We use cookies to show content based on your preferences. If you continue to browse you accept their use and installation. More information. >

FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board
The place to share your mineralogical experiences


Spanish message board






Newest topics and users posts
28 Mar-09:37:50 Re: 2 unknowns co-occurring with caledonite, grand reef mine, az (Cfrench58)
27 Mar-19:47:08 Re: 2 unknowns co-occurring with caledonite, grand reef mine, az (Pete Richards)
27 Mar-16:15:44 Re: 2 unknowns co-occurring with caledonite, grand reef mine, az (Cfrench58)
27 Mar-15:18:59 Re: 2 unknowns co-occurring with caledonite, grand reef mine, az (Alfredo)
27 Mar-14:39:29 2 unknowns co-occurring with caledonite, grand reef mine, az (Cfrench58)
27 Mar-05:21:48 Re: the mim museum in beirut, lebanon (Mim Museum)
27 Mar-05:03:26 Re: trying to find information on rose/pink quartz and tourmaline associations. (Ning)
27 Mar-02:39:50 Re: the mim museum in beirut, lebanon (Tobi)
27 Mar-00:23:28 Re: collection of volkmar stingl (Volkmar Stingl)
26 Mar-00:53:41 Re: collection of volkmar stingl (Volkmar Stingl)
25 Mar-13:32:10 Re: collection of michael shaw (Michael Shaw)
25 Mar-00:25:58 The mizunaka collection - quartz (Am Mizunaka)
23 Mar-13:35:22 Re: collection of firmo espinar (Firmo Espinar)
22 Mar-08:32:28 Re: collection of michael shaw (Michael Shaw)
22 Mar-04:20:41 Re: the mim museum in beirut, lebanon (Mim Museum)
21 Mar-22:49:19 Re: green seam. Looks like it in a state of decay. (Ning)
21 Mar-22:47:40 Re: green seam. Looks like it in a state of decay. (Ning)
21 Mar-22:45:25 Re: green seam. Looks like it in a state of decay. (Ning)
21 Mar-15:34:23 Re: the mizunaka collection - quartz (Am Mizunaka)
21 Mar-14:35:08 Re: jim’s mineral collection (Jim Wilkinson)
21 Mar-14:15:36 The 4th phoenix heritage mineral show (phms) hosted by mineralogical society of arizona (m (Chris Whitney-smith)
21 Mar-04:36:10 Re: the mizunaka collection (Tobi)
21 Mar-04:11:47 Re: jim’s mineral collection (James Catmur)
20 Mar-23:34:15 The mizunaka collection - quartz (Am Mizunaka)
20 Mar-18:13:16 Re: jim’s mineral collection (Jim Wilkinson)

For lists of newest topics and postings click here


RSS RSS

View unanswered posts

Why and how to register

Index Index
 FAQFAQ RegisterRegister  Log inLog in
 {Forgotten your password?}Forgotten your password?  

Like
111802


The time now is Mar 28, 2024 16:21

Search for a textSearch for a text   

A general guide for using the Forum with some rules and tips
The information provided within this Forum about localities is only given to allow reference to them. Any visit to any of the localities requires you to obtain full permission and relevant information prior to your visit. FMF is strictly against any illicit activities related to collecting minerals.
Money talks, especially in the hobby of mineral collecting
  Goto page Previous  1, 2
  Index -> Off-Topic and Introductions
Like
48


View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message

David




Joined: 01 Nov 2011
Posts: 101
Location: Bucharest


Access to the FMF Gallery title=

View user's profile

Send private message

PostPosted: Nov 05, 2022 19:48    Post subject: Re: Money talks, especially in the hobby of mineral collecting  

Hello, Riccardo,

I think we should definitely include gemstones in the potentially affordable minerals category. And those can make for great specimens, even if they are nowhere near jewellery-grade. I find it very interesting to see gemstones in their natural, uncut or unpolished form or in their host rock.

I also think that the borderline between what constitutes a precious stone and what does not is extremely thin. In the end precious is a matter of perception.

Regards,
David
Back to top
Reply to topic Reply with quote
Like
1
   

Tobi
Site Admin



Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4092
Location: Germany


Access to the FMF Gallery title=

View user's profile

Send private message

PostPosted: Nov 07, 2022 07:43    Post subject: Re: Money talks, especially in the hobby of mineral collecting  

Philippe Durand wrote:
I think and experience has shown that it is possible to have nice specimens at 200$ and under.

1. for that do not look at gem minerals.
2. you can easily find small cabinet, miniature, and thumbnails in that range.
3. you can accept small damage or imperfections at the periphery of the specimen (nice does not necessarily mean perfect).
4. you can aim at common species: calcite, quartz, barite, pyrite, galena, sphalerite, fluorite (not the bests in this time, I must admit), malachite, schorl, garnets, zeolites....
5. take your time and see as many specimens as possible, and you will find sleepers (underpriced specimens) in the dealer stocks.
6. some dealers do regular sales, and you can have good opportunities
7. avoid the top-notch dealers who have overpriced specimens even for a very basic specimen, but a long list of words to explain why this usual calcite must be worth $500.
8. with time and age, you could save money to buy more expensive minerals.
9. buy what YOU like, and makes YOU happy: it is your collection
10. if you self-collect, it is the best, and free :)

Philippe, except for the first sentence I agree with all of them! Words of wisdom!

