!Help on SPINEL!

[AustenNut]

About two weeks ago I had a local jeweler call in some beautiful rubellites from Pala. Let''s just say that the cost was about
$900-1000/carat, and I hadn''t seen anything over about $300-400/ct from any of the reputatable lapidarists we have here with a similar color. I suspect that these spinels were well out of range, price-wise.

 

[Indylady]

Here''s a red spinel with flour for a very reasonable price. link to Dutton''s Diamonds

 

[Harriet]

Sparkle zo,
How particular are you (it''s not a good trait )? Would you be willing to buy a smaller gem? As reds are scarce, particularly in larger sizes, you''ll be looking at a lot more than $100/ct. I priced a 3+ct. one yesterday. The vendor was asking for $3,000/ct, which is sadly in line with market prices.

 

[sparkle_zo]

Date: 1/25/2010 8:44:09 PM
Author: IndyLady
Here''s a red spinel with flour for a very reasonable price. link to Dutton''s Diamonds

Can''t believe, only $630

! It''s really amazing price after looking at Mahenge spinels....

 

[sparkle_zo]

Date: 1/26/2010 11:25:06 AM
Author: Harriet
Sparkle zo,
How particular are you (it''s not a good trait )? Would you be willing to buy a smaller gem? As reds are scarce, particularly in larger sizes, you''ll be looking at a lot more than $100/ct. I priced a 3+ct. one yesterday. The vendor was asking for $3,000/ct, which is sadly in line with market prices.

Harriet, it looks like I''ll have to give up in a size if I want to have Mahenge spinel. Eh...

 

[Harriet]

Sparkle zo,
It wasn''t a Mahenge that I was pricing. It was a Burmese red. No secondary hues.

 

[haagen_dazs]

Date: 1/25/2010 8:44:09 PM
Author: IndyLady
Here''s a red spinel with flour for a very reasonable price. link to Dutton''s Diamonds

this is really pretty!

 

[americanthai]

Spinel is such a great gem. So many colors, and such good brilliance in clean, well-cut stones. I do agree that in my opinion, vivid pinkish-reds, whether from Mogok or Mahenge or Vietnam, command the highest prices. Some purple or orange mixed in can bring the price down, but those stones can be very beautiful as well.

 

[Indylady]

Thanks Sparkle Zo and Haagen Dazs! Gary from Dutton''s Diamonds is fantastic to work with and also has a 20% off sale till February 1st.

 

[T L]

Date: 1/27/2010 6:49:25 PM
Author: americanthai
Spinel is such a great gem. So many colors, and such good brilliance in clean, well-cut stones. I do agree that in my opinion, vivid pinkish-reds, whether from Mogok or Mahenge or Vietnam, command the highest prices. Some purple or orange mixed in can bring the price down, but those stones can be very beautiful as well.

OMG, is that a spinel in your avatar?!! I LOVE IT!!!

 

[americanthai]

Yes, my avatar image is a Pamir Spinel from Tajikistan which we cut from rough several years back and sold. The color is always light-medium pink, and never fully saturated. When the cutting is good, however, Pamir Spinels can look very impressive.

 

[T L]

Date: 2/1/2010 8:46:28 PM
Author: americanthai
Yes, my avatar image is a Pamir Spinel from Tajikistan which we cut from rough several years back and sold. The color is always light-medium pink, and never fully saturated. When the cutting is good, however, Pamir Spinels can look very impressive.

I'm finding I actually prefer that color to the Mahenges, and the Mahenge's lack the blue flash I love in pink stones. I have been looking for a Tajikistan spinel actually, no luck finding a good one. There's a mauve one I know of, but I don't want mauve. I have some pink tourmalines with blue flash. I'm finding I like lighter toned spinels too.