Questions & Answers
A Gold Party Girls Gold & Silver Party, Boutique, Fundraising Event and Private Individual Appointment is always a fun event! We also do combination Gold & Silver and Stella & Dot Parties too so not only can you sell your items but if you see some reasonably priced fashion jewelry you like, you can buy it right there! You and a bunch of your friends, co-workers, relatives, neighbors and their friends, co-workers and neighbors get together to catch up, nibble on some snacks, enjoy a glass of wine, and make money. Once the event is underway, guests typically congregate around us but can of course also meet privately with us at the event and each item is individually weighed and evaluated and a purchase price given - for each item you choose to sell that night, you get paid on the spot! We will also remove stones and return them to you on the spot with rare exception unless of course WE BUY THEM! The stones that we do buy are good diamonds. The diamonds we will not buy are melee or so-called 'diamond chips' and also smaller, highly included, discolored or damaged diamonds. See 'What DO you buy?' and 'What DON'T you buy?' below in the Questions and Answers for more details.
Here is a list of some of the questions we answer and topics we cover below (click on links below to go to section);
Who are you?
Will I have to buy something at the event?
What happens to the items that I sell at the party?
Why would I want to participate in a Gold Party Girls event?
Can I earn money at a Gold Party Girl's event?
When all else fails - SEND IT TO US!
How do you know what my Jewelry, Coins, etc. are worth?
What DO you buy?
What DON'T you buy?
How much does it cost me to host a Gold Party Girl's event?
Are you licensed?
What about your pricing and your competitors?
How about commissions and referral fees?
Will beat 'BONA FIDE' written and 'GOOD FAITH' verbal offers!
I know you don't buy them but what are Colored Stones?
I know you don't buy Moissanite but what IS it?
How to sometimes tell if a Diamond may be real.
Sterling Silver vs. Silver Plated (we don't buy Plated)
Counterfeit Gems are difficult to spot!
Who are you?
Very simply, we are Stacey Silberman, the Founder and Original "Gold Party Girl" and Michael Silberman, the Founder and Original Gold Party Girls Gold & Diamond 'Guy'. The Gold Party Girls is a very small family run business. We live in Los Angeles County and do Gold & Silver Partys, Boutique Events, Fundraisers and Individual Appointments throughout the State of California. We personally do all transactions and rest assured we really DO know what we are doing! Almost all of our business has been and continues to be by referral only. And YES we work very hard and are very busy on a regular basis.
What we do NOT do, that almost all of the 'other' businesses do, is literally hire people off the street to come in to your homes, schools, churches and temples and engage in unlicensed, gold buying activities. These 'quick hires' generally do NOT know what they are doing and their pricing is typically MUCH LOWER on average than the Gold Party Girls! They offer to pay for your refreshments to 'hook you' in to doing business with them. Then they PAY YOU AND YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, DONORS, VENDORS AND CO-WORKERS LESS. In other words they end up paying you and everyone else a low percentage price for the gold. Because they pay everyone, all the people you invited to your event, less for their gold, any referral fees, hostess commissions and donations they are going to pay TO YOU are also lower! Remember those percentage fees are based on what they pay out to your guests! So everyone will receive much less for their gold and effort than they would've received from the Gold Party Girls!
We have done LOTS of events, parties and individual appointments for people who had originally scheduled their events with other companies. Usually one of their friends or a friend of a friend have insisted that they switch to us. One of those events actually switched to us on the same day they had booked it with another company! At one of 'those' events, one of the guests had already sold a lot of her gold to the 'other' people and she sold the rest with us. She personally witnessed how we evaluated her gold, openly, clearly with explanations of exactly what we were doing throughout the entire process. Everyone had lots of questions including detailed questions about the process and calculations! When she learned what we were going to pay her, she was visably shaken and after we paid her, she left very quickly. She was NOT happy having realized how poorly she was treated and how much less she made at the other event. True Story!
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Will I have to buy something at the event?
Absolutely NOT! In fact, there's nothing you can buy at a Gold Party Girls event, unless of course you WANT to! There are several 'flavors' of Gold Party Girls 'Not Just' Gold Parties. Sometimes we just do a straight 'vanilla' party, where we just buy. Other times, whether for charities or just a more robust gathering, there might be a person, for example, who has handbags, silver jewelry, unique belt buckles or other interesting fashion or health and beauty items that may be of interest. But again, there is absolutely NO obligation on the part of any Gold Party Girls guest to do anything other than just sell their items, and then only if they want to. Usually at a more sophisticated multi-vendor event, all of the guests already know that there will be other products at the event that are available for sale.Top of Page
What happens to the items that I sell at the party?
