GIA article on Co diffused spinels

[Dioptase]

It's getting better and better.

http://www.giathai.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Cobalt_Diffusion_Spinel_GIAThai.pdf

 

[Marlow]

Thank you!!

They are butt ugly - cheap looking. Only problem if they mix smaller stones among Luc Yen material...

But I would only buy with a report - real cobalt spinel isn't cheap and Luc Yen material often included. Sri Lanka material most times IF to EY. But people like this Thai gem-Frankenstein will produce better "qualities" in the future!

 

[Dioptase]

They are butt ugly - cheap looking. Only problem if they mix smaller stones among Luc Yen material...:

Oh yeah, give them some time; I'm sure they will really improve it. As for the Luc Yen material; you can get flux melt synthetics mixed with natural spinels...

 

[Marlow]

They are butt ugly - cheap looking. Only problem if they mix smaller stones among Luc Yen material...:

Oh yeah, give them some time; I'm sure they will really improve it. As for the Luc Yen material; you can get flux melt synthetics mixed with natural spinels...

My vendor for Luc Yen cobalt spinel is Dr. Radek Hanus - a mineralogist. My other rare gems like taaffeite I buy from D. Gravier or Dr Hyrsl. But I would be very careful now!!

In the article the smallest is a 0,35 included stone - no question I would buy this in a show!! The larger stones are suspiscious but a small one like this....

And it is interesting that this vendor produces vivid blue stone close to Luc Yen material - in the GRS article a large dark blue clean stone like the Sri Lanka material.

 

[chrono]

It looks butt ugly right now because they haven't perfected their recipe. It is only a matter of time before they find the right temperature and conditions to make it look beautiful. And just like the Tanzanian spinels, they are mixing synthetics with the real ones in the parcel.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

It looks butt ugly right now because they haven't perfected their recipe. It is only a matter of time before they find the right temperature and conditions to make it look beautiful. And just like the Tanzanian spinels, they are mixing synthetics with the real ones in the parcel.

That said, would you recommend sending any Tanzanian spinel for a report?

 

[chrono]

If the stone is expensive to buyer and worth the piece of mind, then it is best to have that verification. If it costs more than $500, I would. This is for blue and pink/red spinels from ANY location because these are the highly sought after colours, which makes them a riskier purchase.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Okay. Thank you very much! I'm in the middle of a spinel search and several things have turned up, so this is a relevant topic for me right now.

 

[Marlow]

It looks butt ugly right now because they haven't perfected their recipe. It is only a matter of time before they find the right temperature and conditions to make it look beautiful. And just like the Tanzanian spinels, they are mixing synthetics with the real ones in the parcel.

Agree - but I don't understand why they are doing it??

To sell "natural" spinel???....is there a market???

With a better recipe they produce clean vivid blue spinel - and they look like synthetic vivid blue spinel....

They show that they are doing it ( andesine some are still lieing) and neither Be treated corundum nor andesine is expensive - so why?

Such a stupid idea!

 

[shulaibaoma]

This is so sad.............

 

[chrono]

The market for spinel is getting larger as it is getting the attention it deserves; good durability, typically untreated, colouration that can compete with sapphire, yet costs less. Just like treated corundum, the cookers are banking on profiting from undisclosed treatment. Like treated corundum, they hope that the treatment will one day be difficult to detect, requiring very expensive specialized treatment, and that most consumers still think of spinel as safe because they are typically untreated.

 

[tourma-guy]

It looks butt ugly right now because they haven't perfected their recipe. It is only a matter of time before they find the right temperature and conditions to make it look beautiful. And just like the Tanzanian spinels, they are mixing synthetics with the real ones in the parcel.

Agree - but I don't understand why they are doing it??

To sell "natural" spinel???....is there a market???

With a better recipe they produce clean vivid blue spinel - and they look like synthetic vivid blue spinel....

They show that they are doing it ( andesine some are still lieing) and neither Be treated corundum nor andesine is expensive - so why?

Such a stupid idea!

They do it because what else are they going to do with the piles of less than desirable spinel rough they have? It may be just as cheap or more cheap to go the synthetic route, but now they can move product that typically would just sit and collect dust.

 

[Dioptase]

It looks butt ugly right now because they haven't perfected their recipe. It is only a matter of time before they find the right temperature and conditions to make it look beautiful. And just like the Tanzanian spinels, they are mixing synthetics with the real ones in the parcel.

Agree - but I don't understand why they are doing it??

To sell "natural" spinel???....is there a market???

With a better recipe they produce clean vivid blue spinel - and they look like synthetic vivid blue spinel....

They show that they are doing it ( andesine some are still lieing) and neither Be treated corundum nor andesine is expensive - so why?

Such a stupid idea!

There is always a market.
Treatments are being done it improve the appearance of the lower qualities gemstones and make them more salable. That's it.
Also, there is a fundamental difference in the market perception between a synthetic and a treated natural stone.

 

[Marlow]

Was a rhetorical question.

Of course there is a market for such things - and less educated customer will buy them.

 

[chrono]

Was a rhetorical question.
Of course there is a market for such things - and less educated customer will buy them.

Sorry I misunderstood your intent but yes, unfortunately, there will be many who will be duped.

 

[Marlow]

Chrono,

they produce fortunately very large stones - for an average customer no chance to buy a natural untreated larger ( 1ct plus) Luc Yen.
So a larger vivid blue and you will see many red flags!

But small stones are now a problem - and you are right - they will make better and better stones...

 

[tourma-guy]

Was a rhetorical question.

Of course there is a market for such things - and less educated customer will buy them.

"Less educated" or not, honestly as long as they don't misrepresent the presence of treatment and the person purchasing the stone finds it pretty then it doesn't matter what they are doing with these lower quality stones.

Now obviously there will more than likely be some misrepresentation of the presence of treatment, as greed runs strong in the gem world.