Help me Choose! Whick one to keep!

[OTL]

Finally got the other demantoid, and I'm facing a very tough decision!
They both have good and bad...On one point I want to keep them both! Then after a while I want to return them both! So paranoid right now...

Here is some info,

1. 1.49 cushion has a hint blue, but is the less sparkler between the two. It has the half half extinction I hate when seeing it NS, odd enough it does not have any half half extincton seeing it EW, it seems much larger face up

2. 1.46 square has a bit yellow, it is more sparkly than the cushion. The cushion seems to be a sleepy comparing to this one, the material is different I guess. It does not have the half half extinction, but have a bit inclusion which is not distracting at all. It is way smaller face up even though they are almost the same size...

Price wise, cushion is 1.5 times square.

They both have one serious issue---they are prettier in the shade than under direct sunlight! In the shade they are minty, no extinction, and showing a perfect performance. But under direct sunlight, they just decided to be dark, all the facets that suppose to be reflecting lights are dark and disappeared...And the color is not so good either. The reason has been haunting me for a while now, and I don't know why these stones are doing that cauz normally it is the opposite way...

 

[OTL]

See the color on cushion is better than the square, the square one is yellowish

 

[OTL]

The cushion is sleepy, kind of like oil painting inside stone.
Square is way more sparkly

I pulled out the cushion and a pink sapphire I own, it does not out sparkle the sapphire....On the other hand, the square is really like a diamond.

Is that a deal breaker for a demantoid? Or yellowish tone is?

 

[minousbijoux]

Can you show us a photo how they close up in direct sun?

 

[chrono]

How are they indoors? Most become some sort of olive or grayish coloured stone. How you plan to set it might end up a factor too. Like you, I noticed that this 1/2 type extinction goes away when viewed EW and is strongest when viewed NS.

 

[OTL]

Here is what happened of them under direct sunlight. Yes, they are in a box, and that washed off the color a little.
But They really do this! They become like different stones and almost all the flashy glowing thing is gone, it is cloudy inside. Color also shifts to a little brownish...Well, not as brown as in these photos, but you can definitely see the change! Just saying even I can deal with the extinction, but WTH is this?? Can someone enlighten me? Is that somethig all the Namibian demantoids do?

 

[OTL]

How are they indoors? Most become some sort of olive or grayish coloured stone. How you plan to set it might end up a factor too. Like you, I noticed that this 1/2 type extinction goes away when viewed EW and is strongest when viewed NS.

The indoor color is acceptable to me, looks better than direct sunlight color...How strange is that!
Definitely want to set it NS

 

[minousbijoux]

OTL, the only deal breakers are issues that are unacceptable to you. What are you looking for in a demantoid? What was your reason for purchasing them? I would personally want one that shows off its dispersion and has great color. It sounds like if you keep them both in order to get everything you want, you'll end up with two stones, each of which has half of what you seek...

 

[chrono]

Based on your description, the cushion goes home. The purpose of getting a demantoid is to admire their amazing dispersion so this one already falls short in that regard. It is a little trickier with the square. If pricing is high, then I'd keep looking.

 

[OTL]

OTL, the only deal breakers are issues that are unacceptable to you. What are you looking for in a demantoid? What was your reason for purchasing them? I would personally want one that shows off its dispersion and has great color. It sounds like if you keep them both in order to get everything you want, you'll end up with two stones, each of which has half of what you seek...

Then I guess they both are not acceptable to me... But I'm afraid I can not find another one has the good color, and great dispersion and at this price...

 

[OTL]

Based on your description, the cushion goes home. The purpose of getting a demantoid is to admire their amazing dispersion so this one already falls short in that regard. It is a little trickier with the square. If pricing is high, then I'd keep looking.

Hi Chrono, sounds like to you the deal breaker is not having great dispersion rather than yellowish?

 

[minousbijoux]

Wow, surprised to see what they do in the sun! That is surprising. I'm afraid to say that if your photos are representative, despite the indoor colors, I would send the back due to the outside performance

 

[chrono]

They look very close in colouration to me unless that's not the case in person? How much yellow does it have? Perhaps that is moot point now since it doesn't perform well outdoors.

 

[OTL]

Wow, surprised to see what they do in the sun! That is surprising. I'm afraid to say that if your photos are representative, despite the indoor colors, I would send the back due to the outside performance

That is suprising to me too, how can they do worse than indoor?....My photos are bit yucky, they are greener than this.
But Like I said, inside stone feels like cloudy...the great dispersion and reflects are limited to the edges...

