Fair price for a spess garnet?

[MustangGal]

While wandering through an antique store today I spotted a case full of loose gems. Most were average topaz, aqua and such, but a bright orange pear caught my eye. I'm not in the market for a spess, but it was a beautiful bright pure orange and really stood out. 1.09ct and a good cut (probably native but no window). The price marked was $75. I've looked around the vendors some, but spess prices seem to be all over. Should I run back and snatch it up, or leave it be?

 

[Lady_Disdain]

If the colour is good, it sounds like a good deal, even if it isn't a particularly clean stone. The Loliondo stones are particularly prone to having sugar inclusions.

 

[MustangGal]

It looked pretty darn clean, and about the same color as your avatar Elvis Prasiolite. There was maybe a slight hint of brown, no red or yellow. Not sure if it's a correct conclusion, but all the little boxes and most of the jewelry in the booth looked like things from JTV. Not the best source for gems (at all), but it looked like someone that bought up tons of stuff years ago and was trying to clean out their collection. It's a locked glass case at an antique mall with hundreds of booths, so no one to ask where it came from.

 

[movie zombie]

I find it hard to believe anyone would be selling a very good vivid orange spess for $75.
but if so, it is indeed a bargain even if "native cut".
unless you have it tested you won't know for sure if it really is a spess.....and admittedly I wouldn't pay to have a $75 stone go to an appraiser unless, of course, I was planning to re-sell it.

 

[MustangGal]

Hmm, maybe I'll go back tomorrow and have a better look. I'll take the loupe and check for inclusions and see if I can get it over in the sunlight too.

 

[T L]

I think $75 is a good price if its really vivid orange. Most of the material on the market these days has a brownish cast.

 

[pregcurious]

If it looks like spess to you, I would take a gamble on it. Do they have a return policy if it doesn't end up being a spess? Do you like near GIA or AGL so that you could get a report without paying for shipping there and back? The $60 for a GemBrief would be worth it.

 

[Marlow]

Spessartine is " heavier" than many other gems - so a 1,09 ct looks a bit smaller than a hessonite with the same weight.

Do you have a stronger magnet??? Neodym.

google magnetism gemstones - Kirk Feral has a very interesting homepage esp. on garnets.

The "tool" is quite easy - a screw and a neodym magnet - only a few dollar.

Many garnet show a strong reaction - citrine or zircon don't.

 

[chrono]

If you like it and $75 isn't a stretch for you, I would risk it. Good spessartite is incredibly difficult to find these days, and the price has also increased significantly.

 

[MustangGal]

I went back today and the little guy followed me home. It's 1.05ct and about 7mm by 5mm. I can see a few small silk-like inclusions with the naked eye, but overall its very clean. Stays orange in all the different lighting I could find around the house too. There is a small window but it closes when I put it on my hand, so I'm hopeful it'll be gone when set. I got a few pictures, some show dark spots from my black camera.

 

[MustangGal]

And on to more pictures

 

[Marlow]

I like the handshot - beautiful color!!

Good deal!!!

 

[JewelFreak]

Great buy. You never know where you'll find something worth picking up, do you? Cool day for you!!

 

[T L]

Nice stone, and good deal. Enjoy!

 

[marcy]

Great color.

 

[chrono]

I think it is well worth it!

 

[movie zombie]

more than worth it.
it has better color than one than a pear that was offered to me for $2500 prior to my buying my spess.....and less windowed as well.
congrats!

 

[MustangGal]

Thanks for the input! Now I want to go back and have a better look at what else was in that case. There was a beautiful emerald, but it was priced over $400 and didn't have a cert.

I might set this in silver for now so I can wear it some and get to know it before investing in a better setting. It may even make it's way to my sister, she LOVES orange.

 

[partgypsy]

You got a good deal! Some dealers buy rings for the settings and think of the stones if not diamonds as throw away. Good for you!

 

[movie zombie]

i'm not a fan of resetting color stones: too easy to damage the stone.
also, not all silver smiths do good work with faceted stones.
just food for thought when you decide on a benchmaker.

 

[FireMonkey]

What a fantastic shade of orange! Sounds like you scored s great deal, too!

 

[LoversKites]

I love the colour and shape. I think it was a great buy, I've seen spess go for wayyy more.

 

[MustangGal]

I hope it is what it's supposed to be as well. It does have very natural looking inclusions (which is why I did take the leap and buy it). I'll take it to my jeweler the next time I go, he collects gemstones too and should be able to help ID it.

I need to get a pic of the bottom of the box it came in, the lable appears to be what I would normally see at a gem show, including a SKU number.

 

[Marlow]

by ElvisPrasiolite » 12 Aug 2014 14:22
Don't mean to try & to be a killjoy, & I do hope that's a real Spess, but before you buy anything else, have a certified gemologist look at it, & determine, if it is a spessartite. Antique dealers are notorious for not knowing what their selling in gemstones. Just a word of caution. I hope it is everything that you want! Truly I do!

------

What do you think it could be?

 

[T L]

I went back today and the little guy followed me home. It's 1.05ct and about 7mm by 5mm. I can see a few small silk-like inclusions with the naked eye, but overall its very clean. Stays orange in all the different lighting I could find around the house too. There is a small window but it closes when I put it on my hand, so I'm hopeful it'll be gone when set. I got a few pictures, some show dark spots from my black camera.

Some spess do have silk.

 

[T L]

All I'm saying Marlow, is before buying more, make sure the stone is what it is represented as. There are many orange stones, stimulants, there is no need to go into them all. It is probably a real Spess, but I play the Devil's Advocate. Sounds like the stone is going to be ID'd anyway. I'm rooting for the Spess

Jim McCormick

Well, there's citrine too, but it's typically not very orange without any brown, and it doesn't have silk. There's also fire opal. There's also synthetic orange sapphire, but its usually very clean. Not sure what other simulants there are. I've seen spess prices all over the place. I don't think $75 for a one carat orange spessartite is a shocker, but it's a good deal.

 

[Marlow]

TL and Jim

I agree with you - I would add clinohumite - super orange color too.

But.... I know I am a pain in....

http://www.sunlin-group.com/gemological-instrument-polariscope-refractometer_c55.html

A refractometer (156), a polariscope (64) and a dichroscope (35) for $ 255 !!! Is it really necessary to send a $75 gem to a lab?

On GO are super tutorial videos. Sure you will have a lot of fun with your gems - and save money!

 

[T L]

I would add clinohumite - super orange color too.

Well $75 for a 1ct clinohumite is a good price too.

I forgot to mention hessonite garnet, but they're typically more brownish.

 

[Marlow]

Yes - 75 for a clinohumite would be very good!!! The color is awesome!! But to soft for a ring.

I purchased a lot with 7 gems from Pakistan - 20 EUR total!! - one goodie and six stones with top color but bad cuts - I will let them recut into rounds or ovals around 0,30 ct each - pairs for earrings maybe.

http://www.gemdat.org/gem-1077.html

Hessonite - you are right - I found a custom cut round in a show - the color was VERY close to a good spessartine - a tiny little bit brown but excellent color! But not the top color for spessartine. 50 EUR for 1+ct stone - at home RI was in the grossular range but with this color
a perfect gem for my garnet collection!!! This material is from east africa.

 

[chrono]

Supposing it is a citrine or hessonite, that particular orange colour would be incredibly rare and still make it well worth the $75 spent to me.