Buying a spess garnet.....

[T L]

Date: 5/21/2009 5:58:32 PM
Author: innerkitten
Oh yeah Harriet, how about some pics

Yes, Harriet, I would love to see pictures of your spessartite!

Can''t wait!!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I agree with MZ, I am not sure how a window would look in a spess.

The key thing about color is to find the one you like, I have seen many different varieties of this stone and there are a few shades I find quite pretty.

Harriet, I can''t wait to see pics .

 

[chrono]

If the colour is truly great, I can forgive minor cutting issues. Colour always comes first in my book. If the window is small, it can always be "closed" in the right setting.

 

[Nomsdeplume]

Chrono, that''s interesting. Which settings disguise windows?
Sometimes I like stones because of the colour but then they have windows and I''m concerned that it will be a bit dead.

 

[T L]

Date: 5/22/2009 3:33:52 AM
Author: kribbie
Chrono, that's interesting. Which settings disguise windows?
Sometimes I like stones because of the colour but then they have windows and I'm concerned that it will be a bit dead.

Halos and bezels tend to hide windows more. However, as much as I love precision cut gems, if a stone has poor color, it will look dead no matter how good or badly cut it is. Like Chrono, I agree that the first and most important thing you should be looking at is color. That's not to downplay fine precision cutting or even good native cutting, which often sometimes help improve a stone's color or give it appeal it otherwise might not have. However, I look at it this way, if you really hate the cut on a stone, you can always recut it, but you can't change it's color.

 

[T L]

This is one of the most beautiful spessartites I''ve ever seen. An example of fine neon color and top cutting. The concave cutting on neon mandarin spessartites really makes them look like mini suns.

 

[Nomsdeplume]

Wow, that really is stunning. A bit out of my price range... but stunning.

 

[Linda W]

TL, that is gorgeous. I agree, the most beautiful Spess, great orange color.

 

[T L]

And here's a video of a very intense colored mandarin spessartite. I think the vivid orange color comes across much better in a 3D representation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z972vr2YmsE

Here's one that's more brown, but still pretty, so you can get the idea of the various colorations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJK3wc33iig&feature=related

Here's one with more yellow in it, but still vibrant and pretty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brF_tBnRSF0&feature=related

What you do not want are ones that are so brown, they look muddy or dull, or dark, or ones that are so yellow, they look too desaturated in orange color.

 

[icekid]

Date: 5/21/2009 6:02:12 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
I don''t want to hijack the thread, but I bought a cuprian. In the picture, it was a lovely shade of bright pure greenish blue. When I got it, there was barely any color in it. It reminded me of a washed out aquamarine. It was $1600 and around 2 carats. I sent it back the very next day. It took over a week to get my refund because he said he was traveling. I have read of similar experiences.

Ditto t_l. I returned my purchase to forever and would not attempt to buy from him again.

 

[chrono]

Date: 5/22/2009 3:33:52 AM
Author: kribbie
Chrono, that''s interesting. Which settings disguise windows?
Sometimes I like stones because of the colour but then they have windows and I''m concerned that it will be a bit dead.

I agree with TL that a more enclosed setting will help minimize or totally eliminate the window if it isn''t too large to begin with. A halo, bezel or something where the side is enclosed.

I have seen native cut stones with small windows that sparkle like the dickens and I have seen some dead looking precision cuts. I would consider each stone on an individual basis.

 

[chrono]

Date: 5/22/2009 9:18:52 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover
This is one of the most beautiful spessartites I've ever seen. An example of fine neon color and top cutting. The concave cutting on neon mandarin spessartites really makes them look like mini suns.

If I haven't my current spess, I would love to get this Richard Homer spessartite. The cutting accentuates the fiery blazing orange colour.

 

[megeve]

Date: 5/22/2009 9:18:52 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover
This is one of the most beautiful spessartites I''ve ever seen. An example of fine neon color and top cutting. The concave cutting on neon mandarin spessartites really makes them look like mini suns.

TL, what about this one? Too much yellow? Or as ''neon'' as the one you posted?

 

[sleepyspinel]

That stone is a really attractive orange with nice subtle yellow highlights and since its from Namibia, and it is that color, I would feel comfortable calling it Mandarin. It is a nice size as well. The only caveat I suppose is that like much of the Namibian material, it appears to have a multitude of veil-like inclusions which seem to be small and diffusely spread out (if one is to have inclusions, small and spreadout is good)... which might give it a sleepyish glow [something I happen to love]. The expert concave faceting likely masks the obvious appearance of inclusions while more evenly spreading the light around the stone ie the stone will look evenly bright and you are unlikely to notice specific inclusions while wearing the stone in the usual viewing conditions. If the price is right, I''d say the stone is a nice one indeed!

Date: 6/14/2009 9:44:59 AM
Author: megeve

TL, what about this one? Too much yellow? Or as ''neon'' as the one you posted?

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Good Lord. My retina''s are burned out. You should warn somebody before you post a stone like that.

