Somebody's Gotta Buy This Stone!

[minousbijoux]

I adore the color and it is only the second one I've seen with that gorgeous slightly blue color. That said, does it have some 1/2 1/2 extinction going on? I know that you were concerned about that in your other thread.

 

[OTL]

-cm366 Thank you!
-minous Yes, slightly half half extiction when seeing it north-south, but looks perfect seeing it east-west...But the normal way to set a stone is the north-south way, so I decide to purchase that square cushion one assuming that a square wouldn't have this problem...

 

[chrono]

If you can get away with setting the stone the other way to lessen the extinction, by all means do so. I like a touch of blue in demantoids so if it doesn't go olive-y indoors, I think it's a keeper. It's not the usual demantoid colour but if you like it (and I like what I'm seeing), that's all that matters. I assume the price is right for you too?

 

[minousbijoux]

If you can get away with setting the stone the other way to lessen the extinction, by all means do so. I like a touch of blue in demantoids so if it doesn't go olive-y indoors, I think it's a keeper. It's not the usual demantoid colour but if you like it (and I like what I'm seeing), that's all that matters. I assume the price is right for you too?

Thank you for saying this, Chrono! A while ago, there was a thread on Namibian demantoids and the example shown was of a lovely light bluish green stone. I'm sure I commented that the color blew me away and it was the first I had seen, as most are either the olivey green color or a light yellowish green (in fact, there are two just like that for sale right now on the Bistro - ever so slightly brownish olivey demantoids; perfectly nice but typical in my experience). The response from those I admire and trust on this board, was that in their experience the majority of demantoids they had seen were in fact bluish green. Ever since then, I have been hunting for one that color to no avail...

Now I'll go away feeling all smug because Chrono says that bluish green is not the usual demantoid color!

 

[chrono]

The trade preferred demantoid colour is chrome green. More often, they are yellowish green, with olive-y yellowish green being the most common. I noticed that the nicer Namibians tend to have a touch of blue. Yucky Nambian demantoids have a gray component but still show more blue than Russian material. Does this sort of explain why a blue modifier is unusual for a demantoid? Perhaps, over time, it may no longer be viewed as being quite different.

 

[OTL]

If you can get away with setting the stone the other way to lessen the extinction, by all means do so. I like a touch of blue in demantoids so if it doesn't go olive-y indoors, I think it's a keeper. It's not the usual demantoid colour but if you like it (and I like what I'm seeing), that's all that matters. I assume the price is right for you too?

I am waiting for the square one, if that one does not have extinction problem I am going to return this one.
And that's if the inclusion doesn't bother me much.
Well, I know chrome green is the color that market like, but I am always a fan of mint color. This one falls into that category. So who knows? Now not only do I have a mint garnet, I have a mint demantoid garnet! When you see it that way, much happier!

 

[GregS]

Judging by the video, this stone likes like a very well cut fireball. I like that it's a fat oval too.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/PRECISION-C...095?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item564b90109f

 

[wordie89]

The video looks very pretty, too. Wondering, who decides it's a "fanta"? Seller?

 

[GregS]

Yeah, the seller does, I take the word "fanta" with a grain of salt.

 

[ChrisA222]

Wordie...Im honestly not trying to be "snarky" but....why wouldn't the seller describe it as fanta if thats what they believe the stone to be? Is Fanta a specific color that can only be given by a Lab? Color, at least with names such as "fanta" is pretty subjective. What is fanta for one may not be fanta for another.

For example, when searching threads of members "fanta" Spessartites, I've found a number of stones that have a strong yellow modifier. While Im not saying that is a bad color, I find it attractive (not as much as the pure orange or red-tinged orange), but I do not see a yellow modifier in the soda so why would a stone with a yellow modifier be described as fanta (By members here, not just sellers).

I guess my point is that "Fanta Orange" seems more of an opinion than a specific hue. Unless I am wrong, and Fanta Orange can be a range, from the yellowish-orange to a pure orange.

 

[cm366]

Heh... Fanta, like "Mandarin" or "Paraiba", is used on eBay to indicate that the seller wants to charge you more. Individual sellers may be more reliable in their descriptions, but if you're browsing eBay as a first-time buyer and expecting that the titles reflect the goods on offer, it's wise to apply that grain of salt pretty liberally. That said, the vendor to whom this stone belongs has more reliable descriptions than most. I've bought quite a few stones from him, had only one show up not as described, and he was quick to offer a refund or replacement with a finer stone at no extra charge.

And for the record, having bought Fanta on 5 continents, it does come in slightly different colours, some slightly yellow!

Me, I've been ogling this little spinel from Litnon. I'm not sure the neon stands up though, the hand shot doesn't look as great...?

 

[jstarfireb]

OTL, that demantoid is gorgeous! Does it show the wonderful dispersion they're known for?

 

[minousbijoux]

Judging by the video, this stone likes like a very well cut fireball. I like that it's a fat oval too.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/PRECISION-C...095?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item564b90109f

Quite a high price for having such a brown modifier - this one doesn't do it for me at all.

As for Litnon's Mahenge, that one has been eyeballed for a while, but the consensus seems to be, just as you said, that the alternate photo shows it to be less saturated than the first. I think you've made the right choice on that one, at least until the price comes down a bit more...

 

[cm366]

Thanks Minou! I'm slow, but I'm learning!

 

[chrono]

Not a bad spessartite with the cutting, it is a sparkler but colour-wise, it looks more orangish yellow rather than yellowish orange. I don't mind some yellow in my spessaritite but not to the point where it looks more yellow than orange. I've seen both the Fanta sold in the US and overseas and the colour is quite different for each country. No matter the case though, none of them match up to this garnet in both saturation and hue.

