Red spinels, crazy sapphires, need help all around!

[Bella432]

Life has been a little hectic lately and I've been under a ton of stress so I decided I wanted to spoil myself a little and get my first colored sparkly. There are a few different kinds that I love, rubies (but love the price tags and clarity of spinels better!) and sapphires, either in a nice dark blue, blue/violet, or a wild color change or bicolor including the blue or violet. I like cushions (including the crushed ice look that it seems not a lot of people like) and emerald, radiant, or "rectangle" as I've seen some on ebay listed as. I plan on putting it in a white gold, diamond halo setting, this will be my ering on days that I want some color!

I found a few that I do like, and would like to get opinions... though I'm not picky about many things, just a nice color really! I'm open to suggestions, and would like to keep the cost of this ring down.

Here are a couple pictures that I found online that are my inspiration, and the 3rd is my setting style idea.

Now to post some photos of the ones that I am interested in.. any feedback is appreciated, and I'm open to suggestions!

 

[Bella432]

Here are the contenders.. 2 more coming

 

[Bella432]

and the last 2. The color change spinel drives me wild, love it! Though it's pretty expensive

 

[kgizo]

Bella, you said you aren't too picky, but how important is cut to you? How much of a window or wonkiness would bother you? Just confirming if it is really all about color, which is a personal preference, or if the other stuff matters too. In keeping the cost of the ring down the size/cut matters because you could get a stock setting or go the custom route. Do you have a preference?
I like your inspiration pics and think they will make a nice colored stone ering. I alternate my diamond and colored stone erings and like having different options. This sounds like a fun project for you.

 

[Bella432]

I'd like it to just look nice is all, to be honest. I think some people aren't fond of the crushed ice look in cushions or radiants, but I really like it. I wouldn't like a window, I found a nice light purple spinel that made my heart jump, but then watched the video and it looks like a big window in the middle This is the one, http://www.gemselect.com/spinel/spinel-261487.php
That's about the size I'm looking for, around 9-10mm.

 

[minousbijoux]

Thank you for posting examples of what you are looking for - it really helps us understand what you seek, including specifics about the stone.

Unfortunately, from what you've posted as examples, I would say that you would likely be disappointed. One of the things that is common with vendors is that they often use bright lighting to take photos of their stones. They have the best lighting available so when they take photos, often it shows off the stone to its best advantage, with bright light showing off its color. I have seen many stones that were considerably darker in hand than the photos indicated; I have yet to see it the other way around. So I would say those stones will all be considerably darker in most lighting conditions. That would bother me, but maybe you won't mind - its a personal preference thing.

 

[FrekeChild]

1 and 6 have windows. The rest are pretty dark. I think you'd be best served to keep looking...

What's your budget?

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I think the pictures you posted are all stones that are too dark, and will appear darker in real life then photographed. I am not against darker stones. But if you have to look past the darkness to find the color then the stone is too dark. If the color jumps out at you first, and then you notice some extinction then that is a stone maybe worth purchasing. Hope that helps.

 

[Bella432]

Thanks for the input Freke; 1 and 6 are definitely not in the running then.

Thank you also Minous and Lisa, I didn't realise that vendors pumped up the lighting so much. Back to the drawing board I suppose! It's nice that Jeff Davies does the videos for his listings though, I've been mainly sticking to his listings just for ease since I'm new to the gem world.

I'd *like* to keep the gem to a max of $1000, and lower is always better. I'm finding that I guess I am pickier than I thought at the beginning, though in the end I just want something to drool over and put a smile on my face when I wear it

 

[wordie89]

Late to the party but I agree: The rings in examples are lovely and the red stone is going to be dark. I think you will miss seeing more of the color more often.

 

[minousbijoux]

Well lets see, Bella. Maybe some questions for you will help us to help you look. So, without further ado, some questions:

Can you give us an idea of the size (mm please, not carat weight) and shape of what you think you want;
Would you mind if there were inclusions you could see slightly with the naked eye? (this would bring the cost down considerably)
Would you consider pastel colors as well, or are you only interested in reds, violets and blues?
Do you mind if in some low light conditions it may read as dark with flashes of color or do you want to see its color at all times? (I ask because this is a preference thing completely; there are people I admire on this board because they like darker stones and end up saving a ton of money in the process)
Should we be looking for the hardest stones out there? In other words, how often will you wear this ring, and how hard on it do you think you'll be?

I'm sure others will have more questions for you; those are the ones that come to mind off the top of my head.