SS Red-Pink Spinels

[sleepyspinel]

It is the older pricing, DW is really great about sticking to his guns on that. Very fair in my opinion, but I am just a simple consumer. I think also that its the clarity... slightly-mod included that kept it down a bit. I am very confident that you will get a nicely saturated stone. Not sure if it will look similar to the PG gem you mention though... when you see these stones in person you will understand how they are just in a class all their own.

I totally don''t mind you posting in this thread, the more the merrier I say. Heck, I''ll post a final collage of my other two stones, which are a matching pair 1.5 cts each. In the bottom left hand corner are the two larger stones for color comparison and to demonstrate how simiilar they all are!

 

[sleepyspinel]

Hi LD,

I quite recall when you purchased that rough and your beautiful precision cut stone commissioned. Have you set it yet? Would love to see more pics!

Date: 5/30/2009 10:03:18 AM
Author: Lady_Disdain
I like the second stone best.

Now, excuse me while I go oggle the sleepers at MC

 

[sleepyspinel]

D&T and icekid, thanks for looking and glad you are enjoying!

Date: 5/30/2009 10:42:57 AM
Author: icekid
Loving this thread...

sleepy- your spinels are incredible. I can only imagine how they must glow in person.

 

[chrono]

Ooh, I''m hating my internet connection last night with a bigger vengence.

Look at all the fun I missed. The pictures, the teasing, the friends! I''m enjoying this thread very much and you all are resparking my desire for a Mahenge spinel. I guess I''d better go check out MC.

 

[Harriet]

'Fess up! Who bought the big 'uns. CMW, I know you're one of the culprits.

TL,
I must have weird gems too, because mine perform just as well under direct sunlight.

 

[Catmom]

I have some serious spinel envy!! Just gorgeous.

 

[brandy_z28]

Date: 5/30/2009 5:54:18 PM
Author: Catmom
I have some serious spinel envy!! Just gorgeous.

What she said!

Yet another stone on my must have list!

 

[greenfather]

what a mezmorizing stone. it''s got an enchanting quality to it - even in the photos.

 

[T L]

Date: 5/30/2009 10:35:34 AM
Author: sleepyspinel
Hi TL,

Well, all my stones were graded as slightly included in order to account for the sleepy quality, I think that perhaps the more vivid one you got might be a bit sleepier.

Both of these stones look to be right about the same shape/cut are the dimensions comparable? From what I can see from their photos, which I believe they use fluorescent sources, the second stone (the one you are now showing me), is a hint lighter... a bit hard to say if its tone or saturation, are you looking for these as earrings?

I will say that of the 4 stones I have they are all def in the right ballpark colorwise and would make a great set, though if set directly next to eachother, then the slight tonal/saturation variances might be perceived.

As for that round burmese, its quite beautiful and compared to other vendors the price isnt crazy... except compared to what I paid for mine 4-5 yrs ago

I would say that the silk really makes a big difference in how the color looks... while both my burmese and tanzanian stones have that pink to slightly orangeypink shift depending on light, I think the crystalline burmese shows the colors more starkley... for better or worse. Round well cut burmese stones are quite the rarity and that is likely reflected in the price. One thing I have encountered with Spinel regardless of origin is that super high clarity comes with a hefty premium and at the moment the silk is considered an ''inclusion''... all the better for us

I just wish there were some of the nicer vietnamese stones that caught my fancy so I could expand my horizons heheh

Date: 5/30/2009 9:42:31 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover
SS,
Here''s the other spinel I just purchased from MC.com. This one is not sleepy though, since it''s slightly included. Honest opinion?

2.08 carats
slpR 4/4
Tone: Medium light
Saturation: moderately strong

The only one more vivid on their website right now in this color family is a round Burma spinel, but it''s smaller and more pricey. I was considering that one, but David told me that the stones are really identical in color, the other is a 4/5 and this is a 4/4, but he can''t see much of a difference. I asked him why he priced the Burma one higher, even though it''s a half carat smaller than this, and he said because 1) it''s eye clean and his customers are fickle about that, and 2) it''s a round.

