I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/comments?

[chrono]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

I have shared the link for the post with Marty and Yvonne. I've asked Marty for hand shots and in the past he has provided them, so we shall see.

Many vendors dislike this to the point where they will refuse to deal with PSers once the potential buyer discloses as being active on this forum. I've read one too many cases where we have been described as too fussy or psychotic on a different forum.

 

[two_little_birds]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

I have shared the link for the post with Marty and Yvonne. I've asked Marty for hand shots and in the past he has provided them, so we shall see.

Many vendors dislike this to the point where they will refuse to deal with PSers once the potential buyer discloses as being active on this forum. I've read one too many cases where we have been described as too fussy or psychotic on a different forum.

Agree with Chrono.

 

[two_little_birds]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

Oh no! Did he say why?

I simply asked if it was too much to ask to get a hand shot, and he replied "yes it's too much".

 

[Marlow]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

Very professional

So I think they are photoshopped!! A handshot is only a few minutes....

Another vendor I would never try....

 

[Marlow]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

I have shared the link for the post with Marty and Yvonne. I've asked Marty for hand shots and in the past he has provided them, so we shall see.

Many vendors dislike this to the point where they will refuse to deal with PSers once the potential buyer discloses as being active on this forum. I've read one too many cases where we have been described as too fussy or psychotic on a different forum.

Yes - it is stupid course good experience with a vendor ( for example: these incredible beautiful afghan tourmalines!!) are worth a lot!!!

And I think most here are not pschotic

 

[T L]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

Oh no! Did he say why?

I simply asked if it was too much to ask to get a hand shot, and he replied "yes it's too much".

Ouch!

 

[Acinom]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

Ow, what a pity they will not provide handshots. Have you decided what to do?

 

[two_little_birds]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

Ow, what a pity they will not provide handshots. Have you decided what to do?

Still working with Yvonne on a few options, and also Jenna from Prima.

 

[Acinom]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

Ow, what a pity they will not provide handshots. Have you decided what to do?

Still working with Yvonne on a few options, and also Jenna from Prima.

It's great that you have access to several good vendors! I hope you will find your dreamstone soon.

 

[two_little_birds]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

Thoughts on either of these from Prima...

1.19ct on the left, and 1.54ct on the right.

 

[chrono]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

Sweet! Any chance of a video of the 2 stones together? Do they have fluorescence? What is the indoor colour shift like?

 

[Marlow]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

Beautiful - how much each ????

I am sure they have a strong fluorescence - can you take both ???

 

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

So glad you've got some other good vendors to work with! From what I've heard, those two are really known for their work with Mahenges anyway, so that's a great plus.

and YAY! for two very nice gemstone contenders! Does the larger one have a small window, or is that just table glare? Just from those pics I think I like the smaller one better.

 

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

And I think most here are not pschotic

Marlow, you crack me up!!

 

[two_little_birds]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

Comments from Jenna...

Weight: 1.19 CTS
Dimensions: 5.2 x 7.4 MM
Price: $1,072.5
This oval is probably my favorite of the bunch. It is nice medium saturation with a gorgeous neon color. It is also wonderfully cut with a beautiful face, and will fit nicely into any 5 x 7.5 setting.

Weight: 1.54 CTS
Dimensions: 6.3 x 8.4 MM
Price: $1,540
This spinel is so beautiful and brilliant, it almost looks like candy. To me, this is a perfect spinel.

To answer Chrono's questions...
"Sorry, but we don't have the proper equipment to take nice videos of the stones. The stones do have amazing fluorescence, and I've attached a few pictures so that you can see this. As for the indoor shift, we only have fluorescent lights in the office, which is the light we've used in the pictures we sent you. If we take the pictures under our tube lights, it would be the same, only stronger light. It wouldn't make much of a difference."

 

[lilmosun]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

I am pretty sure that I've seen the 1.19 carat spinel. It was in the parcel of stones that Yvonne, Jaimeen and Jenna collectively picked out to bring to the Intergem show for me to look at. I came close to buying it after looking at stones from Prima, Vance and other vendors at the show. In fact, I would've bought it if I could've afforded 2 stones at the time. However, I decided to stick with my decision to buy the magenta stone (older stock) which the color that first attracted me to the mahenges.

Assuming it's the same stone, here is how Jaimeen described it to me.

1.19 cts Oval Mahenge Spinel. Measures 7.4 x 5.2 mm. Very bright and very eye catching. This stone is a little fireball. Great flouresence as well. The cut is great and I do not see any extinction at all. To my eyes it is about 85% pink, 10% red and 5% orange (only in certain lights do you see a hint of orange, other lights its mostly only pink).

Did you mention that you were referred to them by PS members?

