The Gem Trader drop - what'd you get?

[dk168]

I do not have any spare cash at the mo, otherwise I quite like the cats eye Tourmaline.

DK

 

[mochiko42]

Just got an email from Brad saying that it was already taken but that I would be put on the waiting list... Sigh..

 

[Niel]

I reserved the burmese red spinel. I love the color but am concerned I'll be disappointed in the size. Even though I have read the dimensions there is still nothing like seeing it IRL. Does everyone think the price is appropriate?

Guh I wanted that so bad if I wasn't in the process of already spending my jewelry money I'd have snatched it

 

[ilovegemstones]

I am on the waiting list for the rubellite. It was so pretty! Please post pics if you got it.

 

[pregcurious]

Marlow, I love your spinels. I wish I could capture the color of mine as well as you did for yours. They are the perfect color.

 

[Marlow]

These are my both burmese spinel - 0,43 ct and 0,67 ct.

Woofmama - you will love your stone - gorgous color in both light condition and better than a ruby in daylight.

Marlow those pictures are fantastic, such beautiful stones Do you have plans to set them? I've been googling moi et toi rings for inspiration for mine. So many idea's!

No, they will stay in my collection. I wanted to show you what you will get course I am quite sure from "TheGemtrader" picture that my stones and your spinel will have the same quality - I was cherrypicking when my vendor got them and your stone is top quality too.

They are not like mahenge spinel - a pure fine red with a fine daylight and incandescent light color - esp. the daylight color is better imo then ruby.

I hope we will see pictures of your stone and the finished ring....

My vendor has much more - they bought a large lot around ten years ago - small ( under a carat) but extremely fine.

 

[pregcurious]

Def not windowed

Both pic are indirect daylight no flashlight.

Had to come back and see these. When I see these, I understand the name Finewater.

 

[woofmama]

I reserved the burmese red spinel. I love the color but am concerned I'll be disappointed in the size. Even though I have read the dimensions there is still nothing like seeing it IRL. Does everyone think the price is appropriate?

Guh I wanted that so bad if I wasn't in the process of already spending my jewelry money I'd have snatched it

I'm very excited. I've wanted a red spinel or ruby forever. I will do a thread when I get it looking for setting ideas.

 

[Acinom]

Marlow!!! You have such an a eye for fabulous stones!!!! Ah, to have a collection like yours...
Thanks for sharing

 

[Marlow]

Marlow!!! You have such an a eye for fabulous stones!!!! Ah, to have a collection like yours...
Thanks for sharing

Yes - I have an eye for fabulous stones - thats why I love your new tourmaline ring - AWESOME !!!!!!!WOW!!!!

 

[Acinom]

Marlow!!! You have such an a eye for fabulous stones!!!! Ah, to have a collection like yours...
Thanks for sharing

Yes - I have an eye for fabulous stones - thats why I love your new tourmaline ring - AWESOME !!!!!!!WOW!!!!

It must be a dream to play with your stones box.
Thank you for your compliments about my new ring. This is so kind of you. Thank you

 

[Marlow]

Marlow!!! You have such an a eye for fabulous stones!!!! Ah, to have a collection like yours...
Thanks for sharing

Yes - I have an eye for fabulous stones - thats why I love your new tourmaline ring - AWESOME !!!!!!!WOW!!!!

It must be a dream to play with your stones box.
Thank you for your compliments about my new ring. This is so kind of you. Thank you

You would be disappointed - most are quite small.

 

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

It must be a dream to play with your stones box.

I agree!

You would be disappointed - most are quite small.

I bet there would be nothing disappointing about it! What I've seen of your collection is awesome. I was just telling the hubby the other day your collection has inspired me to try to do the same.

 

[Acinom]

Who says that only BIG is beautiful? I love every single stone you posted here Marlow. And I am glad that you are willing to share your experience which is very helpful.

 

[Matata]

I just bought the fire agate. Will post pics when it arrives. Love the color

 

[Marlow]

I just bought the fire agate. Will post pics when it arrives. Love the color

Ocicat or Egyptian Mau????

 

[Matata]

I just bought the fire agate. Will post pics when it arrives. Love the color

Ocicat or Egyptian Mau????

Savannah cats.

 

[Marlow]

Beautiful!!

 

[Matata]

Beautiful!!

Thanks. They are the crown jewels of my collection.

 

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

Savannah cats.

OMG they are absolutely beautiful!!!

Can't wait to see the fire agate, such an amazing looking cab! Do you already have plans for it?

 

[Matata]

Savannah cats.

Can't wait to see the fire agate, such an amazing looking cab! Do you already have plans for it?

No plans yet. Will have to live with it awhile and wait for inspiration.

 

[lilmosun]

I just bought the fire agate. Will post pics when it arrives. Love the color

Ocicat or Egyptian Mau????

Skimming on my phone..thought Marlow.was asking about some rare types of Fire Agate until I kept reading. ..obviously I know less about cats than gemstones (if that's possible )

 

[minousbijoux]

I just bought the fire agate. Will post pics when it arrives. Love the color

Ocicat or Egyptian Mau????