Eventually they really ARE recycled (Melted, Smelted & Refined) and eventually are used to create new jewelry, certified bars and coins. We like to call it HIGH END RECYCLING!Top of Page
Why would I want to participate in a Gold Party Girls event?
A Gold Party Girls event is not only a time to share with friends, co-workers and neighbors, but is a way for you to get rid of your old, broken, unused or unwanted Gold, Silver, Platinum Jewelry, Silver Sets, Platters, Flatware and Gold and Silver Coins by selling it. And when we say sell, we mean that you will be paid on the spot.
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Can I earn money at a Gold Party Girl's event?
Yes. There are different ways to earn money at a Gold Party Girls Gold Party. First, the host of the party receives a portion of the gold purchased. The host can keep the money, share the money, or contribute some or all of the proceeds to a favorite charity. Second, you can earn money by selling your old, unwanted Gold, Silver, Platinum Jewelry, Silver Sets, Platters, Flatware and Gold and Silver Coins . The Gold Party Girls will pay you on the spot.
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Don't have the time, can't make it happen, don't live in Southern California, won't be able to do a Gold & Silver Party Fundraiser, Charitable Fundraiser, Gold & Silver Party, Gold & Silver Party Boutique, Business Gold & Silver Event or even a Private Invidual Appointment - NO PROBLEM! Contact us to set up a shipment (e.g. FEDEX, UPS, DHL) to send your Gold, Silver, Platinium Jewelry, Silver Sets, Platters, Flatware, Diamonds, Gold and Silver Coins and yes, Dental Gold, to us and we will offer you the same service and prices that we offer EVERYONE who is able to actually have an In-Person event! We recommend that at the very least, you take pictures and write down a detailed description of each item, including any inscriptions or markings prior to sending. Give us a call and we'll walk you through the process. It is very simple and straight-forward. Speak with you soon!
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How do you know what my Gold, Sterling Silver, Platinium Jewelry, Silver Sets, Diamonds and Coins are worth?
We are trained professionals using the best technology to assess, measure and value the items we purchase. This information is used to price them using the current (secondary) market prices.
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What DO you buy?
Simply put we buy GOLD, STERLING SILVER & PLATINUM JEWELRY, we also buy STERLING SILVER SETS & PIECES (Flatware, Platters, Bowls, Tea Sets, Candle Holders, Candleabras), GOLD & SILVER COINS (Numismatic and Bullion, Domestic and Foreign), DENTAL GOLD and DIAMONDS!
Diamonds we buy include Round Brilliant, larger, better quality preferred with a GIA Certificate but will also consider diamonds with an AGS, EGL, HRD, IGI and other 'certificates' (which are actually 'grading reports') accompanying. Appraisal reports (eg; Insurance appraisals) can be helpful during the evaluation process. If NO certificate, will consider based on evaluation. Will also consider other diamond cuts such as Princess, Cushion, Heart, Pear, Marquise, Radiant, Oval, Asscher and Emerald for example. With regards to DIAMONDS, with exception, we are referring to 'loose' diamonds that you present by themselves or that we remove from settings that you may also want to sell. This is so we can more prudently evaluate them as to cut, clarity, color, actual carat weight 'unset' and also symmetry and in particular optical performance. (Please see below 'What DON'T you buy?' for more detail as to what types of diamonds we do not buy.)
To get more detailed in terms of the precious metals that we buy. We buy 10k, 14k, 18k, 22k yellow, rose and white gold (stamped by karat or percentage of gold so 14k could also be stamped 585, 18k could also be stamped 750 and sometimes 10k could also be stamped 417), platinum (stamped PLAT and/or 950 and typically we only buy stamped 950 not 900 or less), sterling silver (must be stamped either 925 and/or Sterling or Sterling Silver otherwise we 'may' not buy). With sterling silver we generally we buy sterling silver ‘jewelry’ and STERLING SILVER SETS (Bowls, Flatware, Platters, Tea Sets and more). We typically do NOT buy jewelry that is less than 10k in purity, but will evaluate that on a case by case basis (it is not unusual for us to buy items from the UK that are typically 9k or less). FTC regulations state that in the U.S. it is illegal to sell as gold anything less than 10k, but there are many countries other than the U.S. that make jewelry less than 10k.
Do we remove STONES? You bet we do! It's easier if they are prong set and larger, typically 1/2 a carat or more, but with rare exception we can and will remove melee (chip) diamonds and colored stones, even if they are pave or channel set. There are a number of ways to remove stones. With some stones, however, due to their lack of hardness and or their small size it could be risky in that they might crack (even very small diamonds) due to the pressure applied. We'll let you know exactly what we will be able to do and what we recommend and advise not doing depending on your particular jewelry. The 'acid wash' or 'soak' method is another method and is expensive and time consuming and oftentimes not economical when dealing with smaller stones and in particular even precious stones (namely diamonds).
