Show your Spessartite

[minousbijoux]

Bright:

I think you did the right thing in returning it. Its not that it wasn't lovely and bright; its just that I don't think of that as true fanta. Actually, I don't even know if that is what you're after?

I am optimistic that all of us spess seekers will find our stones.

 

[bobsiv]

Nigerian spess, same batch of rough as the stone in my avatar. I like the reddish orange of these, even though most have a fair amount of secondary brown; they really smolder in low light. The pure orange ones are nice of course, but this stuff is a lot cleaner and a lot more affordable.

 

[colorluvr]

I just got my stones back from Jerry in the mail today, so I went outside and tried to get some decent photos. It was kind of overcast/sunny today and the stones look a little dark in these photos, but you'll get the idea.

The first one is the Fanta spessartite that I shared Jerry's picture earlier. I'm really please with how it turned out. You can't tell by my photo but it has amazing luster and glows like crazy. I don't see any brown IRL.

The second one is a more reddish spessartite and can show a tinge of brown in some lighting but in the sun is the color of lava (same color as my scissor cut stone in the wedding set).

As a fun comparison I included a photo of a stone that was sold to me as a Malaya garnet from the Umba Valley and was said to be "Pyrope Spessartine". By the RI reading Jerry guessed it to be Spessartine/Almandite mix. The stone is a really cool color IRL, but the cutting was so bad, he had to completely recut it. I lost a lot of material, but it was a horrible cut before, so now it's a really fun stone. Btw, the inclusions that are so obvious with my macro lens aren't visible IRL because the stone is so well cut and just sparkles. The vendor called it "NEON ORANGE With FIRE RED Overtone" and actually that's a pretty good description.


The last photo is with the sun right on the stone.

 

[cellentani]

Nigerian spess, same batch of rough as the stone in my avatar. I like the reddish orange of these, even though most have a fair amount of secondary brown; they really smolder in low light. The pure orange ones are nice of course, but this stuff is a lot cleaner and a lot more affordable.

I'm glad you posted this - it's one of the nicest Nigerian spessartites I've seen.

 

[tammy77]

Can I play too? I don't know the origin but it's a 2.47ct 6mm cushion cut spess. I also have a picture, or two! I have more but won't overload you all. I had to use an orange since Fanta wasn't available!

 

[Dioptase]

Not mine, but I wish. A 27 carat spess from Nomad gems. Everyone has such beautiful stones in this thread, I can't comment on just one!

If only we could get that kind of rough now...

 

[Upgradable]

Mine is in the CAD stage right now. I can hardly wait!! I've been asked not to share pictures until the piece is done, but I couldn't contain my enthusiasm any longer!!

Refresher: mine is a Loliondo cut by Jeff White. I was after the yellowish orange, and this fit the bill perfectly for me!

 

[minousbijoux]

I'm not an yellowish orange gal, but I love that stone. I love the size, I love the color and glow, and most of all, I love Jeff's cutting. Perfect.

 

[minousbijoux]

...and if it was for sale to mere mortals like us, anyone want to hazard a guess? $15,000 - $20,000? Higher?

 

[anythingorange]

...and if it was for sale to mere mortals like us, anyone want to hazard a guess? $15,000 - $20,000? Higher?

I'm guessing higher. Probably well over $1000/carat. Waaaaaay out of my price range at that weight.

 

[minousbijoux]

Ooh, ooh! We should get someone in the trade to ask Nomad...

 

[anythingorange]

Ooh, ooh! We should get someone in the trade to ask Nomad...

Are you interested in the stone if it's available? You should email them! But honestly, I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised if it was pushing $2000/carat (and quite possibly more) at that weight and clarity, etc. (I could be way off. I didn't price anything near that weight, so I am just extrapolating.)

Looks like Nomad's will be in Vegas June 1-4.

 

[Dioptase]

Yeah to disappoint you all but the stone is long gone. TL posted the picture first, so I thought people would like to see a better, enlarged version.
A few years ago we had kilos of rough of nice mandarins from Nigeria but the production pretty much dried up. It's not easy to find a decent mandarin garnet now, especially a clean and large one.

Looks like Nomad's will be in Vegas June 1-4.

Yes we will be there.

 

[minousbijoux]

Wow, Dioptase, I didn't make the connection! You all take the best artistic photos! I love your website - every photo is art. So can you share with us a ballpark for what it sold for per carat? And do we need to be a wholesale member to purchase from you?

 

[minousbijoux]

A few years ago we had kilos of rough of nice mandarins from Nigeria but the production pretty much dried up.

