Desperately Seeking Spinel!!

[geckodani]

Hmm. Regarding the buying both stones and letting FI pick. This would scare me because - what if after you receive the chosen one, you realize that you like the other one better? Just a scary paranoid thought.

 

[FrekeChild]

Date: 8/25/2008 2:32:34 PM
Author: geckodani
Hmm. Regarding the buying both stones and letting FI pick. This would scare me because - what if after you receive the chosen one, you realize that you like the other one better? Just a scary paranoid thought.

Hahahahahahahahaha!!!I think they will both be stunning...

So. I heard back from Dan, and he didn''t take pictures....he took a video. For you guys, I took a wacked out screen shot of the video, that ended up blurry, even though the video wasn''t. He thinks that it would be a bright medium blue under a bright blue sky and says that it''s more of a grape purple inside.

So tell me what you think...

 

[mercoledi]

I lurrve the outside color!

How did the clarity look? Is he happier with it? If he''s not can you get a discount for taking it off his hands

.


As for your conundrum, are you locked into buying both, or do you just feel bad? With the amount fo traffic on this thread, I''m sure the "loser" stone would still find a new home quickly.

Did you love it? Fire?

 

[Fly Girl]

I just went back and reviewed your initial list of spinel requirements. This one is definitely worth looking at in person. Only thing is it is a bit smaller than your initial specs. I think it is hard to fall in love with a stone until you actually see and hold it, and look at it yourself in different lighting conditions. It will speak to both of you, if it is the one.

 

[FrekeChild]

Date: 8/25/2008 3:01:40 PM
Author: mercoledi
I lurrve the outside color!

How did the clarity look? Is he happier with it? If he''s not can you get a discount for taking it off his hands

.

As for your conundrum, are you locked into buying both, or do you just feel bad? With the amount fo traffic on this thread, I''m sure the ''loser'' stone would still find a new home quickly.

Did you love it? Fire?

I love the color too!

Clarity-he can''t find any inclusions at 10x.

I do think he''s happier with it. He said that it''s actually bluer in real life than it was captured on the video.

I''m not locked into buying both--he''s already laid out his return policy and I''m sure he''s had people ask him about it already. It''s a gorgeous stone-why wouldn''t he have people asking him about it?

I''m so impressed that he go so freaking close to the specs that I was looking for. It''s amazing...

 

[FrekeChild]

Date: 8/25/2008 3:04:38 PM
Author: Fly Girl
I just went back and reviewed your initial list of spinel requirements. This one is definitely worth looking at in person. Only thing is it is a bit smaller than your initial specs. I think it is hard to fall in love with a stone until you actually see and hold it, and look at it yourself in different lighting conditions. It will speak to both of you, if it is the one.

I just went back too. I think that as with all gemstones, it''s the dimensions more than the weight that make the stone. I was totally guessing how much it''d weigh...After seeing so many stones, I know how off I was. Lol.

It is a little bit smaller than what I was originally wanting, but that''s fine. I had a horrible dream last night about getting a stone that was too big and it caught on everything. Of course I think the stone in my dream was a princess too. Ha!

I think that it''s a beautiful stone, and I''m going to give it some thought, and wait and see what FF has to say about it. Even if it is not *the (elusive) one* if I order it, I think I may end up holding onto it.

Ack!

 

[Fly Girl]

I am finding in the past few years that I like smaller stones for rings, and larger stones for pendants! That spinel will be a great size for an e-ring. You want something wearable.

And, if you end up with a second stone, so much the better. You can either use it as a pendant, or keep it as a spare in case the first gets damaged. Better to be able to go ahead and just enjoy wearing your e-ring, knowing a spare is at hand.

 

[E B]

Date: 8/25/2008 2:53:08 PM
Author: FrekeChild

Date: 8/25/2008 2:32:34 PM

So. I heard back from Dan, and he didn't take pictures....he took a video. For you guys, I took a wacked out screen shot of the video, that ended up blurry, even though the video wasn't. He thinks that it would be a bright medium blue under a bright blue sky and says that it's more of a grape purple inside.

So tell me what you think...

Oh, wow...it looks even better than I thought under a blue sky. GORGEOUS!

How did it perform in the video? Sparkly?

 

[innerkitten]

I wish we could see the video. It looks really beautiful in that outdoor shot. Not too gray or dark, and a really lovey shade of blue. I think it''s worth looking at as well. If it looks that good in person it''s probably a keeper

Then you can start looking at settings!!! Are you going with white gold or yellow?

 

[FrekeChild]

Fly Girl I think you''re right. I think it will be a good size for an ering. Barry was very concerned about how a bigger size in a dark shade would look clunky-and I think he''s right on. Something smaller is definitely the way to go.

