Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:04 pm Posts: 1642 Location: Walnut Creek, CA
I was wondering if posting this in the "Scams" section, but it's so absurd that I'll post it here. Apparently eBay likes to show me in the homepage the crappiest stuff you can imagine. Well, this is beyond imagination. After the "solar quartz" (groups of quartz crystals painted with -likely- paint markers, now look&behold! A top-quality "watermelon tourmaline" that can be yours for only 1500 USD!!!
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:56 am Posts: 6461 Location: The frozen north prairie :-/
The seller explains that watermelon tourmaline is green (outside), red (inside) and white (rind), yet he shows a psychedelic crystal . Part of me wonders if perhaps he just put the wrong photo up, or is just truly a .
Maybe I'll write and ask him which it is .
_________________ IIJA Registered Gemologist GIA Graduate Gemologist
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:56 am Posts: 6461 Location: The frozen north prairie :-/
Okay ... This is what I wrote to the seller:
"The photo you show here is obviously NOT a watermelon tourmaline. Have you perhaps uploaded the wrong photo, or is there something else going on?"
Here is the seller's response:
"If you do not think its watermelon tourmaline than what exactly do you think it is."
I'm tempted to write back and ask him if he truly thinks its watermelon tourmaline . Perhaps with an attached photo of a real watermelon tourmaline. Then again, I do have other things to do.
_________________ IIJA Registered Gemologist GIA Graduate Gemologist
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:56 am Posts: 6461 Location: The frozen north prairie :-/
Another response from the seller:
"I already know that it is Watermelon Tourmaline. Its a rare form like how a Herkimer diamond might have oil drip in it. Not all Watermelon Tourmaline looks alike. This is actually a very beautiful specimen mined and cut professionally . You might not believe its Watermelon Tourmaline because of its size but I have a video of the crystal as well. I mine gems and diamonds. I sell the expensive minerals occasionally because I am more of a collector. I didn't mean for my last message to seem inconsiderate I was just wondering what you thought it might be."
_________________ IIJA Registered Gemologist GIA Graduate Gemologist
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
OK, I couldn't resist:
Barbra wrote:
What gemological evidence do you have regarding the identification of this crystal? I am quite sure it is NOT tourmaline...or, for that matter any naturally occurring mineral crystal. Have you had this optically tested? Optical character? Refractive Index? I'm betting the answer is NO.
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
Seller responds:
Quote:
It was cut to be a healing crystal. Its rare to see this kind of Tourmaline in such condition and amazement. Im sorry to hear your not sure if this is Watermelon Tourmaline. What exactly do you think it is?
Barbra wrote:
Dear antiquequeststash,
I wouldn't blindly speculate on what it is without testing, but I am quite sure what it is NOT. Sorry, but I work as a gemologist/geologist and find a posting like this bordering fraudulent misrepresentation.
Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:00 am Posts: 1322 Location: Wylie Texas but in Alaska for a while
I went to the auction and asked if he had certs.
This was his reply: Dear wilsonsintexas,
It was cut to be a healing crystal. I have not ran test but it can't be anything else besides watermelon tourmaline. I have another smaller prism cut watermelon tourmaline that was tested. They both came from the same mineral ore. - antiquequeststash
I send him my email address, and he sent the following "CERTS"
Often times these people have been totally duped. There's a woman who sells at our local flea market who has been sold a real bill of goods by some guy she calls "doc." He sells her stuff with bad ID info telling her it's worth a lot. It's probably best not to pile too hard on him. Yes, it's irresponsible to sell something you don't know much about, but he doesn't know enough to know how little he knows. It's frustrating to see someone like this bring disrepute on the trade, but I doubt he means bad. Now, the people selling to him...
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
Agreed. I feel bad for everyone who is being duped.....but the seller is offering this as a $1500 tourmaline xl. We know it is, as best, an experimental project....... I think we must call this fraudulent misrepresentation....as that is what it is.
Has been relisted for 500 bucks. New description states tourmaline with fluorite like cut. Not sure what that means so I asked the seller for clarification. Since it does come with a cert. from the Mineral Fairy I offered 5 bucks for the stone.
Often times these people have been totally duped. There's a woman who sells at our local flea market who has been sold a real bill of goods .
Latest story: She has a ring with what is purported to be rubellite in it - perfectly clean, a little salmon in color and about 2 carats. She wants $75 for it. I asked how she knew it was tourmaline, and her husband said he had given one of her pieces of schorl to the man, and it had been cut from that. Talk about turning a sow's ear into a silk purse.
Often times these people have been totally duped. There's a woman who sells at our local flea market who has been sold a real bill of goods by some guy she calls "doc." He sells her stuff with bad ID info telling her it's worth a lot. It's probably best not to pile too hard on him. Yes, it's irresponsible to sell something you don't know much about, but he doesn't know enough to know how little he knows. It's frustrating to see someone like this bring disrepute on the trade, but I doubt he means bad. Now, the people selling to him...
Enough people have questioned this seller on the authenticity of this stone. The answer is not to reduce the price on this phony stone from $1500 to $500. They need to find out what they are selling. I could make a fortune selling Rolex watches on E-bay. They sell for 20 bucks on the corner of 47th st. and Broadway in N.Y.C. As long as the guy in the black overcoat says they are genuine I should be good to go.
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