It seems like everyone had Nigerian rough a while back. But I think of most Nigerian as typically having a brown modifier to some extent. So just out of curiosity, how much of your rough when you had it was just pure orange without any brown? Also, do you know how the spess ended up? Was it made into a pendant or bracelet, or is that confidential?

Thanks - just so excited to find that Nomad is here!

 

[minousbijoux]

I did the Fanta test with a bottle of really neon artificial colored Fanta soda (USA bought) with my pear in an old setting (it's the one in the new setting on the prior page of this thread).



I thought it was a neat photo so I wanted to share.

You know, I love this photo and I never get tired of it. It seems that every so often you pop it in for discussion purposes and whenever a new discussion of fanta stones come up, I hope my favorite pic will follow!

 

[Dioptase]

Wow, Dioptase, I didn't make the connection! You all take the best artistic photos! I love your website - every photo is art. So can you share with us a ballpark for what it sold for per carat? And do we need to be a wholesale member to purchase from you?

Well, there's a strong artistic vibe in the company
The pictured mandarin was sold way before I joined the company. I guess it was "too cheap" compared to the current prices
Nomads is a wholesale company but we do sometimes sell to private individuals when they visit us during trade shows.

It seems like everyone had Nigerian rough a while back. But I think of most Nigerian as typically having a brown modifier to some extent. So just out of curiosity, how much of your rough when you had it was just pure orange without any brown? Also, do you know how the spess ended up? Was it made into a pendant or bracelet, or is that confidential?

Thanks - just so excited to find that Nomad is here!

Yep, a lot of Nigerian material has some brown or red but you can get pretty stones out of it too. Some people love the reddish orange or the burnt orange color, some prefer the pure fanta one.
I really don't know which % of the rough had brown, as we try to buy only the best pieces available.

 

[Arkteia]

Didn't you have an awesome spessartite, pretty included but neon in color, at Tucson show, too?

 

[Dioptase]

Didn't you have an awesome spessartite, pretty included but neon in color, at Tucson show, too?

Yes indeed! A 50,00ct stone with a crazy neon orange color but its included.

 

[minousbijoux]

Was it Namibian?

 

[Dioptase]

Was it Namibian?

The 50 ct one? It's a Nigerian stone.

 

[anythingorange]

Was it Namibian?

The 50 ct one? It's a Nigerian stone.

Dioptase, do you have a photo of it?

 

[Dioptase]

Unfortunately no (or not yet at least).

 

[PursuitOfBling]

Wow lol, this one actually looks like an explosion just went off inside it! (From the first page)

 

[bright ice]

I am at it again. Saw this one and thought I would see how it turns out.
http://www.litnon.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=9101

 

[erinl]

Just a quick question to all you Spess owners, especially Chrono, Lauren the Partier, TL and Uppy. Are any of your pictures taken in direct sunlight, or are they all pictures in which the stone is shielded from the sun? I just saw a very lovely and large spess, but I am sending it back primarily because it tended to really brown out in the sun.....

 

[BWise]

Here is my orange spess, recut by Richard H in his signature concave cut. Mounted in a two-tone LOGR ring. It is yummy with no brown tones.

 

[chrono]

Just a quick question to all you Spess owners, especially Chrono, Lauren the Partier, TL and Uppy. Are any of your pictures taken in direct sunlight, or are they all pictures in which the stone is shielded from the sun? I just saw a very lovely and large spess, but I am sending it back primarily because it tended to really brown out in the sun.....

Erin,
My camera distorts the colour of my spessartite when taken outdoors under direct sunlight, making it look like a yellow sapphire. A very bright and neon pure yellow sapphire! I have no idea why my camera doesn't like to photography the colour orange. I don't photoshop or touch up my pictures and I never hand shade my rings and gemstones.

 

[derbygal]

My first post with my own pictures! This is my Pala spess my hubby picked out all by himself for me last year. I didn't want something too yellow, and I think he did a good job. Mark Patterson setting. (not sure of the specs on the stone-- sorry about that). Last shot is in direct sunlight.

 

[T L]

Just a quick question to all you Spess owners, especially Chrono, Lauren the Partier, TL and Uppy. Are any of your pictures taken in direct sunlight, or are they all pictures in which the stone is shielded from the sun? I just saw a very lovely and large spess, but I am sending it back primarily because it tended to really brown out in the sun.....

A fine quality fanta orange spessartite should not "brown out" in the sun. Some of my favorite shots of these stones are in the sun and not shaded at all. Do you have any direct sun photos of this particular gem?