You and I are on the same page about having two stones. I have no idea what Barry will come up with, but either way, I''d rather have two that I love in case something happens with the first, and we''ve all seen how much effort has gone into finding just one of these. (Talking about Dan''s-maybe Barry won''t even come up with anything!) And then there is Peter too, who is still searching I think.

EBree It looked pretty sparkly to me in the video! One thing about it being an oval is that in direct light one side of the oval looks much brighter and more brilliant than the other side. That is noticeable in the video-but it''s actually kind of cool looking. I''d be spinning it all of the freaking time in class though and driving my teachers batty.

Innerkitten I do too! It''s a beautiful shade of blue-I think it''s pretty much exactly what I was looking for in my head. I''m going to do white gold for sure. I''ve toyed with the idea of platinum, and if we had the cash I think we''d do that. But the awful part is that wband #2 that I want is $840 (I think?) in 14kt white gold and in platinum it''s $1,490. So BIG prohibitive price discrepancy there. Not to mention just getting a platinum setting for the ering and wband #1.

But I should mention....the setting is all up to FF. He has a list of specs (2mm shank, rounded, comfort fit, etc) but the rest is up to him. I know that doesn''t really leave a lot, but I want to wash my hands of it as soon as the stone is picked out. And then I don''t want to see it until it''s all ready to be on my finger. I need some element of surprise since I took it all out of the stone.

That''s why I was considering getting them both, having FF look at them, and then letting him pick which one he wants to use...

 

[icekid]

Date: 8/25/2008 4:28:21 PM
Author: FrekeChild

EBree It looked pretty sparkly to me in the video! One thing about it being an oval is that in direct light one side of the oval looks much brighter and more brilliant than the other side. That is noticeable in the video-but it''s actually kind of cool looking. I''d be spinning it all of the freaking time in class though and driving my teachers batty.

Freke- I play with my rings allllll of the time at work when I am bored. I have been temped to toss my new rocks in my pocket and take them to work too, but I''m too worried that I will lose them

I think Dan''s spinel looks really promising. I love the color. The great return policy should really help, because it''s so tough to know until you see it in person. I''d definitely give it a good look in person!

 

[FrekeChild]

Date: 8/25/2008 6:31:38 PM
Author: icekid

Date: 8/25/2008 4:28:21 PM
Author: FrekeChild
EBree It looked pretty sparkly to me in the video! One thing about it being an oval is that in direct light one side of the oval looks much brighter and more brilliant than the other side. That is noticeable in the video-but it''s actually kind of cool looking. I''d be spinning it all of the freaking time in class though and driving my teachers batty.

Freke- I play with my rings allllll of the time at work when I am bored. I have been temped to toss my new rocks in my pocket and take them to work too, but I''m too worried that I will lose them

I think Dan''s spinel looks really promising. I love the color. The great return policy should really help, because it''s so tough to know until you see it in person. I''d definitely give it a good look in person!

I like it a lot. I love the color and I think it''s fantastic. I think I want to see it in person. It''s exactly what I wanted in pretty much every way. I think we''ll probably go ahead and get it, and if it''s not to one of our ideals, I''ll probably go ahead and keep it anyway, unless I get it and just hate it. Which is NOT likely!

I take my stones with me in their boxes, in a velvet bag, in the zippered pocket of my purse. And then break them out when I deem it safe. Hee hee hee...It''s been really cool to see the gray in different lighting.

 

[FrekeChild]

...should be here by thursday or friday...

 

[swimmer]

Freke, that is so exciting!
just had to chime in after following the saga. Learned so much about spinels!
fingers crossed that this is "The Stone"

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 8/26/2008 11:43:24 AM
Author: FrekeChild
...should be here by thursday or friday...

 

[EMPTorres]

Congrats Freke.. I have been reading this all along and can''t wait to see what it looks like in person. You will need to post pictures asap.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Wow, wow, wow, Freke!

It''s just stunning! I can''t wait for the end of the week! Yeaow!

 

[icekid]

yay, Freke... verrrry exciting. So what time does your mail come? (need to know when to expect pics

)

 

[geckodani]

LS is getting her sapphire ring, you''re getting your spinel - it''s a good week on here!!

 

[FrekeChild]

I heard back from Barry, and it''s sounding pretty negative from him about being able to find the rough.

Even if I do get the package from Dan on Thursday, which it''s looking like I will, I won''t be opening it or looking at it at all. If FF decides that that''s it, then we are all SOL until he proposes.

Sorry guys...

 

[LostSapphire]

Date: 8/26/2008 7:01:44 PM
Author: FrekeChild
I heard back from Barry, and it''s sounding pretty negative from him about being able to find the rough.

