Show Me Your Lavender/Periwinkles!!!!!

[pregcurious]

Freke, this thread proves you're our resident expert

Which one(s) are your favorite, and why? I ask because I'd like to learn what makes for a good lavendar stone from someone who has seen several. Based on the pics, I like the sapphire you recently sold the most, but if you sold it, you must prefer your others?

 

[chrono]

Based on the pics, I like the sapphire you recently sold the most, but if you sold it, you must prefer your others?

I hope I'm not prying too much in wanting to know why you sold the sapphire too; I like it best out of all those you posted.

 

[FrekeChild]

Freke, this thread proves you're our resident expert

Which one(s) are your favorite, and why? I ask because I'd like to learn what makes for a good lavendar stone from someone who has seen several. Based on the pics, I like the sapphire you recently sold the most, but if you sold it, you must prefer your others?

Hahahaha!!!! I wish.

My favorites are definitely the supernova and the asscher. The supernova is slightly more blue, and the asscher is slightly more purple.

When I was going through and looking at settings with my jeweler, I brought along my gembox, because I wasn't positive that I wanted to set the stones I'd left with him (It took me several months to figure out exactly what I wanted to set). When I figured out that I wanted to set the asscher, I was a loss at which setting I preferred, and wished I'd be able to compare the stone in both side by side. Which is when it dawned on me that I had the sapphire too - similar shape and size, and almost identical color.

The sapphire was hard for me to let go of. It was kind of a symbolic, sentimental stone. I'd come across the rough when I was looking for my engagement ring, and it was by far my favorite piece of rough, based on the color. But it was way too expensive for our budget, and the shape was going to be wrong - I wanted an oval or a round for my ering. I ended up buying the sapphire after it sat on Gene's site for a couple of years, I have no idea why it sat there for so long. But I bought it as almost a "I couldn't afford it THEN, but I can definitely afford it NOW!". Plus I still loved the color, and the cut was, of course, fantastic.

So selling it was really hard. I'll post more pictures.

 

[FrekeChild]

I think, if you had to put words to it, is because it was such a similar color to the asscher and the supernova, it got outshone because they were bigger than it was. I've been trying to be really good about not hoarding stones lately, so I had to spread the love. I don't need 3 rings of almost identical color, as much as I may want them!

More pics. Some with my kiddo's Pantone book. Not the best of it, but it's interesting to see how it's not purple and not blue, but really between the two.

 

[FrekeChild]

You can see how similar it looks to the supernova here.

I forgot a stone in my posting from yesterday. Still looking for pics of it. In the meantime, here is the supernova in magical New Mexico morning lighting.

 

[FrekeChild]

Here it is! The one ring I regret selling. If the owner ever wants to unload it, I hope she asks me first! Almost 2cts of emerald spinel.

As for looking for stones this color....I don't know? I guess it's a personal preference. You have to figure out if size, color or cut are your preference.

I guess I have a preference for more blue in the stone, and I like to have a decent cut, although it doesn't have to be precision. I don't mind some gray, and actually shy away from more super saturated stones, at least, in this particular range. And size in the same or similar color beats out some other factors. So, it's a big game of personal preference.

Edit: You can see in these pictures just how similar the supernova, emerald and Gene radiant are.

 

[minousbijoux]

You can see how similar it looks to the supernova here.

I forgot a stone in my posting from yesterday. Still looking for pics of it. In the meantime, here is the supernova in magical New Mexico morning lighting.

Congratulations! It just officially entered the pantheon of my Favorite Stones Ever.

 

[Pretzel]

You can see how similar it looks to the supernova here.

I forgot a stone in my posting from yesterday. Still looking for pics of it. In the meantime, here is the supernova in magical New Mexico morning lighting.

Congratulations! It just officially entered the pantheon of my Favorite Stones Ever.

Me too

 

[Rosebloom]

You can see how similar it looks to the supernova here.

I forgot a stone in my posting from yesterday. Still looking for pics of it. In the meantime, here is the supernova in magical New Mexico morning lighting.

Congratulations! It just officially entered the pantheon of my Favorite Stones Ever.

Me too

Me three!

 

[periwinkle]

oh wow... all the lavender stones are lovely!!
ChrisA222 - those glowly cabs are pretty

 

[pokerface]

If I want a stone in this color, is spinel pretty much the only option? I can't remember if a PS'er ended up with this stone, but I hope so!

 

[Pretzel]

Now that is yummy, Pokerface!


Came across this lavender spinel a bit ago. Seems a bit overpriced? Video on link.

http://www.uppergems.com/blue-violet-spinel/440-lavender-spinel-708-ct.html

 

[erinl]

That 7.08 spinel is huge but has some serious cutting issues. I think it would definitely need a recut.