We buy GOLD & SILVER COINS, domestic and foreign 'numismatic' and 'bullion' coins including of course Gold coins (American gold coins, Canadian Maple Leafs, South African Krugerrands, Austrian Philharmonics & Ducats, Mexican Centenarios, Libertads, Onza's, Chinese Pandas, Peruvian Sols & Libras, Australia Kookaburras, etc.), Silver Coins (Canadian Maple Leafs, American Silver Dollar, Peace Dollar, Morgan Silver Dollar, Trade Dollar, Seated Liberty Dollar, Gobrecht Dollar, Draped Bust Dollar, Flowing Hair Dollar and other denominations of U.S. Silver Coins including silver coins pre-1965 with exception also including Kennedy Half Dollars 1965-1970, and 'silver' (not 'copper clad') Eisenhower dollars 1971-1978, etc.), French Marks, Chilean Pesos, Swiss Marks, Finnish Markkaas', U.K. Britannias & Sovereigns, Hungarian Koronas, Isle of Man Angels, Armenian Drams, Netherland Guilders, etc. American Gold coins include American Eagles, Libertys, Saint-Gaudens, Indian Heads all in various denominations. Foreign coins that are legal tender are considered 'bullion' in the United States meaning they, like all U.S. coins minted after 1933, NOT legal tender, and are designated as 'reportable' and 'confiscatible'. The same is true in foreign countries, all of the U.S. legal tender coinage is considered bullion in foreign countries.
An example of some of the types of jewelry we buy:
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What DON'T you buy?
We do NOT buy jewelry that is gold-filled, gold plated, rolled gold, silver plated or costume all of which might be stamped 1/10, 1/20, 1/60, 12k, GP, GF, HE, HGE, RGP, CH (from Mexico) or similar and silver jewelry that is gold plated (Vermeil) is priced based on the price for silver NOT gold. We do NOT buy silver jewelry and silver platters, bowls, flatware and tea sets that are NOT 'STERLING' or 925 stamped and plated. If the silver item is stamped 'IS', that stands for International Silver Company founded in 1898 from a number of smaller silver manufacturers that specialized in silver plated tableware. Bottom line, still 'plated' silver, NOT sterling of 925. The silver jewelry or silver sets are not stamped Sterling or 925, and we can NOT test them without causing some damage, then we will NOT buy it. Sometimes we can file a notch on the silver item in an inconspicuous location not normally visable (e.g. on the bottom edge out of sight) and test with acid, other times there is not 'hidden, out of site' place on the piece that we can easily test. Testing with acid is a destructive process and it will discolor the silver so unless we can do so safely and inconsequentially, then we will NOT buy that item.
We generally do NOT buy poor quality DIAMOND melee (also referred to as chips, typically under 20 points). We also do not buy discolored, 'low color', highly included, low clarity, poorly cut, fracture-filled, laser-drilled, cracked or damaged diamonds, diamond simulants (eg; moissanite) , HPHT or CVD 'cultured' diamonds, or diamonds with poor symmetry and optical performance with some exception. We also generally do NOT buy cuts other than Round cuts of diamonds such as Princess, Radiant, Asscher, Cushion, Emerald, Pear, Heart, Oval, Marquise, Baguette, Trillion but will consider them on an exception basis (e.g. when accompanied with an acceptable certificate).
We do NOT buy Pearls or Colored Stones (Real, Synthetic nor Simulant), such as Alexandrite, Chrome Diopside, Emerald, Peridot, Apatite, Flourite, Garnet, Ruby, Spinel, Tourmaline, Amethyst, Iiolite, Tanzanite, Sapphire, Aquamarine, Topaz, Zircon, Opal and Paraiba Tourmaline to name a few.
We do NOT buy Costume Jewelry such as Speidel®, Monet®, Avon®, Napier®, Trifari®, Sarah Coventry®, Swank® and similar. Additional note:: “P” in the context of gold jewelry, “plumb” is an old-fashioned term that means that the fineness or purity level of the gold content is precisely what is stamped on the item. It does NOT necessarily mean 'Plated' unless preceded by the letter 'G' as a general rule. The word “Plumb” or the letter P still sometimes follows the metal stamp (eg; “14k Plumb,” “14KP”).
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How much does it cost me to host a Gold Party Girl's event?
