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Talk to me about extinction in a darker stone

CHRISTY-DANIELLE

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 10, 2017
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If a darker stone is described by designer as having some areas of extinction is this always bad? I'm looking at ring set with a darker toned stone. It is "nearly loupe clean". The designer is known here, so I trust their description. I have one darker stone already that seems to have this, darker in the middle, not cut perfectly. But I find the way the colors move around in the stone interesting and beautiful. Would you consider a darker stone with known areas of extinction? Do you find it interesting in its own right, or " PASS, this stone is not precision with even color".? I'm just curious if gem lovers here have any thoughts.
 
Depends on how bad it impacts the stone. I currently have a native cut cushion sapphire with it but it's not unpleasant to the point it makes the stone horrible to look at.
 
If a darker stone is described by designer as having some areas of extinction is this always bad? I'm looking at ring set with a darker toned stone. It is "nearly loupe clean". The designer is known here, so I trust their description. I have one darker stone already that seems to have this, darker in the middle, not cut perfectly. But I find the way the colors move around in the stone interesting and beautiful. Would you consider a darker stone with known areas of extinction? Do you find it interesting in its own right, or " PASS, this stone is not precision with even color".? I'm just curious if gem lovers here have any thoughts.

I don’t know how long you’ve been collecting gems, but when I first started collecting, I used to think dark=better. I ended up with a lot of stones that could be used as charcoal on the grill, lol!

Now, even if a stone is dark, one must consider other qualities that make it beautiful to you. Ask yourself, “will I still love this stone X number of years from now?” or do you think you can do better for the material? If it’s the latter, I would probably pass on it.
 
It’s a personal choice. I think darker gems and areas of extinction are fine IF the colour is more vivid than deep toned. Also where and how your would wear the gem matters.
It’s a rarer coloured gem that always looks fabulous especially inside in low light at night, whereas the same gem could be glorious when outside in natural light.
You probably need to see it in the hand to see if it performs pleasingly for you.
 
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here's some pics I cropped just to show the stone...and...shhhh please don't say if you know who this is from, I really think I want to buy it :). (The whole thing together is just a work of art, truly.) I am just such a novice, but to me this is a rarer color of this gem and presents uniquely from so many I see.
20190702_204718.png 20190702_204625.png 20190702_183023.png
 
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Is that a blue zircon? If so, I’ve seen many just like it in that cut and color. It also has a window. What you’re seeing is the notorious half and half extinction that plagues many elongated cuts. The supernova cut eliminates this.
 
Ah, thank you @TL (this is why i posted this thread! I know so little! ) So the extinction will mean 1/2 the stone is dark all the time? I'm not sure I'd like that. .. I guess I was thinking the dark and light would move around in the stone like the little teal zircon I just got. It is really pretty, I was hoping this would be a bigger version of the same.
 
Extinction in that stone is pretty visible. A round stone would eliminate that problem. Dana has a nice 5ct round on his site right now, but then it wouldn't come with the ring you like.
 
Ah, thank you @TL (this is why i posted this thread! I know so little! ) So the extinction will mean 1/2 the stone is dark all the time? I'm not sure I'd like that. .. I guess I was thinking the dark and light would move around in the stone like the little teal zircon I just got. It is really pretty, I was hoping this would be a bigger version of the same.

It will when tilting the table front and back from your line of sight. It’s more noticeable in some darker toned gems. It’s hard to avoid unless you get the supernova cut. Blue zircon are extremely common at gem shows and online. You can probably fine one with better light performance and cutting. I’ve seen gorgeous material at gem shows.
 
@ForteKitty you don't know how many times I've looked at that stone Dana has ! I'm trying to resist any more loose stones for awhile. (The struggle is real!)
 
Thanks TL. I might just have to ask the designer if they could make the same ring but with a better cut gem. (Or make it for one I supply. ). I just haven't seen many out there in the deeper teal color.
 
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Thanks TL. I might just have to ask the designer if they could make the same ring but with a better cut gem. (Or make it for one I supply. ). I just haven't seen many out there in the deeper teal color.


Prima has a lot! Shows usually have a lot of the deeper teal colors, and last I checked they were about $130-180/ct
 
The 1/2 shadowing. It flips as the stone is rotated. The only way to avoid it is to set it East West. Given that it's a zircon, I think you should be able to find other options easily.
 
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I had an indicolite in a teal blue color with a radiant keel cut. I would say it was medium toned, but the half-and-half extension drove me so crazy that I had to sell it. It was precision cut by a well known lapidary as well! =)2
 
The 1/2 shadowing. It flips as the stone is rotated. The only way to avoid it is to set it East West. Given that it's a zircon, I think you should be able to find other options easily.

Interesting. This stone is set East/West.
 
Yeah, definite pass then.
 
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