No, not earrings, I wasn''t thinking on a matching pair at all. I just couldn''t pick which one I liked better, so I ordered both. As I mentioned before, the lighter 2 carater is $200 more than the other one, and it was cleaner, and out of several Mahenge''s I picked out for comparison, DW said to go with this one because it was pretty clean and past the two carat mark. He said it was a very fine stone in color. We''ll see. I should get them by next week. Thanks for your expertise and honest opinions. He doesn''t seem to be getting in much new stock of these Mahenges (I know because I keep checking), and the price was just too good for both these stones for the color/carat weight combination. He did get some new ones in, but they are in the tens of thousands

, and I needed something a bit more fitting in my budget

.

 

[sleepyspinel]

Hi Chrono, we did miss you... apparently I was supposed to ask you something regarding "pineapples"? I''d love to hear the story!

Date: 5/30/2009 2:04:06 PM
Author: Chrono
Ooh, I''m hating my internet connection last night with a bigger vengence.

Look at all the fun I missed. The pictures, the teasing, the friends! I''m enjoying this thread very much and you all are resparking my desire for a Mahenge spinel. I guess I''d better go check out MC.

 

[sleepyspinel]

Hi Catmom,

Your beautiful collection, esp that CC sapphire of yours is an inspiration Thanks for looking.

Date: 5/30/2009 5:54:18 PM
Author: Catmom
I have some serious spinel envy!! Just gorgeous.

 

[sleepyspinel]

Thanks GF, it is def one of my all time favorites... don''t let the other stones hear though or they''ll get jealous

 

[sleepyspinel]

Well I always say when in doubt order both... for food AND gems. When I originally got the 4.12ct stone I was debating about the 3.88ct too and after I received the first, I HAD to get the other. Look at it this way, you saved on shipping! I wish I had done so as well.

DW is pretty spot on about his descriptions and it is great that you asked him about the stones directly since he could give you a good proxy visual comparison to others in his stock. That Giant crystal strike really messed things up for us spinel lovers due to the market manipulation that occurred. The exponential jump in prices was unprecedented.

As for budget, I am stretched pretty thin here myself since in the short time of a month or so I have purchased a 4.88ct unheated blue sapphire, 3.75ct, 5.75ct and 7.5ct (this is in the mail) spessies, all on my fairly fixed income. I will have to savor these babies since I doubt I''ll be ready for more til christmas... but that is OK since maybe I can avail of some sales

Date: 5/30/2009 8:04:26 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

No, not earrings, I wasn''t thinking on a matching pair at all. I just couldn''t pick which one I liked better, so I ordered both. As I mentioned before, the lighter 2 carater is $200 more than the other one, and it was cleaner, and out of several Mahenge''s I picked out for comparison, DW said to go with this one because it was pretty clean and past the two carat mark. He said it was a very fine stone in color. We''ll see. I should get them by next week. Thanks for your expertise and honest opinions. He doesn''t seem to be getting in much new stock of these Mahenges (I know because I keep checking), and the price was just too good for both these stones for the color/carat weight combination. He did get some new ones in, but they are in the tens of thousands

, and I needed something a bit more fitting in my budget

.

 

[chrono]

Date: 5/30/2009 10:01:02 PM
Author: sleepyspinel
Hi Chrono, we did miss you... apparently I was supposed to ask you something regarding ''pineapples''? I''d love to hear the story!

It''s an embarrassing story. Really.

 

[T L]

Date: 5/30/2009 10:10:59 PM
Author: sleepyspinel
Well I always say when in doubt order both... for food AND gems. When I originally got the 4.12ct stone I was debating about the 3.88ct too and after I received the first, I HAD to get the other. Look at it this way, you saved on shipping! I wish I had done so as well.

DW is pretty spot on about his descriptions and it is great that you asked him about the stones directly since he could give you a good proxy visual comparison to others in his stock. That Giant crystal strike really messed things up for us spinel lovers due to the market manipulation that occurred. The exponential jump in prices was unprecedented.

As for budget, I am stretched pretty thin here myself since in the short time of a month or so I have purchased a 4.88ct unheated blue sapphire, 3.75ct, 5.75ct and 7.5ct (this is in the mail) spessies, all on my fairly fixed income. I will have to savor these babies since I doubt I'll be ready for more til christmas... but that is OK since maybe I can avail of some sales

What was that about, and when did that happen? Since I'm not a spinel collector (or just recently started a collection), I have no clue.

