Spess opinions please

[Tropicmaster]

How do you guys think this setting would look with a fanta orange cushion? I know my wife loves the spess, and I know she loves this setting- I am just not sure they would go together ?

 

[chrono]

If the spess has no hint of brown, it''ll look great in that setting.

 

[Tropicmaster]

Date: 9/10/2009 4:30:18 PM
Author: Chrono
If the spess has no hint of brown, it''ll look great in that setting.

Here is the stone I am considering.

 

[Arcadian]

Welll...... it can go 2 ways. The stone you posted may not really look so great in the white gold setting, I personally think it would look dynamite in yellow gold.

THe more orange or red orange the stone tends to be, and the more saturated then sure, you could set that in white gold and be fine. Yellow to brown? IMO its sort of iffy. I had a spess (which now belongs to my mom) that looked terrible in white gold. It looks fantastic in yellow gold though. It was much more of on the yellow/orange side with no brown at all, but, I think the saturation of the stone really played a part in why it looked so blah in the white setting.

At any rate, its just my experience so you can take it for what it is.


You may find you like the combination if the stone is strongly colored. Is there a return policy on the setting or do you have it already? If the return policy is good, try out the combination to see if you like it. I know I like some slightly out there combintions myself so....

-A

 

[marcy]

Love the ring but I too think spessartite looks better in yellow gold. If it''s a pure orange I think white gold would be fine but if it runs brownish I don''t care for it personally in WG.

 

[T L]

If it's truly fanta orange as you said (doesn't look it by the picture, a bit too yellow), then white gold. If it's more on the yellow side, perhaps yellow gold. Nice spessarite!! Very clean, bright and terrific cutting.

 

[ma re]

Another vote for yellow - this stone might turn brownish in white gold. Love the stone btw, what are the specs (size, weight)?

 

[chrono]

It might just be your picture but on my monitor, it doesn’t look fanta orange on mine. If the picture is accurate, I’d do yellow gold to play up the orange colour. A white metal will highlight the undesirable brown tint I see.

 

[brandy_z28]

I agree with everyone else. I think that spess has too much brown to go in white gold. Here''s a few pics from when I was debating on which stone to set in a white gold setting. My spess looks fantastic against the black background and on its own but looks hideous in the white gold setting.

 

[Tropicmaster]

Date: 9/11/2009 3:13:06 AM
Author: ma re
Another vote for yellow - this stone might turn brownish in white gold. Love the stone btw, what are the specs (size, weight)?

Specs are 1.59 cts

7.5 x 5 mm

Vendors description: An exceptional pure "Fanta" orange step cut cushion spessartite from the original mine in Northwestern Nigeria

 

[Tropicmaster]

Brandy I dont know that your Spess looks hideous but I do see yopur point. Your pic helps greatly, many thanks!

 

[T L]

Date: 9/11/2009 2:12:08 PM
Author: Tropicmaster

Date: 9/11/2009 3:13:06 AM
Author: ma re
Another vote for yellow - this stone might turn brownish in white gold. Love the stone btw, what are the specs (size, weight)?

Specs are 1.59 cts

7.5 x 5 mm

Vendors description: An exceptional pure ''Fanta'' orange step cut cushion spessartite from the original mine in Northwestern Nigeria

Can you get additional pictures? I think many of us agree that it''s not a Fanta color, so maybe the pictures are not true to life. That color and size shouldn''t be more than $100/ct IMHO, unless you''re paying retail prices (which most of us don''t pay), or the picture is very off. Spess is relatively inexpensive in small sizes like that. It gets really expensive above 4 carats, especially in Fanta orange color in clean stones. The original mines for the famed Mandarin or Fanta garnets were in Namibia, so I''m unsure what original mine the vendor is talking about. ?????