 

[minousbijoux]

Poker: I love the look of that stone. I believe I know a PSer who bought it and then I told them I thought it was over-priced. Given the rarity with which we see stones remotely like that, I now regret having steered her clear of it.

erini, that stone may need a recut, but the color is pretty effing awesome!

 

[chrono]

I think cut becomes more challenging when the stone is extremely elongated. There are certain designs that can minimize the bowtie and larger tilt window but few will precision cut coloured gemstones.

 

[royalstarrynight]

This is my color shifting sapphire
2.54 ct
6.6x7.6x 6.1 makes it rather deep but the color was to die for in both natural, fluorescent and incandescent lights

I'm still debating on what type of home to give her

 

[cm366]

rsn, that's gorgeous! Nice find!

 

[chrono]

This is my color shifting sapphire
2.54 ct
6.6x7.6x 6.1 makes it rather deep but the color was to die for in both natural, fluorescent and incandescent lights

Gorgeous!

 

[katharath]

Freke, I'm completely amazed by the gems you've owned from this thread alone...wow!! What a stunning bunch of stones.

I have just a couple to share, some of which look eerily similar to a couple you have owned! I have a violet Dan Stair and a lighter violet Barry B spinel, both smaller...I actually listed the Dan Stair gem for sale but took it down after a couple of days; I decided I would be sad if I sold it. It looks way different from my Barry spinel so I feel like I must keep both, lol. I've posted the Dan spinel here but I don't think I've posted my pics of the Barry one yet.

Also pictured is my tanzy and a newer purchase of mine - a lighter Ceylon sapphire. I wanted a lighter Ceylon that would hold its color in all lighting, and I have a few darker blues so I wanted something different from what I already had. This one came from at MC, I'll probably . From left to right - tanzy, sapphire, dan spinel, Barry spinel. I'll put up a few individual pics of them too just cause I love them...the tanzy and sapphire probably don't technically belong in here but I like them for color comparison

 

[katharath]

Barry gem

 

[katharath]

Dan spinel...I think the color on this one is so wonderful. I wish I could combine this color with Barry's snowflake looking cut...

I will do a separate thread on the new sapphire so that's it for now

Beautiful pics in here, I've really enjoyed it, thank you to all who shared your eye candy so far!

 

[pokerface]

Royal, I love that sapphire! Do you mind sharing the vendor? What was the advertised color of the stone?

 

[royalstarrynight]

Royal, I love that sapphire! Do you mind sharing the vendor? What was the advertised color of the stone?

I bought the stone at a brick&mortar in the Bay Area. There was no advertised color since I saw the stone in person I was talking to one of the sales associates about colored stones. He was so excited to find another CS lover that he popped out this stone. He said it had been hiding in the vaults for about 10 years or so...

Unfortunately, he didn't have other sapphires that color otherwise my wallet would had gone out!

 

[FrekeChild]

These are so gorgeous! I'm glad more people than just me are adding stuff! More more more!!!!!

 

[pregcurious]

If I want a stone in this color, is spinel pretty much the only option? I can't remember if a PS'er ended up with this stone, but I hope so!

Was this from The Gem Trader?

 

[minousbijoux]

Yes, I believe it was

 

[minousbijoux]

This is my color shifting sapphire
2.54 ct
6.6x7.6x 6.1 makes it rather deep but the color was to die for in both natural, fluorescent and incandescent lights

I'm still debating on what type of home to give her

Royal: I can't wait to see this stone in person some day, as I honestly believe it will end up being my favorite color shifting stone of all time. At least in the photos, it looks to change from a very saturated blue to a gorgeous, pure purple/violet. LOVE this stone!

 

[FrekeChild]

Barry gem

Kath, I saw this stone for sale, it looked really pretty - does it have a small culet? How is the gray in it?

 

[periwinkle]

royalstarrynight -- your sapphire is gorgeous colour!!

 

[katharath]

Barry gem

Kath, I saw this stone for sale, it looked really pretty - does it have a small culet? How is the gray in it?

It's really beautiful IMO - it does have a small culet. It's actually a bit difficult to see with the naked eye (this is a smaller gem as well, @5.5 mm), but a culet is definitely present.

I think this one is interesting bc it doesn't strike me as truly "gray" - but then again that's probably just my own inexperience at evaluating lighter spinels. It is a really lovely pale lavender and shifts to silvery almost white/colorless, so it looks to me silvery in certain lights rather than gray. But maybe that's just semantics, lol.

I'll include this pic of it next to my pale pink spinel - this shows it in the "silvery/palest lavender" phase, I think this illustrates better than I can describe