 

[chrono]

TL,
A large piece of pink red spinel was found (or rather smuggled out) and a huge hoo-haa was all over the news in around 2006. Prior to that, hardly anyone ever heard of Mahenge spinels. Since then, their price has gone up and continue to go up.

 

[sleepyspinel]

You''d think that kilos of at least some percent being facetable material flooding the market would cause a natural depression in prices... good old supply demand economics... which was seen with at least the first two spess strikes in namibia and nigeria. HOWEVER basically a small group of savvy dealers in the trade basically bought the entire crystals and set their price for the cut stones... SUBSTANTIALLY higher than previously seen, esp for pink stones. Sadly monopoly type economics came into play and the rest of us got the trickle down (or UP as I see it), so there wasn''t really the opportunity to get while the getting was good.

I am not saying its wrong how it played out, people have the right to make money, and they had the foresight to invest in the material like never before and it paid out in spades. These are just the grumblings of a collector far from the supply chain

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Date: 5/30/2009 10:48:17 AM
Author: sleepyspinel
Hi LD,

I quite recall when you purchased that rough and your beautiful precision cut stone commissioned. Have you set it yet? Would love to see more pics!

Not yet... I was saving up for a really nice setting when Gene''s sale came up and I couldn''t resist. Back to square one, I am afraid.

 

[sleepyspinel]

I have that same problem! I also view it as the stones are much much harder to come by whereas gold and platinum are more commodities that I can always get later.

 

[chrono]

Date: 5/31/2009 2:20:24 PM
Author: sleepyspinel
I have that same problem! I also view it as the stones are much much harder to come by whereas gold and platinum are more commodities that I can always get later.

I agree with your statement but the problem that I run into next is that I never set them. I''m forever buying gemstones and never setting them because the setting can wait.....and wait.....and wait...

 

[icekid]

Date: 5/31/2009 4:19:31 PM
Author: Chrono

Date: 5/31/2009 2:20:24 PM

Author: sleepyspinel

I have that same problem! I also view it as the stones are much much harder to come by whereas gold and platinum are more commodities that I can always get later.

I agree with your statement but the problem that I run into next is that I never set them. I''m forever buying gemstones and never setting them because the setting can wait.....and wait.....and wait...

Sigh... me too! And lately this means I take them out to play, then DROP THEM and scare the crap out of myself. UGH. Signs that you need to get your little rocks set already!

 

[sleepyspinel]

Thankfully I have carpet where I live so even if they fall, no problem. If they go out to play in the open air, my little ones never leave the "stroller" heheh

 

[AmberGretchen]

Wow - that color absolutely glows, so pretty!!

 

[icekid]

Date: 5/31/2009 7:02:18 PM
Author: sleepyspinel
Thankfully I have carpet where I live so even if they fall, no problem. If they go out to play in the open air, my little ones never leave the ''stroller'' heheh

Unfortunately I have gotten into the habit of taking them outside to play with me in the sunshine

 

[chrono]

I only open them on a carpeted surface. If I want to take them outside for pictures or to check them outdoors, I bring the entire case out (with the lid cocked slightly open of ease of opening). I''d hate to chip any by dropping while opening the case or losing them in the grass.

 

[Harriet]

Date: 5/30/2009 10:11:54 PM
Author: Chrono

Date: 5/30/2009 10:01:02 PM
Author: sleepyspinel
Hi Chrono, we did miss you... apparently I was supposed to ask you something regarding ''pineapples''? I''d love to hear the story!

It''s an embarrassing story. Really.

 

[sleepyspinel]

That''s my "stroller"

Date: 5/31/2009 9:46:08 PM
Author: Chrono
I only open them on a carpeted surface. If I want to take them outside for pictures or to check them outdoors, I bring the entire case out (with the lid cocked slightly open of ease of opening). I''d hate to chip any by dropping while opening the case or losing them in the grass.

 

[princessplease]

Wow, the color is amazing!!!!!!

 

[T L]

I''m getting my "babies" on Wednesday. Will post pics.

 

[chrono]

Date: 6/1/2009 11:17:55 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
I''m getting my ''babies'' on Wednesday. Will post pics.

This Wednesday? I''m so excited.

SS,
You are tempting me too much with these Mahenges, especially yours. Looks like MC doesn''t have anything else large and pretty. Any other recommendation?