How To Avoid Buying Gems That Are CRAP!

How To Avoid Buying Gems That Are CRAP! A look at how crapped out precious gems are sold online with the help of a torch.

[@S730SD]

Spot on about zircons being underrated, also thank you for heads up about junkers being lit up. No wonder synthetics have gotten so popular :)

[@VintageTimeGems]

Zircons and Topaz are the best gems.

[@davidemelia6296]

@@VintageTimeGems If you're cutting for fun, yeah, they definitely are

[@itatane]

I've always had a soft spot for underrated gems. Perhaps it's because some gemstones are not as desirable, despite being lovely in their own way, and easier on the pocketbook. For example, a decent diamond is bloody expensive, but Goshenite can be had for a very reasonable price, usually (Kind of funny that a flawless Beryl goes for a pittance mostly because it has no color!). I don't facet, but instead try to satisfy my Magpie brain with buying the occasional gem. I appreciate your take on the issue of getting quality gems for that reason.

[@Nervii_Champion]

4:30 I say you're wrong there, you could get some Star Sapphires/Rubies out of those which are FAR better than clear glassy Sapphires/Rubies in my opinion. Exponentially better the more clarity it has as a Star gem.

[@kathylecluyse7820]

Always happy to see & hear from you Cliff! I had no idea there was so much cheating going on - but then again, name me one business where nothing shady's happening. Won't hold my breath ;)

[@offyarocka]

thats a neat trick with the torch in the bottle 😍😍😍 thank you for sharing this information

[@janellehoney-badger6525]

Excellent, this was a good lesson for me. I’m new & bound to make a lot of mistakes, I can barely tell a good gem from quartz & salt crystals but I absolutely love looking into all sorts of gems, polished rocks & opals with a high power loupe to see the amazing structures created over time. But some are hard to determine what they are. Eg. I found a few quartz-like rocks that are a rough dark green colour but I don’t have any rock tumble equipment except sandpaper, toothbrush & tired, work-injured hands that can’t sit still & relax. I found rubbing 2 similar stones together will, eventually, bring up a little shine but I doubt it’ll work on hard gems.

[@JulesTools23]

Such a helpful video, ty sir! I’m not looking to facet gems, but sure do have a love for them and don’t mind a great piece of jewelry 😊. Will be using the bottle/torch hack though for rockhounding finds, purchases, and cabs…brilliant. I love learning and your channel is so informative and quite often mesmerizing🤗 Many thanks from Sunny So Cali, USA. PS- Love the shades! 😅

[@gusser2121]

Very informative! Thanks Cliff 👍

[@rickyabdellah9914]

Thank you it is very informative!!

[@mikesackos2208]

Nice Sunglasses Cliff! Great video!

[@christhompson4270]

Wow that’s awesome, I’ve learnt a lot. Thank you for sharing your knowledge 👍👏👏💖

[@VintageTimeGems]

Thanks Chris.

[@rogerhargreaves2272]

Thank you Cliff, very enlightening to soo those “Bombs”. I did like the Zircon from the Top End though. Lesson learned. Great share. 😀👍

[@VintageTimeGems]

Thanks Roger

[@peteredwards2371]

Thanks for the great advice 👍😊

[@Greenfairy65]

Fascinating, thank you!

[@renegadesway153]

Hey Cliff, just found ya and love your vids! Was wondering if you done cutting on faceted 18mm triangles. Right now I'm just learning about cutting, but its something I've always wanted to do!

[@marcosofsky2605]

Thank you! I only wish I had found this video a little sooner-so many great "bargains" online are nothing of the sort and it is buyer beware. Fortunately my meager budget does not allow me to spend very much, and the losses incurred are mostly in time wasted sorting through gems that are either too small or not suitable-and there are lots of online sellers dumping their garbage on unsuspecting novices-which I am. Thanks again, much obliged!

[@TonysGemDesignswithGCS]

Nice video. You forgot the other warning-bell term - "Eye clean" Or "Eye Clear". Some of those zircons look good, they have very good colors.

[@VintageTimeGems]

I could have added a few more terms as there are plenty of them. Sadly recreational gem cutters are being exploited.

[@TonysGemDesignswithGCS]

@@VintageTimeGems That's why I get cranky sometimes at spammers :)

[@alonsocarvalho5996]

Thanks, very nice video.

[@krackenagate5606]

love your channel so much

[@VintageTimeGems]

Thanks

[@darylstevenson2615]

Thank you ,very informative

[@VintageTimeGems]

Thanks Daryl.

