Blue Nile and Emeralds

interesting, that would be a major black eye if the lawsuit is succesful. How did you find it?
 
They are running an adwords campaign and it popped up in my gmail account. It looked interesting so I followed the link.
 
I read something about this in something like National Jeweler, can't remember specifics.
 
I read something about this, also. I just take it for granted that all emeralds are enhanced because 99.9999% of emeralds are. The real issue is HOW are they enhanced, not if they are enhanced.


Gail
 
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Blue Nile does have a statement on their website that "nearly all colored gemstones sold at fine jewelers, including Blue Nile, are enhanced using various techniques." Here is the link: http://www.bluenile.com/gemstone-jewelry/gemstone-enhancements

The statement is on their page about gemstone care and the link describing "enhancements" is on the same page as the product description. However, it is not in the section with the product details. They could do a better job of making it more obvious, but the statement is there.
 
"Yehuda Sues Blue Nile over Emerald Disclosures

-- JCK-Jewelers Circular Keystone, 12/4/2008 10:36:00 AM
Yehuda Diamonds filed a federal lawsuit seeking to require Blue Nile, Inc. to offer refunds to Blue Nile customers who wish to return emeralds or emerald jewelry items purchased from the company.

The complaint, "Diascience Corp. dba Yehuda Diamond Company and John Does. nos. 1-10, vs. Blue Nile Inc.," was filed Nov. 12 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (Court Case #08CV9751).

... "

etc. [continued down that link]
 
I believe "oiling" is a commonly accepted enhancement for emeralds. If they cavity fill the stones and not disclose them as such, then I believe the claim is justifiable.

Shame though, as Blue Nile has worked hard to make diamonds more accessible for all, and has a good solid reputation as an online diamond merchant until now.

DK :)
 
Yehuda Diamonds filed a federal lawsuit seeking to require Blue Nile, Inc. to offer refunds to Blue Nile customers

Ahh it makes more sense now, Yehuda is an online seller of diamonds. It could be a bit of a PR stunt. Just like all those companies that sue google, it is always good for a little media attention.
 
The story sounds interesting...

- Yehuda Diamonds provide a well known, trademarked clarity treatment for diamonds (probably not only). Unusually, the company advertises the treatment openly and holds the upper ground tightly. They have to: fracture filling is also done by many others without 'TM'.

- Blue Nile did as little as usually done for treatment disclosure on emeralds - Tiffany does no better then a fine print, out of the way blanket statement. Rules are minimalistic - tend to come up on court more then over the counter [there are a couple of flamboyant litigation related to emeralds in recent memory].

- All diamonds on Blue come with independent lab reports stating, among others, enhancement status (GIA, AGS - better then just tell-you-what-you-want-to-hear paper).

Other facts may be relevant, this is what comes to mind.

Drawing the line:

methinks: why not the same paper trail for emeralds?

Blue Nile must know what that 'paper' is good for better then most' - even I have lived long enough to have heard of 30 pointers with paper as a joke (before 'Blue Nile' times). This is not a business-as-usual shop; why should it get away with business-as-usual slack?

I can think of at least one reason why it shouldn't: perhaps invasive treatments on emerald are not big now [HERE], but a large dumpster list open to a trusty Blue Nile public... sounds like promising ground for drastic treatments to be born. Emerald filers are fairly low tech. And in the larger scheme of things, fracture filing can go very far [report on how far it went for rubies: HERE and possibly on emeralds themselves too HERE]...

Neither is an easy point to prove. 'Bet those lawyers involved have something more practical in mind for their settlement :rolleyes:

2c


PS. speaking of the traditional treatment...

Richard Hughes gives a visual account (HERE), GIA has a timeline of treatment methods at hand (HERE). Just in case.

I have not heard of anything as drastic as the extreme ruby makeover done on emeralds. Do not know what could be possible. It is always too easy to 'cry wolf'! This is not an alarm, just some cheap analogy (need to make clear).
 
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