How do I Sell My Collection of Investment Gems?
As a general rule, a collection of loose gemstones is not a very good investment. Most individuals will be lucky to sell their gemstones for 50% of what they paid for them. Most gemstone dealers do not buy from private parties because they have spent years finding people where they buy gems at below wholesale prices. So when it’s time to liquidate your gem portfolio you are left with places like EBay or Craigslist and will be competing with sellers who have built up loyal customers and have spent a great deal of time working on their reputation.
There are a few exceptions though. If you are able to buy your gemstones when a new find is discovered you will do very well in the coming years. Tanzanite is a perfect example of this type of investment opportunity. When this gemstone was first discovered the price was amazingly low but as the mines started producing less the price went through the roof. New finds occur every couple of years but the trick is to know when they occur and to buy when the material is abundant. Keeping up with news in the gemstone trade organizations is essential.
Another exception is high-end gemstones such as colored diamonds, loose emerald, loose ruby, or sapphire that are untreated and large. These rare gems often go up in value and you would be able to sell them at one of the famous auction houses like Sotheby’s. Make sure you have very good documentation when you buy these types of gems though. Gemstones are the most portable source of wealth and if you live in an unstable part of the world gems can be an important way to travel with some of your wealth in case you need to escape for political reasons.