Skimming on my phone..thought Marlow.was asking about some rare types of Fire Agate until I kept reading. ..obviously I know less about cats than gemstones (if that's possible )

Ha ha, me too!

 

[Marlow]

I just bought the fire agate. Will post pics when it arrives. Love the color

Ocicat or Egyptian Mau????

Skimming on my phone..thought Marlow.was asking about some rare types of Fire Agate until I kept reading. ..obviously I know less about cats than gemstones (if that's possible )

Ha ha, me too!

 

[chrono]

Who says that only BIG is beautiful? I love every single stone you posted here Marlow. And I am glad that you are willing to share your experience which is very helpful.

Agreed. DF might disagree but size isn't everything.

 

[woofmama]

Just to update, I received the red spinel yesterday & the color is exactly as pictured on Brads site, maybe a bit more magnificent if that's possible I am having an internal struggle though with this purchase. $600 is a good chunk of money to spend on a gemstone & by the time I set this (I have two different concepts I'm trying to decide between) I will spend another $2k on the low end. Due to the size of the stone I know I won't be happy with it in a simple setting, so that's not an option.

So do I return it and use this budget of $3k to buy a larger red spinel? If I did that I would go for the biggest, best color I could get and put it in a simple solitaire initially. Thoughts? I don't have time to take and add pictures right now, have to work all day. I hope to revisit this evening and can maybe add a picture then.

 

[T L]

Just to update, I received the red spinel yesterday & the color is exactly as pictured on Brads site, maybe a bit more magnificent if that's possible I am having an internal struggle though with this purchase. $600 is a good chunk of money to spend on a gemstone & by the time I set this (I have two different concepts I'm trying to decide between) I will spend another $2k on the low end. Due to the size of the stone I know I won't be happy with it in a simple setting, so that's not an option.

So do I return it and use this budget of $3k to buy a larger red spinel? If I did that I would go for the biggest, best color I could get and put it in a simple solitaire initially. Thoughts? I don't have time to take and add pictures right now, have to work all day. I hope to revisit this evening and can maybe add a picture then.

If you did have more money to spend, where would you get a bigger red spinel with at least just as good color, and it could cost way more than $3K. There are many people here that find getting a good red spinel to be quite a challenge. Now, you should return it if you're not enthralled with it, but that doesn't seem to be the case (is it?). As for the right setting, that can always wait. FInding the perfect stone is 90% of the difficulty. As for Mahenge spinels, I would rule them out, as most of the material is pink/orange these days, so you would have to look at Burma, or other locales. Even Mahenge spinels are running $2K/ct for stones around 2 carats, and $5K/ct for stones above 3 carats.

I actually don't think $600 is a lot to spend on a fine red spinel either.

JMO, good luck with whatever you decide, but please post pics.

 

[ilovegemstones]

WM, it is a gorgeous stone and I know many people were interested in it. Are you ok with returning it even though it looks better in person than in Brad's photos? It is great that it looks better than you expected.

 

[Marlow]

Just to update, I received the red spinel yesterday & the color is exactly as pictured on Brads site, maybe a bit more magnificent if that's possible I am having an internal struggle though with this purchase. $600 is a good chunk of money to spend on a gemstone & by the time I set this (I have two different concepts I'm trying to decide between) I will spend another $2k on the low end. Due to the size of the stone I know I won't be happy with it in a simple setting, so that's not an option.

So do I return it and use this budget of $3k to buy a larger red spinel? If I did that I would go for the biggest, best color I could get and put it in a simple solitaire initially. Thoughts? I don't have time to take and add pictures right now, have to work all day. I hope to revisit this evening and can maybe add a picture then.

If you did have more money to spend, where would you get a bigger red spinel with at least just as good color, and it could cost way more than $3K. There are many people here that find getting a good red spinel to be quite a challenge. Now, you should return it if you're not enthralled with it, but that doesn't seem to be the case (is it?). As for the right setting, that can always wait. FInding the perfect stone is 90% of the difficulty. As for Mahenge spinels, I would rule them out, as most of the material is pink/orange these days, so you would have to look at Burma, or other locales. Even Mahenge spinels are running $2K/ct for stones around 2 carats, and $5K/ct for stones above 3 carats.

I actually don't think $600 is a lot to spend on a fine red spinel either.

JMO, good luck with whatever you decide, but please post pics.

TL - agree 100% - a fine burmese red ( still vivid and not to dark or to pink ) with 2 ct for total 3K - no!!

3K per ct maybe...most fine Burmese I have seen were below one carat or f***ing expensive.


An advice - offer it for the same price ( or more on LT...will sell quickly and so you maybe get later anotherone from the gemtrader monthly drop. If you return No 2 will get - so you maybe give a PSer a chance to get it...

 

[lilmosun]

Laughing..I was going to say I would buy if you decided not to keep.

But if I were you, I would keep it. Don't set it until you've shopped around and know this is the stone for you. Worse case, you can sell to fund something different. You don't want to regret giving this up and not finding one of similar quality in your price range.