Cobalt vs Blue Spinel

[beaujolais]

Killer color ! Love Barry''s cutting, though.

Is it coincidence but it seems many of the fine stones from Swala or Pala seem to be ovals? I wonder why.

 

[haagen_dazs]

the cobalt blue looks like a sapphire blue ...would you say that is true?

 

[T L]

Date: 1/20/2010 12:12:11 AM
Author: haagen_dazs
the cobalt blue looks like a sapphire blue ...would you say that is true?

I think the Barry stone looks better than most sapphires I see actually!!

The cobalt is really beautiful though, like a higher end sapphire.

 

[chictomato]

Date: 1/19/2010 9:35:48 AM
Author:Chrono
I''ve been nagged offline by a couple friends so I managed to scrounge some time to take pictures of the Swala cobalt and my Barry regular blue spinel. Please excuse the very poor photography (lack of light and blurry shots).

Thanks Chrono that''s a GREAT reference to my question posted last week

 

[Lovinggems]

Wow it glows, and I''d love to see a good Vietnamese blue spinel as well.

 

[virgoruby]

Chrono, thanks for the photos. I can see a clear difference between the two stones; both are lovely, but the cobalt spinel is just so mesmerising...

 

[chrono]

Deowine,
Thank you. The reason I agreed to start this thread is to show the difference between a possibly fine regular blue versus a possibly fine cobalt blue spinel as many people may not have the opportunity to view them side by side in real life or even in pictures.

Sonoma,
I know; that’s why I can’t seem to part with Barry’s blue spinel. I’ve toyed with the idea on numerous occasions but when the opportunity opens up, I am always reluctant to do so. I had already prepared pictures and text to advertise its sale but this photoshoot and everyone’s comments made me hold it back again. This spinel is actually rather expensive for a Barry stone and I guess its price reflects the quality. Most fine stones are cut as oval because it maximizes rough (ovals don’t need a deep shaped rough and most rough tend to be shaped for ovals in the first place).

 

[chrono]

Haagen Dazs,
You are correct; the cobalt blue spinel is very much a sapphire blue and can easily be mistaken for one. This is the criteria by which I chose and purchase my cobalt blue spinels; it must look better than most blue sapphires and be equal to at least a very fine blue sapphire).

TL,
Really (w/regards to most sapphires you’ve seen)? It’s true that it isn’t easy to find a very fine regular blue spinel which is why I think they are still undervalued.

ChicTomato,
You are welcome. I must have missed your question last week but am glad that this thread was helpful.

LovingGems,
I think ColorMyWorld posted his Vietnamese blue spinel in CS a long time ago. A search might bring a couple pictures up. I’ve been on the look out for one but it’s difficult since they are already mined out.

VigorRuby,
Thank you; that is the purpose of this thread so I’m glad for nagging friends to poke me with a stick to get this done before 2011.

 

[beaujolais]

Thanks for explaining why ovals. I''m not that much of an oval person so I guess this keeps me from making some painfully expensive purchases.

It''s hard to get past Barry''s cutting, isn''t it? (My two favorite stones are my GOG August cushion and a Barry red spinel.)

Your cobalt is mesmerizing. I got lost staring into the color for a minute.

 

[chrono]

I actually dislike ovals quite a bit as well but when the stone is so incredibly rare and difficult to find, I have to set aside my prejudice and go for the stone. If not, I’ll still be without my cobalt spinels after numerous years of looking/browsing. When I saw Swala’s cobalt listed on his webpage, I was second in line. Harriet beat me to it and fortune was on my side since she found the cobalt too small. Later, I found out there was a very long waiting list for the cobalt with everyone anxious for me to pass on it, which shows that shape doesn’t matter when it comes to rare material with excellent colour. For material that isn’t as difficult to find, I will pass over ovals in favour of other shapes that I love.

 

[Arkteia]

I think that the color is better than most sapphires I have seen and if it doesn''t change the color in the evening, it is even more valuable. Agree with the comment on ovals but I have bought a lot of ovals and they are still better than my emerald-cut stones. I don''t have much experience with precision cuts but hopefully shall get some. After I''m done with my spessartine I am going to set the spinel and see how it looks - something tells me it calls for a more traditional setting (or ultra-innovative) but we shall see.

 

[Catmom]

Oh I LOVE the cobalt blue!!!!!!!!

 

[Hest88]

Oh, that cobalt blue is......

Thanks for posting the comparison picts.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

They''re both stunning Chrono! But that cobalt...wow it glows! So beautiful!

 

[blithesome71]

OMG chrono, those are sooo beautiful! But I especially love the cobalt spinel over the blue one. But both of ''em are absolutely mesmerizing.

 

[Indylady]

Date: 1/19/2010 5:47:13 PM
Author: sonomacounty
Killer color ! Love Barry''s cutting, though.


Is it coincidence but it seems many of the fine stones from Swala or Pala seem to be ovals? I wonder why.

I think ovals hold their color better than certain other shapes.

 

[chrono]

Crasru,
I do not believe I’ve seen any spinels hold their colour; they will shift even if ever so slightly that it is undetectable to most eyes. My one cobalt shifts from sapphire blue (indoors) to tanzanite violetish blue (outdoors), while my second cobalt does the exact opposite (sapphire blue outdoors to tanzanite violetish blue indoors). I do not mind it because the violetish blue is also almost completely devoid of gray undertones.

Catmom. Hest, BEG and Blithe,
Thank you for looking and liking the cobalt too.