Help me with my first coloured purchase!?

[arjunajane]

Date: 8/4/2008 6:11:18 AM
Author: Pandora II
Hi, can you put the links to the stones directly - I can't see your list I'm afraid.

Native cut is not a great expression. There are cutters in the country of origin who are true masters and others who are not, ditto for everywhere else. Take every stone as an individual. I have more 'native' cuts than any other sorts and love them. I like minor imperfections if possible. I find super high-tech cutting rather too 'washing-machine' like if that makes sense - amazing technology but rather unromantic!

Worth checking under Malaya as well as Malaia - the name game is enough to drive you crazy!

Multicolour can have some very nice stones, but it's a definite hunt to find them.

Oh sorry sweet, hear ya go. Again, thankyou for the advice.
I guess my main gripe is they all seem to be cut in either oval or pear - neither of which I'm a huge personal fan, lol!

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/malaia_garnet/zmg113al/

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/malaia_garnet/zmg104aa/

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/malaia_garnet/zmg111ar/

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/malaia_garnet/zmg113ab/

this one seemed ok, not as many dark spots? http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/malaia_garnet/zmg108ar/

These few will hopefully give you an idea of the colour I'm referring to.

If you have the time to help me find a great Malaia/malaya 7 to 10mm between $150-200 I'd be very greatful..
Preferably I'm after a cushion cut. Or failing that a well cut round..?

Of course, if you don't have the time I understand pls just say so!

 

[Pandora II]

I like the first and last of the ones that you posted.

IIRC one of the signs of a ''true'' malaya garnet are tiny rutile crystals and the little black spots (can''t remember what they are), so in a way having a few inclusions is a good sign - a bit like the horsetails in demantoid.

I will see what I can find cushion wise...

Possible people to contact are:

Richard at ArtCutGems - he has a very nice one, but it is an oval, and might have something that isn''t on his website. Worth asking. I''ve had some beautiful stones from him.

New Era Gems - www.neweragems.net are a good place to look. They were the first people to name ''Imperial'' garnets and I think the Malayas as well. Anyway, he''s a bit of a garnet expert. I haven''t bought from him - yet - so can''t comment from personal experience, but his reputation is first class.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 8/4/2008 10:16:22 AM
Author: Pandora II
I like the first and last of the ones that you posted.

IIRC one of the signs of a ''true'' malaya garnet are tiny rutile crystals and the little black spots (can''t remember what they are), so in a way having a few inclusions is a good sign - a bit like the horsetails in demantoid.

I will see what I can find cushion wise...

Possible people to contact are:

Richard at ArtCutGems - he has a very nice one, but it is an oval, and might have something that isn''t on his website. Worth asking. I''ve had some beautiful stones from him.

New Era Gems - www.neweragems.net are a good place to look. They were the first people to name ''Imperial'' garnets and I think the Malayas as well. Anyway, he''s a bit of a garnet expert. I haven''t bought from him - yet - so can''t comment from personal experience, but his reputation is first class.

Fankies! you are truely a wealth of Coloured information!