Thoughts?

[FrekeChild]

Blue spinel

 

[FrekeChild]

Mmmm?

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I hate to be the first one to respond, as others may come along detailing the defects. I like the stone, I especially like the color.
I hope its yours. Really nice color.

Annette

 

[T L]

Are you asking for honest opinions, and considering the stone? Do you know what lighting the photograph was taken in. My first observations are that it's kind of dark in tone. Is that head obstruction on the the stone? How deep is it, because that could add to the darkness of it as well. Is there a color shift? Is there a side view of the stone on it's table?

The cutting is not precision cut obviously, and I know how important that is to you.

 

[loriken214]

I like it!

Lori

 

[Largosmom]

Based on these photos, this one isn't as nice as most of your others, is that silk showing? Seems very dark.

Laura

 

[FrekeChild]

Its 2.61cts. 8.3 x 7.3 x 5.6mm and the picture was taken in diffused natural daylight. Be back later. Posting from my phone is no fun.

 

[Arkteia]

I like it. It may be on the darker side but it not bezeled, it could look great in a piece of jewelry.

 

[FrekeChild]

Ok, back to the computer.

It is dark. Not going to deny that. And it's not precision cut. But it's blue! It does seem to have some half and half issues going on, but for some reason I don't mind it. Well, other things seem to make up for it...

Time for more pics...

 

[LD]

Freke are these the vendors photos or yours? If they're the vendors photos then the only thing that's troubling me is the colour of the person's skin. It looks very pink which suggests the photo has been warmed up a bit. If so, then that would suggest that the stone may be darker in person.

If these are your photos and it's just the lighting and you were trying to show the spinel as it is then I wouldn't be so worried.

Typically when I see this colour in blue spinels it makes me worry how dark they will be in real life and also when set what they'll look like. Any setting, prong, bezel, semi bezel, is likely to make a dark stone look darker. Having said that, I'm absolutely awful at judging blue spinels. It seems to be my nemesis stone! Any other colour spinel I can judge but blue is, for me, the most challenging as I''m always looking for the unattainable (i.e. TL's violet/blue spinel)!

Edit: You were uploading more photos as I was typing! I think these are your photos? Well, as you say it is dark but it looks like it has a lot of life and so if you like it then it should be a keeper!

 

[FrekeChild]

They are my photos, I have it here with me. It was purchased from Simply Sapphires. I will attach the vendor photo... Obviously it is no longer in the ring pictured here.

 

[ooo~Shiney!]

It's almost the color of the heels in your avatar !
Love the color!!! Look how it glints with bright blue!
Nice size, too!

 

[Lovinggems]

I like it because it's pretty blue for a spinel too. I also like the ring it was set in before.

 

[Arcadian]

you don't even want to hear the words I said after the first shot... lol yeah you do, just email me!

I'm going against the grain and will say that I love the color. Yes its dark but all blues can't be light blues. I talked to a few guys on here via email before and here's what I've learned. Most men LOVE darker blues. They just do. Women tend to prefer the lighter to medium blues.

I can only say that if it were me, I'd probably keep it. My dark blue baby has a trace of gray to it, on this stone I don't see that.

-A

 

[FrekeChild]

Ok. I decided to compare it with the rest of my blues...

This is including the blue spinels I'm going to use for the (briefly mentioned, and in another thread) blue spinel necklace.

Rings: Top to bottom
Ering, medium blue, Barry
Big Blue, Barry
Dark blue-teal, Barry
Periwinkle, Barion octagon, Dan Stair
Light blue, Roval, Gemcal

Loose stones: Top to bottom
Small light blue oval, in town
small dark blue oval, in town
bigger light blue oval, in town
Bigger dark blue (and I mean DARK), Barry
ETA: Medium blue round, Barry (Thanks Packie!)
Dark blue cushion, Simply Sapphires
Periwinkle, supernova oval, Barry

The series of the ovals and then the Barry round will be going into the blue spinel necklace.

