Chrono,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).
It looks the same in early morning and late in the evening. If you refer to the very first picture (low light condition), you''ll see how dark it can get but it is still obviously very blue.Date: 1/19/2010 11:41:20 AM
Author: crasru
I think the cobalt one is much better than most sapphires I saw. Does it turn darker in evening light?
The cobalt is 1.5 ct and measures just a hair above 7 x 5 mm due to a deep pavilion. If there is any gray at all in the cobalt, it is incredibly little.Date: 1/19/2010 12:18:43 PM
Author: winternight
Wow, love that cobalt, although they are both very nice! Does the cobalt look greyish at all? What size it is? I''m so intrigued by cobalt spinels, since I love the darker colors for the most part.
You aren''t weird at all. I am drawn to the Barry spinel for cutting reasons, I suspect. His stone may not be as vivid but it is a flashier stone.Date: 1/19/2010 2:24:14 PM
Author: packrat
So pretty! I''m glad you have naggy friends! I''m drawn more to Barry''s..maybe I''m weird.
I don''t really know. The few that I''ve seen (all from non-eBay sources) do come in such a intense blue but also cost in the thousands of dollars. It is possible that there are cobalt spinels that are not as attractive.Date: 1/19/2010 2:08:07 PM
Author: crasru
Chrono, do all cobalt-bearing spinels come in such a beautiful color? The reason I am asking, there are some cobalt-bearing spinels sold on ebay, but I suspect that just because it is cobalt, it is not necessaritly beautiful. Wanted to ask you.
I can answer this. Based on a spinel collector''s recommendation, I purchased a true cobalt spinel from an online site. I sent it back the next day. It was nice for a blue spinel, but not the velvety blue like Chrono''s cobalts. It was not cheap, so it went back. Iron causes the grey modifier you seen in these gems. Cobalts will contain varying amounts of both cobalt and iron, so just because it contains cobalt, this does not mean it is going to be a velvety blue as you see in Chrono''s stones.Date: 1/19/2010 2:32:36 PM
Author: Chrono
I don''t really know. The few that I''ve seen (all from non-eBay sources) do come in such a intense blue but also cost in the thousands of dollars. It is possible that there are cobalt spinels that are not as attractive.Date: 1/19/2010 2:08:07 PM
Author: crasru
Chrono, do all cobalt-bearing spinels come in such a beautiful color? The reason I am asking, there are some cobalt-bearing spinels sold on ebay, but I suspect that just because it is cobalt, it is not necessaritly beautiful. Wanted to ask you.
Got it! I wish I could just see one IRL...As you said, they are not cheap. They seem to be also rare.Date: 1/19/2010 2:43:24 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
I can answer this. Based on a spinel collector''s recommendation, I purchased a true cobalt spinel from an online site. I sent it back the next day. It was nice for a blue spinel, but not the velvety blue like Chrono''s cobalts. It was not cheap, so it went back. Iron causes the grey modifier you seen in these gems. Cobalts will contain varying amounts of both cobalt and iron, so just because it contains cobalt, this does not mean it is going to be a velvety blue as you see in Chrono''s stones.Date: 1/19/2010 2:32:36 PM
Author: Chrono
I don''t really know. The few that I''ve seen (all from non-eBay sources) do come in such a intense blue but also cost in the thousands of dollars. It is possible that there are cobalt spinels that are not as attractive.Date: 1/19/2010 2:08:07 PM
Author: crasru
Chrono, do all cobalt-bearing spinels come in such a beautiful color? The reason I am asking, there are some cobalt-bearing spinels sold on ebay, but I suspect that just because it is cobalt, it is not necessaritly beautiful. Wanted to ask you.
Do not trust any cobalt spinel to truly contain cobalt unless it comes with a reputable lab cert that indicates the presence of cobalt. Ebay sells tons of ''cobalt blue'' spinels, and that just means they emulate the color of a true cobalt, but do not necessarily contain it. Do a search on ''cobalt spinel -blue'' (the dash omits the word blue in the search) in the search box on ebay, and you will see very few titles of ''cobalt spinel.''
They are very very rare, and they also only seem to be found in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), but don''t quote me on that. Some Vietnamese spinel are a very vivid blue as well, but do not contain cobalt (not to my knowledge).Date: 1/19/2010 3:10:16 PM
Author: crasru
Got it! I wish I could just see one IRL...As you said, they are not cheap. They seem to be also rare.Date: 1/19/2010 2:43:24 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
I can answer this. Based on a spinel collector''s recommendation, I purchased a true cobalt spinel from an online site. I sent it back the next day. It was nice for a blue spinel, but not the velvety blue like Chrono''s cobalts. It was not cheap, so it went back. Iron causes the grey modifier you seen in these gems. Cobalts will contain varying amounts of both cobalt and iron, so just because it contains cobalt, this does not mean it is going to be a velvety blue as you see in Chrono''s stones.Date: 1/19/2010 2:32:36 PM
Author: Chrono
I don''t really know. The few that I''ve seen (all from non-eBay sources) do come in such a intense blue but also cost in the thousands of dollars. It is possible that there are cobalt spinels that are not as attractive.Date: 1/19/2010 2:08:07 PM
Author: crasru
Chrono, do all cobalt-bearing spinels come in such a beautiful color? The reason I am asking, there are some cobalt-bearing spinels sold on ebay, but I suspect that just because it is cobalt, it is not necessaritly beautiful. Wanted to ask you.
Do not trust any cobalt spinel to truly contain cobalt unless it comes with a reputable lab cert that indicates the presence of cobalt. Ebay sells tons of ''cobalt blue'' spinels, and that just means they emulate the color of a true cobalt, but do not necessarily contain it. Do a search on ''cobalt spinel -blue'' (the dash omits the word blue in the search) in the search box on ebay, and you will see very few titles of ''cobalt spinel.''
No, I''m drawn to Barry''s too. The cobalt one is a more intense blue but it''s just a matter of tatse as to which each person will prefer.Date: 1/19/2010 2:24:14 PM
Author: packrat
So pretty! I''m glad you have naggy friends! I''m drawn more to Barry''s..maybe I''m weird.