 

[colormyworld]

Date: 9/11/2009 2:44:53 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 9/11/2009 2:12:08 PM
Author: Tropicmaster

Date: 9/11/2009 3:13:06 AM
Author: ma re
Another vote for yellow - this stone might turn brownish in white gold. Love the stone btw, what are the specs (size, weight)?

Specs are 1.59 cts

7.5 x 5 mm

Vendors description: An exceptional pure 'Fanta' orange step cut cushion spessartite from the original mine in Northwestern Nigeria

Can you get additional pictures? I think many of us agree that it's not a Fanta color, so maybe the pictures are not true to life. That color and size shouldn't be more than $100/ct IMHO, unless you're paying retail prices (which most of us don't pay), or the picture is very off. Spess is relatively inexpensive in small sizes like that. It gets really expensive above 4 carats, especially in Fanta orange color in clean stones. The original mines for the famed Mandarin or Fanta garnets were in Namibia, so I'm unsure what original mine the vendor is talking about. ?????

I see so many pictures around the forum where people use thier hand to shade or as a backgroung. While this may make a pretty picture I wonder how the spess will look IRL.

Tropicmaster spessartites pictures taken without "tricks" often look kind of bland in the pic. Often those pics showing a vibrant darker orange in the picture are IRL often quite brown. I will suggest that if the stone can be returned that it may be worth taking a look see. A true manderine ( sp) will look like the flesh of the fruit not the outer peel.

 

[LD]

The gemstone you're considering is a wonderful looking gem, with great cutting BUT lighting or no lighting, that really can't be called a Fanta. It's got far too much brown and IF that is a good representation of it's colour, I would use yellow gold. I absolutely adore the setting you've posted - especially the DNA shank. Yummy!

Can you get additional photos of the Spess? Perhaps that might help?

 

[T L]

Date: 9/11/2009 4:01:21 PM
Author: colormyworld

Date: 9/11/2009 2:44:53 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 9/11/2009 2:12:08 PM
Author: Tropicmaster

Date: 9/11/2009 3:13:06 AM
Author: ma re
Another vote for yellow - this stone might turn brownish in white gold. Love the stone btw, what are the specs (size, weight)?

Specs are 1.59 cts

7.5 x 5 mm

Vendors description: An exceptional pure 'Fanta' orange step cut cushion spessartite from the original mine in Northwestern Nigeria

Can you get additional pictures? I think many of us agree that it's not a Fanta color, so maybe the pictures are not true to life. That color and size shouldn't be more than $100/ct IMHO, unless you're paying retail prices (which most of us don't pay), or the picture is very off. Spess is relatively inexpensive in small sizes like that. It gets really expensive above 4 carats, especially in Fanta orange color in clean stones. The original mines for the famed Mandarin or Fanta garnets were in Namibia, so I'm unsure what original mine the vendor is talking about. ?????

I see so many pictures around the forum where people use thier hand to shade or as a backgroung. While this may make a pretty picture I wonder how the spess will look IRL.

Tropicmaster spessartites pictures taken without 'tricks' often look kind of bland in the pic. Often those pics showing a vibrant darker orange in the picture are IRL often quite brown. I will suggest that if the stone can be returned that it may be worth taking a look see. A true manderine ( sp) will look like the flesh of the fruit not the outer peel.

I respectfully disagree CMY. I think Chrono's spessartite looks very orange, as well as Harriet's, without shading over it, and to me, they are more towards true Fanta shades. JMO.

While I do agree that shading a spessartite that is too yellow to make it look more orange is often done, I don't think that necessarily means that a true Fanta colored spessartite will need such "help" in a photograph, especially a professionally done one as the one above.

However, it could just be a bad picture, and I do think more pictures should be taken.

 

[LD]

Date: 9/11/2009 4:53:08 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 9/11/2009 4:01:21 PM
Author: colormyworld

Date: 9/11/2009 2:44:53 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 9/11/2009 2:12:08 PM
Author: Tropicmaster

Date: 9/11/2009 3:13:06 AM
Author: ma re
Another vote for yellow - this stone might turn brownish in white gold. Love the stone btw, what are the specs (size, weight)?

