Spinel...Underappreciated?

[innerkitten]

Well I am a spinel lover but also am bothered by the stones that go very dark in certain lighting. I have a beautiful little Burmese pink spinel that NEVER goes dark or grey. I love it so much and wish I could find one in a larger size but the very pure hues are difficult to get these days. And if you do find them they are quite pricey.

So yeah, not all spinels go dark or have color shift.

 

[BWise]

I want one too! Where did you get that baby?

 

[chrono]

TL,

Red and pink (and most lavender) spinels don''t have such a dramatic colour shift. They hold their colour reasonably well and merely darken under fluorescent lighting. Some get a lot of extinction but there are lots of good reds that continue to hold their colour.

It''s the blues that tend to go really extinct or all gray. I would never advice anyone who''s learning about spinels or getting their first stones to get a blue spinel because it''ll turn them off the stone ASAP. As you can tell, I''m still hunting for that elusive blue.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/12/2009 5:53:13 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Okay, I admit it, and I hope people don''t faint from the shock, but I caved in and bought a spinel about a week ago

. I got it from a faceter (I''m not saying who). it was in the blue family, but not pure blue, that''s all I''m going to say about the color.


When I got it, it was completely grey and dead in diffused sunlight, so that really bothered me, and I decided to return it. At the post office, it sparkled, had gorgeous color and was beautiful under the flourescent lighting, and I just thought, ''why can''t this stone look this color all the time?''


I know stones change in various lighting, but the change here was very dramatic. In a sense, to me, it was very unattractive in one light source, and very beautiful in another. Very opposite extremes. Unfortunately, for me, I can''t have such opposite extremes in a gem. However, I do understand what it means when people say they have rainbows coming out of their spinels!

You bought a spinel???

I''m sorry it didn''t work out though! Yeah I''m looking at mine now and it appears really dark in my dim/warm lighting - but it''s all worth it for how it looks outside and in fluorescent. But I can see how that would be annoying, especially if color is really important (and I know it is to you, with all those lovely tourmalines!). But you should try another sometime - maybe a pink one?

 

[innerkitten]

I don''t know if Flopkins is reading this, but she actually had a really small very good blue spinel that seemed to not have any grey. It was small and I think it was rare material. She had it the day we visited one of the Gemcal guys here in San Francisco ( and saw lots and lots of spinel!) He said that particular type of stone was hard to find and came mainly from Sri lanka I believe. Anyway if she''s around maybe she can post a pic.

TL you should try a pure pink or stop light red. I bet you''d really like the color.

 

[marcy]

I agree they are underappreciated. I love spinels.