 

[GregS]

I see what other's are saying, but I tend to like the Spessartite's with more yellow in them, and that stone looks like it would face up very nicely. Being very new to colored stones I find myself gravitating towards stones that aren't necessarily "desirable". I just snagged an Indicolite Tourmaline and a Demantoid from Jeff, both looked good to me.

 

[ChrisA222]

Greg, Im with you in what you're saying about sometimes not the markets "ideal" are going to be the "ideal" for each person. At the same token, even generally speaking, lesser qualities can still be beautiful and appreciated.

For me, my favorite version of the Spessartite is bright orange with a red modifier...not what the market values most, but it sure is an attractive stone. I don't care for the yellow...at all.

Also, I got a Demantoid from Jeff for a bargain price...I bought it because the price was ridiculous, $60 and 1.50+ct. Nobody bought it for two reasons, maybe three. First, its an oval which many dislike. Second, its daylight color is an olivy/brownish green, and third, it shifts to a golden color in incandescent. Thats far from ideal for a Demantoid. I took a chance.

The stone is stunning...because the lack of saturation emphasizes the crazy rainbow-dispersion (and the excellent cutting). So yeah, the stone is an earthtone..but it catches light, and it is also a color-show. So I love it, and I got it for a steal. Will I eventually make a mint by reselling it though? Nope..cause along with the Orange Spesses I like with the red mods, they arent what the market values (So that is the compromise when buying these stones..they won't really appreicaite or even break even in the event you want to resell, etc)

Buy what you like

 

[chrono]

I love some stones that aren't the market ideal as well but as always, they must be highly saturated. No olive, no gray, no ochre, no brown...you get the idea. No amount of dispersion or sparkle can make up for the lack of good colour for me. I tried with a demantoid and a few other varieties but in the end, I couldn't accept it.

 

[T L]

Judging by the video, this stone likes like a very well cut fireball. I like that it's a fat oval too.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/PRECISION-C...095?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item564b90109f

THe stone in the video is not the same stone in the photo. Someone might want to let Jeff know. The stone in the video is a portuguese round, and the stone in the photo is an oval.

 

[chrono]

TL,
Good catch. Although I saw it, it never sunk into my mind that that was a round.

 

[GregS]

Judging by the video, this stone likes like a very well cut fireball. I like that it's a fat oval too.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/PRECISION-C...095?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item564b90109f

THe stone in the video is not the same stone in the photo. Someone might want to let Jeff know. The stone in the video is a portuguese round, and the stone in the photo is an oval.

Yellowish stone, with the wrong video... The saying "Read more and post less" comes to mind.

 

[minousbijoux]

I see what other's are saying, but I tend to like the Spessartite's with more yellow in them, and that stone looks like it would face up very nicely. Being very new to colored stones I find myself gravitating towards stones that aren't necessarily "desirable". I just snagged an Indicolite Tourmaline and a Demantoid from Jeff, both looked good to me.

Greg: all I can say is Yay!!! Don't change! I agree that you should get what you like instead of what other people think. I also believe that standards or what is considered industry standard sometimes shifts depending on trend setters (take, for example, the acceptance and increased desirability of darker sapphires as a result of the Kate/Diana ring), so something you get because you like it, may end up being popular - not that hopefully, you care too much

Have we seen your demantoid?

 

[minousbijoux]

I love some stones that aren't the market ideal as well but as always, they must be highly saturated. No olive, no gray, no ochre, no brown...you get the idea. No amount of dispersion or sparkle can make up for the lack of good colour for me. I tried with a demantoid and a few other varieties but in the end, I couldn't accept it.

No surprise that I agree completely.

And TL, good eagle eye (I admit I didn't even look at the video, but based my opinion solely on the photo )

 

[miraclesrule]

OK, can't let this thread stay on page3
Here is the demantoid update, if anyone's interested.
I would say the color is very different from the picture...but more close to the video.
Overall it is a little less saturated than listing.But a nice suprise is it has a hint blue in it. The indoor color is pretty green, not olive at all. BTW, I have bought almost 10 stones from Jeff, but up until today I still couldn't read his picture and video quite well. His stones are nice in person, I kept almost every stone I purchase from him, just don't match the picture so well...

The pictures I took of this demantoid are fairly accurate. Very close to what I see.
Do you think this is a good color for a demantoid?

That is a beautiful color against your skin tone!! I wouldn't send that back at all!!

 

[wordie89]

Chris ~ I don't think you're snarky. As for me I really just wondered how it was decided. I love some of the descriptive words but have begun to realize that there is a great deal of variation in it. Soooo, I look at it and decide whether I like it or not. That being said, I want value for the mone; I already have a few "learning" stones

Yoiks! Didn't even notice different shape in video . "oooh, sparkly, ooh, pretty, ooh sparkly" ---hence the learning stones referenced above. ;~).

 

[Starzin]

I've never seen anything like this and while it's only agate and doesn't state the size, it's quite a statement piece for the price - if it fits of course 'cos there's no resizing on this one http://www.montecristosjewelry.com/showcase/rings

 

[chrono]

How durable is it to wear a ring made entirely of agate?

 

[Starzin]

I would imagine it's fairly tough - it's basically rock after all, but would probably recommend gentle, special use only for something like this. Hopefully one of the lapidaries could chime in and enlighten us.

 

[pregcurious]

I think agate is a type of quartz, which means that it probably has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale--not an everyday ring if you wanted to avoid scratches.

 

[chrono]

MOH is only the scale for durability but I think it is tough though, meaning it isn't going to chip easily, correct?