Specs are 1.59 cts

7.5 x 5 mm

Vendors description: An exceptional pure ''Fanta'' orange step cut cushion spessartite from the original mine in Northwestern Nigeria

Can you get additional pictures? I think many of us agree that it''s not a Fanta color, so maybe the pictures are not true to life. That color and size shouldn''t be more than $100/ct IMHO, unless you''re paying retail prices (which most of us don''t pay), or the picture is very off. Spess is relatively inexpensive in small sizes like that. It gets really expensive above 4 carats, especially in Fanta orange color in clean stones. The original mines for the famed Mandarin or Fanta garnets were in Namibia, so I''m unsure what original mine the vendor is talking about. ?????

I see so many pictures around the forum where people use thier hand to shade or as a backgroung. While this may make a pretty picture I wonder how the spess will look IRL.

Tropicmaster spessartites pictures taken without ''tricks'' often look kind of bland in the pic. Often those pics showing a vibrant darker orange in the picture are IRL often quite brown. I will suggest that if the stone can be returned that it may be worth taking a look see. A true manderine ( sp) will look like the flesh of the fruit not the outer peel.

I respectfully disagree CMY. I think Chrono''s spessartite looks very orange, as well as Harriet''s, without shading over it, and to me, they are more towards true Fanta shades. JMO.

While I do agree that shading a spessartite that is too yellow to make it look more orange is often done, I don''t think that necessarily means that a true Fanta colored spessartite will need such ''help'' in a photograph, especially a professionally done one as the one above.

However, it could just be a bad picture, and I do think more pictures should be taken.

........ and if anybody thinks your Spess isn''t a Fanta TL I''ll eat my laptop!!!!!

 

[colormyworld]

TL that is not what I am saying. I am just saying that it can be tough to get a true to life picture of the color called mandarin and I see something in Tropicmasters stone that reminds me of a few pictures I have taken of my "mandarin" and may be worth taking a look. After all it is only a picture on the internet and we all know how deceiving those can be both good and bad. IMO spessartites in general are hard to get true to life pictures of.

 

[Harriet]

Imho, it is impossible to take photographs of anything.

 

[T L]

Date: 9/11/2009 5:00:25 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds

........ and if anybody thinks your Spess isn''t a Fanta TL I''ll eat my laptop!!!!!

Thanks LD!! Look!! No tricks!!

It''s an old pic, before the reset in the white gold DNA halo, but I thought I''d demonstrate why they call these shades "Fanta orange."

Harriet and Chrono have very beautiful stones, and they''re good examples. However spessartites that have more yellow or brown can be very nice. I think the above stone, in the OP''s picture, looks like the color of a very nice citrine, which is fine, but don''t pay the Fanta price.

 

[colormyworld]

Date: 9/11/2009 5:00:25 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds

Date: 9/11/2009 4:53:08 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 9/11/2009 4:01:21 PM
Author: colormyworld

Date: 9/11/2009 2:44:53 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 9/11/2009 2:12:08 PM
Author: Tropicmaster

Date: 9/11/2009 3:13:06 AM
Author: ma re
Another vote for yellow - this stone might turn brownish in white gold. Love the stone btw, what are the specs (size, weight)?

Specs are 1.59 cts

7.5 x 5 mm

Vendors description: An exceptional pure ''Fanta'' orange step cut cushion spessartite from the original mine in Northwestern Nigeria

Can you get additional pictures? I think many of us agree that it''s not a Fanta color, so maybe the pictures are not true to life. That color and size shouldn''t be more than $100/ct IMHO, unless you''re paying retail prices (which most of us don''t pay), or the picture is very off. Spess is relatively inexpensive in small sizes like that. It gets really expensive above 4 carats, especially in Fanta orange color in clean stones. The original mines for the famed Mandarin or Fanta garnets were in Namibia, so I''m unsure what original mine the vendor is talking about. ?????

