Help with star spinels

[IcePhoenix]

Hello everyone,
In the last few days I tried to document myself on star spinel, but I have not found a lot of resources, I saw some for sell on various sites and platforms and in spite of my little knowledge I decided to bid on 2 of those on eBay and I won both of them. Yay!
1) https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-2-51c...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2748.l2649
2) https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-0-79c...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2748.l2649

Now I need your help with a few things:
-Is it normal that their bottom is not even?
-Do they look any good for star spinels? Good star or nice colour?
-Did I overpay for them?
-Is it possible that they are treated/simulants/other bad things you definitely don't want in a gemstone?

I'm also thinking on buying the GLC certificate (30 USD for both)

PS. Any info about star spinel would be great as I said I haven't found much on the internet

 

[qubitasaurus]

They look natural to me, maybe treated though. Honestly it is probably not worth $30 to find out as that would be a large fraction of what you paid.

I do wonder though that if you purchase many items at very low prices but end up paying standard shipping rates, then you may end up sinking a large portion of your money into shipping costs -- something which probably isn't adding a lot of value to the experience (or the items you acquire).

Some good ebay and Instagram sellers include -- my diamond zone, bayoto, caratzone, siamgold78 (I actually haven't bought from these and you can see plenty of threads lamenting the lack of accuracy of their photos, but at least there is some information floating around here about them so it is not like you will be going in blind). You may also like multicolour gems and mineralminer's website. I would love to see recommendations from others as well.

 

[arkieb1]

The bottom of the more expensive one hasn't been polished or finished off properly but if you set it in a bezel with a covered back you could easily hide it. I agree at around $170 to well over $200 for a certificate it's not worth the cost of the effort to find out. Just remember spinels can be diffused these days and they will probably be a lot darker than the Ebay photos.

 

[IcePhoenix]

I do wonder though that if you purchase many items at very low prices but end up paying standard shipping rates, then you may end up sinking a large portion of your money into shipping costs -- something which probably isn't adding a lot of value to the experience (or the items you acquire).

I usually buy multiple items and I pay 8 USD for shipping

Some good ebay and Instagram sellers include -- my diamond zone, bayoto, caratzone, siamgold78 (I actually haven't bought from these and you can see plenty of threads lamenting the lack of accuracy of their photos, but at least there is some information floating around here about them so it is not like you will be going in blind). You may also like multicolour gems and mineralminer's website. I would love to see recommendations from others as well.

Thanks for the recommendation

 

[IcePhoenix]

The bottom of the more expensive one hasn't been polished or finished off properly but if you set it in a bezel with a covered back you could easily hide it. I agree at around $170 to well over $200 for a certificate it's not worth the cost of the effort to find out. Just remember spinels can be diffused these days and they will probably be a lot darker than the Ebay photos.

Both certificates would be 30 USD, 15 for one and I want to avoid diffused stuff (diffused stones are way too manipulated by man for my taste, I only once got a Be treated orange-ish yellow sapphire to familiarize myself with rose cuts, paid around 5 USD)
Bit worried about pics as well, I mean you never know 100% what you are dealing with in terms of appearance when buying online

 

[IcePhoenix]

I will probably get a certificate for the more expensive one, still on the fence about the cheaper, bigger one

 

[chrono]

Neither are worth the cost of lab reports.

 

[IcePhoenix]

Neither are worth the cost of lab reports.

Is that a cute way of telling me I bought glass with a star drawn on it? I cannot seem to find examples of fine star spinel or many info for that matter

 

[chrono]

No, what I am trying to express is that it's an inexpensive stone and not worth sending to the lab for verification.