Discovered colour-change garnet...and I really want one!

[panda87]

I have just started researching this amazing stone I never knew about! I was randomly looking for "purple stones" and stumbled across colour-change garnet. It is amazing. I found one on Etsy that I have been looking at, and I am so tempted to buy it because the colours look incredible.

I really like the blue-green to purple. They seem to be Bekily. I have found a few online but really not sure what key things to look for.

I would be looking for something smaller (~5mm max), and round (though oval seems much more common?). I don't have anything in mind for it, but it would be a shame to have it and not be able to experience it every day, so probably a ring, as that's the only jewellery I really wear.

I don't really know where to go from here, so any guidance would be greatly appreciated I have attached pictures of the colours I am drawn to.

 

[arabella]

Yvonne at Cecile Raley Designs has had color change garnets recently. I think she has some for sale both loose and already set. You may want to look over there and see if there's anything you like, or contact her because she would probably be able to find something for you. Hopefully someone else may know of other good places to look too.

 

[ilovegemstones]

I love cc garnets and happen to be wearing mine today! I would try Yvonne too.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Try Lisa Elser.

http://www.lisaelser.com/index.html

cheers--Sharon

 

[boerumbiddy]

A friend bought a remarkable color-change garnet from Wildfish Gems. Be sure to look at the additional pictures; it looks different in every light! See what else he has.
http://wildfishgems.com/inc/sdetail/colorchange-garnets/14688

 

[panda87]

Thank you for suggestions so far. I have had a look at the sites. Ive noticed most stones are quite large and also quite pricey. I prefer smaller things anyway but anything large is definitely out of my price range

Ilovegemstones, may I see your ring? Do you truly get all the different colours? I see 'incandescent' light but when i looked that up, it seems to be a certain type of bulb and we domt use them here. It would be a shame if I never would see the 'incandescent' colour.

Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk

 

[panda87]

Edit: Ilovegemstones - I was using tapatalk and your photo didn't show up. Thank you for posting. I love it!! Is the pinky/purple regular indoor lighting?

 

[chrono]

1. You will regret not going with a good cut in the long run (something without a large window)
2. Most CCGs tend to be overly dark, so I look for something lighter. Most tend to close up or darken once set.
3. Most CCGs like open settings to make it easier to observe the colour shifting.
4. Most of the time, we are in mixed light, so we tend to see the mixture of colours, rather than the extreme ends.

 

[chrono]

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/color_change_garnet/cg10110aa/&1244716636
Really small at 4 x 3 mm but wow, is it for real?

 

[ilovegemstones]

Hi Panda,
It is a bright bluish green outside and purple in incandescent and compact fluorescent lightting. In mixed lighting it looks steel grey.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/color_change_garnet/cg10110aa/&1244716636
Really small at 4 x 3 mm but wow, is it for real?

Maybe

"Please note that price and description is for 1 pce(s) and you can purchase up to 463 piece’s. The picture is a represntative image of our Color Change Garnet in this size."

 

[iluvshinythings]

Hi! I share your enthusiasm for cc garnets! I bought mine from Wildfish gems a few years ago. They are pricey but mine is gorgeous and I even like it better than any alexandrites I have seen. (not that I've seen a ton of alexandrites) I haven't found a ton of cc garnets for sale so that could be why the price is so high.

Chrono is right about them being dark and brightening up in some settings. I set mine in a halo when I first got it. I recently had it re-set in a more open setting and I like it a lot better. It still tends to be dark in subdued lighting but when the right light hits it, it's like a colored sparkler going off.

Good luck with your search! I hope you come back and show us some pics when you find it.

 

[panda87]

I found someone somewhat local that has some in stock!!! And they can source more! I am going to their store in a few weeks -- is there anything in addition to what @chrono posted that I need to be aware of, should look/ask for?

 

[lovedogs]

I also love CC garnets! They are beautiful and definitely on my bucket list of purchases!

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

I found someone somewhat local that has some in stock!!! And they can source more! I am going to their store in a few weeks -- is there anything in addition to what @chrono posted that I need to be aware of, should look/ask for?

I also want one! Local sourced and can get more? I beg you, let us in!

