Those that Have Charcoal Grey Spinels...

[Catmom]

It seems I'm late to the grey spinel party but for those of you that have them do you like them? I'm really not familiar with them at all. Are they lively, with flashes? It was a suggestion since I'm leaning towards black and white for my Calla setting. This would be a center stone so I want something that isn't opaque. Any opinions on grey spinels?

 

[MidModMin]

I have a medium-dark gray spinel cut by Dana Reynolds. Not sure if it is the color you had in mind. You can see it here.

It is very lively. The luster is excellent and it gives off colored flashes. It is pretty dark, but doesn't often black out. I also have a smaller, precision cut gray/blue spinel that also has a lot of life. No photos of it, though.

For gray spinels, I think the cut and polish are very important. I have others that are nice, but just don't have the same luster and spark. So, I think you can definitely get a nice, sparkling charcoal spinel, but there are likely drab ones out there, too.

 

[Rfisher]

Same as what they said!

Mine can be flat looking and it can look infinite depth - depends on the lighting and environment. It reflects environmental color, but it still has its own dispersion galore in certain lightings. It never looks opaque.

Would I love a medium light true non shifty grey.
I love the dark shifty one I have.

Here’s mine

Modern Finewater cushion meets Sako collet set

Loose stone showing its different personalities. Dispersion unfortunately is hard to catch on photo. So is greenish/teal flash/tone that appears in some lightings.

www.pricescope.com

@peppermintpatty has one that’s absolutely stunning.

 

[Catmom]

I have a medium-dark gray spinel cut by Dana Reynolds. Not sure if it is the color you had in mind. You can see it here.

It is very lively. The luster is excellent and it gives off colored flashes. It is pretty dark, but doesn't often black out. I also have a smaller, precision cut gray/blue spinel that also has a lot of life. No photos of it, though.

For gray spinels, I think the cut and polish are very important. I have others that are nice, but just don't have the same luster and spark. So, I think you can definitely get a nice, sparkling charcoal spinel, but there are likely drab ones out there, too.

Thank you, your spinel is beautiful! I'm happy to hear that it is lively and gives off colored flashes. That's what I am looking for. I will keep in mind cut and polish.

 

[Catmom]

Same as what they said!

Mine can be flat looking and it can look infinite depth - depends on the lighting and environment. It reflects environmental color, but it still has its own dispersion galore in certain lightings. It never looks opaque.

Would I love a medium light true non shifty grey.
I love the dark shifty one I have.

Here’s mine

Modern Finewater cushion meets Sako collet set

Loose stone showing its different personalities. Dispersion unfortunately is hard to catch on photo. So is greenish/teal flash/tone that appears in some lightings.

www.pricescope.com

@peppermintpatty has one that’s absolutely stunning.

Thank you Rfisher! Yours is beautiful as well. I'm happy it's never opaque. I think I would like a dark, shifty one. My setting only holds a smaller stone, 6mm , so it has to hold its own. My jeweler has an unheated/untreated one she is bringing in for me to look at as well as a couple natural untreated black diamonds. I'm curious to see how they compare.

 

[landscape]

grey spinel，Should not have green tone、 purple tone、blue tone, etc

 

[Catmom]

grey spinel，Should not have green tone、 purple tone、blue tone, etc

Thank you landscape, that spinel is gorgeous!

 

[Niel]

mine is a dark grey it has nice , transparent with beautiful flashes.

 

[Catmom]

mine is a dark grey it has nice , transparent with beautiful flashes.

Thanks! That's what I was wanting to know.

 

[Niel]

 

[Niel]

Mine will typically have grey flashes but also some color flashes, typically orange or light blue :shrug:

 

[Autumn in New England]

Welp, I'm a huge gray spinel fan, so here comes my biased take! You want to choose a stone that is neither too dark, nor too light, and you want it to be as neutral as possible (not too teal or purple leaning... though some folks like that). If you hit that sweet spot and the stone is well-cut, it crosses into "metallic" territory, where the luster and brilliance can be truly fantastic. Sometimes there will even be rainbow flashes within the stone.

 

[Catmom]

Welp, I'm a huge gray spinel fan, so here comes my biased take! You want to choose a stone that is neither too dark, nor too light, and you want it to be as neutral as possible (not too teal or purple leaning... though some folks like that). If you hit that sweet spot and the stone is well-cut, it crosses into "metallic" territory, where the luster and brilliance can be truly fantastic. Sometimes there will even be rainbow flashes within the stone.

Thank you. I don't want one that leans to a color just has flashes of color now and then. I will keep everything you said in mind.