 

[T L]

Date: 6/14/2009 9:44:59 AM
Author: megeve

Date: 5/22/2009 9:18:52 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover
This is one of the most beautiful spessartites I''ve ever seen. An example of fine neon color and top cutting. The concave cutting on neon mandarin spessartites really makes them look like mini suns.

TL, what about this one? Too much yellow? Or as ''neon'' as the one you posted?

Beautiful spess. Not quite the caliber of the one I posted from RH, but a very nice example of a neon spessartite. I would be very very happy to own that stone.

The other one is simply out of this world. Here''s another fantastic example of a spess, but this has more red in it.

 

[T L]

Date: 6/14/2009 12:34:17 PM
Author: Richard Sherwood
Good Lord. My retina''s are burned out. You should warn somebody before you post a stone like that.

Then you better not look at SleepySpinel''s spessartite thread. I need nuclear blast protection glasses for that thread!!

 

[megeve]

@Richard

@SS & TL,

Thanks so much for your input. What do you both think of this stone in compared to below, in regards to color and size?
Spec: 5.18cw 10.20x8.00x5.0 Which one is the winner?

 

[Harriet]

Megeve,
The emerald-cut is lacking in saturation. The concave-cut has some yellow, but will probably be more brilliant.
P.S. I tried but haven't been able to get an appointment with PI. Sorry.

 

[chrono]

Is there any way you can order both to compare in person? The RH spessartite shows great brilliance but I don''t want to dismiss the step cut either because I know step cuts aren''t the best for a dispersive gemstone.

 

[megeve]

Date: 6/14/2009 1:32:41 PM
Author: Harriet
Megeve,
The emerald-cut is lacking in saturation. The concave-cut has some yellow, but will probably be more brilliant.
P.S. I tried but haven''t been able to get an appointment with PI. Sorry.

No problem!

 

[megeve]

Date: 6/14/2009 4:31:09 PM
Author: Chrono
Is there any way you can order both to compare in person? The RH spessartite shows great brilliance but I don''t want to dismiss the step cut either because I know step cuts aren''t the best for a dispersive gemstone.

Its difficult. I am overseas!! Thus, I need expert eyes to make informed decision.

 

[T L]

I think the step cut is gorgeous, and not lacking in saturation. I think it's intensely orange. You should look at the video of it. I think the color is great on it. The other one will be more brilliant, but it also looks more included. The step cut is more crystal.

It's also difficult to compare because vendor pictures are so different, but if I had to bet my $$$ on anything for the price, I would go with the step cut one. It's a medium tone and I think it has strong saturation.

However, I think this is vivid saturation, but it's also a lot more $$$

http://www.paraibainternational.com/product_info.php?product=2568

It depends what you can afford.

BTW, PI has an ebay store, and you can make best offers on his stones on ebay. Hint: look through the history of past sold stones to get an idea of how much you want to give as a best offer. The worst that can happen is he can refuse, but he will more likely counteroffer.

 

[tsavvy]

The color on that EC looks great to me. I just got a similar smaller EC from the same vendor and posted pix here. Based on the videos and online photos, the color in the one you are looking at appears a bit deeper -- I eyed that one, but it was out of my budget! Good luck

 

[T L]

Date: 6/14/2009 8:36:58 PM
Author: tsavvy
The color on that EC looks great to me. I just got a similar smaller EC from the same vendor and posted pix here. Based on the videos and online photos, the color in the one you are looking at appears a bit deeper -- I eyed that one, but it was out of my budget! Good luck

Tsavvy,
Do you have the original vendor picture of your stone so we can compare? Thanks!

 

[tsavvy]

My photoshop skills leave a bit to be desired in terms scale, but I''ve collaged their picture with two of mine. IRL, it looks more like the bottom photo (my fingers also match the color in the bottom photo better

)

For reference, this stone is 3.40 cts and the color was identified as "orange."

 

[T L]

Tsavvy,
Thanks for that! It gives me a good idea of how their colors match up to the stone IRL. It''s a good match. You should post this in the sticky thread on vendor photos. Thanks again!!

 

[chrono]

Tsavvy''s spessartite seems to match PI''s picture fairly well. Does anyone else have experience with PI''s picture / gemstone accuracy?

 

[Harriet]

Yes.

 

[megeve]

Date: 6/14/2009 7:49:49 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
I think the step cut is gorgeous, and not lacking in saturation. I think it''s intensely orange. You should look at the video of it. I think the color is great on it. The other one will be more brilliant, but it also looks more included. The step cut is more crystal.

It''s also difficult to compare because vendor pictures are so different, but if I had to bet my $$$ on anything for the price, I would go with the step cut one. It''s a medium tone and I think it has strong saturation.

However, I think this is vivid saturation, but it''s also a lot more $$$

http://www.paraibainternational.com/product_info.php?product=2568

It depends what you can afford.

BTW, PI has an ebay store, and you can make best offers on his stones on ebay. Hint: look through the history of past sold stones to get an idea of how much you want to give as a best offer. The worst that can happen is he can refuse, but he will more likely counteroffer.

TL, thanks for the tip! I will look into the ebay store! I am not into pear shape otherwise that will be a fabulous stone! Somehow the stepcut is growing on me!