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honest opinions on stone

Kitten35

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Nov 18, 2011
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343
This is a blue spinel. Can I get some opinions on this stone? I am fairly new to judging gems on photo. I do *prefer* darker stones--I know many people prefer lighter ones, but I personally like the darker ones (true for sapphire as well). I am not sure if I would set this or not, or just keep it in a gem collection. There is a second blue I am considering from a different vendor, but quite a bit more expensive (but I think I like it more).

30150_30150-1.jpg
 
OK - well if you like darker stones, this one for sure would fit in that category - it is definitely quite dark. Based on the one photo, it appears to have a decent cut, no window, and a higher crown/smaller table. On the table just below the 5-o-clock position there appears to be something (not sure if surface blemish, inclusion, or maybe just some dust/debris that landed during photographing).

I don't know your approach to gem collecting - if your main purpose is to build a collection of stones that sit in your box more than you are looking for stones to set, then if the vendor has a decent return policy, I don't see why it wouldn't be worth your while to have the opportunity to examine it in person.

But if you would still be looking for a darker blue Spinel for setting purposes, and it were likely you'd set the other Spinel (the more expensive one you think you like more than this one), that stone may be worth investigating further... IMHO it is difficult to find setting-worthy blue Spinels.
 
Thanks! What is the meaning of table/crown, and how can you tell that from the photo? I think I know what the parts are, but I don't know how that translates into the gem in person.

I am mainly looking for gems to set; however, I would also eventually like to have a small collection of unset gems. This one is under $50 so I probably would not set it unless it was really amazing in person.

The other one I am looking at is this one.




This is extremely dark, I know that. But would it appear black, or still be obviously a deep blue? Would it still flash? If I did buy it I would probably set it into a solitaire. It may not happen for a while, or at all.....but I am thinking about it.

bluespinel2.jpg
 
marymm|1338903287|3209587 said:
Based on the one photo, it appears to have a decent cut, no window, and a higher crown/smaller table.

I disagree, I see a window in that stone, however, the tone is so dark, it may not be noticeable once set. I see more grey than blue in that stone, but color is subjective and you may like that. IRL it may look like this color, but be darker in tone.

http://imagehost.vendio.com/a/35057347/aview/_BrcDMlQBmk___KGrHqEOKjsEvNCdG4JGBLzr1NdeJQ___1.JPG
 
I actually prefer darker toned sapphires as well, but only when the saturation and color are also intense and pure, and the first one seems too grey (and a touch of green) to me. In addition to the window TL mentioned (the paleness in the center).

The second one is hard to judge as it looks like it's being flooded with light so it would probably be pretty dark/black in person under normal lighting.

This is my sapphire in sunlight, in the evening it's a navy color and fairly dark, but you can still tell it's blue. I consider it med dark - dark.
file.jpg

This is what I would consider more of a medium blue, arketia's stunner.
file.jpg
 
I was bored, dug around for PS pics of other lovely med dark/dark blues (in my opinion anyways, I'm no pro).

Lostsapphire's sapphire:
file.jpg

Tefutefu's
file.jpg

Blue spinel, but also a darker tone, teeeeeeeniest touch of grey
file.jpg
 
Thanks! I do LOVE those dark blues posted. They are gorgeous. I don't like so dark as to be black/extinct, but do like slightly darker than "ideal" color. The medium blue posted I think is very pretty, but it is not my preference personally.

As far as the spinel, so the consensus is that it might have too much grey? I must admit I was not wild about the one that was posted as what it might look like IRL--that was not "blue" enough to my eye, though for a grey stone I liked it very much.

As far as the 2nd, we think it would be really, really dark? Almost black? I loved, loved, the teal flashes in it (if I am seeing that right) but perhaps those would not show up?

This is a third stone I have considered. It is not a spinel but an basic heat only sapphire. It is described as royal blue in good light but near black in darker lighting. Would it be, too dark? It is in the same price range as the 2nd blue spinel.

sapphiredark.jpg
 
looks too dark to me, I wouldn't buy it, and I imagine the color might be more darker in person.
 
Kitten35|1338908206|3209619 said:
Thanks! I do LOVE those dark blues posted. They are gorgeous. I don't like so dark as to be black/extinct, but do like slightly darker than "ideal" color. The medium blue posted I think is very pretty, but it is not my preference personally.

As far as the spinel, so the consensus is that it might have too much grey? I must admit I was not wild about the one that was posted as what it might look like IRL--that was not "blue" enough to my eye, though for a grey stone I liked it very much.

As far as the 2nd, we think it would be really, really dark? Almost black? I loved, loved, the teal flashes in it (if I am seeing that right) but perhaps those would not show up?

This is a third stone I have considered. It is not a spinel but an basic heat only sapphire. It is described as royal blue in good light but near black in darker lighting. Would it be, too dark? It is in the same price range as the 2nd blue spinel.

