Dream gem

[Adam95]

There are some gemstones that are at the top of many collectors' bucket lists; out of these, which would you like to own most?!

 

[elle_71125]

I voted Colombian emerald. Paraiba tourmaline would generally be my first response but I have a few small ones from Cecile Raley Designs so I wanted to pick something new. Besides, I just really want a super rich green emerald right now.

 

[natasha-cupcake]

I'll take one of each, please!!

 

[Sunstorm]

Colombian emerald. But like @elle_71125 I too would be tempted to take a killer Paraiba. But there are some others on that list that interest me and I do not own yet. My color is most definitely bluish green to greenish blue though. Add a killer glow and nothing can beat the stone for me. So this color takes the first nine places out of ten. The tenth would be greens like demantoid and some pinks like Padparadscha.

 

[T L]

Vivid green diamond.

 

[arkieb1]

My guess is there are people here that own some if not all of them on the list.

 

[Gloria27]

Colombian Emerald for me

 

[Adam95]

I voted Colombian emerald. Paraiba tourmaline would generally be my first response but I have a few small ones from Cecile Raley Designs so I wanted to pick something new. Besides, I just really want a super rich green emerald right now.

You've got me drooling thinking about grass green emeralds, Elle! No oil is just way out of budget; I don't mind minor oil, though. I would even consider moderate oil if the stone is gorgeous.

 

[Adam95]

My guess is there are people here that own some if not all of them on the list.

I think it should be required by law for them to share on here then!
– Adam

 

[Adam95]

I'll take one of each, please!!

Hahaha; best answer!

 

[Niffler75]

I would love a demantoid garnet ring over 2ct like the one below!

 

[deorwine]

The funny thing is, I'm all about blue sapphires, so you'd think I'd say Kashmir sapphire, but it's a Jedi spinel I want the most!

 

[Adam95]

I would love a demantoid garnet ring over 2ct like the one below!

GORGEOUS! Are those little whisps horsetails? Is that a Russian stone? Heck, why am I asking, haha. Definitely out of my budget!

 

[AV_]

Whichever is blue.

 

[Adam95]

The funny thing is, I'm all about blue sapphires, so you'd think I'd say Kashmir sapphire, but it's a Jedi spinel I want the most!

I've loved Jedi spinel ever since I read this article on GIA. These two are to die for:

 

[Niffler75]

@Adam95 Yes regarding demantoid garnet, if it's of Russian origin horsetail inclusions can be typical of this material.

 

[Nosean]

My guess is there are people here that own some if not all of them on the list.

Yes - only the two Kashmir sapphires I sold years ago. Talking about my private collection.

I would add a fine Luc Yen Cobalt Spinel, a clean Red Beryl and a fine bluishgreen Vanadium Chrysoberyl. And an one Carat plus Benitoite.

 

[LilAlex]

I've loved Jedi spinel ever since I read this article on GIA. These two are to die for:

That's a manipulated photo -- and not even a cleverly-manipulated one! Look at those pink fingers!

 

[Starfacet]

I said alexandrite because it's my birthstone, and I'm holding out for a nice one.

 

[demantoidz]

From that list I'd go with a demantoid. Darker green but not too dark, with a screaming green color.
This one is 8ct, 18k per ct. Over 12mm in size!

 

[Nick_G]

The one I'd like the most isn't even on that list: a vivid neon blue cobalt spinel from Luc Yen, Vietnam (pic from Sutra Gems):

 

[arkieb1]

I think it should be required by law for them to share on here then!
– Adam

You're talking to a rare spinel hoarder I have a number of Cobalts these are some badly cut small included but "trade ideal" in coloured ones;



The colour of them never photographs as vivid as they are IRL, the "trade Ideal" coloured ones are a neon Cookie Monster Blue.
One of my favourites is this lighter than "trade Ideal" but decent sized "cornflower blue" cobalt pear, I think it would give most light to mid "cornflower blue" sapphires decent contest;





I'm a Mahenge, neon Burmese, and Jedi spinel hoarder too;



I have yet to do something with this lot;

 

[Cognition]

You're talking to a rare spinel hoarder I have a number of Cobalts these are some badly cut small included but "trade ideal" in coloured ones;



The colour of them never photographs as vivid as they are IRL, the "trade Ideal" coloured ones are a neon Cookie Monster Blue.
One of my favourites is this lighter than "trade Ideal" but decent sized "cornflower blue" cobalt pear, I think it would give most light to mid "cornflower blue" sapphires decent contest;





I'm a Mahenge, neon Burmese, and Jedi spinel hoarder too;



I have yet to do something with this lot;

Actually that lighter than ideal cobalt spinel looks way better than 99% of sapphire I have seen. The only question, can it hold its color in all lightning

From my experience spinel tend to shift its color (or lose its saturation) a lot under different lightning. I am not sure about cobalt spinel tho?

