Hello everyone.
I am new to buying gemstones, so I did a small bit of internet searching about certain gemstones I was interested in. That was how I came across this forum. However, I wanted to ask the more experienced people on what factors that I am definitely less experienced on. Namely what color is this spinel?
So what happened I was looking around for spinels because that was the hole I dug myself into was my finger got an itch on a “blue” spinel. And before I knew it I had already purchased it. This spinel is a trapezoidish shape with a concave cut (I think). It was labeled as deep blue spinel that is loupe clean (but I don’t have one of those with me, so I cannot confirm that) but it is certainly eye clean after looking at it very closely. Now the problem is that I don’t know whether I can actually call this deep blue, or even blue for that matter. When it first arrived, it was a completely cloud covered day. Whichwas when this photo was taken down below
As you can see, the spinel isn’t fully gray (and yes I was expecting a gray modifier on this spinel), there is a slight blueish to it. But then I thought let me wait until it’s sunny. Which led to these photos.
Now here is the thing, only the last photo taken had color resembling the photo the seller took of this spinel most of the time. However, the spinel in question only looks like this at very small windows of time outside, and in the shade (and yes I to see the tilt window). But even then the other times it looks like the 2 and 3rd photo (which is blue gray instead of mostly blue). it’s more apparent in direct sunlight.
But here is where the problem lies with this stone. It’s a color changing spinel (or at least I believe it is). Under some lights in the place I live, this spinel turns purple. It was very hard to photo graph the color change, as the phone I am using refuses to pick up on the purple I am seeing (it keeps trying to appear as gray). But this was the best ones I have showing the color are the first 2 (rest are the other attempts to capture the purple)
This brings up another question. Am I seeing this color because I want to but it’s actually gray? One of the reasons I am asking is I have heard that sometimes color changing spinels can influence how the stone looks under the sunlight, though I don’t think it’s the case here. That is what I have been trying to determine. Does this qualify as a blue spinel? And is it a color changing spinel?
I am new to buying gemstones, so I did a small bit of internet searching about certain gemstones I was interested in. That was how I came across this forum. However, I wanted to ask the more experienced people on what factors that I am definitely less experienced on. Namely what color is this spinel?
So what happened I was looking around for spinels because that was the hole I dug myself into was my finger got an itch on a “blue” spinel. And before I knew it I had already purchased it. This spinel is a trapezoidish shape with a concave cut (I think). It was labeled as deep blue spinel that is loupe clean (but I don’t have one of those with me, so I cannot confirm that) but it is certainly eye clean after looking at it very closely. Now the problem is that I don’t know whether I can actually call this deep blue, or even blue for that matter. When it first arrived, it was a completely cloud covered day. Whichwas when this photo was taken down below
As you can see, the spinel isn’t fully gray (and yes I was expecting a gray modifier on this spinel), there is a slight blueish to it. But then I thought let me wait until it’s sunny. Which led to these photos. Now here is the thing, only the last photo taken had color resembling the photo the seller took of this spinel most of the time. However, the spinel in question only looks like this at very small windows of time outside, and in the shade (and yes I to see the tilt window). But even then the other times it looks like the 2 and 3rd photo (which is blue gray instead of mostly blue). it’s more apparent in direct sunlight. But here is where the problem lies with this stone. It’s a color changing spinel (or at least I believe it is). Under some lights in the place I live, this spinel turns purple. It was very hard to photo graph the color change, as the phone I am using refuses to pick up on the purple I am seeing (it keeps trying to appear as gray). But this was the best ones I have showing the color are the first 2 (rest are the other attempts to capture the purple) This brings up another question. Am I seeing this color because I want to but it’s actually gray? One of the reasons I am asking is I have heard that sometimes color changing spinels can influence how the stone looks under the sunlight, though I don’t think it’s the case here. That is what I have been trying to determine. Does this qualify as a blue spinel? And is it a color changing spinel?
Second, what an interesting cut. I can definitely see what you're talking about. The stone appears to be a steely blue to blue-green in natural or cooler light, and develops a purple-ish hue under warmer incandescent light. I would say the spinel is certainly in the color shift family. I doubt anyone here will refer to that stone as solely being "gray," because that variety of spinel has its own very specific connotations! 
Everyone understands, sees, and describes color differently, that is why there isn’t a universally accepted standard to describe color in gems. The only thing that matters is whether or not you like the stone.
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