[@mysticdavestarotmachinesho5093]

I'm still laughing at the glasses

[@lewisgraham4235]

Lots of rubbish rough out there. A lot of stall holders at gem shows are selling uncuttable expensive rubbish that no matter how far you cut it back will have inclusions in it. Interesting comments on the term "silk", I've always seen silk as independent of cracks or inclusions. I find the appearance of silk in relatively clear gems as a positive addition. It just seems to add a unique characteristic to some pieces. I like the milky look that "silk" provides to blue sapphires.

[@VintageTimeGems]

I've faceted gems with silk. I absolutely hate it. That cloudy, milky appearance ruins the visual appearance of the gem. However, that's my opinion. For me clean gem is my preference.

[@lumajj9689]

Hiya Cliff! I loved this video and was wondering if there was any chance that you will be making a video on how to facet decent gems out of the bombs that are facetable? Ether way love your vids keep up the good work! :D

[@VintageTimeGems]

Bombs usually fall apart before the gem is completed. Also, there is nothing worse than have fragments peeling off and getting embedded in polishing laps as it ends up scratching other gems.

[@gemfaceter]

Thanks Cliff for another great video. I have never faceted zircon but will give it a try. I Hope Jaws is doing well.

[@SnowTiger45]

Zircon has a really high Refractive Index and thus produces very sparkly gemstones. It isn't really that hard (difficult) to cut or polish. I'd love to get my hands on Zircons of any real size to facet.

[@VintageTimeGems]

Jaws is well....Zircon is a fantastic gem. You must facet some.

[@williamgroth7286]

Yes you are absolutely right. I use my mobile phone and you can adjust the light that is helpful. Out in the field looking for sapphires and at rock shows. Another tip as you said go out in natural light. When you cut a sapphires you see the true colour.

[@VintageTimeGems]

Natural light is always the best for dark gems.

[@scottpeters5624]

Title made me laugh out loud 👍 Very intressting video, like the bottle and torch trick , I have some beautiful blood red zircon from Pakistan,, But still in the muscovite matrix and looks fractured,. Nice looking as specimen 😂 Thanks for sharing

[@VintageTimeGems]

Now the red Zircon would make a great gem. So much better than any sapphire. Cheers Cliff

[@alphatango1358]

Greetings from New York.. 👌👌👌🗽🇺🇲🇵🇱

[@Ciceroinvencoeseartes]

Excelente trabalho amigo Parabéns 👍

[@SnowTiger45]

In my opinion, if it is not Facet-Worthy or Clean, it is simply Corundum ... not Sapphire or Ruby.

[@user-hm6bn6kw6k]

And I love "The Happy Mandolin"!

[@noob19087]

Actually made some YAG in the lab a while ago. It was just a practice exercise, (I'm a chem student), but we made cerium doped YAG that was used to convert blue light into yellow through luminescence. We then coated blue leds with it to make them produce white light. Wasn't gemmy at all, though, it was just a yellow powder.

[@VintageTimeGems]

Shame it wasn't gemmy, as it's a great synth gem.

[@johncrumpley8702]

Very interesting take on the Sapphire market, Cliff. I find the vast majority of them (Montana Sapphires) to be unsuitable for anything other than a tiny pair of ear rings. The occasional blue versions are the only ones worth spending much time on. I agree... Most are crap. LOL

[@VintageTimeGems]

Yes, these Montana Sapphires always seem small. They are expensive also. Most rough gems sold on the market are an overpay.

[@albertnawab9211]

Do you have any Montana Sapphires? In rough. Bluish or greenish?

[@SeraphimCherubim]

Thanks

[@Liburni]

Very interesting , nice some of those zircons look good

[@VintageTimeGems]

Thanks Liburni....All the best Cliff

[@upsidediy3945]

Your getting good. At bringing me back to your shop. Ive seen use the computer and faceter very good but not the lazer. Like the great workmanship. Its been awhile and i forgot your dogs name is Jaws

[@VintageTimeGems]

Thanks. Yep, Jaws is still alive and well.

[@dayc801]

Lol the sunglasses YES!

[@purdiewendy]

Hi Cliff, I love your videos. I too think zircons are so much better than the sapphires. What type/brand of the torch would you recommend inspecting rough with?

[@VintageTimeGems]

Good question. The gem torch I have is a cheap one. There are better torches out there. I like the torch that is used on "Game of stones", but I don't know the brand.

[@purdiewendy]

​@@VintageTimeGems Thank you for your feedback.

