So last Tuesday I decided to figure out why emerald diamond tennis necklaces cost more than my car. Seriously, some prices made me spit out my coffee.
Started simple: hit Google like everyone else. Typed “how much emerald necklace cost” – big mistake. Results were everywhere. One site said $5k, next one said $50k for something looking identical. Totally confusing.
Messy Research Phase
Called three local jewelers pretending I wanted to buy – acted clueless on purpose. First guy kept saying “investment piece” without giving numbers. Second place flat-out told me they don’t carry “real ones” when I asked about prices. Third guy? Tried selling me cz chips dipped in green stuff. Embarrassing.
Then went down these rabbit holes:
- Emerald scams: Found out most are treated with oil or resin. Untreated ones? Basically unicorns.
- Clarity nightmare: Thought shiny=good. Wrong. Those green stones are supposed to have “jardin” – French for garden, meaning flaws. Too clean? Fake.
- Setting traps: Learned some dealers glue diamonds in place instead of prong setting. Yeah, glue. Disgusting.
Facepalm Moments
Visited this fancy boutique last Thursday. Saleslady pulled out a 10ct tennis necklace – felt legit heavy. Price tag: $78,000. Almost dropped it. She started explaining:
“See the color saturation…” (meanwhile I’m thinking about mortgage payments)
“The Zambian origin…” (my brain: Zambia? Isn’t that where lions live?)
“The platinum setting ensures…” (translation: add another zero)
Asked her straight: “What actually makes this cost more than a Porsche?” Got textbook answers with zero realness.
Reality Check
Stayed up Friday night cross-referencing forums. Key takeaways:
- Size matters less than quality: A 2ct vivid green emerald > some watery 5ct rock
- Diamonds aren’t the star: Those side stones? Often lower grade than solitaire rings
- Metal weight sneaks up: Platinum settings add thousands quietly
Finally found decent comparisons yesterday. Made myself a cheat sheet:
- $3k-$10k = Commercial grade (treated, visible flaws)
- $15k-$40k = Better color, fewer oil treatments
- $50k+ = Collector stuff with certificates proving origin
Walked into another store today armed with this. Asked specific questions about treatment levels and diamond clarity. Salesguy actually paused before answering. Felt like winning a small victory.
What Actually Matters
For regular buyers like us? Forget “investment potential”. Focus on:
- Get GIA/AGSL certificates – NO exceptions
- Ask “how much resin/oil is in these?” – watch them sweat
- Check diamond prongs under loupe – no glue residues
- Ignore size hype – better small and vibrant than big and washed-out
Left empty-handed but smarter. Realized most “luxury education” content is sales fluff. Actual pricing factors? They hope you never ask. Still crying over my savings account though.