Which to go for: mahenge or blue tourm?

[chrono]

On the UV point, if you don't observe any positive effects under the sun, then the fluorescence is neither a negative nor positive characteristic unless you like the fun factor at the disco and such.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Okay. Thank you, Chrono. Like the picture TL posted above, I assume?

 

[DecoDaze]

Thanks, TL. I was thinking of a comment that someone made (can't remember who) that they rejected the stones that Prima sent out, and then Yvonne found the perfect stone in Prima's stock--a stone that had been overlooked by the folks at Prima. Of course, I think that was a couple of years ago, so I'm guessing any old stock that Prima had has been sold long since. The price I pay for being way late to the Mahenge train.

Quoting myself to clarify that it was lilmosun who said that Yvonne had found a stone for her at Prima after Prima said they didn't have what she was after. And lilmosun said it in this thread! My brain is like a sieve!

So I'm returning the spinels to Prima and gemfix. I'm still getting more info about the tourmaline pear and one other tourmaline, but after that I have to go on hiatus for the rest of the month, as I'll be traveling intermittently and don't want to worry about timing for packages being delivered (and returned). Oh well. It feels right not to spend a lot of money on something that's not just what I want. In the end, the Prima 1.65 oval was my favorite, but not favorite enough to keep it.

I'm sorry none of them tugged at your heart strings, DecoDaze. It's a tough one to shop for, I think. I know you'll find it though!

Thanks, SparkliesLuver! I know, just gotta be patient. Oh, and I have the "Abco Tech Black Light Flashlight Urine Detector"--$8 on Amazon. I am so far from being knowledgeable about what UV light is best, but this one does (obviously) show fluorescence in the spinels and it works for my diamonds, too. And the ruby collar on my CVB diamond ring and my ruby eternity. So it's good enough for me--it's just fun to make things glow!

Direct sun. Sorry it's blurry, but it does reflect what I saw. The 1.76 and the 1.65 (two in the middle) were the most glowy, despite Prima's evaluation that the big one had the best neon color...

Sounds like you are experiencing the same thing I did with Prima. Their recommended stone(s) did not meet my expectation but once I emailed them pictures of what I am looking for, Prima was able to come up with a better selection for me. Perhaps you need to do the same?

Thanks for the tip, Chrono. I'll give this a try when I resume my search. I have a sneaking suspicion that if I send them a picture of your pear, they'll say "too late and way out of budget!" But seriously, I really appreciate your help.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Thanks for letting me know which one you have, DecoDaze. I'll check it out tonight. And I completely agree with your comment about making things glow!

 

[chrono]

A friend helped handpick these from Prima. These are not neon red, so you might have better luck finding something similar. You can see that they glow even within their gem case under the dreaded fluorescent light. No picture tweaking, no handshading, yet the stones look better in person (no orange even though I see orange in the picture below).

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Thank you for sharing that picture, Chrono. It really helps to see what stones can look like in lovely fluorescent light...and they look great!

 

[SparkliesLuver]

DecoDaze, I forgot to ask: did you ever hear back from Cathy?

 

[DecoDaze]

A friend helped handpick these from Prima. These are not neon red, so you might have better luck finding something similar. You can see that they glow even within their gem case under the dreaded fluorescent light. No picture tweaking, no handshading, yet the stones look better in person (no orange even though I see orange in the picture below).

Thanks for this, Chrono. Really helpful to see the glow. I could definitely see that the stones from Prima and gemfix had a glow to them--as compared to a pink tourmaline I had--but I think they could be a lot more intense, like the stones in your photo. The search will be resumed later on, after my travels are complete for a time. I'm going to think on whether I want to go for pink pink or perhaps non-Mahenge/non-glowy red.

DecoDaze, I forgot to ask: did you ever hear back from Cathy?

No, I never did! I've had that happen with quite a few vendors now, where they just don't respond to email inquiries. I've been trying to get a setting quote from IDJ, but no response to email or to chat, in which someone told my they'd get back to me the next day with a quote. Oh, well. I'm taking a break for the time being and will pursue these goals with phone calls in a few weeks.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

I'm going to think on whether I want to go for pink pink or perhaps non-Mahenge/non-glowy red.

Keep us posted!

DecoDaze, I forgot to ask: did you ever hear back from Cathy?

No, I never did! I've had that happen with quite a few vendors now, where they just don't respond to email inquiries. I've been trying to get a setting quote from IDJ, but no response to email or to chat, in which someone told my they'd get back to me the next day with a quote. Oh, well. I'm taking a break for the time being and will pursue these goals with phone calls in a few weeks.

Darn. That stinks. I'm sorry.

 

[DecoDaze]

Darn. That stinks. I'm sorry.

