Cobalt Blue Spinel

[Dr_Diesel]

Somehow the stone manages to not have a window or terrible extinction, which I find incredible. Literally everything about the cut is off. I love your positive and realistic approach to evaluating it, so thank you for that! Today was my last day to return it, so he'd better keep growing on me. lol

Around 25 years ago, I met a guy who's hobby was designing and cutting precision-cut gems. I was fascinated...seduced even...and for over 2 decades, precision cutting was unquestionably superior to native cuts in my mind. I wanted to recut everything possible - and did whenever it was feasible.

To my surprise, while the stones often performed better after the recut (with some notable exceptions), they kind of lost their charm and I was ultimately disappointed. I struggled with this for many years and have finally come to appreciate both...but I'm starting to actually prefer native cuts in many cases. In some cases (but certainly not all), stones that are too perfect and too symmetrical can be, well, kinda boring after awhile. Maybe it has something to do with the way our brains adapt to patterns? Regardless of why, well-executed ("effective") native cuts often yield an endless array of delightful optical surprises as they play the light that just never gets old.

On a few occasions, I have even brought well-executed but imperfect native-cut stones to cutters and asked to backwards-engineer them for other gems.

One example of this was having Sako's Dad (The Gem Doctor) turn 3 diamond-cut tsavorites into these intentionally wonky OEC's (which include off-center culets!). Their performance is not ideal, but I LOVE them. They have become incredibly special to me and, while I have yet to set them, I also refuse to part with them.



As another example, I own 4 diamonds that were cut by Yoram. I love all of them and cannot imagine selling any of them....and yet, I've come to actually prefer wonky but effectively cut antique diamonds. They just have more character - a quality that seems to disappear with precision cutting.

At this point, when I look at colored stones, all I really care about is whether or not the cutting is effective. Particularly the deeper native cut stones can be quite brilliant and display a play-of-light that is more pleasing to my eye than precision cut stones.

If I am not mistaken, I think this seems to be the case with your cobalt spinel. It's quite brilliant, shows its full color and has no window.

How does it play the light as you move it around?

 

[Autumn in New England]

Around 25 years ago, I met a guy who's hobby was designing and cutting precision-cut gems. I was fascinated...seduced even...and for over 2 decades, precision cutting was unquestionably superior to native cuts in my mind. I wanted to recut everything possible - and did whenever it was feasible.

To my surprise, while the stones often performed better after the recut (with some notable exceptions), they kind of lost their charm and I was ultimately disappointed. I struggled with this for many years and have finally come to appreciate both...but I'm starting to actually prefer native cuts in many cases. In some cases (but certainly not all), stones that are too perfect and too symmetrical can be, well, kinda boring after awhile. Maybe it has something to do with the way our brains adapt to patterns? Regardless of why, well-executed ("effective") native cuts often yield an endless array of delightful optical surprises as they play the light that just never gets old.

On a few occasions, I have even brought well-executed but imperfect native-cut stones to cutters and asked to backwards-engineer them for other gems.

One example of this was having Sako's Dad (The Gem Doctor) turn 3 diamond-cut tsavorites into these intentionally wonky OEC's (which include off-center culets!). Their performance is not ideal, but I LOVE them. They have become incredibly special to me and, while I have yet to set them, I also refuse to part with them.



As another example, I own 4 diamonds that were cut by Yoram. I love all of them and cannot imagine selling any of them....and yet, I've come to actually prefer wonky but effectively cut antique diamonds. They just have more character - a quality that seems to disappear with precision cutting.

At this point, when I look at colored stones, all I really care about is whether or not the cutting is effective. Particularly the deeper native cut stones can be quite brilliant and display a play-of-light that is more pleasing to my eye than precision cut stones.

If I am not mistaken, I think this seems to be the case with your cobalt spinel. It's quite brilliant, shows its full color and has no window.

How does it play the light as you move it around?

How clever... I don't believe I've ever seen anyone take an RBC to an OEC with a colored stone! These are all great points to consider. Your posts are always thoroughly interesting and on-point. The cobalt is quite brilliant and scintillates nicely as it's moved. Occasionally, at just the right (or wrong, as it were) angle, you get some extinction.