Virtually nothing. As a Host, you simply notify your friends and tell them to start searching for their old, unwanted Gold, Silver, Platinum Jewelry, Silver Sets, Platters, Flatware and Gold and Silver Coins. Set a date. And let the Gold Party Girls do the work while you earn money for yourself or for your favorite charity. If you are interested in hosting a Gold Party Girls Gold Party simply call or email us and we will be glad to assist you with all of the essential planning tools.
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Are you licensed?
Yes we are. We have a Secondhand Dealers License issued by the State of California, a Secondhand Dealers Business License issued the County of Los Angeles and our scale is certified by Los Angeles County. Most independent, out-of-state, out-of-county and businesses who buy gold as a part of their main business are NOT. In fact Jewelers and Jewelry Stores are not automatically required to be licensed to buy gold from the public and usually most of them are NOT either! Remember Jewelers and Jewelry Stores generally do not BUY from the public, they SELL to the public. So just because they put out a sign that they are buying gold often times does not necessarily mean that they are licensed to do so. This of course does NOT mean that they are not technically a 'reputable' business, but it DOES mean that at the very least that they are not properly licensed. With licensing comes 'accountability' and it always helps to know that you are dealing with someone who has, by virtue of their licenses, certain duties and responsibilities and knows it! But when you think about it, a reputable business owner knows what is required and they should be doing business reputably. This means also being properly licensed to do the business that they are doing! If they aren't properly licensed or don't even talk about it, what else aren't they telling you??!!!
So, it is very important to make sure that everyone buying your items is properly and completely licensed to BUY them . In the state of California they are required to be licensed as a Secondhand Dealer by the Department of Justice. To receive that license they are investigated and approved by the local law enforcement agency (either the city police or county sheriffs department). They are also required to be licensed as a Secondhand Dealer by the city or county in which they conduct their business. Their scale should also be certified by the county's Agricultural Commissioner Weights and Measures department who will issue and affix a special 'yellow' sticker on the scale itself and also provide a document detailing and describing the scale certified. Those stickers are just like the 'yellow' circular stickers you see on pumps at a gas station or on scales at your local supermarket. Bottom line, if they have licenses, they are required to conspicuously display them or show them to you! That is the quickest way to determine if the business that you are dealing with is properly licensed.
Again, they must show you or have on display their licenses. In California this would be the Secondhand Dealers License issued by the DOJ, State of California which is a very large sized 8-1/2" x 11" license and the word 'Secondhand Dealer' is near the top and clearly visable in very large bolded font size. If operating in Los Angeles County they should also have a Secondhand Dealers Business License which is the same size as a normal business license roughly the size of about 4" x 6". If that license does NOT say Secondhand Dealer, then guess what? They are NOT licensed as Secondhand Dealers! A 'Business License' is NOT a 'Secondhand Dealers' License, PERIOD! And anyone who is not licensed is well aware of that fact and knows it!
KEEP IN MIND, that even if you are dealing with an Independent Gold Buyer, Jeweler or Jewelry Store and they have complied with ALL of the licensing requirements for the State of California, their Local Law Enforcement Agency, their County or City, and they are reputable, and have a Triple-A rating from the Better Business Bureau and belong to ALL of the precious metals and jewelry organizations nationwide, regionally and locally, that does NOT mean that they are paying you the highest price for your gold, silver or platinum jewelry!!! You HOPE that they are, and WE hope that they are TOO!! We encourage you to check around for pricing and remember that there is a BIG difference between wanting to get a 'retail' price for your gold, silver and platinum jewelry and a price that reflects the value of the precious metal 'scrap' content!!!
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What about your pricing and your competitors?
Some reputable local, regional and nationwide internet and fixed location jewelry store, pawn shop and 'single purpose' gold buyers claim to pay up to 3x as much as their competitors! They can claim it, but saying it does NOT make it true! Of course saying ‘as much as their competitors’ will keep them out of hot water, because then THEY are the ones that define who their competitors are! Those are claims that are almost impossible to substantiate.
How can we pay so much? First of all WE CHOSE TO PAY MORE and in many cases MUCH MORE than our competitors! It's as simple as that! We can't think of a better way to build a reputable, successful business! Also, we have virtually no overhead and personally work our own events, fundraisers and individual appointments. We also are very skilled at testing your gold jewelry. Many gold buying companies either don’t do a good job of testing or don’t even test at all! They also have a lot of overhead. When we say overhead we mean they have lot's of costs that we do NOT have. They usually pay rent or have mortgage payments, they pay insurance, utilities, parking, property taxes, and spend a lot of money on FANCY & EXPENSIVE WEBSITES. They also hire a lot of UNSKILLED employees that they get from advertisements in local newspapers or television ads to help them get in to YOUR HOMES! In fact the 'other guys' spend so much money on people they hardly know, if at all, that they just hire in local neighborhoods, websites, advertising and overhead they HAVE TO PAY YOU MUCH LESS for your jewelry!