I see so many pictures around the forum where people use thier hand to shade or as a backgroung. While this may make a pretty picture I wonder how the spess will look IRL.

Tropicmaster spessartites pictures taken without ''tricks'' often look kind of bland in the pic. Often those pics showing a vibrant darker orange in the picture are IRL often quite brown. I will suggest that if the stone can be returned that it may be worth taking a look see. A true manderine ( sp) will look like the flesh of the fruit not the outer peel.

I respectfully disagree CMY. I think Chrono''s spessartite looks very orange, as well as Harriet''s, without shading over it, and to me, they are more towards true Fanta shades. JMO.

While I do agree that shading a spessartite that is too yellow to make it look more orange is often done, I don''t think that necessarily means that a true Fanta colored spessartite will need such ''help'' in a photograph, especially a professionally done one as the one above.

However, it could just be a bad picture, and I do think more pictures should be taken.

........ and if anybody thinks your Spess isn''t a Fanta TL I''ll eat my laptop!!!!!

Can you post pictures of that. I will supply the salt.

 

[T L]

Date: 9/11/2009 5:13:00 PM
Author: colormyworld
TL that is not what I am saying. I am just saying that it can be tough to get a true to life picture of the color called mandarin and I see something in Tropicmasters stone that reminds me of a few pictures I have taken of my ''mandarin'' and may be worth taking a look. After all it is only a picture on the internet and we all know how deceiving those can be both good and bad. IMO spessartites in general are hard to get true to life pictures of.

I understand now CMY. Thanks for clarifying. I just would hope that a seller would try to take a more accurate photo of the true color than someone like you or me, who are not selling stones. It is my wish, but unfortunately, it doesn''t always happen. You''re right, spessartites are also very difficult to properly photograph, unless you get a Nikkon Coolpix

 

[Tropicmaster]

Date: 9/11/2009 2:44:53 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 9/11/2009 2:12:08 PM
Author: Tropicmaster

Date: 9/11/2009 3:13:06 AM
Author: ma re
Another vote for yellow - this stone might turn brownish in white gold. Love the stone btw, what are the specs (size, weight)?

Specs are 1.59 cts

7.5 x 5 mm

Vendors description: An exceptional pure ''Fanta'' orange step cut cushion spessartite from the original mine in Northwestern Nigeria

Can you get additional pictures? I think many of us agree that it''s not a Fanta color, so maybe the pictures are not true to life. That color and size shouldn''t be more than $100/ct IMHO, unless you''re paying retail prices (which most of us don''t pay), or the picture is very off. Spess is relatively inexpensive in small sizes like that. It gets really expensive above 4 carats, especially in Fanta orange color in clean stones. The original mines for the famed Mandarin or Fanta garnets were in Namibia, so I''m unsure what original mine the vendor is talking about. ?????

Wow am I glad posted this question! This is a RW Wise stone, and I thought he was as good as it gets as far as accuracy and knowledge. The price is about 4 times your $100 ct suggestion! He rates it a 9.7 which as I understand his system puts it among the finest in the world- I think he says that a 9 and above is the top 5% of worldwide gemstones. Based on you guys responses I think I will just blow it off and look elsewhere. Many thanks! And thanks for the WG/YG suggestions- I never gave YG a thought because MrsTropicmaster is a WG girl, but now I see that it would be better in most cases for this or a comparable stone.

 

[T L]

In defense of Richard Wise, there are people that are head over heels in love with his spessartites. However, if he's calling that Fanta, he needs to get more accurate color representation in his photography. I truly hope it's just a bad picture. It is rather small though, I think you can do better for the price.

As for rating systems, I personally like to use the GIA gemset to evaluate color. Gemewizard.com is a website that can explain more about the various color gradings. For a top orange spessartite, I would look at a GIA gemset color of orange 4/5 to 4/6.

