Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

Did a PS'r buy Gene's 3.17ct Purple Spinel???

ChrisA222

ChrisA222

Brilliant_Rock
Trade
Joined
Jan 25, 2012
Messages
800
I've been looking at this stone forever, but never bought it. I just went to look at it, and its been sold!!

Did a PS'r buy it? If so...want pics!! need pics!!! I'd love to see how nice this stone is.....even if it means I kick myself for not buying it :-)

_1911.jpg
 
Ha, I checked that out a bunch of times too. Wondered if it might be too dark but didn't take the plunge to find out. I'd love to know how it is, if somebody here snagged it.

--- Laurie
 
Oooohhhhh......looks beautiful and a bit mysterious. Hope we get to see what became of it!
 
I agree Laurie - it looks on the dark side.
 
Yes, its dark...but still very nice. I tend to prefer darker stones...
 
I like the different colors within the stone.
 
Lets see if this buyer sticks. I've been looking at that for a few months, and the first buyer didn't keep it. The darkness also kept me away...
 
I think this one is REALLY dark (look at the reflection).
 
So I think we all know the stone....its been bought and returned again....

So...I let my curiosity get the better of me...and its on its way to me. LOL. I recently sold my 2ct, 8MM dark violet shifting Spinel, and have regretted it ever since. It was overdark, but had really nice dispersion and it did have nice color in very strong lighting...so...

What I am expectingfrom this one?? A large, beautifully cut, dark violet stone with lots of dispersion but only showing its deep color in strong lighting.

As soon as it arrives---Ill give a report and try to take my own pics.
 
Please do, Chris. That spinel has intrigued me since Gene put it up. Would love to see RL pics of it. Thanks!

--- Laurie
 
I have loved the pics of this spinel on the website but thought it too dark as well. I can't wait to see pictures of it and the perception Chris has of it.
 
Its great that after coveting it for so long you'll finally have a chance to see it in hand. I hope it works for you.
 
Guys, I really apologize for doing this without pics....but... :love: :love: :love:

The stone is freakin outstanding! I mean...wow. It is amazing. It is beyond comprehension that someone would buy the stone based on the pic, and then return it. It is a dark stone, that is obvious....but it is still a beautiful saturated purple and the light show of dispersion is off the hook. It is mesmerizing....

Ah well...their loss is certainly my gain. I just don't understand....but, I guess I don't need to... :roll:

If I can get decent pics tomorrow I will post...but forget pics tonight, my camera won't do squat unless I have natural light.
 
Ooo I can't wait to see! So glad you will give it a happy home!
 
I can't wait to see the photos when you have them. I'm so happy that it's exactly what you're wanting, and beautiful in its own right.
 
Everyone's idea of what is ideal is different. Most do not like very dark stones but to you, it appeals to something deep within you. There's the perfect stone out there for everyone and this one is yours. So.....we need pictures next. *taps foot* :bigsmile:
 
Chrono, its dark..but its not very dark. I've seen very dark... I interract with the public for work, and women will comment on my Sapphire ring. They will say, "Oh, I have a Sapphire, look at this" and there is usually one of those hideous black things. That is very dark...

Also...I would not say the stone is my ideal. Ideal for a Spinel would be...well...yours! Haha. I have a nicer Blue-Purple myself. But not every stone I have, and like, is 'ideal'. But that doesn't mean it doesn't have its own awesome qualities...While my Blurple Spinel may have better saturated color and not be quite as dark as this stone, it does not have this cutting, nor this dispersion...

I will try pics...but its so hard with this awful camera(phone).
 
I love Gene's stones and his photography is excellent so I suspect that the stone will be exactly as it looks on his website. That, for me, would be waaaaaaaay too dark but this is about personal preference. It's a well cut stone which will help with the scintilation BUT it wouldn't be something I would entertain buying because for me it's all about colour which I feel is obscured by the darkness. Having said that, you have said you like dark stones so I suspect that this will be one you'll love.
 
LD, I get what you are all saying, that dark stones aren't everyones cup of tea. I guess the point I was trying to make is, why would you buy the stone based off the picture, showing a dark stone, and then return it, when it looks like the picture (as far as being dark) but soo much better than a still with its awesome cutting/scintillation/dispersion, etc. That was what I was trying to say. Not that its for everyone (if you dont like darker stones). But you can see its dark in the pic--so why would you buy it off the pic if you dont like dark stones.

What isn't captured in the pic is the color shift. It is navy blue with blue flash during the day, and violet purple with purple flash at night. Genes pic captured the purple shift, but not the daytime blue one.
 
Because not everyone knows how to "read" how photographed gems translate into a real life gem.

ETA
I have purchased from Gene as well and found his photography to be incredibly accurate. I so confident of his representation of his stones that I do not need the reassurance of hand shots.
 