To be fair there are also a lot of gold buyers who are very good at testing gold, but they CHOOSE to pay you less for your gold, which is of course their prerogative. Usually they just want to take a HUGE COMMISSION for themselves when they buy your gold! We at the Gold Party Girls CHOOSE to pay you MORE for your gold and also compensate the host’s of the events and pay more to charities, which is OUR prerogative! We run a very lean, efficient little group which provides us the ability to offer much higher payouts. When we say 'little group' we mean just us Michael & Stacey Silberman! Of course when we are triple and quadruple booked on a day at the same time, we have two additional people, one a Graduate Gemologist, who are available to assist us from time to time. At the Gold Party Girls, we take great interest in explaining the entire process as we are testing so that everyone understands exactly how their gold is tested, weighed and bought.
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How about commissions and referral fees?
Would it surprise you to learn that some people, jewelers, pawnbrokers and gold buyer are not always looking out for YOUR best interests? Here is but just one example. Let's suppose that one of them offers to pay you a 15%-20% event commission. Now let's say that there is another company that will offer to pay you SAME 15%-20%. Here is where things start to get very interesting. It is not uncommon in real life for the second company, which offered to pay you the exact same event commission, to end up paying you MORE ACTUAL DOLLARS at the end of the event then the first company and sometimes event significantly more! How does THAT happen? This is how it happens. 15%-20% of WHAT??!! So many people get taken advantage of by firms deliberately making incomplete representations of just exactly what it is that they are paying, not just in commissions but in RATES for your items. Oh yes they MIGHT actually technically pay the percentages of 15%-20%, but it is a percentage of what they paid out to the customers at your event. This of course assumes that they are honest about that number too. Some competitors will go so far as to offer what appears to be HIGH commissions and also to pay for refreshments and appetizers, but then only pay 40%-60% for YOUR items and and all of your guests' items! This is NOT a good deal for you. It is not really a 'bait and switch' tactic, it is simply a 'bait and gotcha' tactic.
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Will beat 'BONA FIDE' written and 'GOOD FAITH' verbal offers!
What does THAT mean?! Bottom line, we will of COURSE consider beating 'verbal' offers brought to us by a customer when we know that the offer, based on our experience and pricing at the time, is a legitimate, fair and good faith offer. In terms of written offers, we consider a Bona Fide offer to include all of the following which you must adhere to in order for us to consider it. As you can see comparing offers can be tricky and difficult all by itself;
1. Must be in writing.
2. Signed by the person making the offer.
3. Their full name printed with contact phone number.
4. They must state, in writing, how long the offer is valid!
5. The Secondhand Dealers license must be valid.
6. License number must be written on the offer.
7. Names on license (company & individual(s)) must be written.
8. You must bring us the offer the SAME day you receive it.
9. While the market is still open and precious metals are trading.
10. At least Three (3) hours before the market closes.
11. Gold trading in price range of One and One-Half Percent (1.5%).
12. Trading in range for last Three (3) consecutive 'trading' days.
13. Offers on Friday or Thursday ( Friday market closed) not OK.
14. Offer at least Fifteen (15%) less than the full value of the metal.
15. This does NOT include an offer for COINS.
16. Based on'bid' price quoted by Kitco.
We no longer provide written offers to 'shop around'. The 'requirements' above give you just a birds-eye view of some of the important issues that can impact an offer even during the SAME day between businesses such as ours. We are not in the business of getting business for our competitors, plain and simple. We have a wonderful reputation and there are thousands upon thousands of individuals, businesses, schools, charities, churches, temples and special fundraising groups who agree. That is OUR business. We hope to see you soon! And if you find our competitors quoting US using the same words that I have above, then we know we must be doing something right!
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I know you don't buy them but what are Colored Stones?
Gemstones look attractive because of their colors, shades of colors, the depth of the colors or the complete absence of any color. There are various reasons why gemstones have various colors. Given in the paragraphs below are some interesting details about how these gemstones get their colors.
Gemstones are colorful because of:
- the presence of impurities & their chemical composition
- the way they deflect, refract and reflect light
- the crystalline structure of the gemstone
- the electrical charge levels of the gemstones
Color produced due to the presence of impurities and chemical composition of the gemstones Impurities are found in traces in the gemstone but in significant enough quantities as to impart color or effect a change in color. Impurities that can be traced in gemstones are – Cobalt, Copper, Chromium, Iron, Manganese, Nickel, Titanium and Ardennite.
Some examples :
Chromium also imparts a red color to the Ruby.
Chromium is also responsible for the reddish color of Alexandrite.
