I thought tungsten was inexpensive...I was wrong

[dobbratacus]

Went to the lake today. Ho Hum, another tungsten. Thought it strange it had diamonds. Shocked when I saw it lists for over 500 everywhere. Who'd have thunk it?

 

[Cameraniac]

Interesting .... I have always hated them because when I first find them, I always think that they are platinum.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Some poor sucker might have paid $500 for that, and perhaps they list for that much in a jewelry store, but .... trust me, you'll get next to nothing trying to sell it for intrinsic value. It has negligable intrinsic value of any sort. And those "diamonds" you'd be hard-pressed to get anyone to buy. They're essentially chips. And buyers of diamonds will only look at 1/4 size & up .

Your only hope of value, is if you had someone who has that exact ring size, and wanted to buy it as jewelry.

 

[Cameraniac]

Some poor sucker might have paid $500 for that, and perhaps they list for that much in a jewelry store, but .... trust me, you'll get next to nothing trying to sell it for intrinsic value. It has negligable intrinsic value of any sort. And those "diamonds" you'd be hard-pressed to get anyone to buy. They're essentially chips. And buyers of diamonds will only look at 1/4 size & up .

Your only hope of value, is if you had someone who has that exact ring size, and wanted to buy it as jewelry.

Good .... that means I can keep on hating them.

 

[dewcon4414]

Slap a fancy name and add a couple of stones and its still the same junk to us. So ya keep hating them.

 

[Dancer]

All is not lost. Those hated rings you find, can make someone in your circle of friends happy. Waiters, waitress, etc. Young people. Take a few around with you, offer a choice to a waitress / bar tender. You might be surprised, make you fill good too.

 

[bob.oz]

You can dress them up with diamonds....but they're still just a pig with lipstick!
Found my first inscribed Titanium the other night with a pin head size diamond.

 

[WaterWalker]

They may be junk, but I sold one as a replacement for a lost ring!

It is not always the monetary value of the dug target, it is the hunt, the unknown...
and in the case of the tungsten, titanium, lustrium and other non precious metal rings,
the rush that warms you when your in cold water, fighting the elements and looking for the gold!

I would give up kissing all the lipsticked pigs for a more enjoyable experience of finding ANY ring.

I found a tungsten this week, put a notice on the web in hopes the owner might claim it. No responses, yet.

Love the idea about offering it to a waiter or waitress...in lieu of a tip.

 

[Goldstrike]

To me, it's a momentary thrill for a few seconds but the let-down soon after is a bummer. Also, I can't help thinking as stated before that people get ripped off by the silly price tags the retailers put on this stuff. Of course, it's the buyer's choice to pay the crazy price tag but as a metal detectorist, I know as well as you all that they are virtually unsellable when used/ 2nd hand/found etc;. I guess any ring found though is better that a ring-less day!

 

[Cameraniac]

. I guess any ring found though is better that a ring-less day!

 

[tvr]

I've sold a couple of "junk" rings to people who just liked the looks and ... well ... $10 or $40 for them is still money I didn't have before they found a new home. I can't complain about getting out and enjoying the hunt and then being able to turn around and sell even some of the "junk".
Cheers,
tvr

 

[KinTN]

Stick 'em on ebay with a glowing writeup. Those suckas will overpay for anything.

 

[OldBeechnut]

Amazing what some will pay to have New when there are Many Used Gold's to be had. I find very few of the new age metal rings but I am sure it is just a matter of time.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Amazing what some will pay to have New when there are Many Used Gold's to be had.....

Yup, sort of like automobiles: The minute you drive a car off the dealer's lot, it's value is cut in half . Same for gold rings: The actual intrinsic value of the ring, is a mere fraction of what it costs if you buy it in a jewelry store. And worse yet for tungsten! (that has, I think, next to zero intrinsic value).

Hence a person would be a LOT better off buying on the 2nd hand market (ebay for instance). Even if it means the cost of re-sizing. But the reason why the average person (especially women) won't buy a wedding ring 2nd hand, is because of the stigma. Ie.: it seems "cheap" and isn't romantic or whatever. So then humorously, if these used jewelry (aka hawk shops, smelt places, etc...) call them "estate *or "vintage" etc....) jewelry" versus "used" jewelry, they get a lot more sales.

Human nature is sort of funny like that. When I got married, I knew the game "all too well" since having been an md'r for years. So I bought my wedding at the local "buy/sell gold" shop in my city. At just a few strokes above spot value on gold. Which saved me hundreds of $$ on a men's band. But most women wouldn't consider that, as it wouldn't seem romantic or whatever.

 

[dewcon4414]

Not a lot of thrill for me pulling a gold plated SS or tung even if it does have a diamond.....chip. Show me yellow and iget the snoopy dance going.

 

[melbajoe]

I agree its always better at first glance to see a ring in the scoop instead of a pull tab. If you can make a few bucks on it so much the better. Of course the yellow metal is ALWAYS the best

 

[wvrick]

The price was right. HH

 

[BootyHunter]

The type of fool that would pay $500 for this is the same one that would take a candy bar over a 1 ounce silver coin, or wouldn't accept a gold coin as payment, check out "Mark Dice" videos on youtube, he does these and other such experiments. People have no idea what gold and silver is worth, yet if some "new age craptonium" is all the rage on Facebook or Twitter they will buy it like hot cakes. If you market these "junk" finds to the right crowd, you can do really well on these, and it's a good thing because I believe fewer and fewer gold rings are being sold, or worn.