Blue and/or Purple Spinel; How dark is too dark?

[Arcadian]

So I have a question about these. I know its more or less a matter of taste but, there's 2 spinel (1 purple, one royal blue) that I'm considering. I'll just call them "reserved" at this time.


At any rate, I'm curious as to how dark is too dark? For spinels though is royal blue considered a no no or is it ok?

It looks a bit like a sapphire with minimal gray (its not a cobalt)

The purple one I'm considering has pinkish/orange flashes. I believe its got a bit of gray but its minimal. but it is a dark stone.
I'll be putting up the colors in a bit to give everyone an idea of what I mean.

-A

 

[T L]

I don''t like when they''re so extinct they look black or inky with little flashes of blue or purple. Let''s put it this way, if YOU think it''s too dark, then it probably is.

 

[Arcadian]

Lets try this again. This is the blue I''m talking about.

 

[Arcadian]

this is the purple.


My worry is not on them loose, but on them set.

-A

 

[T L]

A,
It's very difficult to ascertain the quality based on a flat piece of color since lighting and the way a gem is photographed can have a great influence on it. I have noticed, in my own limited spinel buying experience, that they tend to look darker in person than in photographs. Did the seller comment on the tone of the stones? For me, I think tone is one of the most important things to consider when buying a spinel. While some gems with a darker tone will still be pretty, I have noticed that darker toned spinels get really extinct. I could be wrong, but that's what I have noticed. Is there a way you could post a picture? I suppose you might not want to for good reason, but again, it's really difficult to give an opinion, for me at the very least, on a flat swatch of color. One other thing to note is that looking through the pavillion of the stone gives a better idea of the body color, at least for me, than through the table.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Personally I don''t like DARK stones. The two colors you posted look very nice on paper. I''ve bookmarked some stones and looked at them later and decided that for me they were too dark. I know I don''t like stones to be like most of the Sapphires I see IRL at B&M stores.

So I''d really have to see a picture of the stone to tell you if it was too dark for me. Even then stones can look very different once you see them IRL. So I tend to avoid any stone called DARK by the cutter.

HTH

 

[LD]

Arcadian, I swear you and I are gemstone twins! We both buy Mahenge Spinels at the same time. We both buy Tsavs at the same time. We both buy Sphenes at the same time and guess what? Yep, we''re both buying Spinels now too!

I''m finding it difficult because many of the spinels are quite grey. If you''ve found a blue spinel the colour you''ve posted and it doesn''t have too much grey but has nice blue flashes then yummy yummy yummy! I''m not so sure about the purple colour you''ve posted as that, to me, has a lot of grey to start with. After a long search I finally pressed the button on a purple sapphire this morning because I wasn''t finding that the spinels were doing it for me. I like lots of pink and blue flashes (no grey) in my purple and it''s like chasing the holy grail!

Can you post pictures without identifying the gemstone/seller?

 

[chrono]

A,
I''d love to help but a colour swatch like that is difficult for me to judge. It also depends on how the spinel reflects the light back; will the gray show more? Will it blacken under indoor lighting? It is difficult to tell but generally, darker spinels aren''t very nice.

 

[T L]

Date: 1/29/2010 9:34:11 PM
Author: Chrono
A,
I'd love to help but a colour swatch like that is difficult for me to judge. It also depends on how the spinel reflects the light back; will the gray show more? Will it blacken under indoor lighting? It is difficult to tell but generally, darker spinels aren't very nice.

True, many spinels color shift, so that's important to consider as well. You don't want it looking awesome under one lighting, and terrible under another type of light. I also had that happen to me with a spinel. It looked the color of transparent charcoal under sunlight, and incandescent lighting. I brought it under bright fluorescent light, and it was beautiful (I still returned it though). Spinels have to be the moodiest gems I've ever dealt with. LOL!

 

[FrekeChild]

I''d say it''s what you feel like YOU can deal with. I have a BUNCH of blue spinels and they all sing to me in their own ways, but they range every color from almost colorless to almost black. I''ll go take a picture of them all arranged darkest to lightest, and perhaps you can maybe try to pin point the color of the blue one you''re looking at from there.