[@Simon-ep9lo]

I agree Zircon is a love stone epically the type that has a plummy colour

[@marijanastokes4797]

The sapphire Booms can be skin polished and can look great as long as done well

[@gsellis]

Hey Cliff, try the portable AC units. In the US, we get them at the home improvement stores and they are around $350USD. Brands include Hitachi.

[@rickyabdellah9914]

Is it worth cuz i wanna cut my stone to pieces as well

[@davidemelia6296]

I got a cut pink spinel from Tanzania, which was described not as 'silk' but as 'velvet' ... however, it was exceedingly cheap, and that 'velvety' quality is not something that I had any examples of, so what the hell, I spent the ten bucks (AUD) and got it.

[@eddyhuat1161]

hi how are u sir? may i ask a bit question? were i can buy the rough like that? because i intersted about the rough like that

[@musdaedda6367]

To be honest I didn't focus on what was said, I focused on the three-layer glasses that were really unique 😁😁👍

[@Nervii_Champion]

Natural Zircons are better than Natural Diamonds in my opinion. They are the oldest known gemstone, how cool is that? Which gemstone is "better" really comes down to two things though: personal preferences and appliances/usefulness. ALL gemstones are cool in my opinion. Feldspars, Quartz gems (Chalcedony and Agate to "rock crystal"), Corundum, and Beryl and Chrysoberyl are in my personal top 10 list, if I had to choose. Garnet and Spinel and Tourmaline would also be on that list.

[@pedroalonso-sanchez4783]

would you like to teach me how to cut gemstones? I dont have a cutting machine yet but it want be long before I have one. I would really appreciate it because i dont know anything about cutting gemstones. thank you already.

[@TheLoveLess123]

The white paper test has saved my ass and my wallet many times when buying rough! Especially when purchasing rough online

[@JonahVex]

Hey what's the white paper test? I'm fairly new to gem cutting only a few years of research and prep.. recently been looking online for my first purchase but worried about getting ripped off.

[@VintageTimeGems]

Yes the white paper test is good. Works well with Garnets. Sapphires are sold at huge prices regardless of any transparency.

[@amymarkham5785]

​@VintageTimeGems what is the white paper test. I love sifting for sapphires here in Montana and don't know how to recognize quality.

[@jianshen2223]

quality content

[@VintageTimeGems]

Thanks

[@Janezhallam]

Can you melt these?

[@roedurham3499]

What kind of gem cutting machine would you suggest for a novice hobbyist of gem cutting?

[@VintageTimeGems]

If you live in the USA , a facetron.

[@roedurham3499]

@@VintageTimeGems thank you very much

[@SP-ny1fk]

I glad you didn't take your eyes off there

[@jameswelch1054]

What about heat treating some of those gems?

[@coreymerrill3257]

My Rubyvale connection calls those stones duds and they go for $1-$2 aud a CT...

[@VintageTimeGems]

Personally, for a dud $1-$2 is an overpay. What can you really do with a 100 carats of bombs? Maybe do practice faceting.

[@marijanastokes4797]

Also in bombs you can find trapeche and star sapphire to cab

[@jianshen2223]

would be great to show in video comparison between this poor gems and actual rough that you would facet. Show off the quality.

[@batmanb8194]

i honestly couldnt see the difference between the good ones and bad ones

[@VintageTimeGems]

You need a keen eye to spot the difference. That's why so many of us end up buying junk.

[@DuncanL7979]

Rough zircon looks like big raisins

[@sierrahjmartinez6703]

Unless you buy in person its hard to buy online

[@VintageTimeGems]

Exactly. Buying online is good for many products, but gems is not one of them.

[@jairprado5538]

Show

[@sumindagemsexportltd4212]

Do you interest ceylon gems stone sir? best regard.

[@VintageTimeGems]

NOPE!

[@TonysGemDesignswithGCS]

@@VintageTimeGems At least he was on theme!!! :)

[@VintageTimeGems]

@@TonysGemDesignswithGCS Yeah....He sells crap gems like most of the dealers.

[@SnowTiger45]

I love the size of those Zircons. Those are some chunky monkeys that I'd like to get my hands on for faceting ... at least those which are facet worthy. Zircon truly is under-rated. They have an excellent R.I. which ensures a very bright, sparkly gemstone. It's no wonder Zircon has been used to synthesize Diamonds (not to be confused with Cubic Zirconia which is man-made and NOT the same thing as Zircon). I love cutting Zircon and in fact, just finished an 8mm barion square brilliant the other day. I'd also love to get my hands on a couple, hefty Australian Sapphires too.