 

[two_little_birds]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

I am pretty sure that I've seen the 1.19 carat spinel. It was in the parcel of stones that Yvonne, Jaimeen and Jenna collectively picked out to bring to the Intergem show for me to look at. I came close to buying it after looking at stones from Prima, Vance and other vendors at the show. In fact, I would've bought it if I could've afforded 2 stones at the time. However, I decided to stick with my decision to buy the magenta stone (older stock) which the color that first attracted me to the mahenges.

Assuming it's the same stone, here is how Jaimeen described it to me.

1.19 cts Oval Mahenge Spinel. Measures 7.4 x 5.2 mm. Very bright and very eye catching. This stone is a little fireball. Great flouresence as well. The cut is great and I do not see any extinction at all. To my eyes it is about 85% pink, 10% red and 5% orange (only in certain lights do you see a hint of orange, other lights its mostly only pink).

Did you mention that you were referred to them by PS members?

It could be the same, it's the one I actually like better. Just wish it was bigger.

No I didn't mention I was a PS member, not yet anyways.

 

[lilmosun]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

I completely understand concerns on the size. I wear a size 8 and need finger coverage.

My magenta mahenge from Prima is only 1.09 carats and even though it was the only old stock one I could find, I almost passed due to size. It looked so much smaller than I was used to. Fortunately, Jaimeen let me take the stone around to see how it would look in a setting (which of course made it look larger). My "temporary" one (neon bubblegum pink) was only .55 carats and ended up being a keeper, although I do stack it. Both stones stand out and often get compliments from total strangers. I have had no regrets buying smaller to get the color/quality I wanted...but I am an rookie stone buyer here and haven't had much to compare it to other than drooling over pictures here. In the end, you have to be happy with it. If only I wasn't so late in the game :sigh:

Mention you are a PS member it may help with pricing.

 

[lilmosun]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

I won't have access to my computer for a few days so am posting this without knowing if its the same stone but...

Ask Jenna if the stone is the same "neon pink" stone that she brought to Chantilly for the customer who ended up buying the magenta. She might also remember me as the customer she wanted to buy the little mahenge ring from.

IF it is the same stone, here are more pictures she had sent me when I was picking out stones for her to bring to the show:

 

[lilmosun]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

lol...now that I resurrected the pictures, I wish I had gone back to buy it haha

 

[two_little_birds]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

OK, it's now down to these 4 ovals... any "expert" opinions?

1. 1.19ct from Prima ($1,072.50)
2. 1.54ct from Prima ($1,540.00)
3. 1.61ct from Yvonne but sourced from Prima ($1,932)
4. 2.05ct from Yvonne but sourced from Prima ($2,460)

 

[two_little_birds]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

This is going to be a right hand ring for me, and I'm thinking of setting it in a simple 14k white gold semi-bezel.

 

[T L]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

There's quite a bit of that half/half extinction going on in the first two ovals toward the top. What do you think of these stones in comparison to the ones you've seen before in person?

 

[two_little_birds]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

There's quite a bit of that half/half extinction going on in the first two ovals toward the top. What do you think of these stones in comparison to the ones you've seen before in person?

Agree. My two personal favourites at this point are the 1.19 and 1.61. Yvonne has been amazing to deal with and she's going to be me photos of all 4 side-by-side (she's going to pick up the other two from Prima).

It's hard to compare them to others, as I've seen quite a few different ones. Some more red, some more magenta and some bubble gum pink. Plus I'm comparing photos as opposed to the real live thing.

 

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

There's quite a bit of that half/half extinction going on in the first two ovals toward the top.

The two spinels of Yvonne's I saw had the same half and half extinction going on in the pictures, but it was quite a bit less noticeable when I saw them IRL.

Just some random thoughts on these - Prima's prices seem to be a bit better than Yvonne's. Also, are Yvonne's from the parcel she recently got that were old stock but more included? And, some of Yvonne's are very bright but may be a bit less saturated. Still, IMHO her stones are gorgeous, and she said while she's in Tucson she will probably be having a sale to raise funds!

Have fun choosing from these beautiful spinels!

 

[Acinom]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

I love that 1.19 from Prima. If you are not sure about the size, then I would keep looking.

 

[two_little_birds]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

Yvonne has all 4 posted (videos) on her Facebook page now. I've ruled out the 2.05ct.

https://www.facebook.com/CecileRaleyDesigns?fref=nf

 

[two_little_birds]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

And a few photos of them all side-by-side...

 

[FrekeChild]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

I believe that Yvonne buys her stones from Prima, so she's tacking on a middle man fee to what she bought the stone for directly from Prima. Just something to consider.

 

[PattyCo]

Re: I have this Mahenge currently on hold... thoughts/commen

TLB, I have been following this thread with bated breath and the suspense of what you are going to choose is killing me! And I need a money tree...