Chris people just can't read photos OR they hope it's going to be lighter/darker etc. When you have a gem in your hand it sometimes looks very different ie smaller (usually!) but this could have been bought by somebody who just wanted a purple spinel but then realised this is too dark for them. I get that. It's interesting that it's a return to Gene though because out of all the vendors, his photos are truly accurate. I know I'm making an informed choice when I look at his photos. With other vendors I have to read between the lines!!!
 
I have returned fewer Gene stones than from anyone else. He does a good job of taking pictures that represent the stones--some vendors photograph only in the best light or one kind of light, he has a way of shooting the stone that gives you an idea of it in all lighting. The one stone I returned to him was a spessartite that had a dark inclusion front and center--I think I bought it because I was so eager to get a spess that I kind of "overlooked" the inclusion and imagined it would not show in person--but it did.

I have returned stones because I haven't liked the color in certain lighting, or when I moved the stone around I did not like the extinction I saw. Even though the stones did at times look like the picture, it was the stone's "off" moments that made me return them.

I could see someone thinking/hoping that Gene spinel would be lighter in different lighting--maybe because they really want a bluish purple spinel, precision cut, in that size. Sometimes our eagerness to find what we want makes us lose perspective or gloss over the true details!
 
Normally I just look in this forum but I've been checking this thread everyday for PICTURES!

Where are they?! :lol:
 
erinl|1357226803|3346270 said:
I have returned fewer Gene stones than from anyone else. He does a good job of taking pictures that represent the stones--some vendors photograph only in the best light or one kind of light, he has a way of shooting the stone that gives you an idea of it in all lighting. The one stone I returned to him was a spessartite that had a dark inclusion front and center--I think I bought it because I was so eager to get a spess that I kind of "overlooked" the inclusion and imagined it would not show in person--but it did.

I have returned stones because I haven't liked the color in certain lighting, or when I moved the stone around I did not like the extinction I saw. Even though the stones did at times look like the picture, it was the stone's "off" moments that made me return them.

I could see someone thinking/hoping that Gene spinel would be lighter in different lighting--maybe because they really want a bluish purple spinel, precision cut, in that size. Sometimes our eagerness to find what we want makes us lose perspective or gloss over the true details!
Click to expand...

Erini: I think you said it perfectly. Everything you said is true, but the bolded part is such a good point, and accounts for a lot of purchases/returns. Sometimes, people (read me, especially when I first started out) aren't happy, but still think with the right lighting, like a bright torch shining right on them, lol, they're pretty so they keep them.

In this case, I would agree with the others and say that Gene's photos are extremely accurate, and this stone is too dark for my tastes. Chris, I think you are lucky to like non-industry standard stones, because it means you can scoop up the darker-than-the-norm stones for much less than prime colors will cost.

I would love to see photos, too, but I bet because its dark, it will harder for you to capture the magical sparks and flashes that had you fall in love with it...
 
Chris:

I am eager to see the new spinel. I think that you are lucky too, in that I find darker, larger stones to be quite stunning in men's rings. It seems like the darker saturation compliments the bolder lines of the metal in men's designs.

You need to show us your new peridot too!! :wink2:
 
Im afraid to post pics after the reception/impression BBs Tourmaline got..but I promised I would try....

These are the daylight pictures...where they are coming out a little more purple and less blue than IRL. Tonight under flourescent I will take more which will hopefully show the shift a bit more towards purple.

_2790.jpg

_2791.jpg

_2792.jpg
 
I remember treenbean had some really beautiful silverly lilac spinels that she purchased mostly from a specific ebay vendor, and she then had a really gorgeous ring made by Mike Robinson:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/lilac-gray-spinel-with-avc-sides-by-brilliant-mike-robinson.176290/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/lilac-gray-spinel-with-avc-sides-by-brilliant-mike-robinson.176290/[/URL]

I was so enamored by her stones that I tried to buy one from the same vendor, but didn't have as much luck, because while the stone was lovely silver lilac blue in the sun, it shifted to kind of a muddy mauvish purple in incandescent light. At least that was what it looked like on my hand!

You stone appears to be darker than treenbean's but has that lovely goth shift from dark purple to indigo that I was going for. I really like it!
 
The purple shift is actually the slightly better color of the two shifts...but I dont have a great light source here and my camera is even worse indoors...but, as promised this is the best I could do. Wish I could capture the brilliance and dispersion!

genespin1.jpg

genespin2__2_.jpg
 
Gosh it's quite a beauty! Love the chunkier facets (am I using the correct terms? :confused: ) It's right at the cusp of being too dark for me but is sooo pretty! I love both colors even though you claim your indoor lighting isn't ideal.

Any plans for it??
 
It is also too dark for me but the cutting brings out the lovely flash of colour. I guess you are keeping and setting it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP

Featured Topics

Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top