Show me your light sabers!!

[Neptune]

BTW, this doesn't look waxy to me.



This is what I'm trying to understand. These images are borrowed from AJS. The face up view of this zircon is pretty and bright. It's "darken" when titled. It's still very pretty but I think curpian stays bright even it's tilted or away from bright light source?

Maybe medium light tone zircon would shifts less?




I saved this Paraiba picture from IG...drool! Maybe there is no substitute for a good curpian/Paraiba?

 

[T L]

Apatite is a pretty gem, but like other soft low RI gems, the luster isn’t as nice as a hard well polished gem. It depends on the lapidary as well. My apatite s a dead ringer for a green blue tourmaline.

Fine high quality Paraiba is up there among the most beautiful gems in the world. It’s breathtaking, so there is no substitute.

The difference in color of that zircon is probably due to a different light source, and vendors sometimes manipulate images to get a certain representation of it. I never bought from AJS, so I cannot comment on them specifically in regards to photo manipulation.

I personally prefer pastel or lighter gems (medium to light tone are my sweet spots), as I find some gems are so dark, they can “black out” in certain lighting. However, some people prefer dark gems. Some blue zircon can be dark and/or too grayish for my taste. There are gorgeous lighter colored examples with deep blue saturation, but it’s not the same color as fine paraiba.

 

[T L]

By the way, for paraiba eye Candy, check out this Instagram vendor.

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[Neptune]

Thanks for the detailed explanation. You answers helped to clarify things for me. I really enjoyed reading old threads from you and other members. Very resourceful and great ways to train my eyes, imo.

I stayed away from watching IG vendors. Don't need any more temptations. Besides, I cannot read the true colors of the gems. Doesn't his light setting look overly "dreamy"?

Santa Maria aquamarine, another blue temptation! I told myself to stay away because of waxiness & grey, etc...lol! Saw a pretty one recently...

 

[T L]

Thanks for the detailed explanation. You answers helped to clarify things for me. I really enjoyed reading old threads from you and other members. Very resourceful and great ways to train my eyes, imo.

I stayed away from watching IG vendors. Don't need any more temptations. Besides, I cannot read the true colors of the gems. Doesn't his light setting look overly "dreamy"?

Santa Maria aquamarine, another blue temptation! I told myself to stay away because of waxiness & grey, etc...lol! Saw a pretty one recently...

You’re very welcome. Aquamarine is my birthstone, and the first ring I ever had was an Aqua for my graduation from grade school. It pretty much started this whole obsession!

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

Just got this sphene ring so am posting it everywhere.

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

Indoor shots-it’s a light apple green. It’s totally crystal clean, but the camera makes it look fuzzy. It’s one of the hardest gems to photograph. You really cannot appreciate the beauty from a photo.

I would say it’s the same color as LD’s.

Thanks for the photography explanation. There is always a fuzzy spot somewhere when I’m trying to get a photo of my sphene.

 

[T L]

Lovely sphene ring. I just love those high RI stones.

 

[T L]

The sun really really came out today.

 

[T L]

May the force be with you!

 

[shelovesinclusions]

Here's a spinel I got from another PS member a couple years ago. It loves the light and the shade.

 

[Neptune]

@T L I want that spess!!! Wear all 4 together and show them off! You might have more than 4 now, lol.

 

[T L]

@Neptune , you mean all by spessartite rings together?

 

[T L]

Here's a spinel I got from another PS member a couple years ago. It loves the light and the shade.

Beautiful, is there a thread on this? Specs?

 

[Neptune]

@Neptune , you mean all by spessartite rings together?

Yep. You had 3 rings, then added 2 more...but who’s counting, ha!

 

[T L]

Yep. You had 3 rings, then added 2 more...but who’s counting, ha!

I have a couple of small loose ones too.

I would not call the rectangle a mandarin though, it’s a bit too deep in tone.

incandescent light.

 

[Neptune]

I have a couple of small loose ones too.

I would not call the rectangle a mandarin though, it’s a bit too deep in tone.

incandescent light.

Oh...you re-homed that one? Used to be in a halo?

I love bold colors, whatever names they are called.

 

[T L]

Oh...you re-homed that one? Used to be in a halo?

I love bold colors!