I think you answered your own question when you said it was not "blue" enough for your eye. Some people like grey spinels though.

As for the third stone, the sapphire, it looks almost opaque to me in that photo, so the photo is either really bad, or it really is very very dark, and so dark, that light has a difficult time passing through it.,
 
There is a difference between dark and gray, and dark and richly coloured blue. Also, there comes a point where the stone becomes so dark that it becomes desaturated, meaning it will no longer be richly coloured but blacks out with lots of gray.

Stone 1 - windowed, dark and gray.
Stone 2 - looks nice in the picture with lots of blue flash but it seems to have been flooded with light, so I expect it to not look like that often in person.
Stone 3 - looks pretty dead to my eye, so it is probably very dark, almost blackish under most lighting conditions unless you flood it with light.
 
Thanks everyone!

I will hold off on the 1st and 3rd stone. I may inquire a bit more about stone #2, or ask for more photos.

Thanks, really appreciate it.
 
The problem I notice with pointy stones like marquises and pears is that the ends can end up "closing". With a dark stone, the ends might even end up extinct or totally black, leaving only the center part showing colour.
 
Upgradeable,
Now THAT I love!!! That is my personal idea of the perfect blue. :)

Thanks for posting. A little out of my budget, though, for now. :)

Chrono, interesting point about marquise/pear cuts. Actually, I don't like marquise much at all, but for some reason that stone caught my eye because I just loved the teal blue color.

I think for now I will keep looking. :)
 
Do you mind sharing your budget? That way, we can help suggest stones that will best meet your requirements.
 
I was thinking around maybe 200, for a stone that caught my eye in general. Maybe, depends (that is pretty much going to rule out sapphires right?). That's the upper end. I seem to be drawn to the darker blueish stones, but I was generally just looking to start a small collection. I did not have a specific time frame necessarily, nor am I set on specific stones. I saw a gorgeous spess today on Mastercutgems, but it was already sold. Sad face. :)
 
Kitten35|1338941026|3209993 said:
but I was generally just looking to start a small collection.

...and so another one succumbs to the gem bug. I'm afraid that's how it starts, just wanting to "start a small collection." Pretty soon, you'll be running to look in the mailbox ten times a day, and hiding your empty containers in the trash so no one realizes the extent of your addiction... ;)
 
minousbijoux|1338949108|3210087 said:
Kitten35|1338941026|3209993 said:
but I was generally just looking to start a small collection.

...and so another one succumbs to the gem bug. I'm afraid that's how it starts, just wanting to "start a small collection." Pretty soon, you'll be running to look in the mailbox ten times a day, and hiding your empty containers in the trash so no one realizes the extent of your addiction... ;)
I was just laughing so hard at this DH asked what I was doing! No way I can tell him or I'd totally be busted!

Minous, you've obviously been stalking me for a while to know all this! :lol:
 
Are you aiming for a certain carat weight or mm size?

Although I rarely recommend Dan Stair, considering your budget and colour requirement, he might have what you are looking for.
http://www.customgemstones.com/

It is a pity this one is already sold - looks to be at least a medium dark to dark blue spinel that will not black out or be overly gray, yet priced well. Perhaps you can inquire if he has anything else similar.
http://www.customgemstones.com/SPINEL/sp1595.html
 
Thanks!
 
Kitten35, have you found the stone?
 
No, not yet . Still looking - not in a hurry though.
 
Good. Honestly, my monitor is so poorly calibrated that stones do not look their best on it. The advantage, as I have found out, is that stones usually look exactly the way they would in life. MTG's stone is beautiful. Of the stones you have shown, honestly, I would not buy any. I know that you do not have the budget for Tan's sapphire, and it has serious extinction, but the color still looks good on my monitor, so I think it is pretty good IRL.
 
stand on your status if i do
 
minigirl|1339156491|3211713 said:
stand on your status if i do


???? :confused: ????
 
hahaha, the addiction has begun. :)

I found my second addition to my collection: an inexpensive sunstone from Art Cut Gems. http://www.artcutgems.com/item.php?item_id=623.. It sparkles.

It came today. I know it wasn't a lot of money but I love that color and I am somewhat on a budget right now (after the spinel I purchased earlier in the year from WildFish, and had set, haha), so for that amount, I am very pleased with what is a pretty, bright sunny, and clearly yellow, stone. I am not sure If it is worth setting or if I should just put it aside--it is pretty, but with it costing so little, I am not sure I want to set it or not.

That said, if I did set it, would you set it in YG or WG, or silver? I looked at it in a YG setting I have with no stone, and surprisingly, didn't really like it. But I'm not sure silver would make it stand out or wash it out. Thoughts? I was thinking of one of Sally's settings (Elixir?) but they are a bit pricey so I may just hold onto it for a little bit).
 
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