Should I give up?

[Elegant]

Do mint green emerald cut garnets exist?

 

[chrono]

I’m sure it does. The problem is finding it. Your chances of find it as an already cut stone is very slim. Your best bet is to contact a custom cutter who will be able to source the right mint garnet for you to recut or cut from rough as a step cut.

 

[T L]

Gemlineinc just auctioned one off on ebay for next to nothing, and it was around 3 carats!! Oh man!! I was considering it for the longest time, but I already have a mint garnet. I wish I could have shown you that stone.

Check out light colored tsavorites on multicolour.com. Some mgiht be EC.

I have seen them, they do exist!!

 

[Kismet]

There''s one at Mineral Miners (down near the bottom).

 

[Elegant]

Date: 8/13/2009 4:17:44 PM
Author: Chrono
I’m sure it does. The problem is finding it. Your chances of find it as an already cut stone is very slim. Your best bet is to contact a custom cutter who will be able to source the right mint garnet for you to recut or cut from rough as a step cut.

Thanks, sounds good. Is the mint green color hard to find wither way? I rarely see any already cut stones available. Maybe contacting someone like Gene and putting in a request or something?

 

[Elegant]

Date: 8/13/2009 4:21:23 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Gemlineinc just auctioned one off on ebay for next to nothing, and it was around 3 carats!! Oh man!! I was considering it for the longest time, but I already have a mint garnet. I wish I could have shown you that stone.
Check out light colored tsavorites on multicolour.com. Some mgiht be EC.
I have seen them, they do exist!!

See, yeah - that just makes me sad.
I have bigger fingers so I would need something that big. How much was it?

 

[Elegant]

Date: 8/13/2009 4:28:39 PM
Author: Kismet
There''s one at Mineral Miners (down near the bottom).

Thanks Kismet! I think I am looking for a lighter mint color - that one seemed too green or something. I am looking for a color like the one I am attaching a pic of from Gene''s site. I will need at least 2.5 ct I think.

 

[packrat]

Date: 8/13/2009 4:13:15 PM
Author:Elegant
Do mint green emerald cut garnets exist?

I think they''re out partying with lavender antique cushion cut spinels..hussies.

I''d try contacting some cutters and see what they can come up with! Is this for your ering?

 

[Elegant]

Date: 8/13/2009 4:39:37 PM
Author: packrat

Date: 8/13/2009 4:13:15 PM

Author:Elegant

Do mint green emerald cut garnets exist?

I think they''re out partying with lavender antique cushion cut spinels..hussies.
I''d try contacting some cutters and see what they can come up with! Is this for your ering?

Ha! Hussies - luvs it!

Nah, it is for my anniversary ring. Looking at all of the possibilities!

 

[T L]

Date: 8/13/2009 4:34:15 PM
Author: Elegant

Date: 8/13/2009 4:21:23 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Gemlineinc just auctioned one off on ebay for next to nothing, and it was around 3 carats!! Oh man!! I was considering it for the longest time, but I already have a mint garnet. I wish I could have shown you that stone.
Check out light colored tsavorites on multicolour.com. Some mgiht be EC.
I have seen them, they do exist!!

See, yeah - that just makes me sad.
I have bigger fingers so I would need something that big. How much was it?

He had it up for sale for very little, but I think the selling price was around $200. I was shocked!! Great deal on that stone. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[Elegant]

Date: 8/13/2009 5:36:32 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 8/13/2009 4:34:15 PM

Author: Elegant

Date: 8/13/2009 4:21:23 PM

Author: tourmaline_lover

Gemlineinc just auctioned one off on ebay for next to nothing, and it was around 3 carats!! Oh man!! I was considering it for the longest time, but I already have a mint garnet. I wish I could have shown you that stone.

Check out light colored tsavorites on multicolour.com. Some mgiht be EC.

I have seen them, they do exist!!

See, yeah - that just makes me sad.

I have bigger fingers so I would need something that big. How much was it?

He had it up for sale for very little, but I think the selling price was around $200. I was shocked!! Great deal on that stone. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Ouch! That is worse than I thought...

Man! Always too late for some of these things! Grrr....

 

[T L]

It went for only $78 AND it was over 3 carats.

Now I'm depressed!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370208280605

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I am always surprised at how low GemLine auctions usually end. In fact, I am disappointed I missed this latest one - I usually monitor their auctions quite closely.

 

[Nomsdeplume]

Don''t give up yet! We will help you find one.

 

[klewis]

How do you define a mint garnet and what would be the description of a first class stone? Sorry if this is a threadjack Elegant, but I''ve never been sure what a mint garnet actually is.

 

[chrono]

My idea of a top mint green is something like a GIA vslbG2/5 which translates to a being green (with a slight blue undertone) of light tone but intense saturation. However, most mint garnets I have seen are not vivid in colour; many have a slight gray component to it. It appears that Elegant likes something with a blue undertone aka a true mint because that is what my eyes see in Gene’s picture compared to the Mineral Miner’s picture which shows a slight yellow component.

 

[simplysplendid]

Date: 8/14/2009 7:50:08 AM
Author: Chrono
My idea of a top mint green is something like a GIA vslbG2/5 which translates to a being green (with a slight blue undertone) of light tone but intense saturation. However, most mint garnets I have seen are not vivid in colour; many have a slight gray component to it. It appears that Elegant likes something with a blue undertone aka a true mint because that is what my eyes see in Gene’s picture compared to the Mineral Miner’s picture which shows a slight yellow component.

Sorry to threadjack..

Chrono, where can I get a colour chart that shows the different colours of the GIA colour grading? I am clueless when PSers talk about the GIA colour codes.