 

[OTL]

They look very close in colouration to me unless that's not the case in person? How much yellow does it have? Perhaps that is moot point now since it doesn't perform well outdoors.

Not very big difference, but definitely one on the bluish side, one on the yellowish side. Both a hint

If I didn't receive the cushion first, I guess I'd be OK with the color of the square. It is a little bit better than what I saw at intergem show.

 

[jstarfireb]

Since sparkle and dispersion are what really separate demantoids from the rest of colored stones, I'd stick with the sparklier one (square). For what it's worth, the color looks nearly identical on my monitor, but I appreciate how there may be a subtle difference in real life. Also, demantoids are usually a bit yellowish or brownish, so I wouldn't be concerned about that at all.

ETA: Also, a great many demantoids color shift. That's not uncommon, especially (as I've heard) with the Namibian ones.

 

[OTL]

Since sparkle and dispersion are what really separate demantoids from the rest of colored stones, I'd stick with the sparklier one (square). For what it's worth, the color looks nearly identical on my monitor, but I appreciate how there may be a subtle difference in real life. Also, demantoids are usually a bit yellowish or brownish, so I wouldn't be concerned about that at all.

ETA: Also, a great many demantoids color shift. That's not uncommon, especially (as I've heard) with the Namibian ones.

Yes, but that usually apply to shifting indoor. This one is a weird shift...

 

[OTL]

shade VS Sun

This picture should explains better.

 

[jstarfireb]

I can see a difference now, but it's so subtle that I wouldn't even call the square "yellowish" green. It's more of a pure green on my monitor while the elongated cushion is a bluish green. Honestly, the sleepiness and decreased sparkle of the cushion turns me off way more then the color of the square, and I'd stand by my choice to pick the square. This might not be the case for another type of stone, but since a demantoid's hallmark is its sparkle, I would want to see that.

 

[AmeliaG]

Hmm, I'm still a newbie with colored stones but I don't like either of them. The half extinction of the elongated stone on the right would bug me but in certain lights the square one on the left has a lot of dark areas.

 

[OTL]

I can see a difference now, but it's so subtle that I wouldn't even call the square "yellowish" green. It's more of a pure green on my monitor while the elongated cushion is a bluish green. Honestly, the sleepiness and decreased sparkle of the cushion turns me off way more then the color of the square, and I'd stand by my choice to pick the square. This might not be the case for another type of stone, but since a demantoid's hallmark is its sparkle, I would want to see that.

I kinda want to keep the square, and send the cushion back now...But I think I am at a point I will regret either way.

 

[OTL]

Hmm, I'm still a newbie with colored stones but I don't like either of them. The half extinction of the elongated stone on the right would bug me but in certain lights the square one on the left has a lot of dark areas.

That turns me off too...But I don't do outdoors much. The only time I can enjoy my ring is at home, in the office, and a little while when driving to and off work. So indoor color is really important to me. Guess I should return both of them and just get over with demantoid...

 

[chrono]

I've shopped for demantoids for quite a while and finally gave up on them altogether when I could handle the shift. I kept hoping to find one that won't brown, gray, olive, over-darken, etc but without success.

 

[ChrisA222]

Thats ok, Chrono...that leaves more for the rest of us to choose from

OTL, I love both of those stones...but my opinion is to keep the square. It may not have the slight bit of blue, but it is still a nice, green gemstone with a ton of sparkle. The cut is nice...you know that the price is nice (you saw them at intergem, right?)...I disagree with Chrono, I am OK with enjoying the gem's personality. It isn't perfect, it has moods, just like me. LOL. Maybe I am not like the majority though...

That being said, you can always use your specific gems in the conditions where they excel the most. For instance, I just posted how I will wear my garnet on cloudy days, and my Sapphire on sunny days, because of the color of the garnet on Sunny days (orange mod). Would that stop me from wearing the Garnet on a nice day? NO...but if I have a better option, then I will go with that.

Is it going to be an engagement/everyday ring? Then by all means, dont take my advice!! But, if its going to be worn as an occasional ring, why not wear it when you are going to be outside? (I think you said it is better outside).

Just my two cents...(and Ive said before, they are worth less than that,lol)

 

[pregcurious]

I agree with the posters that it depends on why you want a demantoid. For me, I would want one with great dispersion. It's odd that neither show great dispersion in sunlight...so I would buy the square or send both away.