Is this a good mahenge spinel?

[OTL]

I'm so bad. I bought another mahenge spinel. Haven't made payment, would love to hear your thoughts!

When searching threads I often find ppl say they purchased spinels at old price, and from old stock...I was just wondering is this material(http://www.gemburionline.com/ebay-pic/flash/15371-ae.swf) considered an old stock? How much generally would you expect to be old price? It is 1.7ct. vivid pinkish red VS2 according to Tan

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[OTL]

A screen shot if can't browse the video

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I have said this before, but I am always suspicious of a gemstone with pics/videos that show the stone at an angle. Usually Tan will show a stone at the angle it looks best. How does this stone look face up? I suspect a window unless pics prove otherwise.

 

[T L]

Ask Tan for some photos of the stone on the hand in sunlight and artificial light.

 

[OTL]

I think Tan's videos are always at that angle?
Tan says the stone does have a small window, and gurantee to be closed after setting.

 

[OTL]

Ask Tan for some photos of the stone on the hand in sunlight and artificial light.

I will do that, thanks! But I am a little uncertain what's the purpose? That's to see whether the stone holds color well?

 

[T L]

Ask Tan for some photos of the stone on the hand in sunlight and artificial light.

I will do that, thanks! But I am a little uncertain what's the purpose? That's to see whether the stone holds color well?

Yes, just to see how the color shift is, and the window, if the stone is face up in the picture.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I think Tan's videos are always at that angle?
Tan says the stone does have a small window, and gurantee to be closed after setting.

Hmmm....I have never bought stones from Tan that did not show the stone "face up". With that said he has an excellent return policy so you will only be out postage if you do not like the stone.

 

[OTL]

Ask Tan for some photos of the stone on the hand in sunlight and artificial light.

I will do that, thanks! But I am a little uncertain what's the purpose? That's to see whether the stone holds color well?

Yes, just to see how the color shift is, and the window, if the stone is face up in the picture.

Certainly, I have never asked Tan for handshot photos before and don't have previous experience to compare with. Can I post them here after I got them for you to look? Thank you.

 

[T L]

Ask Tan for some photos of the stone on the hand in sunlight and artificial light.

I will do that, thanks! But I am a little uncertain what's the purpose? That's to see whether the stone holds color well?

Yes, just to see how the color shift is, and the window, if the stone is face up in the picture.

Certainly, I have never asked Tan for handshot photos before and don't have previous experience to compare with. Can I post them here after I got them for you to look? Thank you.

I don't see why not, others post his hand shots here.

 

[LD]

I'm not 100% certain but I think a PSer bought this and returned it. I suspect that window is fairly noticeable. Not sure I agree with Tan that it would totally close up.

 

[OTL]

I'm not 100% certain but I think a PSer bought this and returned it. I suspect that window is fairly noticeable. Not sure I agree with Tan that it would totally close up.

I would definitely want to make sure it does not have a large window now...

 

[OTL]

His photos at a better angle.

 

[minousbijoux]

I don't know why, but I can never copy his photos. Arghh! Someone will have to teach me how. Until then, though, I think this link takes you to the stills which are fairly dead on shots if that helps:

http://www.gemburionline.com/view-image-15371

ETA: OTL with her superior skills beat me to it! Thanks, OTL

 

[OTL]

I don't know why, but I can never copy his photos. Arghh! Someone will have to teach me how. Until then, though, I think this link takes you to the stills which are fairly dead on shots if that helps:

http://www.gemburionline.com/view-image-15371

ETA: OTL with her superior skills beat me to it! Thanks, OTL

Wow, how do you know the link to it? Is this a previously returned stone? Thanks

 

[airplay355]

The window seems pretty obvious to me in the lower left picture. Seems like the stone needed to be just a litttle bit deeper.

I also tend to like the more pink spinels instead of the red/pink ones. That's just preference though, if you like red/pink more (which I think this stone is) then

 

[innerkitten]

I like the color. I wonder if it's really that type of strawberry pink in real life?

 

[katharath]

I don't think the window looks too bad though, it looks like the type that probably would close up with the right setting. The color is pretty and it looks very clean. I think it's the type of stone that for me, a lot would matter on how much I paid for it. If I get a great price on a gem that's not perfect but still pretty and I like it, then I'm able to appreciate it a lot more.