Manganese as an impurity gives Red Beryl its characteristic red color.
Two ions of Iron (Ferrous and Ferric) impart Green Beryl its color.
Ferric ions are also responsible for the yellow color in Heliodor.
Ferrous ions also give Aquamarine its characteristic blue color.
The presence of Manganese gives Morganite its pink color.
Chrysoberly provides gemstones with red or green color.
Beryllium Aluminosilicate provides the characteristic blue color.
Forsterite provides gemstone with the yellowish green color.
Carbon often leaves a gemstone colorless like in diamond
Carbon also gives diamonds a yellowish or pale blue color.
Aluminium Oxide imparts blue or red color depending on gemstone.
A mixture of various chemical substances like Na3Li3Al6(BO3)3(SiO3)6F4 can impart pink color to the gemstones.
One should take care to preserve the oxidation state of gemstones when it has chemical impurities. A change in oxidation state can render a gemstone colorless or may change its color completely. Some stones change color when heated as their oxidation state gets altered. Hence they must be handled with care.
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I know you don't buy Moissanite but what IS it?
Moissanite is a silicon carbide that looks just like diamonds or CZ's but is not.
Moissanite grown in laboratories is now being cut as gemstones and they are used as diamond simulants. Moissanite brings to the jeweler's table a similar index of refraction and better than twice the fire of diamond, but is only slightly less expensive due to the difficulty in growing the crystals. Moissanite is causing quite a stir in the jewelry markets.
As a diamond simulant, artificial moissanite is very hard to differentiate from diamond and can fool many gemologists. It does have many similarities. It is very hard at 9.25 (diamond is 10) and it is highly refractive with an index of refraction of 2.6 - 2.7 (diamond's IR is slightly lower at 2.42). Most important, moissanite and diamond are thermally conductive unlike other diamond simulants and unfortunately it is this property that is used as the test for the authenticity of real diamonds. Differences however are clear and other tests can be used to differentiate the two. First of all, moissanite is hexagonal, not isometric and therefore it is doubly refractive unlike diamond. A close look at moissanite gemstones should show double facet edges whereas diamond's cut edges are singular in appearance. Moissanite is also slightly less dense than diamond and is rarely perfectly clear of color, having pale shades of green. Also natural flaws are absent in moissanite replaced instead by tiny, unnatural, white, ribbon-like structures that are a result of the growing process. The synthetic SiC known as carborundum has seen many uses in hightech ceramics, electrical components, abrasives, ball bearings, semi-conductors, extremely hard saws and armor.
Natural moissanite is very rare and is limited to iron-nickel meteorites and a few other rare ultra-mafic igneous occurrences. Initially there were skeptics to the original meteorite findings and were attributed to the silicon carbide blades that may have been used to saw the type specimens. But this has been disputed because Dr Henri Moissan did not use silicon carbide blades to prepare the samples.
There are several phases of SiC. The original mineral discovered is officially known as moissanite-6H. The (6H) refers to the hexagonal symmetry of this phase of moissanite. There are two other phases recognized as minerals: moissanite-5H and the isometric phase beta-moissanite.
Moissanite is classified as an element dispite the fact, that in chemical reality, it is a compound! The reason for this is that the elemental bonds that exist between carbon and silicon are very similar to the carbon-carbon bonds of other elemental minerals such as diamond.
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How to sometimes tell if a Diamond may be real.
Ask for a certificate.grading authority (e.g. GIA, AGS, EGL) or an independent appraiser who is affiliated with a professional organization (like the American Society of Appraisers). This is especially important if you're buying a stone you haven't seen, such as from the Internet.
- Look through it. Diamonds have a high "refractive index" (meaning they sharply bend the light that passes through them). Glass and quartz have a lower refractive index, meaning they sparkle less because they bend light less, even when they've been cut nicely (because the refractive index is an inherent physical property which is not altered in any way by a nice cut - unless, technically speaking, the cut induced a permanent strain on the crystalline lattice).
- If the diamond is not mounted, turn it upside down and place it on a piece of newspaper. If you can read the print through the stone or even see distorted black smudges, then it probably isn't a diamond. (Unless the cut is disproportionate, in that case print can be seen through a real diamond.)
- If the stone shows any sign of double refraction, it may be Moissanite (silicon carbide), a gemstone that is so similar to a diamond that even jewelers can have a hard time telling them apart. Look at the facet junctions from the top side of the stone, the 'star' facets' if you see what looks like double vision then that is the doubling effect.
- If the diamond is mounted, you should not be able to see the bottom of a diamond looking directly from the top.
- Draw a small dot with a pen on a piece of white paper. Place your unmounted diamond over the center of the dot. Look directly down on it and if your stone is not a diamond, you will see a circular reflection in the stone.
