Garnet Fever - Tsav and Spess

[arjunajane]

Soooo...been on a bit of a garnet kick the last couple months, and I am happy to post that I am soon to be the proud owner of two new yummy garnets -
a tsavorite from Gene (Precision Gem)
and a spessartite from Doug (Bespoke Gems, Australia).


As some of you may recall from my posts in the catch-all thread, I had ordered a tsav from Swala - when it arrived, although the colour was perfect, the cutting wasn't for me. I am glad to say that Eric has been very gracious and understanding throughout the whole process, and the tsav is on its way back to Swala In my book they are still a class act and I would consider purchasing with them again..
However, I will caution folks who are planning to buy from Swala to try and be 100% sure (well, as sure as you ever can be with gems and the internet!), as it cost me $200 to return the stone ($100 insured shipping on my end, and Swala deduct $100 for returns for their shipping costs). I am not complaining about this policy and didn't mind paying - just thought it worth mentioning for potential future clients

Anyhow - I was in luck, as Gene still had some of his rough from Swala's mines, purchased on his last buying trip.
This is the same lot that Yingh's gorgeous oval was cut from, which is imo one of the nicest tsavs I have seen online,
so I am very excited as I know the colour will be just what I'm after, plus I will not have any concerns this time with the cutting..

Gene was nice enough to cut me the largest/nicest piece he had left, and the finished gem is a 1.49ct, 8 sided cushion, 7.34 x 6.42 mm.
His grading is:
Colour - 10
Clarity - 8 (a few small bubbles in the pavilion, not visible by eye)
Brilliance - 5
total rating - 9.3

He has described the colour as a vibrant chrome green with a touch of blue - exactly what I was after
Gene said his camera has trouble with greens, so even though his photo is pretty, I believe the colour will be a lil nicer IRL.
This is the only pic for now, I should have it in about a week:

 

[arjunajane]

The second garnet, my spess - I have member Klewis to blame for this one!

Even though I liked a number of the spess's posted here when everyone had the spessartitis, I never caught it myself..
That was, until a few certain photos of klewis' oval (which is currently being set by RDG) came across my inbox, and than I couldn't take my eyes away

This RB is from Doug Menadue, of Bespoke Gems,
and I am super excited to own a gem from an Australian cutter. I know a couple folks have purchased from Doug on here, and imo his cutting looks really nice

Specs are:
Classic round brilliant, 2.1cts, 7 x 7 x 5mm
Fanta orange from Tanzania
very slightly included - small amount of silk/needles. (The photos look very clean to me for spess..)

Doug assures me this is the true bright fanta orange colour, and says these shots are closest to real life (colour-wise):

 

[arjunajane]

I should have this one early next week, in the meantime here are Doug's 'studio' shots and also a photo of the rough:

 

[Arkteia]

Fantastic, Arjunajane! Two beautiful garnets! Absolutely gorgeous tsavorite and equally beautiful spessartite! You did beautifully, can't wait for more shots!

 

[chrono]

Congrats on your two new stones. I’m glad that Gene still has some very nice tsavorite rough left from Swala that he can cut to your expectations. Am looking forward to your receipt of the garnets.

 

[JewelFreak]

Nice tsav, can't wait to see how it looks IRL! And the spess is SO pretty -- the cut on that knocks me over totally. Great buy!

--- laurie

 

[packrat]

Gorgeous AJ! Do you have plans for them yet?

 

[Kismet]

Those both look gorgeous! What will you be doing with them?

 

[Aoife]

Those are two really amazing garnets. I'm so glad that you found what you were looking for, and will be looking forward to hearing your plans for them!

 

[T L]

I like the high crown on the spessartite, which will sure be a sparkler. The tsavorite is pretty, and I'm glad Gene found one that he could precision cut for you.

 

[movie zombie]

congrats on both stones.

MoZo

ps hard to go wrong with Gene!

 

[y2kitty]

I have a spess by Doug cut from the same rough, so I guess I have your stones sibling!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

AJ, gorgeous scores - I adore the Tsavorite and really love the colour on that spess!

I have to say, my two favourite stone purchases over the past years have been my spess and my tsav. I love photographing them together, so I can't wait to see your pics when they arrive!

 

[Arkteia]

I saw them in my dream today!

 

[Burberrygirl]

Gorgeous, AJ! I especially love the tsav.

 

[Laila619]

Love your newest stones!!

 

[AustenNut]

Both stones are beautiful, and I look forward to your stunning photo shoot which is sure to come!

 

[mochi]

Those stones are beautiful!!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Both are beautiful!

 

[Gempassion]

Very beautiful stones arjunajane!

 

[Lovinggems]

Very pretty, I like the unusual cut on the Tsavorite.

 

[klewis]

Great looking stones AJ and I'm looking forward to seeing how you tackle setting the tsav - with all those sides to that shape it's going to be an interesting project and I know you'll come up with something interesting and beautiful.
Of course I can't wait to see your pics of both stones.