For the record, the sun has gone down big time now and the light has faded significantly since I took those last pics...

Now, thoughts?

 

[packrat]

methinks ye be missing the 3rd from the bottom in the loose stones..which one is that? is it the thunderstorm spinel?

I was a little meh on it in the first two pics, but the other ones, I quite like the color! It's like a denim color or something-I like it!

 

[diamondringlover]

I personally like that color!

 

[FrekeChild]

methinks ye be missing the 3rd from the bottom in the loose stones..which one is that? is it the thunderstorm spinel?

I was a little meh on it in the first two pics, but the other ones, I quite like the color! It's like a denim color or something-I like it!

Thanks yo! I fixed it.

Yeah, the first two pics don't do a lot for it. I was snapping them quick as I was getting admonished for running late for taking the dog to the vet...oh well! I think it looks like the vendor pic quite a bit in real life. My camera can't quite capture the slight hint of teal it seems to have to it...

 

[loriken214]

Your photos have me in Blue Heaven.....that dark spinel is growing on me!

Lori

 

[T L]

I like medium dark to lighter toned spinels. Of all your spinels, your big Barry blue in your e-ring is my favorite. I don't know if this can compare. That stone has the perfect tone and nice saturation for a blue color changer. I'm not a fan of dark spinels, but you have to like it. I personally think you can do better as I do think you have a good eye for spinels, and you are the resident blue spinel expert around these parts

 

[Aoife]

I see what attracts you to this spinel. It is dark, and seems to have that half and half issue, but the intense blue flash is pretty intriguing.

 

[minousbijoux]

Freke:

First off, you have a great collection; it is eye opening to see the range of blues that exists in your spinels. As to the stone, I'm thinking that you have a chameleon there - if you look at your pics, it looks different in almost every pic, particularly the vendor pic where the bit of teal is visible. So my question: are there situations in which it goes dark and does that bother you? Would you be okay if it darkened when set? If it bothers you if it blacks out at all, and you wouldn't want it any darker than it is now, then I would steer clear; otherwise, I would get it. What I see is a stone that has a deep, saturated color. And it sure sounds from others - corroborated by pics of your collection - that if there is anyone who knows what to expect, its you.

Hey, and if worse comes to worst, you can always walk around with a flashlight illuminating it wherever you go...

 

[FrekeChild]

I think Aoife summed it up. I'm torn because it is a chunk of change for me, but the blue is quite beautiful...I'm still thinking about it.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I like the color (I'm a fan of dark deep colors myself), but the cut might bother me. In some of the photos it seems to have that half-and-half effect that you see in some ovals, where one half of the stone is bright and lively, while the other seems dull and dead.

ETA: I used to have a purple spinel that had the half and half effect, and I just found it more distracting as time went on, and couldn't help comparing it to my precision cut gems. I suppose there is the possibility of recutting, but I know that is a risky and expensive process.

 

[T L]

I think Aoife summed it up. I'm torn because it is a chunk of change for me, but the blue is quite beautiful...I'm still thinking about it.

Do you have a chelsea filter? Is it a cobalt bearing stone? If not, and it was very expensive, I think you can do better for the money. I've seen very dark cobalt bearing stones, while very dark, still expensive because they do contain the element.

Does it go overly extinct at times. If it was rather expensive, then you should not settle, and be able to enjoy it in all lighting. If you enjoy it in all lighting, then scratch what I just said.

 

[FrekeChild]

I think Aoife summed it up. I'm torn because it is a chunk of change for me, but the blue is quite beautiful...I'm still thinking about it.

Do you have a chelsea filter? Is it a cobalt bearing stone? If not, and it was very expensive, I think you can do better for the money. I've seen very dark cobalt bearing stones, while very dark, still expensive because they do contain the element.

Does it go overly extinct at times. If it was rather expensive, then you should not settle, and be able to enjoy it in all lighting. If you enjoy it in all lighting, then scratch what I just said.

I don't. I am so not that cool.

