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Color Change Garnet, with a recut from Jerry

The sun is shining

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
178
I have been trying to decide what stone I should purchase next with the intention of setting, and stumbled across a little colour change garnet. I bought it, knowing it had a huge window. The stats were 1.06ct, 5.7 x 5.2 x 3.7mm. Small, but I thought it would do. The color change was from green to purplish red. The Vendor pic looks like this
cc_garnet.jpg

When it arrived, the stone looked small the window was gaping, the color change was there, but it needed work. In honesty, I bought it with that in mind. After reading comments here, I sent the stone to Jerry of Gemart and asked him to recut it. I must state, he works quickly!

When it was finished, Jerry wrote me an email. The comments he wrote were unexpected - I admit, I felt a little emotional!
"It is one of the most unusual stones I have ever seen…I’ve never seen a garnet color changer, and was not prepared for this. Photos don’t come close to capturing the green outdoor color. ..fools the camera optics somehow.
Indoors it shows the purplish with many dispersion/diffraction color sparkles.
A few observations and points about it. I checked the refractive Index at 1.76, singley refractive. That’s right up there with sapphire. I can’t give you a quantitative number for dispersion, but it must be very good."


He commented that my little stone is now beautiful. I felt truly humbled. In addition, he provided me with a few facts.
"Note too that my measurements were quite different from yours…to your benefit.
As received: weight 1.16 ct, not 1.06 size 6.2 x 5.7 x 3.6mm not 5.2 x 5.7"

The final measurements were - 0.97 ct - 6.1 x 5.7 x 3.55mm - to my mind, my stone lost .09ct and is bigger face up, when the reality says something different.

Here are some pictures Jerry took.
ccgarnet1.jpg
ccgarnet2.jpg

My little CC Garnet was back in my possession, and it looks bigger. The closed window allows the color to bounce off the facets properly.
I was at a jeweler looking at their products and thought to ask about a setting for it, seeing as I had it on me and all. Their first instinct was that it was an alexandrite. I have some pics I took prior to the recut, which don't show the color at all accurately, and will try to take some after pics tonight or soonish.

ccgarnet6.jpg

ccgarnet5.jpg

ccgarnet4.jpg

Sorry for the large photos. And they are resized!

In real life, the stone is forest green in daylight, similar to the vendor pic, and purplish in incandescent. I have never managed a picture of the incandescent color - Jerry's pic may have to suffice.

Thank you all who add to the community - without you, I wouldn't have known about Jerry and his recutting service, which turned my duckling into a swan.

tSiS
 

peacechick

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 6, 2013
Messages
1,709
What a great story! Look forward to seeing your ring when set!
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Messages
38,364
I am surprised to read that Jerry has never seen a colour change garnet. Still, it's great that he is able to close that pesky window for you.
 

Enerchi

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 4, 2011
Messages
10,658
Wonderful turn of events! I 'm glad it worked out with the size in your favour and the recut closing up the window! Not fair that the vendor pics are not what it is IRL, is it? But that's a whole different PS thread already on the go ... ;))
 

katharath

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
Messages
2,850
I love color change garnets but photographing them makes me want to cry, lol. Such a pain! Glad yours turned out so well and thanks for sharing. I've read about Jerry here on the boards quite a few times, and I am wondering now if maybe I should contact him about a job... I have a couple of gems that need recutting, and I've heard such good things about him.

Anyway...enjoy your cc garnet, they are so much fun, and thanks again for sharing your experience with Jerry :)
 

iluvshinythings

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
899
Wow! Congrats! I'm glad the recut went so well.

I have a cc garnet too and I'm a huge fan! I've almost decided that I'll never need an alex since I love my garnet so much.

Can't wait to see pics of the completed project.

Wear it in good health!!!!
 

The sun is shining

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
178
Thank you for your comments.
Peacechick, I look forward to showing you my set ring! although we already know the pics wont work out as desired
Chrono, I too was surprised Jerry hadn't seen a color change garnet. He did what he could to retain face up value which is brilliant.
Enerichi, it was a brilliant turn of events. The vendor pic isn't too bad - the green is definitely accurate, and as the color bounces of the facets there is definitely a sense of pink but I am rarely in the "ideal lighting" which would enhance the color.
Katharath, I would recommend Jerry to anyone needing a recut. That said, I don't know if I would buy too many more stones with the desire to have it recut immediately. I feel color change garnets are something of a rarity and will become even more so, which makes it worth it.
iluvshinythings, my sentiment exactly!

The design for the ring is in it's early stages and I have decided to go with someone local. He has impeccable attention to detail, and created many unusual items - mine will be perhaps more wearable, but unique none the less.

tSiS
 
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