With an asking price of only $130, this piece of jade is just under $200 per kilogram.  This is an exceptionally low price for such an excellent block of Maya mint jade.

Cons:

-The most valuable types of jade are highly translucent, but Maya mint jade is opaque in nature.  However, if this specimen were translucent, you can bet it would cost a whole lot more money.

-Guatemalan jadeite jade is less valuable than high quality, untreated Burmese jadeite.  Of course, this is offset by the fact that an estimated 90% of Burmese jade on the market today has been either bleached or dyed (or both).

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Photo Credit: nuggetsbygrant

Crystalline Gold Nugget in Quartz from California

Buy It Now Price: $450.44 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This stunning crystalline gold nugget in quartz comes from Sierra County, high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of northern California.

-This gold in matrix specimen weighs 4.28 grams, which is actually fairly sizable for this type of gold mineralization.  It is about the size of a quarter cut in half.

-Gold was first discovered in California in 1848, which spawned the famous California Gold Rush.  Although easy to access placer gold deposits were exploited at first, by the late 19th century California miners had to venture deep underground in pursuit of the elusive precious metal.

-Matrix is a mining term that refers to the native rock surrounding a valuable ore.  Gold in quartz matrix is not only exceptionally beautiful, but also in extremely high demand by mineral collectors.

-This particular crystalline gold nugget was found in the historical Alleghany gold district of California, very close to the renowned Original Sixteen to One gold mine.  These goldfields are famous for their widely scattered gold-bearing quartz veins, which can vary in thickness from just a few inches to more than 20 feet wide.

-This crystalline gold nugget retains its delicate, intricately branching shape.  This is in stark contrast to gold nuggets recovered from alluvial (river) deposits, which have been compacted and worn smooth via centuries of hydraulic action.  Crystalline gold is the rarest form of natural gold – rarer even than placer gold nuggets (which are incredibly rare themselves).

-The Original Sixteen to One Mine is probably the most famous gold mine in the United States. Discovered in 1896, this extremely rich mine has been in almost continuous production since that time.  The Original Sixteen to One Mine was named after the traditional 19th century exchange ratio between silver and gold.  You can view an interesting video tour of the mine here.

-Gold nuggets from California are rarer and harder to find than gold nuggets from Alaska, Australia or British Columbia.  Because of this rarity and the romance surrounding the California goldfields, gold nuggets from California have an added dimension of desirability.

–Gold nuggets are often overlooked as investments, but shouldn’t be.  Their historical importance combined with their high intrinsic value and unique aesthetics make them an intriguing alternative asset for those looking to escape the uncertainty of paper assets.

-At only $450, I think this crystalline gold nugget from California would make a wonderful addition to your gold nugget collection or tangible asset portfolio.

Cons:

-Because they so much rarer, crystalline gold nuggets in matrix are much more expensive per unit of weight than alluvial gold nuggets without matrix.  But they make up for it with dazzling good looks and perennially high collector demand.

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Photo Credit: BaikalGems

Siberian Nephrite Jade Slab

Asking Price: $180 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-$180 will buy you this alternative investment extraordinaire – a slab of polished Siberian nephrite jade straight from Asiatic Russia.

-This impressive block of polished Siberian nephrite jade measures 16.0 cm (6.3 inches) by 15.3 cm (6.0 inches) by 2.2 cm (0.9 inches) thick.  It weighs a substantial 1,650 grams (3.64 pounds).

-While the Chinese have revered and treasured jade for millennia, Western cultures are only now coming to appreciate this unique gemstone. This is one of the reasons I think rough jade is a good investment – as the word spreads of its amazing physical and optical qualities, long-term global demand is sure to grow.

-The bright, apple-green color of this nephrite jade is characteristic of Siberian material, which is very popular in the Chinese market.  According to the seller, this specimen was mined in the Sayan Mountains in Asiatic Russia, near Lake Baikal.

-Before 2000, Siberian nephrite jade only cost a few dollars a kilo.  It was so cheap that it wasn’t even worth extracting from the rugged Russian wilderness.  However, strong and persistent Chinese demand has propelled the price of top tier material to well over $1,000 a kilo.

-The small black inclusions scattered throughout the green stone are iron-rich chromite (FeCr₂O₄), a classic hallmark of nephrite jade.

-The quality of this Siberian nephrite jade is very high.  It offers a crisp, even color combined with good translucency and a moderate texture.  This means it could easily be used to make jade jewelry, carvings or other objets d’art by a skilled craftsman.

-Because we know the dimensions and weight of this Siberian nephrite jade slab, we can calculate its density to help confirm its genuineness.  We can do this by dividing the weight of the piece (1,650 grams) by its volume (538.6 cm³).  This gives us a density of approximately 3.06 gm/cm³, which is well within the range of natural nephrite jades (2.9 – 3.3 gm/cm³).

-There is nothing like the heft and solidity of a jade block held in the hand.  In some ways, I view rough jade as “the other bullion”.  It is a great alternative to simply stacking gold and silver bars for those with more adventurous investment tastes.

-At an asking price of only $109 per kilogram (or around $50 per pound), this block of rough Siberian nephrite jade is an incredible bargain, especially considering that similar quality Siberian material may sell in the Chinese market for several hundred dollars a kilo!

Cons:

-Because it is coming all the way from Russia, the shipping costs on this block of jade are relatively high.  According to Etsy, it would cost $32 to transport the stone to my little corner of the United States and would take between 10 and 40 business days to arrive!

-Although this slab of Siberian nephrite jade is good quality, it is not of the very highest quality.  The very best material would have absolutely no chromite inclusions or veining at all.  But top-quality nephrite jade is both incredibly rare and unbelievably expensive.

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