Meh, it's OK. (Is there a shrugging emoji? ) It's early stages for my setting projects, and I'm mostly just trying to figure out which to do first. A real pickle! I'll get more assertive when I know which direction I'm taking.

And I'll definitely keep you posted on the search for the perfect spinel! To be continued...

 

[distracts]

Am I being too picky? Not a single one of those looks "red" to me. They all look pink - two pink-purple and two pink-orange, but all pink. Does red mean something different to other people?

But you are paying a premium for a mahenge - a nice one will completely jump out at you. You shouldn't try hard to see this. Don't rush just to have one.

I actually kind of agree with this - I have bought most of my mahenge spinels in person, and when I was shown a big tray full of hot pink stones, the ones I have ended up with were the single stones that immediately grabbed my attention. I'm not even sure that they're top quality, but what I DO know is that with hundreds arrayed before me, I picked that one, and doing this multiple times over multiple years I have ended up with the exact. same. color. every time, so that makes me pretty secure in my decision, you know? Especially when your budget is big for you, that's a nice feeling, to know that there's not another color you would pick.

re: Yvonne getting stones from Prima - Jaimeen has specifically said to me that it's easier for them when people go through Yvonne to pick out stones. Also, Yvonne has a really great eye for bright colors, so I tend to trust her judgments there.

 

[DecoDaze]

Am I being too picky? Not a single one of those looks "red" to me. They all look pink - two pink-purple and two pink-orange, but all pink. Does red mean something different to other people?

No--you're not being too picky. They ARE all pink. My ideal would be a red Mahenge, but I think even if I could find one, it would be out of my price range. So now that I've seen some pink ones, I'm trying to decide whether I should go for a "better" pink one, or just go for a red stone.

But you are paying a premium for a mahenge - a nice one will completely jump out at you. You shouldn't try hard to see this. Don't rush just to have one.

I actually kind of agree with this - I have bought most of my mahenge spinels in person, and when I was shown a big tray full of hot pink stones, the ones I have ended up with were the single stones that immediately grabbed my attention. I'm not even sure that they're top quality, but what I DO know is that with hundreds arrayed before me, I picked that one, and doing this multiple times over multiple years I have ended up with the exact. same. color. every time, so that makes me pretty secure in my decision, you know? Especially when your budget is big for you, that's a nice feeling, to know that there's not another color you would pick.

That's what I'm gathering. I'd love to have hundreds arrayed before me! And yes, I'm not going to purchase one of these stones unless it screams my name. And none of the above stones did. So back they go.

re: Yvonne getting stones from Prima - Jaimeen has specifically said to me that it's easier for them when people go through Yvonne to pick out stones. Also, Yvonne has a really great eye for bright colors, so I tend to trust her judgments there.

Thanks for the tip on what Jaimeen said about Yvonne. Given that I am a novice AND it's really expensive to ship stones back and forth, I will probably enlist Yvonne's help for the next stage of this search.

 

[chrono]

Not sure what to make of this one:
http://loupetroop.com/listings/loose-stones-colored-gemstone/1-dot-49-cts-sweet-mahenge-spinel-precision-re-cut-by-dan-stair-new-pic-and-video

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Hi, DecoDaze. I was also searching for a Mahenge (and Paraiba) but I happened to find the latter first. haha However, one trusted vendor just got back to me with a Mahenge I'd seriously consider. So I'm wondering if you'd be at all interested. It's a pear, 1.20cts, 7.7 x 5.8 x 4.1mm and it's not currently online. Let me know your thoughts!

 

[DecoDaze]

Hi, DecoDaze. I was also searching for a Mahenge (and Paraiba) but I happened to find the latter first. haha However, one trusted vendor just got back to me with a Mahenge I'd seriously consider. So I'm wondering if you'd be at all interested. It's a pear, 1.20cts, 7.7 x 5.8 x 4.1mm and it's not currently online. Let me know your thoughts!

Thanks for thinking of me, SparkliesLuver! What color is the Mahenge? After seeing the ones that I had in hand, I'm thinking that I want to go for something redder than most of the Mahenges available in my budget. So I guess my question is: is it pink pink? Or does it have a fair amount of red?

Not sure what to make of this one:
http://loupetroop.com/listings/loose-stones-colored-gemstone/1-dot-49-cts-sweet-mahenge-spinel-precision-re-cut-by-dan-stair-new-pic-and-video

Thanks, Chrono--and sorry for the delayed reply. I've seen Jim McCormick's listings before. Have you ever bought from him? This stone is still available, which makes me wonder if there's a catch, as it looks pretty red.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Sure! Ah, okay. Gotcha. In my personal opinion, I think this has some red in it. Without giving away too much, I took a screen shot of the center of the stone so you could see what I'm seeing and decide for yourself. I hope to receive hand shots today. Let me know!

