Is this pink spinel worth the price?

[bluejet]

4.54cts

is it overpriced? How rare are these?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mens-Hot-Pi...080121?pt=US_Mens_Jewelry&hash=item43d5669ab9

 

[T L]

4.54cts

is it overpriced? How rare are these?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mens-Hot-Pi...080121?pt=US_Mens_Jewelry&hash=item43d5669ab9

I would never ever buy an expensive spinel from a dealer I never heard of, and the appraisal behind it means squat. Anyone can make up an appraisal. You have to be very careful of synthetics and simulants. Always buy from a reputable dealer, and if it comes with a reputable lab report, all the better.

 

[movie zombie]

no, it is not worth the price.

 

[LoversKites]

Ditto to TLs post not to mention that spinels are becoming more commonly treated.

The closest comparison I found, the 4ct sold one: http://www.gemrite.com/collections/gems/spinel?page=2

 

[pregcurious]

Part of the price is the heavy gold ring.

I agree with TL not to buy the ring.

 

[T L]

Ditto to TLs post not to mention that spinels are becoming more commonly treated.

The closest comparison I found, the 4ct sold one: http://www.gemrite.com/collections/gems/spinel?page=2

I wish treatment was all the OP had to worry about. Unfortunately, a lot of unscrupulous vendors pass off lab created spinel, which is quite prolific in the marketplace, as natural.

 

[LoversKites]

Preg, I know, I was showing the OP a ballpark value for the stone.

TL, when looking around on ebay I do notice that. I've seen minty green spinel sold as natural, more than likely synthetic or glass and the like.

 

[chrono]

Too risky a purchase for me. There are all sorts of undisclosed treatments and synthetics and simulants these days, and as mentioned above, the appraisal means squat to me. I might consider it IF it came with a GIA or AGL lab report that I can verify online (or call in to verify) as the first step.

 

[T L]

Preg, I know, I was showing the OP a ballpark value for the stone.

TL, when looking around on ebay I do notice that. I've seen minty green spinel sold as natural, more than likely synthetic or glass and the like.

I've never seen a natural minty green spinel. I have seen it in synthetics, so those are probably synthetics as your intuition tells you.

That being said, synthetic spinel comes in a myriad of colors, so buyer beware. One must take care to buy from reputable vendors.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

It could be. The seller looks like somebody who does not sell jewelry so it's probably his or a family member's ring. The appraisal is from 2010 when Mahenge spinels were still inexpensive so it could be a Mahenge. It looks like a native cut, slightly sleepy stone so it is hard to tell the quality or potential for re-cut. But- if it does look better than pictures (very possible) then it may be very well worth the price. The seller has a 14 day return policy. Plenty of time to have it looked at by a PS recommended appraiser if you have one in your area.

 

[pregcurious]

Preg, I know, I was showing the OP a ballpark value for the stone.

TL, when looking around on ebay I do notice that. I've seen minty green spinel sold as natural, more than likely synthetic or glass and the like.

My comment wasn't related to anyone's comment. It's just that the setting alone looks like several grams of gold. If you were to make the setting custom, it would cost over $1K. I am not sure about the scrap value.

I agree with Elvis though that if the spinel is real, untreated, and the color shown in the listing, it is still a good buy (even without the setting).

LisaRN, good suggestion. Martin Fuller is in McLean, VA. A full appraisal (pictures, testing), however, is about $200. I asked him to look at a spinel that I ended up buying.

 

[pregcurious]

The stone does not look like it is horribly cut. It just looks quite sleepy, but the color looks good. I would also be very hesitant to pay that much for a stone that I then planned to recut. There's no way to insure it. For that amount of money, you could buy a nice, well cut stone (though not a pink spinel of this size).

OP, have you asked where the spinel came from? Following TLs first post, it would matter if you could talk to the original dealer. I would also want the seller to change the return policy so that I had time to send the stone to AGL.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Elvis- I understand your point but we have on this forum seen some amazing re-cuts from well know cutters, with very little weight loss on some gemstones. So it would not hurt to have a cutter look at it, if it is indeed a natural spinel with good color and no durability issues.

 

[GregS]

It's very difficult to judge that stone by the pictures. In the one straight on shot of the stone it looks as if the flash was on which is a shame. From what I can tell the stone possesses decent color but the cut is impossible to judge. There is a 14 day return period and the seller is in the states so you could return it if need be.

As a man, I wouldn't wear that.

 

[pregcurious]

As a man, I wouldn't wear that.

My husband would not either.

 

[chrono]

It's very difficult to judge that stone by the pictures. In the one straight on shot of the stone it looks as if the flash was on which is a shame. From what I can tell the stone possesses decent color but the cut is impossible to judge. There is a 14 day return period and the seller is in the states so you could return it if need be.

I agree; it is confusing when the listing describes it as hot pink with red undertones but the appraisal describes it as strongly purplish red. I think the cut is fair (noted as "good" on the appraisal); my guess is a low crown when I look at the side view of the ring but is otherwise fine because the tilt window isn't glaring.

 

[Marlow]

Elvis- I understand your point but we have on this forum seen some amazing re-cuts from well know cutters, with very little weight loss on some gemstones. So it would not hurt to have a cutter look at it, if it is indeed a natural spinel with good color and no durability issues.

I think, Elvis is right.

A large - and this is large!! - spinel (except Mahenge) is incredible rare. Mahenge was a rare combo of size and quality.

I would never recut a gem like this except there is a small damage. Otherwise keep it!! I know many here want perfect cut stones for jewellery ( no window, extinction ) - but this would be a waste of material.

The price for fine ( much smaller) burmese spinel is still high - anybody who bought some Mahenge quite cheap should be very happy and keep them!!!

Mahenge spinel will be on the same high level like Paraiba in a few years - I could buy a 0,80-1 ct Brazilian Paraiba eyeclean top neon color for 1000 DM in 1992 - I had the money!!!