With respect to a precision recut working miracles... I'm dying to see your ruby set!!!!!!!!!! The color could burn a retina. lol

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

I forgot we both bought cobalt melee from Yvonne! Were yours the Vietnamese or Tanzanian material? They're lovely... and you did both the spinel and moonstone justice with this unique design. It almost reminds me of a ribbon, which I love!!

I had both origins. Thank you! The red spinel went into a 1950s platinum mounting I had, and loved it so much had DK do a custom one for the moonstone I had .

 

[Dr_Diesel]

How clever... I don't believe I've ever seen anyone take an RBC to an OEC with a colored stone! These are all great points to consider. Your posts are always thoroughly interesting and on-point.

The cobalt is quite brilliant and scintillates nicely as it's moved. Occasionally, at just the right (or wrong, as it were) angle, you get some extinction.

With respect to a precision recut working miracles... I'm dying to see your ruby set!!!!!!!!!! The color could burn a retina. lol

Awww! Thank you for that. I am so happy that the perspective is helpful…and even happier that the cobalt blue plays the light well!

And yes, that ruby does kind of burn the retinas. I only wish the camera didn’t completely shut off the fluorescence!

 

[Autumn in New England]

I had both origins. Thank you! The red spinel went into a 1950s platinum mounting I had, and loved it so much had DK do a custom one for the moonstone I had .

Oh how cool! When I love a particular design, it's difficult for me to resist having everything set that way.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Awww! Thank you for that. I am so happy that the perspective is helpful…and even happier that the cobalt blue plays the light well!

And yes, that ruby does kind of burn the retinas. I only wish the camera didn’t completely shut off the fluorescence!

The fluorescence is definitely coming through on my end... it looks like it's under a blacklight at a rave! Sumptuous!! Any idea which numbered design you're leaning towards? I'm really rooting for #3! In fact, it's made me want to do something similar with one of my gems (not a ruby).

 

[Dr_Diesel]

The fluorescence is definitely coming through on my end... it looks like it's under a blacklight at a rave! Sumptuous!! Any idea which numbered design you're leaning towards? I'm really rooting for #3! In fact, it's made me want to do something similar with one of my gems (not a ruby).

Yup #3 is the frontrunner!!! I am reliably floored by Caysie’s work…and Sako’s as well. I’ve worked with many different jewelers, and have been very impressed with the results…but when I put them next to a CvB or CJD jewel…everything else pales!

…and regarding the ruby, trust me when I say that the fluorescence is totally muted in the videos.

It’s weird…I see this magnificent glow with my eyes and, as soon as I look through the camera…*POOF*, it’s gone.

What you’re seeing in the videos is largely body color. IRL it’s on a whole other, freaky level. I wind up just staring at it like…”how is that even possible?”

But back to you and the purpose of this thread: Do you have any setting ideas starting to crystallize for your blue baby?

 

[Autumn in New England]

Yup #3 is the frontrunner!!! I am reliably floored by Caysie’s work…and Sako’s as well. I’ve worked with many different jewelers, and have been very impressed with the results…but when I put them next to a CvB or CJD jewel…everything else pales!

…and regarding the ruby, trust me when I say that the fluorescence is totally muted in the videos.

It’s weird…I see this magnificent glow with my eyes and, as soon as I look through the camera…*POOF*, it’s gone.

What you’re seeing in the videos is largely body color. IRL it’s on a whole other, freaky level. I wind up just staring at it like…”how is that even possible?”

But back to you and the purpose of this thread: Do you have any setting ideas starting to crystallize for your blue baby?

I can't wait to see this piece realized!! And yes, I find that happens with my emerald, in particular. I see glowing neon color in person, and then it's so drab (and blue?) in photos. Media seems to enhance some stones/colors and dull others. When you have an especially fine gem like yours, the lackluster result can be maddening (although your stone looks positively BRILLIANT in all of your shots!).

Mr. cobalt is pretty far down in the queue at the moment, but I'm definite as far as an inner halo of paraibas (1.8mm from Yvonne) and then a chunky outer halo with different diamond shapes. I want to keep the cushion outline, so it'll look a bit like a framed picture. lol