Even if I do get the package from Dan on Thursday, which it''s looking like I will, I won''t be opening it or looking at it at all. If FF decides that that''s it, then we are all SOL until he proposes.

Sorry guys...

Hang in there Freke. It''s all going to work out in the long run!

Still sending you positive "gemvibes".

LS

 

[Lupinbunny]

I''m just de-lurking to say I''ve been following all this and feel your pain Freke! I''ve been searching for a sapphire for my e-ring, for well, a little while now. I ideally wanted asscher/ square emerald shape, colour change and concave cut. But that''s just not going to happen at all. I was mostly working with Richard Homer on a compromise (round, no colour change), but since you showed that umba rough from The Nameless Cutter I''ve been in contact with him.

He''s going to cut one or two pieces of it for me to look at. I''m very excited! (though his e-mails are so brief. I''m used to Richard Homer''s long, chatty missives!) I hope they don''t cut too dark. I assumed stones end up being a little lighter (in tone) than they are in the rough, because there''s less rock to look through? Hmmm...

Anyway, good luck Freke!

 

[FrekeChild]

LS Thank you honey. This has been such a roller coaster, and it''s not over yet. Probably far from it. As I mentioned in your thread, there is a possibility that I could end up with a round instead of an oval. We''ll see what happens...

lupinbunny! Yay for coming out of lurking! You might contact Dan if you haven''t already. He has a bit of sapphire rough right now, and he''s all about cutting asschers...Color change is always a toss up it seems though. I hope that CWMNBN can help you out, but I would check with Mr. Stair too.

Yeah his emails are brief, huh? Being that I''ve worked with Dan so much, his emails have gotten a bit longer and gotten a little bit random, so I''ve gotten used to that. When I was emailing Jeff, his emails were really short too, and it was a bit disconcerting. Those umbas probably won''t cut that dark. I always assumed that stones would cut lighter also, boy I''ve been proven wrong! Lol! And it was for the same reason you thought too.

Well, keep us updated on your progress! I''m looking forward to seeing the finished product....

 

[miraclesrule]

You gals are all speaking Greek to me. I don''t understand any of the gem, cut, rough talk, but it looked pretty.

So, what''s the verdict? I''m so confused...

 

[FrekeChild]

Hey Miracles!!! I missed you!!! I was getting worried. You''ve been too quiet.

I''m getting Dan''s oval. It should be here Thursday. I will not be looking at it. FF gets to look at it and think about it. (He knows less about gems than you do...)

I might have something from Barry, I might not. If I do it''ll be a 6-7mm round. Which is sounding appealing because of the lack of a custom setting needed (much easier--and cheaper--to set a round than an oval because of the different sizes/shapes of ovals).

Peter is still looking, as far as I know.

So we shall see what happens. I''m almost as confused as you are!

And rough is what a gem is called before it''s been cut, so it basically looks like a pretty rock.

So no verdict yet. Dan''s stone is on it''s way. We shall see what Barry has. And that''s about it...

 

[miraclesrule]

Well, I hope D likes the Dan stone. I like it. I''ll take it off your hands, so to speak, if it doesn''t work for you.

It''s good ot know that someone is more clueless about gems than I am.

I was only kidding. I think I can figure out rough. I once heard of a nice analogy about amethysts. They become polished as a result of rough stones rubbing against each other until they become beautiful shiny objects...and so it is with personalities or people. They are rough cuts that can become polished and shiny through the process of rubbing off each other''s rough edges.

 

[FrekeChild]

You seem to love Mr. Stair''s stones. You keep wanting mine...

Guess what I think I might want from him next? 3-5 carat really light purple amethyst cushion...We''ll see...

 

[miraclesrule]

Cushin sounds good about now. I pillow to be precise. I have a grueling day tommorrow. It always sucks to discover a liar and have to question or deny the legitimacy of a claim. But that is what my day will like tomorrow. Ugh.

I need a diversion. I am going to Vegas in a few weeks, need to me to scope out anything for you?

 

[FrekeChild]

Date: 8/27/2008 3:00:33 AM
Author: miraclesrule
Cushin sounds good about now. I pillow to be precise. I have a grueling day tommorrow. It always sucks to discover a liar and have to question or deny the legitimacy of a claim. But that is what my day will like tomorrow. Ugh.

I need a diversion. I am going to Vegas in a few weeks, need to me to scope out anything for you?

Ooooo...Where are you going to stay? What are you going to be doing? I don''t want to inconvenience you...

 

[FrekeChild]

Dan''s stone should be here today. I will let you guys know if it arrives. I do not get to see it because I''m forbidden from checking the mail, but I guess knowing it''s here will be good enough...for now.