Oval 2 carat tsavorite and 1.5 carat violet spinel

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Well, here are probably my last two gemstone purchases for the year. Enjoy the pics.

I wanted a violet/blue spinel for some time, and I have a few, but they were all too grey for me. This one has more color saturation and a nice medium-light tone. Both are native cuts, but the tsavorite has very nice Portugese cutting on it and no window. It is medium dark in color and has some blue in it, but the blue doesn't come out well in my photos. It is included, but these inclusions are not eye visible.

I have one small tsavorite I bought 16 years ago, but I wanted a larger one for my loose gemstone collection, so I went for one because it was a good price (probably due to the inclusions), and it was over 2 carats.

First up, the spinel.

 

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Outside on a partly cloudy day with the spinel ring that people seem to enjoy.

You can see the new one has a distinctly more bluish cast, it reminds me more of a sapphire than a spinel actually.

 

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Here''s the tsavorite in a box with the spinel. The color is more saturated than this photo.

 

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Both in their little gemstone baggies when I got them home from the post office. The tsavorite is much like this color, just a little darker in tone.

 

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Up close underneath a plastic gem box lid.

 

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Same picture as above, but further away. Outside in 20 degree weather, what I don't do for Pricescope!! LOL!!

 

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For Chrono,
A photo on the hand, but the tsavorite isn't this dark IRL, nor grey. Ick, looks horrible here, but you wanted a hand shot!!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I really love the color on that spinel, looks very flattering on you I think!

I was actually wondering if you saw the half-n-half effect in your oval tsav? Congrats on finding a good deal!

 

[tsavvy]

Lovely new gems, TL. The color on both of those is terrific!!

 

[LD]

Oh I love the spinel. Especially the last photo of it. I agree with MTG it really compliments your skintone.

I hadn't got you down as a Tsav lover so I was really surprised to read the title of this thread! Does it sparkle? It looks different in all the photos and I know how difficult they are to photograph. Which one is true to life?

What are your plans for both? Rose gold?

 

[Lovinggems]

You always manage to find pretty stones with great colours. I love these two but I am really drawn to the Tsav.

 

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Date: 12/4/2009 6:01:59 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
I really love the color on that spinel, looks very flattering on you I think!

I was actually wondering if you saw the half-n-half effect in your oval tsav? Congrats on finding a good deal!

Thanks MTG,
No, it's pretty lively. I don't see much half and half effect, it just comes out so much darker and blah in the photos. It's a really strong green color, and not overly dark.

 

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Date: 12/4/2009 6:08:58 PM
Author: tsavvy
Lovely new gems, TL. The color on both of those is terrific!!

Thanks Tsavvy. Can''t wait to see what you are going to do with your tsavorite.

 

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Date: 12/4/2009 6:11:09 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
Oh I love the spinel. Especially the last photo of it. I agree with MTG it really compliments your skintone.

I hadn''t got you down as a Tsav lover so I was really surprised to read the title of this thread! Does it sparkle? It looks different in all the photos and I know how difficult they are to photograph. Which one is true to life?

What are your plans for both? Rose gold?

LD,
What skintone? I''m a ghost!! LOL!! Thank you for the kind words on the spinel. You should see me IRL, you would wonder if I was alive. Ha!

I am not a tsavorite lover, but the price was too good to pass up, especially for the cut, size and color. I have many garnets, and I wanted a nice size tsavorite in my collection, so here it is. It sparkles a lot. I know it looks cloudy in the pictures, but it isn''t at all. It''s just that it''s really difficult to photograph this stone. Greens are tough. No rose gold for this one.

It''s a pretty intense green, so I''m thinking white gold. The most true to life one is the one in the baggie, but it''s still more vivid and a little darker in tone than that, but not as dark as the other photos.

 

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Date: 12/4/2009 7:11:37 PM
Author: Lovinggems
You always manage to find pretty stones with great colours. I love these two but I am really drawn to the Tsav.

LG,
Awww, thanks, how sweet.

 

[chrono]

Date: 12/4/2009 5:14:19 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Outside on a partly cloudy day with the spinel ring that people seem to enjoy.

You can see the new one has a distinctly more bluish cast, it reminds me more of a sapphire than a spinel actually.

I love the blue in this picture; it reminds me of the cornflower coloured blue sapphire. BTW, I appreciate the handshot. Thanks. The tsav looks quite good, actually. I thought I picked up a very slight hint of blue in a picture or two, but it is predominantly green.

 

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Here''s a very badly focused picture of the tsavorite under hallogens at night in my kitchen, but you get more of an idea of the color. It''s more sparkley IRL and not a black extinct stone. I like it in white gold.

 

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From further away, but fuzzy, but look at the sparkle.

 

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Here is the spinel under hallogens at night as well. I wish you could see the sparkle on this stone. WOW! Ignore my grubby fingerprint on the stone.

 

[miraclesrule]

I

the color and the faceting on that spinel. It''s amazing.

 

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Both under kitchen hallogens. I take such horrible photos, unless my stones are set in rings. Weird. They say tsavorites go more yellow in artificial light, but this one still shows some blue. I do not see any yellow.

 

[Catmom]

Both are very pretty TL.

 

[glitterata]

Just PROBABLY your last two of 2009????

Well, if so, they make a beautiful ending note.

 

[ma re]

Wonderful stones! Tsavorite has a really nice, rich, deep color and I bet spinel is lively and sparkly - too bad we can''t upload videos here (but there''s always youtube...

).

 

[FrekeChild]

Love that spinel TL!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Holy moly, TL - I''m in love with that spinel!!!!

The Tsavorite is a lovely green, and I know how difficult it is to accurately photograph green! Can''t wait to see them set!

 

[Stone Hunter]

WOW both look like they have just excellent color under different lighting conditions. Very very nice!! TFS!!

 

[trishy]

OHHHHH HELLLLOOO!!! ***swwooooooon*** i love the violet spinel!!! you know me and my violet.. i love yours!!! great taste you have... impeccable. and i love it next to the other spinel you have in that rose gold... sigh... my search continues

 

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Miraclesrule-Thank you!! I really dig the color on the spinel too, been looking for one like this for a long time.

Michelle-Thank you!

Glitterata-Thank you! I hope they are my last purchases, but I have weak will power

Mr. Ma Re - You are so sweet, thank you. The spinel sparkles like nobody's business, it is really lively.

Freke-Thank you, such a nice compliment since you are such a lover of spinels!

LTP-Yeah, greens are tough, but thank you. I probably won't set them for a long time though. Too many other projects right now - alas!

Stone Hunter-Yes, that's what floored me, they look good in so many lighting conditions, and even though the spinel shifts from more blue to purple, it's still pretty. It's tough to find a tsavorite that doesn't go more yellow indoors, so I'm pleased. Thank you.

Trishy-Thank you and I hope you find the violet spinel of your dreams soon!! You are so sweet.

 

[LD]

Date: 12/4/2009 11:11:54 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Here is the spinel under hallogens at night as well. I wish you could see the sparkle on this stone. WOW! Ignore my grubby fingerprint on the stone.

Dear Mrs Ghost (!)

Oh just look at this one! W

W Love it love it love it!