New grossular "mint" garnet

[ChrisA222]

MTG...forgot to add....as much as I love your Blue Sapphire...I think your Barry Tsavorite has won me over as my favorite stone in your collection

 

[vickygigi]

Pretty garnet! Jealous. I want one!

 

[jstarfireb]

Lovely stone! The shapes and proportions are very pleasing, not to mention the brightness and sparkle!

 

[minousbijoux]

Hmm. Now that you've written about the inclusions breaking the surface, I am conflicted for you. First off, did you speak to Gary about them, just on the offbeat chance that maybe just maybe they appear to break the surface but they don't? I know, that's a long shot as you've louped them and you know. But if you felt something there and thats why, just make sure, since you said you had an aversion to cleaning stones, that its not some scrummy stuff stuck in that area...

As to the color, its amazing how stones change in different lighting conditions! It is a beautifully cut, beautifully shaped stone. To me, the color is more appealing in daylight.

Ruminating threadjack: Have you ever noticed how the grossular family in particular looks more yellowish in CFL and incandescent lighting and more bluish in daylight? This has always confused me, as I would think the stones would respond to the lighting conditions and would appear colder in hue in cold lighting like CFL and more yellow in color in warmer light like sunlight, but it appears to be the other way around. Why? Sorry, threadjack ramble over!

But MTG, before you give up him/her, please ask Gary what he thinks?

 

[chrono]

MTG,
I second the suggestion to contact Gary to ask about the surface reaching inclusions. I presume you louped them and saw them at an angle? If they are so tiny as to be unable to see them with the naked eye AND not feel them by touch, that would not bother me. In terms of structural integrity or the inclusions growing, it is a non issue. Of course, if it bugs you, then it bugs you and returning it would be the right decision.

Minou,
I've seen it happen both ways. I've seen green gossular garnet turn yellower under CFL and incandescent and some turn bluer. Some look a bit bluer outdoors and some not affected much.

 

[minousbijoux]

Thanks Chrono, but I was asking a variation on that. It is my limited experience to date that the same grossular stone will look more bluish in hue when warmer light like in sunlight and more yellowish in cooler incandescent/CFL lighting. I am wondering if others have experienced this as well. I can imagine that there are stones that have little or no change in various lighting, but I'm speculating that each stone will tend to look more bluish in outside light, and more yellowish in inside light. Has anyone else noticed this same phenomenon?

 

[chrono]

Minou,
Please bear with me as the more I read your post, the more confused I get. Then again, perhaps it is I that did not explain myself well?
Example 1 that I've seen: bluer outdoors, yellower indoors
Example 2 that I've seen: yellower outdoors, bluer indoors
Then, there are those that don't shift as much, or just goes from green to slightly bluish green, or green to slightly yellowish green.

 

[LD]

If it's bluer outdoors could it be reacting to the sun's UV light? A bit like fluor?

I'm not sure but some green garnets show a very faint orange fluor? If that's correct green add orange - does that make blue??????????

Just throwing out random thoughts!

 

[minousbijoux]

Okay, Chrono, you've clarified and from what you posted, your experience is different than mine. I have no clue, but fluor is a great guess. Basically, beats me! I'll have to try at different times of day outside to see if it holds up in all daylight sources.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I did ask gary about the inclusions, they pose no threat and are quite common. But they still bug me cause I'm OCD
Also, every time I see it next to my Barry mint I keep thinking "Wouldn't it be nice if it were more blue like that one?". And in some lighting the yellow cast is more noticeable. So all in all, back it goes. Gary's been fantastic about all my questions and the return though! Would absolutely buy something from him again...and he did say he had a "parcel" of these greens...

 

[chrono]

MTG,
It's difficult to buy gems when one keeps comparing it to the other better gems at hand but in a way, it's a good thing too. You end up improving on colour quality over time and save money by not buying something with colouration that cannot compare to the rest of your collection.

 

[LD]

MTG from reading your posts I think you're absolutely right to send it back. You see too much yellow but wish it were more blue. You're also seeing the inclusions which are bothersome (even though not structurally worrying). I find when I start seeing too many flaws that I can't overcome I find others! It's not as saturated as your others and whilst it has charm (and a lovely cut/size) the colour isn't there so I agree with you. Look on the bright side, you'll have some money for your next project now

 

[Arkteia]

Congratulations, MTG! Two beautiful stones! Wonderful mint, and Gary, of course, is an excellent cutter. Can't wait for what you are going to make out of it.

 

[minousbijoux]

MTG: it is a lovely stone, but given that you were looking for the bluish quality, I think you're making the right decision to send it back. And maybe that will put you first in line for his other stones in his parcel...