From:	abortion_engine abortion_engine@*******.com
Subject:	Gems
Date:	Tue, 7 Sep 1999 07:24:08 -0400

> Hi,
>
> I've posted this question some time ago and didn't recieve a
> single answer so I give it another try:
>
>
> I'd like to let my players find some gems like diamonds or
> emeralds. Does anybody have a price/weight list for
> (un)cutten gems which can be used in Shadowrun. I'd like to
> be realistic for that matter.
>
> Thanks
> Sandman
>

Diamonds [and emeralds, for that matter] don't work that way. First of all,
the quality--no, I won't go into detail about the 4 Cs--of the stone is a
huge factor. Second, the larger a stone is, the greater the price per carat.
[For instance, a 1 carat diamond is more than twice the cost of a 1/2 carat
diamond.]

Moreover, the price of an uncut diamond is more often than not based on the
estimated value of the cut diamond that could be generated from it. On
average, I'd say, from a 2 carat uncut stone, it would not be unreasonable
to assume you could generate a 1 carat finished stone of acceptable cut.

However, if you want a general guideline, I would say that a single carat
cut stone of decent quality should be between US$4,000 and US$4,800. Double
the number of carats if you're giving them uncut diamonds [which they should
prefer, as they are less identifiable.]

What I want to know is, how do they expect to sell these things? Do they
know any jewelers who'll buy rocks from the SIN-less? Uncut rocks, at that?
And if this is a high-pay job, are they not worried about flooding the
Seattle diamond market [I mean, we're not talking about an enormous market
here] and thus driving down the prices as each successive team member sells
his stash?

I don't know. If I were them, I'd require bearer bonds or certified
credstick. I mean, what is this, the 20th century?