- Observe the reflections. A real diamond's reflections usually manifest in various shades of gray. If you see rainbow reflections, you're either dealing with a low-quality diamond or a fake.
- Take the bottom view: Under a microscope hold the stone table (top facet) down. If you see an orange flash only to the facets as you rock the stone it is fake.
- Buy a combination Diamond/Moissanite Tester. These are readily available and can quickly indicate if it is a true diamond or simulant.
- Weigh the stone. Cubic zirconia weighs approximately 55% more than diamonds for the same shape and size.
- Use a carat or gram scale to compare the stone in question to a real diamond.
- Check the setting and mount. A real diamond is not likely to be set in a cheap metal.
- Stamps inside the setting indicating real gold or platinum (10K, 14K, 18K, 585, 750, 900, 950, PT, Plat) are a good sign, while a "C.Z." stamp will give away that the center stone is not a real diamond.
- Put the stone under a UV light. Many (but not all) diamonds will exhibit blue fluorescence under an ultra violet or black light, so the presence of a medium to strong blue confirms that it is real. The absence of blue, however, does not mean it is fake; it could simply be a better quality diamond.
- If you see a very slight green, yellow, or gray fluorescence under ultraviolet light, it may be Moissanite.
- Test it with a heat probe. Real stones disperse heat quickly and they won't heat up with the probe. This takes about 30 seconds and is often done free of charge. It also doesn't hurt the stone the way some other ways of testing will.
- Use the fog test: Put the stone in front of your mouth and fog it like you would a mirror. If it stays fogged for a couple seconds, it’s probably a fake. A real diamond disperses the heat instantaneously so by the time you look at it, it has already cleared up, or if it happens to be a little dirty, it still clears much faster than a fake. Use a stone you know is real next to the suspect stone and fog both. You can watch how the real one stays clear while the fake one fogs over, plus if you breath on them repeatedly, you will see condensation start to build up on the fake, it fogs more with with each puff, while the real one is still clean and clear.
- Have the diamond x-rayed. Real diamonds do not show up on an x-ray, glass, cubic zirconium and crystals all have slightly radiopaque quailities, diamonds are radiolucent.
Use a jeweler's loupe to inspect the diamond. Mined diamonds usually have small imperfections or inclusions that can be seen this way. Cubic zirconium does not have these imperfections. For that matter, lab-grown diamonds (which should pass all of the other tests) usually don't have imperfections either.
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Sterling Silver vs. Silver Plated (we don't buy Plated)
Sterling Silver
Traditionally used in formal dining, sterling silverware can also be used every day to transform any meal into a special occasion. Composed of more than 90% silver, this valuable flatware option resists scratching and breaking, and is designed to last a lifetime. Keep in mind, however, that many Sterling Silver (92.5% silver) items are weighted, such as Candle Holders, Knife Handles, Salt & Pepper Shakers, Candleabras, Platters and Tea Sets. Knife blades are typically Stainless Steel as well. The reason Knife Handles also have other material inside is because if the handle was pure silver it would be very heavy and difficult to eat with! Below is a picture of some Candle Holders weighted, and after the weighted material is removed. Weighted material can include other metals and plaster for example. As you can see, with the weighted material (including a steel rod to strengthen it, otherwise it would collapse), the 'weighted' weight is 6.16 ounces. Compare that to the weight of the silver after removing all of the other non-silver material which is 0.78 ounces. This is certainly an important thing to consider when trying to evaluate and assess the value of your Sterling Silver Tea Sets, Flatware, Platters, Bowls, Candle Holders, Candlebras and other items.
Silver Plated
A cost-effective alternative to sterling silverware, silver-plated flatware is usually made of brass, nickel or stainless steel and finished with silver plating. The thickness of the plating will vary from pattern to pattern, but any way you slice it, the lustrous look of silver adds refinement to any table.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel flatware is composed of a variety of iron alloys. The common designations 18/10, 18/8 and 18/0 refer to the percentages of chrome and nickel in the alloy. The first number refers to the percentage of chrome, added for durability and greater resistance to corrosion. The second number refers to the percentage of nickel, used to give flatware a soft sheen similar to silver. So, when stainless steel flatware is referred to as 18/10, it has 18% chrome and 10% nickel. Hard-wearing and luminous, this is considered the highest quality stainless steel, followed by 18/8 and 18/0.
Here is a brief list of some of the manufacturers of silver plated flatware;
19th Century
Barton
Associated Silver Co.
Aurora
Buccellati
Christofle
Couzon
Dansk
Derby Silver Co.
Diamond
Fairfield
Gorham
Holloware Hall & Elton
International
Holloware J.E.