I have to say that depending on the setting, I haven''t found much of a darkening effect in my spinels.

Ok, brb.

 

[FrekeChild]

Ugh on technical difficulties. And sorry I didn''t clean anything before I took the pics! The dust makes the stones look a little lighter (especially the one that looks kind of teal (second from left).

Ok, we have:

DARK, dark, medium-dark, medium, light, lighter and then the last three are super light (and tiny, 2mm, 3.5mm, 2.5mm), with the last one barely having a blue hint to it.

 

[FrekeChild]

Another. It's hard to capture the color of a whole bunch of stones at once!

ETA: The majority of these are precision cut (all by Barry, hahahaha!) so that makes a difference in light return and the color's appearance I think...

 

[gemgirl]

All things being equal, meaning if all of the stones you''re considering are cut well and have either no or very insignificant internal flaws- it really is up to you! I think everyone has said the same thing. The pear I used in my necklace is very close to the one to the far left on Freke''s hand, but I love dark, rich, velvety colors. That''s just me and most everyone here thought it was too dark, but YOU have to like it and be happy to wear it.

I think if everyone posted every spinel they owned? You''d have almost the entire rainbow.

 

[T L]

I have two that I set in halos, and the halos darkened them up considerably. One is very nice still, but it was medium light in tone to begin with, and the other I want to remove from the halo.

With blue spinels, I do agree that a good brilliant cut really helps. Spinels are meant to sparkle and shine with the exception of some vivid reds and pinks that have amazing neon color to rely on. The blues are more velvety and subdued, and the sparkle really helps I think.

That picture from Freke is a very good representation from dark to light and various shades of blue spinel. Great picture. Thanks Freke.

 

[Arcadian]

Thanks freke! (yummy rings

) the stones I''m looking at are all cushion cut but appear to be well cut (no windows) For me this is going off the beaten path as I generally buy light bright poppy colors. Its because of your stone collection I''ve even able to make the jump!

LD, We apparently are in each other''s brainspace...lol The (now 2) royal blue I''m looking at does have for the money, tolerable gray but are not grayed out. On one I''ve spoken with the seller who is on their way toTuscon for the gemshow, who did say the stone color iself is nice, but does have some gray. The stone as it stand is above 100/ct, the stone is about 2cts.

The other I have not spoken with the seller but have sent a message. I''ve bought from him before. Its about 150/ct and a little over 1ct and closer to sapphire blue.

Once I hear back from either of these 2 I''ll post a couple of pictures. for now, I''m keeping them down low especially after what happened last time (you know what happens if you post pictures of stuff you want but don''t have reserved yet).

The purple one is totally out of the running. I''ve checked out another but its way out of my budget. I''ll post it up though (may as well...lol) But seeing as I like the color purple it is, I''m hoping to find something similar.


-A

 

[Stone Hunter]

Thanks for that lovely yummy photo Freke! You have a GREAT collection!

 

[Arcadian]

Ok here goes nothing! I'm going to post up the first blue stone I have it reserved. I won't get to see it in person until the seller is back from Tuscon though.

 

[T L]

I find that to be much more gray than you alluded to.

 

[Arcadian]

Date: 1/31/2010 12:09:15 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover
I find that to be much more gray than you alluded to.

Really? I don''t because it looks more to me its how the stone is tilted to take the picture. Being that the seller is willing to let me take a look, it won''t hurt. I''m on the fence about it yes, but I also think its worth checking out in person.


I''m waiting for the other seller to get back to me. I''ll post that one up too.

What I''m concerned most about is the extinction. We''ve agreed that me taking a look would be best so that I can see if it bothers me or not.

Instinct is telling me though it may not be a lovely picture, it may very well be a lovely stone. Lest we not forget our favorite seller Bob Kast had terrible pics!

Heck you never know, I may love the thing warts and all!

-A

 

[blithesome71]

Nice one Arcadian. That vendor pic looks familiar. Anyway, I think its "royal blue" color looks decent though. It actually caught my eyes too when I saw it moths ago from their page. So who knows, it might be prettier IRL.

 

[T L]

What lighting did he take that photograph in? Did the seller talk about color shifts? What is the tone of the stone? It looks medium in tone, but if it has bright light shining on it, it could be darker in tone.

