Diamond in Kimberlite

Hello everybody
I wonder what you think about this Diamond specimen.
There are two small crystals (measuring 4mm together) nested in
Kimberlite matrix (in the lower right part). Nothing glued or something like that.
What would be the value of a specimen like that?
Thanks for your estimations.
Cheers
Juergen

Wafangdian Mine, Province Liaoning, China
5.5 x 3.8 x 3.7 cm

Wasting your time trying to get a valuation for a piece like that on here. Pay to get it properly appraised, it will be worth it.

Very much doubt it is not a fake. Commercial diamond mining is such that specimen collection just doesn't happen. Most diamond-in-kimberlite specimens are constructed fakes.

I can't recall that any diamond in matrix has ever been judged to be genuine on this site.
Just sayin'.
If it is real (which it could be - certainly not EVERY diamond in matrix in the world is a fake), its value could be considerable.

Even though you say it is not glued, it wouldn't hurt to check with a UV lamp for fluorescent glue. I agree with Steve and Ken that many of these are constructed.

That doesn't mean yours is not authentic, but it would be very uncommon.

regards,
stephanie

edit - as far as valuation goes, there is one for sale on ebay for $140 from a different Chinese location.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/2012 03:52AM by Stephanie Martin.

As I said Juergen pay to have professionally appraised, that way you will eliminate all the guesses and presumptions. I personally think it looks legitimate. And as far as Ebay as a guide for valuation.......no no no......your almost guaranteed that is a fake, that's why it's on Ebay.

Juergen, You can save yourself the cost of a professional appraisal by soaking it in acetone for a few days. If that doesn't make it pop out of its matrix, soak it in warm water for a few more days (some common water-soluble "white glues" don't dissolve in acetone). If it still doesn't loosen, you might have a real matrix piece, which would be very unusual.

(One other problem with "professional appraisal", apart from the cost, is that the money might be wasted anyway, if the appraiser is a gem expert - They're trained to deal with gems, not evaluate matrix. The appraiser would be more useful if he/she were a museum curator or art restorer, and all they would do is look at it under a UV light, and then try acetone and warm water, which you might as well just do yourself.)

Hi everybody
thanks for your help so far. I still have not decided if I take the piece or not.
So lets say it is real, then 300$ would be good price?
I will go back to my microscope and check again even closer then so far...

All right. Here we come. It looks like it is a fake. I was looking at it and there where no signs of manipulation or something like that. But then at one spot when I used the needle it was soft and particles of glue came loose when scubbing with the needle. So in my eyes this is a clear sign that this piece is a fake!? If you click at the fotos you can also see the image in larger size.

Wonder what you think?

Very suspicious to say the least mate.

Agree with the others that think this may well be faked onto the matrix. The only thing that I would add in this discussion to you and all others that are faced with this type dilemma is that before you try anything (!) to test the authenticity of the piece, make absolutely sure (!!) that the other party knows exactly what you will be doing (!) so there is absolutely no misunderstanding about your altering or "damaging" the other person's specimen that you are examining for possible purchase.

Great call by all the mindater's! Sounds like it's a fake. Well done guys!

There is an off chance (very off, I'd say) that the specimen is a repaired legitimate specimen, and not a fake.