 

[cellentani]

That stone''s a 9.7?

I would never have guessed that!

 

[movie zombie]

have you called and talked with richard? i''d do that before you blow him off. he has a very good return policy as well. spess is incredibly hard to photograph and monitors will differ......... his stones are top $ and for top $ you want a top stone.

mz

 

[Tropicmaster]

Date: 9/11/2009 9:22:12 PM
Author: movie zombie
have you called and talked with richard? i''d do that before you blow him off. he has a very good return policy as well. spess is incredibly hard to photograph and monitors will differ......... his stones are top $ and for top $ you want a top stone.

mz

Well I could but I am considering the fact that nobody here has had anything great to say about the stone. Several of the comments come from what I consider to be quite knowledgable people. Given that, and the price point of the stone I am quickly falling out of love with it.

 

[movie zombie]

i checked the website and the stone goes for considerably less than the per carat for his other spess stones.....especially one that i would consider to be top color....and he does have one that is what i''d consider "fanta". the reason i''d call him is to make sure the picture was correctly matched with the description and to ask him the questions you asked here. he won''t be offended.....in fact, he may have already read this thread.

if you don''t want it for that price, someone will....but to me it looks more like a hessonite garnet....

disclosure: my spess is from richard. we paid a LOT more per carat but we got a lot more stone [both in size and quality]. i''m not enamoured of the fanta color and mine looks more like a brilliant orange sun setting over the paciific ocean...or molten lava [not red].

however, if you''re out of love with it, you''re out of love with it. good luck with your search.

mz

 

[T L]

Date: 9/11/2009 10:47:42 PM
Author: movie zombie
i checked the website and the stone goes for considerably less than the per carat for his other spess stones.....especially one that i would consider to be top color....and he does have one that is what i'd consider 'fanta'. the reason i'd call him is to make sure the picture was correctly matched with the description and to ask him the questions you asked here. he won't be offended.....in fact, he may have already read this thread.

if you don't want it for that price, someone will....but to me it looks more like a hessonite garnet....

disclosure: my spess is from richard. we paid a LOT more per carat but we got a lot more stone [both in size and quality]. i'm not enamoured of the fanta color and mine looks more like a brilliant orange sun setting over the paciific ocean...or molten lava [not red].

however, if you're out of love with it, you're out of love with it. good luck with your search.

mz

Sounds like a top grade spessartite to me, or "Fanta color." I think the use of the term "Fanta" or "Mandarin" can be misleading because a top grade orange spessartite can vary with lighting. The truth is with these stones, that the top colors can take on so many different shades of orange given the lighting. In evening and morning sunlight, when the rays of the sun are more bent, the orange color reminds me of MZ's description above (the setting orange sun part). In fluorescent light, it looks exactly like the soda, more so than the above picture with the soda bottle. Most of the time it looks like non-red molten lava. Well, MZ can disagree with me, but we all can agree that she does have one heck of a spessartite!!

 

[movie zombie]

thank you, TL!

and as you said, the lighting at different times of the day makes a dramatic change in how the stone looks. i think of Fanta as even more "orange" than mandarin.......and i think that mandarin has many different variations going on within that "category", too.

i''ve always been curious to see a top grade, world class, in the top 5% of stones red spessartite...........more orange/red probably...or red/orange. but high high crystal quality. i''d like to see the glow off one!

mz

 

[T L]

Interesting you say "Fanta" is more orange than "Mandarin." Now I could be wrong, but I think the term "Fanta," and other "fruity" inspired names arose from the fact that the word "Mandarin" was trademarked by the people that owned the original Namibian material and the mine, and others from later discoveries are not really allowed to use that name. Now this is what I heard from a lapidary, so don't quote me on it. I'm not quite sure that "Fanta" is necessarily meant to mean that the stone is more orange than "Mandarin" or vice versa. I could be wrong though.