Yes, a cushion blue spinel went in the halo that this used to be in. It was just not the right shape for that halo.

Thank you for the kind words on this spessartite. It reminds me of cara cara oranges, rather than mandarin.

 

[Neptune]

Yes, a cushion blue spinel went in the halo that this used to be in. It was just not the right shape for that halo.

Thank you for the kind words on this spessartite. It reminds me of cara cara oranges, rather than mandarin.

Do spessartites look slightly darker once they are set?

 

[T L]

Do spessartites look slightly darker once they are set?

No, not in my opinion. I took that photo in horrid dim yellowish incandescent light, and when I upload, the process washes out the color. They’re more orange in person.

 

[shelovesinclusions]

Beautiful, is there a thread on this? Specs?

Thanks! There's not a thread for it, and she didn't have many details. It's a tiny bit over 3ct., almost 10x8, has a big belly, window, and visible crystal inclusions- but it's such an awesome pastel lavender-blue, a complete sparkle bomb, and I love it.

 

[Neptune]

No, not in my opinion. I took that photo in horrid dim yellowish incandescent light, and when I upload, the process washes out the color. They’re more orange in person.

Interesting and good to know. Thanks.

Does your apatite color shift from indoor to outdoor?

 

[T L]

Interesting and good to know. Thanks.

Does your apatite color shift from indoor to outdoor?

I think ALL gems color shift in various lighting, even a tiny bit. It’s like eye color. I have green blue eyes, and sometimes they’re green and sometimes they’re more blue. It all depends on the lighting.

That being said, I don’t think there’s much of a color shift with the apatite.

 

[Neptune]

I think ALL gems color shift in various lighting, even a tiny bit. It’s like eye color. I have green blue eyes, and sometimes they’re green and sometimes they’re more blue. It all depends on the lighting.

I meant "black out" type of shift, I am guessing apatite does not...?

 

[T L]

I meant "black out" type of shift, I am guessing apatite does not...?

Oh heavens no!! It’s a really open color and stays saturated in all light sources. I highly recommend apatite to people, especially if you’re careful with your jewelry. For the color, it’s a great value.

 

[Neptune]

Oh heavens no!! It’s a really open color and stays saturated in all light sources. I highly recommend apatite to people, especially if you’re careful with your jewelry. For the color, it’s a great value.

I know and am so tempted because of the colors! Are they all waxy or it could be improved with a better cut?

 

[T L]

I know and am so tempted because of the colors! Are they all waxy or it could be improved with a better cut?

I don’t think people automatically look at apatite, or peridot, or some other lower luster gems as, having poor luster, unless they’re polished badly. I am a person who really cares about luster, but most people do not. The color pretty much is the overwhelming noticeable trait in this case.

 

[T L]

Since you asked about color shift, that same apatite above in diffused natural light. The luster and polish is as good as my tourmaline, but I prefer the luster on my spinels more. Most people wouldn’t notice or care though.

 

[Neptune]

Just for fun and !

Based on these 2 pictures, It shifts less than my emerald but I like mine no matter how dark/light it gets.

Reading low vs high luster made me go dig up old thread.

Spinels, Polish, Luster and Sparks

I was selling some spinels recently and realized that two precision cut stones I had - and have now sold - threw off the most amazing sparks of color. One was a lavender/periwinkle/pink stone and it throws off these sparks of peach, pink, light blue, and purple in the right light. I also had...

www.pricescope.com

 

[T L]

Just for fun and !

Based on these 2 pictures, It shifts less than my emerald but I like mine no matter how dark/light it gets.

Reading low vs high luster made me go dig up old thread.

Spinels, Polish, Luster and Sparks

I was selling some spinels recently and realized that two precision cut stones I had - and have now sold - threw off the most amazing sparks of color. One was a lavender/periwinkle/pink stone and it throws off these sparks of peach, pink, light blue, and purple in the right light. I also had...

www.pricescope.com

Interesting thread. The apatite will never throw off rainbows or show much dispersion no matter how well it’s cut. I find the same thing true of tourmaline, beryls, and peridot to name a few.

Now demantoid, sphene, sphalerite...

They put Diamond to shame, although dark colored diamonds like the Hope and mochas, greys, champagnes, can be extremely dispersive.