Quick opinion on Mahenge color

[Arkteia]

Sooo hard to find a prime red spinel from mahenge now. Unless you have lots of cash. The first one is a very pretty stone for a garnet. If it was priced like good mahenge then not so much. The second looks more sleeping than sleepy. If it is the stone I think it is it has been bought shipped and returned so many times it should come with frequent flier miles.

To digress from Mahenge, do you remember how soon the new deposit of alexandrites from Brazil was worked out? Two months, I think. So we do not even know what is on the market, and the prices per carat are above all limits. I'd say, time to start relying on our eyes and not on names.

 

[athenaworth]

Got my first stone. I can say that it matches my current Mahenge that I had decided to sell to fund this project. *sigh* I think it’s going to go back. It’s pretty but not what I’m looking for.

 

[ForteKitty]

Hey, that's close to what i'm looking for! How much was it? (if you dont mind me asking?) I might want to take it off your hands...

 

[athenaworth]

Hey, that's close to what i'm looking for! How much was it? (if you dont mind me asking?) I might want to take it off your hands...

It was $347.03 all together with shipping and tax. I can take more pics of it if you want.

 

[y2kitty]

It is pretty but close to what you already have.

 

[ForteKitty]

what are the measurements? I have a sleepy spinel almost exactly like it and i was hoping to get a mate and make earrings!

 

[athenaworth]

Here you go.

 

[ForteKitty]

I think it might be pretty close. Gonna go home and look at the aigs card that came with it. I'll let you know tonight!

 

[Upgradable]

If you look at the color code, it says oR. That means the red has orange as a modifier. That makes this one more stop light color than pinky. Personally, I LOVE the look, but it isn't the traditional mahenge you are searching for.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Hi All,

Uppy- when looking at diamonds we'd toss any "report" issued by a seller- or at least be skeptical.
Is it not the same with Semi Precious?

*- I am NOT referring to any particular seller - or the specific reports posted here- but as a general question.

 

[deorwine]

Got my first stone. I can say that it matches my current Mahenge that I had decided to sell to fund this project. *sigh* I think it’s going to go back. It’s pretty but not what I’m looking for.

So... what are you looking for?

 

[athenaworth]

Well, I want something set in yellow gold. If I can find a perfect stone and not break the bank, then I'm totally keeping my current ring. Now I think I want something that sparkles, not sleepy. I love the sleepiness of the one I have now, but if I am going to have two (which I hope I can) then I'd rather have one that's clear. This is all a learning experience.

 

[LD]

Hi All,

Uppy- when looking at diamonds we'd toss any "report" issued by a seller- or at least be skeptical.
Is it not the same with Semi Precious?

*- I am NOT referring to any particular seller - or the specific reports posted here- but as a general question.

David, coloured gemstone world is slightly different from diamond world. A diamond's value depends largely on colour, clarity and size and you can have a pretty good guess at a "value" for, say, a 1ct E colour, VS1 diamond. However, in coloured gemstone world THE most important criteria is colour - that's typically where the value lies. Of course size and clarity pay a part but colour normally trumps everything! Lab reports are very useful for (a) making sure a gemstone is the variety it is being sold as and (b) what treatments if any the stone has undergone but they don't really help with colour. That's a bit of a wide statement and in some cases they do but I won't bore you with when/why etc!

It's not necessary to have a lab report on some stones purely because of the cost of the stone in the first place and/or the type of gemstone because you can be fairly sure with some that they are what they are being sold as and your eyes tell you about the colour! Also collectors (those who have some experience) typically have a range of equipment that allows them to run fairly basic tests to determine that the stone is what it says on the tin! Of course, it's not always possible to do that. You can tell a lot by running basic tests and identifying inclusions so for some gemstones, a lab report probably isn't necessary. However, for corundum it's essential if it's a reasonably substantial purchase (and that depends on each person's definition of "substantial"). The reason is that the price of corundum differs tremendously between a natural sapphire/ruby, one that has only been heated and then ones that have been BE diffused/filled/dyed etc etc. Some of the more intrusive treatments are incredibly difficult if not impossible to test for unless you have high spec lab equipment. A lab report for an Emerald is also useful because it will indication the type and amount of treatment that has been applied which is very useful to know for the long term care of the stone AND also helps with determining whether the Emerald has been priced accordingly.

There are a few companies who offer their own reports, such as Multicolour, that I would feel are satisfactory enough but these companies are in the minority but they are typically trusted vendors. So, in the example of the Spinel in this thread, the Multicolour report fits the bill. The only issue with spinels are that they can be synthetic - however, Multicolour test for this so it's unlikely. Multicolour (and most good vendors) offer the buyer the additional extra of purchasing a lab report at a cost. To use Multicolour as an example, they offer a range of lab reports from 3 or 4 different labs around the world. When I have bought from Multicolour, I have paid for an additional report where the stone has been of high value but I've relied on their own reports for smaller purchases (such as Tanzanites, Sphenes, etc).

Lastly, some people insist of lab reports for every stone irrespective of cost but if you collect enough, this can be a very very very costly way of buying. Personally, I only get a lab report if (a) I can't be sure of whether a treatment has been applied and it makes a difference to value or (b) it's a rare/expensive stone. It's a personal judgement call though!

Hope that helps

 

[athenaworth]

I got my next Mahenge from multicolour today. It looks nothing like the picture - it looks better!! Thank you Uppy for all of your help. You called it - this one is stunning.

 

[athenaworth]

And another (I'll probably keep doing this throughout the day because it's just sitting on my desk taunting me)

 

[athenaworth]

And more

 

[NKOTB]

Oooooooo, aaaahhhhhhh.

 

[ForteKitty]

Ooohh i love the new one!!!

 

[ZestfullyBling]

W W! The new oval is beautiful!! It has more red and the cut is very nice! I see a lot of scintillation in the new oval.

 

[athenaworth]

W W! The new oval is beautiful!! It has more red and the cut is very nice! I see a lot of scintillation in the new oval.

It's sparkling at me from all the way across the room!! Which is why I keep taking pictures of it.

 

[minousbijoux]

I'm at work but had to log on (even though I really shouldn't) to say that the second one you posted makes even me, a non-magenta person, want to go straight to Multicolour and start shopping...

They are really different, aren't they?

 

[athenaworth]

I'm at work but had to log on (even though I really shouldn't) to say that the second one you posted makes even me, a non-magenta person, want to go straight to Multicolour and start shopping...

They are really different, aren't they?

It's amazing to me how different they look. I'll have my AJs stone back today too and I'll snap some pics of all three together. That should be interesting. Then a photo shoot tonight. Boy you guys are in for a pic storm!

 

[y2kitty]

Did you have AJS one set already?

 

[Upgradable]

You know I"M waiting for the pictures!! I'm glad this stone turned out the way we'd hoped!! However, you're not helping me to quell my mahenge fever....

 

[athenaworth]

Did you have AJS one set already?

No, the AJs isn't set yet.

 

[athenaworth]

Now here's my new one with my AJ's stone. My jeweler likes the AJs stone better, but I'm torn:

 

[VapidLapid]

right now I am liking the ajs one better. Have you seen them in sunlight yet?

 

[athenaworth]

This is a good representation of their colors

 

[athenaworth]

right now I am liking the ajs one better. Have you seen them in sunlight yet?

I have seen them in sunlight, but only for a little bit. i'm going to take some pics of them tomorrow in the sunlight.