 

[Cind11]

Both stones look lovely! I particularly like the tsavorite - Gene does the coolest cuts. Did I miss this? Will they both be rings?

 

[arjunajane]

Thanks very much everyone! I'm really excited to receive these, and of course promise lots of photos of both

Gorgeous AJ! Do you have plans for them yet?

Those both look gorgeous! What will you be doing with them?

Both stones look lovely! I particularly like the tsavorite - Gene does the coolest cuts. Did I miss this? Will they both be rings?

Cheers packy, kismet and Cind!
I don't have any concrete plans as yet, but I've kicked a few ideas around..
Tsavorite, along with blue sapphire are the only coloured gems I really like together with diamonds, so if the tsav is as nice as I'm hoping it will be, it most likely will go in a ring. As klewis pointed out, the 8 sided cushion is not exactly a standard shape so I would likely go custom..apart from diamonds, I was also considering the possibility of accenting it with apple green gems - whether they be larger ones for a three (or 5?) stone, or melee size..
I don't really like peridot nor usually the green of green sapphires, so I'm thinking my best bet would be grossular/merelani garnets - a close example is the colour of this oval from Gene.



Regarding the spess - I'm going to see how much I like the size and colour before deciding. Ideally, to set in a ring I would have preferred something more like 8-9mm..I'm hoping this one makes up for the slightly smaller size in colour, but I may wait until a larger spess comes my way for a ring and just enjoy this one in the meantime..

I'm all about mixing colour with colour at the moment though, and for the spess, the idea crossed my mind for........

......*gasp* a halo!
Not an ordinary halo though - one of hot pink melee, either sapphires or spinels (just like the ones posted in klewis's Phoenix ring thread - I know he doesn't mind me being a copy-cat )
It may not be for everyone, but imo a fanta orange spess with hot pink halo in 18k YG makes for a luscious combo!

Great looking stones AJ and I'm looking forward to seeing how you tackle setting the tsav - with all those sides to that shape it's going to be an interesting project and I know you'll come up with something interesting and beautiful.
Of course I can't wait to see your pics of both stones.

Thanks my friend I'm glad you like them, after all the spess purchase is your fault!
I get the feeling the shape of the tsav would be potentially better suited to a pendant - but I doubt I would ever wear it, so I'll just keep collecting rings.
We'll see though..
Should we expect an update to the Phoenix thread soon...?

 

[arjunajane]

I have a spess by Doug cut from the same rough, so I guess I have your stones sibling!

Hey kitty, oh yeah I remember now..I just went and looked up your thread, you got the acorn cut one..
Do you mind if I ask how you feel Doug's photos match your spess IRL? Just because in your thread, the pics
appear to have a little more brown than I would have expected (although I realize this may be from lighting etc);
are you happy with your buy from him?
And yup you're correct, those pieces of rough became our 2 gems

AJ, gorgeous scores - I adore the Tsavorite and really love the colour on that spess!

I have to say, my two favourite stone purchases over the past years have been my spess and my tsav. I love photographing them together, so I can't wait to see your pics when they arrive!

Hey LTP, thank you! I agree, they are fun colours together and I'm sure I'll have fun procrastinating from commitments & work by photographing them
I have wanted a nice tsav for a little while, but they had previously been out of my reach - I've had a pretty good time of it this year, so I'm happy to have knocked a couple 'target' gems off my long-term list.
The spess was a little more of an impulse purchase, but I'm hoping I love it too.

I saw them in my dream today!

Hey crasru - really, how odd! You mean you dreamed of 'my' two gems..? How did they look, great I hope?!




Thanks for your kind words everyone who has posted

 

[y2kitty]

I have a spess by Doug cut from the same rough, so I guess I have your stones sibling!

Hey kitty, oh yeah I remember now..I just went and looked up your thread, you got the acorn cut one..
Do you mind if I ask how you feel Doug's photos match your spess IRL? Just because in your thread, the pics
appear to have a little more brown than I would have expected (although I realize this may be from lighting etc);
are you happy with your buy from him?
And yup you're correct, those pieces of rough became our 2 gems

A few months after I got it I posted additional pictures in the "Vendor pictures and owner pictures of PS stones". Look at those and you will see they match Doug's photos. The stone looks great IRL, I just can't capture it.

On another note that tsavorite is so pretty. You certainly have picked up some high quality gems lately!

 

[marcy]

Very pretty stones.

 

[klewis]

Great looking stones AJ and I'm looking forward to seeing how you tackle setting the tsav - with all those sides to that shape it's going to be an interesting project and I know you'll come up with something interesting and beautiful.
Of course I can't wait to see your pics of both stones.

Thanks my friend I'm glad you like them, after all the spess purchase is your fault!
I get the feeling the shape of the tsav would be potentially better suited to a pendant - but I doubt I would ever wear it, so I'll just keep collecting rings.
We'll see though..
Should we expect an update to the Phoenix thread soon...?

The stones are being set now and I'm expecting an email from Mike quite soon.
Fault? I think you meant "enabler"