Bob Kast's pictures were terrible because they were far away, fuzzy, and small. Actually, that picture appears to be a good one of a greyish blue stone. At least it's crisp, clear, and large. The cutting, as far as native cutting is concerned, appears to be decent.

I just want you to be happy. As Chrono always tells me, a good blue spinel is extremely hard to find. If you think it's worth checking out, and he has a decent return policy, than I can understand you wanting to look at it.

 

[T L]

This is a picture of Freke's blue spinel. I hope she doesn't mind my using it, but I really think it's beautiful. Perhaps it's not fair to compare since it's two different lighting setups, two different cameras, but strictly based on the color in that photograph, please compare it to her spinel. I find her blue spinel in this photo to be quite attractive and more of a royal blue, lacking much of the gray that plagues these stones. It is the same spinel in the ring in the middle of her finger (third from the left) in her photo above.

 

[Arcadian]

No problem TL, everything your''e saying is coming from a good place, and I respect that. The seller has a very good return policy, and though they''re currently at Tuscon, they''ve been responsive to my emails and questions. I know they won''t have much opportunity when the show actually starts so I''m trying to get them all in now.

When she returns home we''ll be talking more and she''ll send the stone to me to see what my thoughts are as well as give me time to take a good look at it in person. I think thats fair.

With my knowlege of cameras and lighting, part of me feels it could just be a bad picture (I''ve taken plenty of those, so I know!!) knowing how hard it is to find and how expensive good blues can be, I am tolerant of a bit of gray becuase it can keep the price down. But if I fall in love with it, I''m not going to care about the gray or lack thereof! LOL.

Its something I have to see in person to see how they perform in my environment.

My biggest concern are the areas that look to be extinction. Some of it looks to me like its camera shadow, but IMO that can only be known for sure in person. I would be more ultra cautious if I were not speaking with the seller. (plus they take and recommend paypal, I''m good with that.)


-A

 

[FrekeChild]

Awww!! Thanks for the lovely compliments! And I don'' mind you posting that pic TL. I wish it was less grainy, but I suppose I need a camera upgrade for that wish to come true. That series of pictures kept me going when that stone was lost in transit...

Arcadian, I think you should check it out. I worry about a window, but I''m giving it the benefit of a doubt that it just looks like that due to tilt. Either way, I bet you''ll have a blue spinel all your own soon enough it sounds like!

 

[Arcadian]

Freke, I certainly hope so. The color blue for me has always been a bit rough to like more than other colors and in gemstones, its amplified. (please don''t kill me!!)

But I know that good blues and purples can be found because you''ve proven that time and time again. I''ve read so much in the past 3-4 months that I''m cross eyed! LOL

But the more I read, the better armed I am.

Now I just need to see if my instinct is right. I won''t even see the stone I posted in person until end of Feb/early March. In the meantime, I''m still looking

-A

 

[FrekeChild]

I''m not going to kill you! Lol silly! I certainly don''t think you''re going to kill me for not liking orange in gemstones! I''m not going to rain down my judgment on other people for not liking blue, when I''ll plainly say I''m not a huge fan of white diamonds--you know?

Anyway, I think you need a medium blue spinel to help complete your gemstone rainbow.

 

[Arcadian]

I contacted the other seller of the other blue, which I''ve reserved to take a look at.

So of course, I can show the picture. I''ve purchased from him before (some will recognize the picture) There''s a slight gray mask on this stone as well. Its a smaller stone at 1.26ct.


-A

 

[chrono]

A,
Both blue spinels don''t speak to me at all. The tone is dark and having a strong gray undertone isn''t in their favour. There is a good chance both stones might even darken up under most lighting. Have you asked both vendors about the indoor shift colour? I recognize the vendor of the oval blue spinel and I know he will be very upfront with you. I''m with TL that Freke''s big blue is a nice example of a blue spinel in the close up picture in the stone holder.

 

[chictomato]

hi there I had just returned this blue spinel as it is not custom cut (i am a fussy person and rather small approx 7X5mm. I thought it has a nice and distinct color change. just some photos to share.

 

[chictomato]

Purple