 

[DecoDaze]

Sure! Ah, okay. Gotcha. In my personal opinion, I think this has some red in it. Without giving away too much, I took a screen shot of the center of the stone so you could see what I'm seeing and decide for yourself. I hope to receive hand shots today. Let me know!

Ooh, that does look nice! Unfortunately, at the moment, I'm traveling, and I've frustratingly lacked internet connectivity, hence the delay in my reply. I'm not back until July 4, and I've just admitted to myself that I can't order any stones until then. If you decide to go for it, SparkliesLuver, I'd love to see updates! And if you don't, I'd be interested in more info next week. Thanks again for thinking of me! I really appreciate it.

Jim, your post isn't showing up for me on the thread, but I did get it as a notification email. Thanks for the explanation--makes sense!

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Glad you think so too! No worries. I'm pretty much on a ban for awhile so I'll keep an eye on it for you. I haven't received hand shots yet - that'll help determine things, I'm sure. I'm back on the 5th but I have Internet access the whole time.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Hi, DecoDaze. I'm sure you won't get this until later, but I wanted to let you know that the stone sold at the HK show. I'm so sorry. The vendor said he might have some rough that could cut a similar spinel, so let me know if you'd be interested at all in that (and I can share the vendor).

 

[DecoDaze]

I was just checking this thread and saw that the reply I tried to post several days ago didn't post! So again: SparkliesLuver, thanks for the update. Bummer that it sold, but I think it just means it's not the right stone for me.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

You're welcome. If you want to contact Eric ([email protected]), he said he might have some more rough. Just fyi. Happy searching! And I'll definitely post again if I find any worthy contenders. Oh, I did find one in Australia during my initial search, but I still haven't heard back from them.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

I know it's a tad over budget, but it might be worth asking about ...

1.79 cts
8.4 x 6.2 mm
$2,898
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2vJ9wwz6rQ
listing: http://www.africagems.com/oval-pink-spinel-gemstone-556074133.html

 

[LoversKites]

I know it's a tad over budget, but it might be worth asking about ...

1.79 cts
8.4 x 6.2 mm
$2,898
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2vJ9wwz6rQ
listing: http://www.africagems.com/oval-pink-spinel-gemstone-556074133.html

A PSer once inquired about this Mahenge and got a disappointing handshot from the vendor. Could've just been a really bad photo, so perhaps still worth inquiring about. Here's the thread: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/i-have-this-mahenge-currently-on-hold-thoughts-comments.209597/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/i-have-this-mahenge-currently-on-hold-thoughts-comments.209597/[/URL]

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Ahhhh, okay. They have another one that was less saturated so I wondered if it could have been that. Oh well. My apologies!

 

[minousbijoux]

I know it's a tad over budget, but it might be worth asking about ...

1.79 cts
8.4 x 6.2 mm
$2,898
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2vJ9wwz6rQ
listing: http://www.africagems.com/oval-pink-spinel-gemstone-556074133.html

A PSer once inquired about this Mahenge and got a disappointing handshot from the vendor. Could've just been a really bad photo, so perhaps still worth inquiring about. Here's the thread: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/i-have-this-mahenge-currently-on-hold-thoughts-comments.209597/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/i-have-this-mahenge-currently-on-hold-thoughts-comments.209597/[/URL]

Amazing to me that you could remember that! So impressed.

 

[DecoDaze]

I know it's a tad over budget, but it might be worth asking about ...

1.79 cts
8.4 x 6.2 mm
$2,898
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2vJ9wwz6rQ
listing: http://www.africagems.com/oval-pink-spinel-gemstone-556074133.html

A PSer once inquired about this Mahenge and got a disappointing handshot from the vendor. Could've just been a really bad photo, so perhaps still worth inquiring about. Here's the thread: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/i-have-this-mahenge-currently-on-hold-thoughts-comments.209597/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/i-have-this-mahenge-currently-on-hold-thoughts-comments.209597/[/URL]

Wow, there is a huge difference between the vendor photo and the handshot there! Thanks for the suggestion, SparkliesLuver, and the information, LoversKites--I, too, am impressed that you remembered!

So I'm finding that my enthusiasm for the search has waned for the time being. It's probably because we're just starting a redo of our yard, and are consequently hemorrhaging $$ in that direction. I'm sure my motivation will kick back in soon. But I've made myself a promise that I won't pursue something unless I'm enjoying the chase. I'm not giving up, but I'm not going to actively look at the moment. Would still love suggestions if you happen to run across something! I love this board--thanks for all the help.