 

[megeve]

Date: 8/14/2009 9:55:53 AM
Author: simplysplendid

Date: 8/14/2009 7:50:08 AM
Author: Chrono
My idea of a top mint green is something like a GIA vslbG2/5 which translates to a being green (with a slight blue undertone) of light tone but intense saturation. However, most mint garnets I have seen are not vivid in colour; many have a slight gray component to it. It appears that Elegant likes something with a blue undertone aka a true mint because that is what my eyes see in Gene’s picture compared to the Mineral Miner’s picture which shows a slight yellow component.

Sorry to threadjack..

Chrono, where can I get a colour chart that shows the different colours of the GIA colour grading? I am clueless when PSers talk about the GIA colour codes.

SS, I am not Chrono, but you can find the GIA color chart here. Hope it helps!

end of threadjack!


Elegant, I am sorry I can't help you, but I want to say that I'm crossing my fingers that you find one you like soon!

 

[chrono]

Thanks for the link, Megeve. Sometimes, I forget to explain myself.

 

[T L]

Date: 8/14/2009 7:50:08 AM
Author: Chrono
My idea of a top mint green is something like a GIA vslbG2/5 which translates to a being green (with a slight blue undertone) of light tone but intense saturation. However, most mint garnets I have seen are not vivid in colour; many have a slight gray component to it. It appears that Elegant likes something with a blue undertone aka a true mint because that is what my eyes see in Gene’s picture compared to the Mineral Miner’s picture which shows a slight yellow component.

Ditto on what Chrono said, but some vendors consider a light yellowish green, or a very light pure green, to be mint. The trouble is that there are many different forms of mint color, and to me, a true mint is a very light bluish green, but you will see vendors calling any very light yellowish green color, "mint." I guess it's subjective. However, to me, I think a very light bluish green is probably more valuable than a light yellowish green, if everything else is equal (tone, saturation, clarity, gem species, size, etc. . . ).

For example, the two mint garnets on Gemrite.com site are described as a light yellowish green in their descriptions. Is that truly mint???

I consider anything in the vslbG range of 2/2 to 2/5 to be mint color, but 2/5 is more valuable (like Chrono indicated) than 2/2 of course (that would be a very pale washed out mint).

I have a mint garnet with both yellow and blue as secondary modifiers to the main green component, and I consider it minty enough for me. I also have a beryl that is a true mint color, and I doubt anyone would disagree with that. It's a true very light bluish green. I also think the EC garnet that was "stolen" on ebay, was not a very light bluish green, but a very light yellowish green; however some people might call that "spring green" instead of mint. Minty stones are high in demand, so it's probably better to call that stone "mint" than "spring green."

 

[PrecisionGem]

Here''s the problem with mint garnets and emerald cuts.

Grossular garnet, which a mint garnet is, has pretty good dispersion. If cut well, they can look almost like little light green diamonds, showing good dispersion. An emerald cut is not a very flattering cut for a stone, especially one that can display good dispersion. Also, these garnets are usually shaped pretty weird, and seldom are shaped well for an emerald cut. An emerald cut is often very well shaped for emeralds, and hence the name. It''s not uncommon to get 50% recovery on and emerald with this cut. The same could be true for many tourmaline crystals, but not for the vast majority of garnets. So, add the lack luster performance with the shape, and you just don''t see many emerald cuts for these stones.

When I cut just for inventory, not on special request, I try to cut something that will have a lot pizzaz to it, and straight step cut''s don''t. On an emerald that most likely won''t have really nice crystal, then you might as well cut for weight, and the emerald cut is great for this. that long keel pavilion holds a lot more weight than one that comes to a point.

 

[T L]

You could also email swalagemtraders.com and ask if he has any mint garnets in an EC, or if his precision faceter can cut you one. They''re privy to those stones since they''re located closer to the tsavorite mines.

 

[Gypsy]

http://cgi.ebay.com/USA-CUT-EXCEPTIONAL-CUT-MERELANI-MINT-GARNET-EMERALD_W0QQitemZ310068791107QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item48318a4743&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14 This one is lovely. It''s not step cut, but is truly beautiful and at least it''s a rectangular octagon.

 

[Indylady]

Date: 8/13/2009 9:01:58 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
It went for only $78 AND it was over 3 carats.

Now I''m depressed!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370208280605

TL- That was gorgeous! Put me on that depressed list.

Sometimes I wonder why I feel in love with such an expensive hobby.

 

[Elegant]

Date: 8/14/2009 5:55:42 PM
Author: Gypsy
http://cgi.ebay.com/USA-CUT-EXCEPTIONAL-CUT-MERELANI-MINT-GARNET-EMERALD_W0QQitemZ310068791107QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item48318a4743&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14 This one is lovely. It''s not step cut, but is truly beautiful and at least it''s a rectangular octagon.

I actually like that stone but I think I need like a 2 carat stone. After Gene just explained about the reality of mint green garnet being cut this way - and then in a large stone - I''m wondering...But I do like this one, it is very pretty!

 

[Elegant]

Date: 8/14/2009 5:16:58 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
You could also email swalagemtraders.com and ask if he has any mint garnets in an EC, or if his precision faceter can cut you one. They''re privy to those stones since they''re located closer to the tsavorite mines.

Thanks, I just might do that.

 

[karee888]

so is this considered to be mint?

 

[packrat]

Looks minty to me-and I think it''s pretty!

 

[karee888]

Date: 8/14/2009 10:01:47 PM
Author: packrat
Looks minty to me-and I think it''s pretty!

thanks! i love it, too, but am having the hardest time figuring out how to set it.

so, it''s on DB, i feel bad it''s sitting in my stone box when someone else could be enjoying it.

 

[mochi]

I have a mint garnet that Gene cut. It's on the lighter side but I love it. It just doesn't photograph that well, but it truly does look like a light green diamond as Gene mentioned.

ETA: It's not a EC...