Webster
James W. Tufts
Kirk Stieff
Lauffer
Lunt
Monarch
National
Oneida
Holloware Pinder
Reed & Barton
Rogers
S.D. Browser & Son
Sears Roebuck
Stan & Marcus
Tiffany
Towle
Wallace-International
Wm. Nelson Shaffer
Wm. Rogers & So
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Counterfeit Gems are difficult to spot!
There are more counterfeit gems in the jewelry market today than ever due to more ways of making them appear "real". Knowing what different deceptive means dealers use to pass off fake gems as real ones can help you avoid getting swindled.
There is a difference in value between gems which are natural or made by nature and those that are synthetic or made by man. There is also imitation gems which are different than both natural and synthetic. There is a big difference in value and price between these three types of gems sold to consumers.
Synthetic is the name given to man made gems which are just as beautiful as a natural gem, sometimes more beautiful. Man made gemstones are identical to their natural counter parts except for the fact that they are made in the laboratory instead of by mother nature in the earth. They possess the identical chemical composition, crystal structure and appearance as their natural counter parts. They are also identical in hardness, luster, and refractive qualities. Because they are made in the lab they are perfect. The cost of a perfect natural gem can be astronomical; the cost of a perfect man-made gem is affordable, because they can be made in mass quantities.
Imitation gems are not the same chemically as gems that are synthetic or natural. Imitation gems are usually made of glass. Red glass can be made into an imitation ruby. Green glass can pass as an emerald. Cubic zirconia is a lab grown gem but it is not the same chemically as it's natural counterpart. Cubic zirconia can be made into a green gem that looks extremely close to an emerald. Cubic zirconia is much cheaper than a natural gem or a gems synthetic counterpart.
There is nothing wrong with making synthetic gems and there is nothing illegal about it. But selling or passing off a synthetic gem as a natural gem is illegal and fraudulent. Retailers feel that the term "imitation" when used next to the gem doesn't sound good. Most customers wouldn't want to buy an imitation gem. So, they insert the word synthetic for an imitation stone. Synthetic stones are not the same as imitation stones in the jewelry world. So when you are buying a piece of jewelry make sure you ask if the gem is natural, synthetic or imitation.
Another deceptive practice that sellers play on buyers of gems is coating them with a colored substance. A pale gem can be coated with a darker colored plastic to make it appear more valuable. A rock crystal can be coated with a red plastic to imitate a ruby. To make a gem sparkle a dealer may coat a dull gem with lacquer or shellac.
Dealers can also put a dab of paint on the bottom point of a dull gem to refract up through it intensifying the color. The light will go down through the gem and reflect off of the darker paint, the gem will appear a darker more valuable hue. A diamond that is too yellow can be painted on the bottom with a purple color thus counteracting the yellow and making the diamond appear clear. A crystal clear colorless diamond is worth more than a yellow one. The paint on the bottom of the gem will be hidden by the gold setting. Always make sure you can inspect the bottom of a gem in the ring's setting. Do not buy an expensive ring with a closed back setting, the bottom of the gem may be painted.
A dealer can put a foil backing on an imitation glass stone to make the gem appear brilliant. Foil backing has been applied to gems for thousands of years; mostly before modern cutting techniques to add brilliant facets was invented. It is not a common practice today, but some antique stones can be found that have foil backings. The value of an antique stone with a foil backing will be valuable because it is an antique.
Sometimes gem manufacturers will glue together two stones to make a doublet, or three stones to make a triplet. These are called composite or assembled stones. When a seller discloses a doublet or a triplet this is not considered deceptive. But, sometimes the types of stones that are glued together are not equal in value. It is not uncommon for a synthetic stone to be glued to a natural or an imitation stone. When the buyer is not told it is considered a fraudulent practice.
Another misleading practice used by jewelers is re-naming gems to make buyers think they are getting a rarer more valuable one. A garnet could be called an American Ruby when all it is a garnet. Some other misnomers are: an oriental amethyst which is really a purple sapphire, a Brazilian diamond which is really a colorless topaz, an Indian emerald which is really a dyed crackled quartz, a Brazilian emerald which is really a green tourmaline, a Spanish emerald which is really green glass, a Ceylon opal which is really a moonstone, a water sapphire which is really iolite. This is just a few of them, there are many more "manufactured" names dealers will give gems to make you believe you are getting more than you are. If a jeweler calls a gem by a double "special" name, ask them what it really means.
The above practices, when done with the intent to deceive, are fraud. If a jeweler or dealer is honest and discloses the information to the buyer then it is legitimate. As long as the buyer is aware of what they are purchasing then the sale is legitimate.
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