 

[arkieb1]

Actually that lighter than ideal cobalt spinel looks way better than 99% of sapphire I have seen. The only question, can it hold its color in all lightning

From my experience spinel tend to shift its color (or lose its saturation) a lot under different lightning. I am not sure about cobalt spinel tho?

The last photo above of the pear was indoors under average lighting, this is outside in the shade, the camera makes this stone look less bright and darker then it really is or what the eye sees, but I include this photo because this is closer to the actual or real colour the smaller cobalts own in low or bad lighting;



But the rest of the time (80% or more of the time) the smaller or "trade Ideal" cobalts are a strong neon Cookie Monster blue that my camera falls way short of capturing. So at their worst they look like a fine mid to slightly dark vivid blue sapphire at their best they are a neon Cookie Monster blue in a colour I've only seen in rare top coloured neon Burma sapphires;



I don't find any of the better coloured stones ever too dark, even the small ones, but especially the pear, it's pleasant to look at in any lighting and I'm pretty fussy. I've seen African cobalts and Burmese blue spinel darker than the best Luc Yen that are meeeh in a lot of lighting situations but the top Vietnamese material is always decent to look at regardless of any colour shifting.

Non Ideal Luc Yen colours the top stone is a darker less neon just under Royal coloured blue Cobalt, the middle is a sky blue Cobalt, and the bottom a mid purple Lavender Cobalt that flashes that Cookie Monster Blue, top pic inside under average lighting, bottom pic inside next to a window, outside in full sunlight they are paler in colour and brighter again these colour shift more than the others do;

 

[Cognition]

The last photo above of the pear was indoors under average lighting, this is outside in the shade, the camera makes this stone look less bright and darker then it really is or what the eye sees, but I include this photo because this is closer to the actual or real colour the smaller cobalts own in low or bad lighting;



But the rest of the time (80% or more of the time) the smaller or "trade Ideal" cobalts are a strong neon Cookie Monster blue that my camera falls way short of capturing. So at their worst they look like a fine mid to slightly dark vivid blue sapphire at their best they are a neon Cookie Monster blue in a colour I've only seen in rare top coloured neon Burma sapphires;



I don't find any of the better coloured stones ever too dark, even the small ones, but especially the pear, it's pleasant to look at in any lighting and I'm pretty fussy. I've seen African cobalts and Burmese blue spinel darker than the best Luc Yen that are meeeh in a lot of lighting situations but the top Vietnamese material is always decent to look at regardless of any colour shifting.

Non Ideal Luc Yen colours the top stone is a darker less neon just under Royal coloured blue Cobalt, the middle is a sky blue Cobalt, and the bottom a mid purple Lavender Cobalt that flashes that Cookie Monster Blue, top pic inside under average lighting, bottom pic inside next to a window, outside in full sunlight they are paler in colour and brighter again these colour shift more than the others do;

interesting... how about incandescent light tho? I have seen a lot of beautiful red spinel under daylight, but it turn into an ugly garnet like under incandescent light (the real incandescent light instead of LED incandescent light).

I wonder if cobalt spinel can hold its color under incandescent light. If u want to try, you can use candle light or old incandescent light bulb

 

[Nosean]

Cobalt Spinel from Luc Yen with a higher Cobalt content like the little ones Arkieb1 postet above hold the color in incandescent light.

The stones with a lower content shift to a pretty violet. The daylight blue is not as saturated as in the high cobalt ones.

On page 14 you find an short article...

https://www.ssef.ch/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/SSEF-FACETTE2014.pdf

 

[Lilith112]

If I had screw you money, probably a Kashmir sapphire, unoiled but clean Panjshir emerald, old-mine Burmese ruby, and a strong color shift alexandrite, all in the 3-5ct range for a statament necklace. If only .....

 

[Jadeite_101]

I’d go for a Kashmir Sapphire hands down. My birthstone. Just a short story I was once offered an exquisite Cornflower blue Kashmir Sapphire 8 carats cushion cut. From an estate sale of a famous family here in the Philippines. Long story short I was in college and didn’t have the funds for it. My mom wasn’t a fan and preferred diamonds. It was the one that got away.

 

[Gloria27]

Can I change my option to a different gem for each day of the week?
I'm not sure I can commit to a single colour...

 

[dk168]

I would opt for a sizable oval Paraiba Tourmaline cab myself.

DK