Should I set this red spinel? If so, how?

[glitterata]

I bought this 1.05 ct red spinel back in 2005 from one of the inexpensive, you-get-what-you-pay-for Thai gem dealers. It's a 5.7mm square cushion, a nice native cut, fairly clean. It cost me peanuts. The photo showed a blazing red, but in person, in the shade, it's much darker. It's a lovely dark red, not brown or purple--in the shade it looks a lot like those beautiful Victorian "bohemian" pyrope garnets that you can't find anymore except in antique jewelry. I have a lot of lovely Victorian garnet jewelry and felt I didn't need a spinel that looked like a bohemian garnet. So I stuck it in my Box of Mistakes and forgot about it for 17 years.

Now, though, I'm reconsidering. The spinel lights up beautifully in the sun. It has decent fluorescence--as much as my natural ruby earrings. I have this nice old platinum setting it will fit in perfectly, which I bought, also for peanuts, during the glory days of eBay.
So, should I set the red spinel in the platinum ring and wear it? Should I spend the money to set it in a home of its own--maybe yellow gold, to emphasize its warmth? Or is it just to garnetty to bother with, and should I put it back in my Box of Mistakes and save the setting for another stone?

Here it is looking bright in the direct sun:




Rainy day:



Fluorescence, with a ruby earring:



Here it is looking garnetty in the shade with a Victorian garnet brooch:





The pavilion:



The setting:

 

[kgizo]

I adore the setting so I hope you do! I like moody stones that change in different environments so I vote yes on the spinel, too.

 

[chrono]

Once set, will you wear it?
Will you look at it with joy every time you wear it?
That answer will determine whether it should be set or put back in the box.

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

I think you’re more likely to wear it if you set it! It’s a pretty stone.

 

[Gloria27]

Do you wear more yellow gold or white gold? What about mixing different colour rings? If you only wear white gold, set it in white gold. If you mix then you can't go wrong either way.

 

[Neptune]

Awesome profile!

 

[LilAlex]

Great stone, great mounting, and great idea. Tbh, I can not tell if it really fits in there or if the inside angle of the prongs matches the contour of the pavilion.

Pretty sweet set-up for "peanuts," though!

 

[Autumn in New England]

I voted to definitely set it! The mounting you have is quite lovely in its simplicity, but I'd like to see something more blingtastic. Good luck!!

 

[lilmosun]

Once set, will you wear it?
Will you look at it with joy every time you wear it?
That answer will determine whether it should be set or put back in the box.

My first instinct was to ask the same but then realized that if were me, I would set the spinel in the setting without hesitation.

I have preloved settings that have sat in boxes and loose stones that I didn't love enough to make a priority. I always feel like I hit the jackpot when I can match a stone with a setting. It gets two things out of the box and gives me a new piece of jewelry to wear. I usually end up happy with the combination. But I find I love the stone but not the setting (or vice versa), then I know which to focus on for a better match. If I find that neither make my heart sing, it's an inexpensive learning. The caveat is I have a very affordable bench.

 

[glitterata]

Thank you for the help, jewelry friends. I think I will try it out in the setting and see how they like each other--or at least, see if my jeweler thinks they will work together. (LilAlex makes a good point about the angles.) Neither one is doing any good sitting in a box.

 

[maru8888777]

I think it's a very pretty stone! Looking forward to seeing how it looks once you set it.

 

[glitterata]

Update: It took me a while (I was distracted by a bunch of exciting health surprises in the fall and winter), but I did end up setting this red spinel in this setting, and it's now one of my favorite rings. I love the spinel's red glow. I love the sculptural setting. I love that it's more durable than a garnet, so I can wear it on my right hand without babying it, but it also goes well with my simple platinum wedding band when I wear it on my left. I know it's a very modest ring by PS standards and too garnetty for spinel connoisseurs, but it makes me really happy.

Sunny day:


Full sun:


Cloudy day:

 

[voce]

Wow, awesome setting! I don't think that your someone looks garnetty at all. Congrats on the new ring.

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

I love the setting and the spinel. I actually never thought it looked like a garnet, btw. So glad you are enjoying your new treasure!

 

[glitterata]

Thank you for the kind words, @voce and @Mrsz1ppy , and for the encouragement, jewelry friends!

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

Update: It took me a while (I was distracted by a bunch of exciting health surprises in the fall and winter), but I did end up setting this red spinel in this setting, and it's now one of my favorite rings. I love the spinel's red glow. I love the sculptural setting. I love that it's more durable than a garnet, so I can wear it on my right hand without babying it, but it also goes well with my simple platinum wedding band when I wear it on my left. I know it's a very modest ring by PS standards and too garnetty for spinel connoisseurs, but it makes me really happy.

Sunny day:


Full sun:


Cloudy day:

Says you, I love spinels and I wouldn't kick her off my hand!
I'm so glad you kept that mounting. It's very unique, has great lines and is very cool. It looks like a you're wearing an ember. It's a beautiful ring.

 

[glitterata]

Says you, I love spinels and I wouldn't kick her off my hand!
I'm so glad you kept that mounting. It's very unique, has great lines and is very cool. It looks like a you're wearing an ember. It's a beautiful ring.

Thank you, Mainely!