Best regards
Tobi
Back to top
Reply to topic Reply with quote
Like
   

silvia




Joined: 10 Oct 2021
Posts: 253
Location: UK


Access to the FMF Gallery title=

View user's profile

Send private message

PostPosted: Nov 07, 2022 17:57    Post subject: Re: Money talks, especially in the hobby of mineral collecting  

Tobi wrote:
Philippe Durand wrote:
I think and experience has shown that it is possible to have nice specimens at 200$ and under.

1. for that do not look at gem minerals.
2. you can easily find small cabinet, miniature, and thumbnails in that range.
3. you can accept small damage or imperfections at the periphery of the specimen (nice does not necessarily mean perfect).
4. you can aim at common species: calcite, quartz, barite, pyrite, galena, sphalerite, fluorite (not the bests in this time, I must admit), malachite, schorl, garnets, zeolites....
5. take your time and see as many specimens as possible, and you will find sleepers (underpriced specimens) in the dealer stocks.
6. some dealers do regular sales, and you can have good opportunities
7. avoid the top-notch dealers who have overpriced specimens even for a very basic specimen, but a long list of words to explain why this usual calcite must be worth $500.
8. with time and age, you could save money to buy more expensive minerals.
9. buy what YOU like, and makes YOU happy: it is your collection
10. if you self-collect, it is the best, and free :)

Philippe, except for the first sentence I agree with all of them! Words of wisdom!

Best regards
Tobi


Hello Tobi:

I would agree with you to a point. My partner and I do not collect many gem minerals. We have a few Pakistani Aquamarines in our collection that were obtained nearly 20 years ago, but little else. We just do not see any gem mineral specimens that we would consider worthy of purchasing in the small cabinet (8 cm x 8 cm x 8 cm) to large cabinet (15 cm x 15 cm x 15 cm) price range.

The vast majority of gem minerals in that size range are just too badly flawed to be worth the money being asked. Yes many possess vibrant blue and vibrant green and vibrant red crystals, but the crystals show far too many defects. This fact alone might explain why they are being sold as a mineral specimen rather than being cut as a gem. When you look closely you see many internal defects – cracks, veils, inclusions, milky zones, scratches and many other eye distracting characteristics too.

Some gem minerals resemble beautifully colour glass that has been heated and then cooled rapidly to create a mosaic of cracks and other internal defects. This is especially true of Tourmaline specimens which tend to show the most eye distracting features. Once you look beyond the vibrant colour the defects truly stand out.

We do like Schorl, as any internal defects are just not visible. When we do see a truly damage free gem mineral it is far too expensive to buy, exceeding our upper budget of $10,000USD by a few extra zeros.

We apply the same purchase principles to Quartz, Calcite, Fluorite and a few other minerals that occur as so-called ‘gemmy mineral’ specimens. Again, the internal defects are just too distracting in most cases, to warrant any serious purchase.

Silvia

PS – Stick with Sulphides, Arsenides, Sulphosalts, Oxides, better bang for the buck.
Back to top
Reply to topic Reply with quote
Like
   

James Catmur
Site Admin



Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 1340
Location: Cambridge


Access to the FMF Gallery title=

View user's profile

Send private message

PostPosted: Nov 08, 2022 07:33    Post subject: Re: Money talks, especially in the hobby of mineral collecting  

I will always prefer 10) as they are the best psychologically, if not physically
Back to top
Reply to topic Reply with quote
Like
1
   

Roger Warin




Joined: 23 Jan 2013
Posts: 1171


Access to the FMF Gallery title=

View user's profile

Send private message

PostPosted: Nov 08, 2022 13:49    Post subject: Re: Money talks, especially in the hobby of mineral collecting  

Hello,
For me, the morphology of the crystal is important.
One may prefer the unusual facets of an opaque crystal to transparency.
For this, small crystals are superior to larger ones. It is a question of crystallization kinetics.
Important faces are those whose growth was slow. The fast-growing ones often disappear, eventually being engulfed by the larger, more thermodynamically stable ones.
The collection of minicrystals can therefore be interesting.
Despite its great qualities, the emerald is only a beryl, inferior to sapphire and ruby.
Even the spinel must be respected.
These 3 gems are oxides, therefore compact materials.
But this is only a chemist's opinion.
Also, these 3 species existed in the solar nebula before the planets appeared. They are part of the CAI's, these refractory dusts.
Back to top
Reply to topic Reply with quote
Like
   
Display posts from previous:   
   Index -> Off-Topic and Introductions   All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 2 of 2
  Goto page Previous  1, 2  

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum


All pictures, text, design © Forum FMF 2006-2024


Powered by FMF