 

[MissyBeaucoup]

I got a red to green vanadium color change garnet from The Gem Trader. It is native cut and rather deep bellied, so it it is dark. (Mine is 4.7 mm and was $150.) This one is from Sri Lanka but it's similar to the Mekily changers from Africa. These vendor photos are in bright light to force the extremes of the color to come out. I sometimes see the extremes, but more often I see a pleasing turquoise-indigo color. To other people, maybe the stone looks black, but to me it's lots of fun because it contains all these possibilities. I think the color changes are so cool!

 

[Arkteia]

I have one from Finewater gems, and Gary Braun, the owner, is a good cutter and has eye for color. I set it, nicely, but one is enough.

Same with Alexandrites. I have one, 100% change, Gubelin and all, but almost never wear it.

Honestly, for all color - changers, you have to constantly look for the proper light, and it is very irritating. Basically, don't invest much into it, and good luck!

 

[panda87]

I am in Australia... so maybe not too local for others :p

Hopefully with this store and seeing it in person, Ill be able to see it outdoors in natural light as well

 

[RedSpinel]

I love cc garnets and happen to be wearing mine today! I would try Yvonne too.

That looks really nice. I own a marquise cut 2.8ct color change garnet that goes from a nice raspberry pink to a 'neon' metallic copper brown color. I like the stone for its eye clean appearance and ideal depth of color. However, those colors are NOT the most "prized" colors in C.C. garnets. The blue to red is the apparent ideal.

So I kept an eye out for a decent sized blue-red C.C. garnet, and what I noticed was that, like with many garnet species, most are small. Most were right around 1ct +/- . Also most had obvious inclusions, color banding, as well as these laser straight, parallel internal lines that you could easily see.

So about 11 years ago I found one from an online dealer who I had dealt with before, and it was smaller than 1ct, but the price was under $200. In the pictures it looked like it had a very obvious blue to raspberry red color change. I bought it, and it came in maybe 2wks later. When I looked at it under the SAME fluorescent, incandescent and sunlight that I always viewed my other CC garnet under, this new stone did NOT go from blue to red! I don't know how the seller pulled off the online optical illusion, but no matter what light type I tried, it was never blue or red. I don't even remember the exact colors, but suffice to say there was a color shift, but its color change could best be described as going from dull to ugly!

I promptly returned it for a refund. Right after that, I actually started to assume that true blue to red garnets were a fraud that didnt actually exist. But I've since been convinced otherwise.

 

[MissyBeaucoup]

The red-green changers are super cool, but it's more like a science experiment rather than "OMG, that's the prettiest thing I've ever seen!"

I got a pink-purple pastel pyrope garnet from Earth's Treasury that has less of a shift than the red to green garnet. (Very hard for me to photograph the changes.) It's more pleasing in various lights, and I chose a "party" setting by JuliaB. The concept is a flower with a changing center. I play the cello so I don't get to have pretty nails like Elle's!

 

[Sabina22]

Hey there, this is an old thread but I still wanna share my bekily garnet ring from David Wein, pics not great but you can see the different colours

 

[Sabina22]

The stone is pretty windowed, but I don‘t mind, I really enjoy the colour change

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

Hey there, this is an old thread but I still wanna share my bekily garnet ring from David Wein, pics not great but you can see the different colours

Pretty! I have 2 blue-red/purple CCG but they are much darker than yours and more difficult to see the change. I also have 2 that change from purple to steely silver that are unset. I like them more because they aren't too dark.

 

[LD]

You’re playing my song! I adore all colour changers. Garnets come in a few different colour changing variations but they are not so easy to find now. The most prized are ones that have the Alexandrite coloured like the ones you’ve shown. Funnily enough I was looking at those exact stones the other day! Hope you’re get one x

 

[chroman]

I got a pink-purple pastel pyrope garne

I’m not sure why, but I’m a fan of these. While the color shift isn’t as dramatic, it does seem to stay nice colors most of the time. Fun to walk around and check it out, but so hard to get good photos..

but they are not so easy to find now

I’ve seen more popping up in the last year or so. Nothing huge, and not always clean, but more than I’ve seen for a while. Finding a killer one is still hard though!

Oh garnets..

 

[MissyBeaucoup]

Hey there, this is an old thread but I still wanna share my bekily garnet ring from David Wein, pics not great but you can see the different colours

Congratulations on your beautiful garnet! I love the setting and it looks timeless and original. Enjoy!

 

[Sabina22]

Thank you all, I really enjoy that little ring!!