I should mention I am buying this stone secondhand and it was originally sold to the first owner from SImply Sapphires as a "cobalt spinel". I don't know if it is or not, but I am still looking to put a decent chunk of change into it. Not as much as many would consider to be a lot (we are NOT talking 4 digits here) but more than I pay for a stone on average ($100-$200 range).

I am still torn but I think that I'd regret letting it go...

TL, how much would be too much in your opinion? And knowing your picky...I mean discriminating, tastes, I trust your opinion.

 

[movie zombie]

define "expensive". it may actually be appropriately priced and you may not be able to "do better" for that particular price.

cut wouldn't bother me. if appropriately priced, the half and half effect might not either despite my hating extinction.

it is a blue that could become very dear to one's heart in a short amount of time........can you imagine if it didn't have any overly dark areas and was simply that pure color?! however, price per carat for such a stone would be more than i care to contemplate.

MoZo

 

[FrekeChild]

define "expensive". it may actually be appropriately priced and you may not be able to "do better" for that particular price.

cut wouldn't bother me. if appropriately priced, the half and half effect might not either despite my hating extinction.

it is a blue that could become very dear to one's heart in a short amount of time........can you imagine if it didn't have any overly dark areas and was simply that pure color?! however, price per carat for such a stone would be more than i care to contemplate.

MoZo

Lol. Well the most expensive stones I've ever bought would be $450 each (Barry Tsavorite and Big Blue) and it is priced around that range. I am able to make offers.

What do you think would be an appropriate price?

And I wholeheartedly agree with your last paragraph there...

 

[T L]

I think Aoife summed it up. I'm torn because it is a chunk of change for me, but the blue is quite beautiful...I'm still thinking about it.

Do you have a chelsea filter? Is it a cobalt bearing stone? If not, and it was very expensive, I think you can do better for the money. I've seen very dark cobalt bearing stones, while very dark, still expensive because they do contain the element.

Does it go overly extinct at times. If it was rather expensive, then you should not settle, and be able to enjoy it in all lighting. If you enjoy it in all lighting, then scratch what I just said.

I don't. I am so not that cool.

I should mention I am buying this stone secondhand and it was originally sold to the first owner from SImply Sapphires as a "cobalt spinel". I don't know if it is or not, but I am still looking to put a decent chunk of change into it. Not as much as many would consider to be a lot (we are NOT talking 4 digits here) but more than I pay for a stone on average ($100-$200 range).

I am still torn but I think that I'd regret letting it go...

TL, how much would be too much in your opinion? And knowing your picky...I mean discriminating, tastes, I trust your opinion.

Thanks for your confidence Freke. I will tell you this, I know you must really love the color if you're willing to keep it, and it's not precision cut, and it's not a round. I've seen gemstone dealers, who claim wholesale pricing,,sell this kind of material in this size range for around $300/ct. That's not as inexpensive as some Asian dealers, but you probably paid a fair price. A super fine cobalt would probably be at least $1K/ct in small sizes, and up to $3K/ct in larger sizes. The Luc Yen neon windex blues are probably around $6K/ct. Now, if you really love it, and you feel you're going to really regret returning it, I think you've answered your question. These are the prices I have seen, others may have differing comments on that.

BTW, you might want to invest in a chelsea filter since you are a spinel collector, as it is an easy way to determine if a spinel is cobalt bearing, and even if a spinel is synthetic (they contain cobalt as well). They sell them for decent pricing on ebay. I paid around $30 for mine. I personally would not take one's word for it that it's cobalt bearing, but if it is, those do sell for a premium.

 

[FrekeChild]

How much do they cost?

And I don't know if it is cobalt bearing or if it was just being used as a marketing term...

Lol about the round part of your evaluation of what I like! I tend to buy mostly rounds because that seems to be what is most available, but I'm certainly open to other shapes...I am trying to stay away from ovals because I have no idea how to set them for whatever reason! I will confess that a round is still my favorite shape, but I swear I am trying to branch out! (Which may be another reason this stone is so attractive to me!)