Take all of what I'm about to say with a grain of salt, bc I don't know enough about mahenges to do more than speculate a bit on price. (And if anyone wants to come along and better inform me, please do so!)

I thought that good 1+ carat gems were more like $1000 a carat, something like that? I only own one pair of mahenges and I haven't even received them yet, lol (they're en route, just finished setting). They're smaller though, I think for the smaller (but nice) mahenges, $250-300 per carat is more in line. For reference, I'm ok with discussing what I paid, but I don't know that it's helpful for you since I'm talking under the 5 mm range, mine are 4.45 mm each. I paid less than $200 per carat but they were from older stock (and I also got a slight discount on top of it bc I bought from my main jeweler).

 

[minousbijoux]

OTL, you might want to ask him about any chips or dings. The reason I say that is because in the video, my eye keeps being drawn to something that looks like a chip near one corner of the table. It appears to break the surface. But then again it might be a smootchum on the stone.

 

[minousbijoux]

...and if that turns out to be nothing, then I think the price you paid is good. I paid that much for a vivid stone of greater weight from him several years ago. Given the fact that while very strong, I'm not sure I would consider it vivid saturation (a negative), and it has more red than many of the pinker Mahenges recently being sold (a plus for it imo), I think the price is quite good. If it turns out to have a substantial window and/or a chip/dings, I would think the price is good, but closer to acceptable. HTH.

 

[chrono]

OTL, you might want to ask him about any chips or dings. The reason I say that is because in the video, my eye keeps being drawn to something that looks like a chip near one corner of the table. It appears to break the surface. But then again it might be a smootchum on the stone.

Looks like a good sized clear inclusion but I don't know how close it is to the surface. You can make it out in a few of the still pictures as well. Small window which should close up but a fairly large tilt window due to the shallowness of the stone. Colour is better than most "newer" Mahenges but the saturation isn't vivid, just redder. It is still an attractive stone if it holds its colour well and pricing could make this a good buy.....or not.

 

[LD]

That to me looks like a pretty big window. Sorry to disagree with those saying otherwise. The culet is also off centre which will contribute to making it more obvious. I still don't think it'll close up. I reckon it'll minimise but the cut will mean it's still fairly visible.

 

[OTL]

Thank you guys! Those are very helpful opinions. I will definitely do as suggested, to make sure there is no large window. Now just on a second thought, if, only if that the window is not too bad, and looks like it can be closed after setting then what will be a good old price for this spinel?

 

[minousbijoux]

OTL, as many of us are, you seem to want bargains. I applaud you for that, and wish I myself was better at finding them. That said, it almost seems like you may be making things more difficult for yourself by trying to get answers on whether something is a "good buy" or not. Asking about the value of this Mahenge, if the inclusions/chip is not visible and if the window can or cannot be closed up and if it is or is not saturated (I know you did not ask this last one, but this one would have a significant impact on value, as you know), is like asking how many angels can dance on a pin. The question to ask is are you willing to pay it, and would others be willing to pay it.

For me, I like the red of the stone. I think the cutting is decent and like the fact that there is height to the crown (in other words, not an awful flat one). That said, I don't like windowed stones at all and would want clarification on what that was I see in the corner of the stone. So, in conclusion, if the color was as shown, if the window was small enough to close, if there was no meaningful inclusion on one corner/edge of the table, then I think the price is very good. Not fabulous, but good. If it has a window, I personally would not buy it, because while the price would be "good for the material" I would hate the stone and it would be another windowed albatross as far as I am concerned. But that's me. Ask someone else here, and they might say they absolutely would buy it no matter what! My point is that at this point, you've bought and collected enough so that you are getting into the theoretical stratosphere a bit and have to trust yourself, if you kwim

I hope you understand that I mean this in a good way - I think you have a good eye at this point and really need to trust your gut!

Edited: for typos

 

[LD]

I agree with Minou. The price is not "old price" it's the price that Tan is asking for it now. So if it's affordable then go for it. One thing you need to be aware of is that this is a very nice coloured Mahenge but it's not the top colour of some we've seen on here (like Chrono's and TLs for example) or ones that we would consider to be rare and old stock (hope that makes sense).