Blue Spinel Help

[Cindy Vantrease]

I am thinking about purchasing this blue spinel but I am not sure as it blacks out in a lot of different lighting conditions. The color is pretty when the light is right. The size is 4.69 Carats. It was lab certified as natural spinel and S1. It listed its color as medium dark. vB (6/4). Brillance 50-70%. The price is $700. Any Opinion would be helpful. I own a couple of spinels but they are light colored this is my first experience with a dark colored one.

 

[musicloveranthony]

Some spinel is just inherently dark in tone. With stones that have a dark tone and heavy saturation (like this one), going up in size is going to emphasize the dark appearance. I think this stone might lighten up just a bit with ideal cutting (if I bought it I would send it to a precision gem cutter), but it still isn't going to be a bright/light stone

 

[Cindy Vantrease]

Here is another picture in better light to give you a better idea of the color looks like in brighter natural lighting.

 

[Cindy Vantrease]

I forgot to mention it turns deep dark purple of a night under my bathroom lights. The stone is a real chameleon.

 

[musicloveranthony]

Personally, I like dark spinel. I think that has a really pretty tone in bright lighting. The dark tone isn't necessarily bad - it's just different than what most people expect with a colored gemstone. I see the same thing often with red garnets.

 

[paragon1234]

It looks like London blue topaz, so I wouldn't pay $700 for it. You're not always going to be in bright lighting and I would want to enjoy it in as many scenarios as possible.

 

[T L]

Blue spinel is probably my favorite gemstone. However, I prefer medium to medium light toned blue spinel. This particular one never blacks out and sparkles in all lighting as shown in various light sources. It is a medium tone. That being said, if the blacking out bothers you, I would look elsewhere.