Got My Gem, but not so sure????

[Heishman]

I recieved my gem from Precision and it is beautiful, but I am not sure if I am in love with the color. The stone is more purpulish then red. I have a chance to purchase this other stone. What do you think. It is # 5278 and is a Garnet.

Do you know what some of the differences may be between the two if them? Tourmaline vs. Garnet?


http://www.webgraphicsengineering.com/Gemstones/query3.cfm?yVarieties=Spessartite&ySpecies=Garnet

 

[LD]

Lucy which gem did you get from Precision?

 

[rubybeth]

If you don''t really love the color, return it. Spend your money on what you love!

 

[Heishman]

The precision gem is a 4.22 Tourmaline - Rubellite

 

[innerkitten]

Thats too bad. Sometimes it takes a while to find the perfect gem. The spessartite you''re looking at may be a red with a bit of orange. It will probably have a fire like look to it and be very sparkly.

 

[movie zombie]

garnets are more "sparkly" than tourmalines. you''re comparing apples and oranges. however, if you favor the sparkly flavor [like me], then garnet is your gem.

mz

 

[Heishman]

okay, I have been looking at the stone more and more, in different lighting and I do think the color is growing on me. I was set on a more reddish stone, but this one displays nice shades of pink and red along with purple.

Attached are a few photos.

 

[Heishman]

... sorry about all the fingerprints

 

[cushioncutnut]

I think it is pretty! Can you order the garnet,compare them side by side and return the one that you don''t want? The garnet is a whole other species because of it''s cut and color alone! It is pretty too!!

 

[Fly Girl]

I love red gems, too. Unfortunately, I am finding that, as a general rule, red gems are expensive. I am finding that the best thing to do is to decide which flavor of red you prefer. Slightly purple, or slightly pink, or slightly orange. I am finding that somewhat purple/red garnets really hit the sweet spot for me...in the red family, but reasonably priced.

I would love to get a beautiful rubellite. It''s on my wish list. Thanks for sharing your pictures, and I''ll be interested in what you decide to do.

 

[innerkitten]

It''s very pretty!

 

[FrekeChild]

I think it''s really pretty as well!

 

[LD]

I adore Rubellite and actually the photo of yours shows that it''s quite red. I''ve seen some that are much more purple. It''s got to sing to you though.

 

[T L]

Date: 4/9/2009 5:13:17 PM
Author: Fly Girl
I love red gems, too. Unfortunately, I am finding that, as a general rule, red gems are expensive. I am finding that the best thing to do is to decide which flavor of red you prefer. Slightly purple, or slightly pink, or slightly orange. I am finding that somewhat purple/red garnets really hit the sweet spot for me...in the red family, but reasonably priced.

I would love to get a beautiful rubellite. It's on my wish list. Thanks for sharing your pictures, and I'll be interested in what you decide to do.

I think the most expensive reds are the ones that hold their red color the best in all light, and at most, go a little more pink in certain lighting. Reds that go more brown are typically far less expensive. Most, not all, red garnets and tourmalines tend to go brown in various lighting, hence the reason they are usually inexpensive.

For a red tourmaline, I think it's very nice. If you don't see brown, that's good.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 4/9/2009 5:45:18 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 4/9/2009 5:13:17 PM
Author: Fly Girl
I love red gems, too. Unfortunately, I am finding that, as a general rule, red gems are expensive. I am finding that the best thing to do is to decide which flavor of red you prefer. Slightly purple, or slightly pink, or slightly orange. I am finding that somewhat purple/red garnets really hit the sweet spot for me...in the red family, but reasonably priced.

I would love to get a beautiful rubellite. It''s on my wish list. Thanks for sharing your pictures, and I''ll be interested in what you decide to do.

I think the most expensive reds are the ones that hold their red color the best in all light, and at most, go a little more pink in certain lighting. Reds that go more brown are typically far less expensive. Most, not all, red garnets and tourmalines tend to go brown in various lighting, hence the reason they are usually inexpensive.

Just to add that I have found that there is some lighting (certain compact fluorescents, in particular) where all reds will go brown...the light just flat out lacks the entire red portion of the visible spectrum. Not a world that I would want to live in...everyone looked pretty sick and none of my gemstones looked pretty.

I was thinking of my umbalite garnet from Gene, and the royal rhodolite from Rick at Artcutgems, as two examples of reddish/purple garnets that look great in most lighting, and have a nice price point.

 

[T L]

I don't know how much you paid for that stone, but if you want a red rubellite that stays a strong red in all lighting, well, that's very very expensive. I have such a stone, and it's only one carat, but I went on gemval.com and it evaluated to $200 for a tiny one carat stone. The price goes up from there in larger sizes (larger stones are usually more $$ per carat), and so it could be really expensive to get exactly what you want. Rubellites are very hard to come by in clean and very vibrant red colors.

The spessartites above are more of an orange/red, and I think you'll see more brown in them than you would like. Orange tends to make red stones have a brownish secondary, or give the stone an overall brown cast. There is a very fine line for what is the acceptable amount of orange in a red stone.

ETA: Gene's stone #740 on his red tourmaline page is probably such a stone that holds it's red color. Note he said it's from an old find, and also note the price and the size. It's included which can bring down the price, but nonetheless, it's over $200 for a small stone. Many of these super red tourmalines from Nigeria are very hard to come by. I know the guy I bought mine from couldn't get anymore.

However, I think the stone you have is lovely, and is better than 99.999999% of anything you would ever see in a store, and that includes T&Co.

 

[mochi]

Oh...that stone is very pretty. Love the color.

 

[LD]

Date: 4/9/2009 6:03:28 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
I don't know how much you paid for that stone, but if you want a red rubellite that stays a strong red in all lighting, well, that's very very expensive. I have such a stone, and it's only one carat, but I went on gemval.com and it evaluated to $200 for a tiny one carat stone. The price goes up from there in larger sizes (larger stones are usually more $$ per carat), and so it could be really expensive to get exactly what you want. Rubellites are very hard to come by in clean and very vibrant red colors.

The spessartites above are more of an orange/red, and I think you'll see more brown in them than you would like. Orange tends to make red stones have a brownish secondary, or give the stone an overall brown cast. There is a very fine line for what is the acceptable amount of orange in a red stone.

ETA: Gene's stone #740 on his red tourmaline page is probably such a stone that holds it's red color. Note he said it's from an old find, and also note the price and the size. It's included which can bring down the price, but nonetheless, it's over $200 for a small stone. Many of these super red tourmalines from Nigeria are very hard to come by. I know the guy I bought mine from couldn't get anymore.

However, I think the stone you have is lovely, and is better than 99.999999% of anything you would ever see in a store, and that includes T&Co.

TL I have a 5ct pear cut Rubellite that doesn't go brown in any lighting. I saw tons and tons and tons of Rubellites (and rejected nearly all) but then my lovely beauty showed up and it has a special place in my heart (probably because it was sooooo difficult to find)!

 

[cinnamon013]

I super duper love that color.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 4/9/2009 6:03:28 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
I don''t know how much you paid for that stone, but if you want a red rubellite that stays a strong red in all lighting, well, that''s very very expensive. I have such a stone, and it''s only one carat, but I went on gemval.com and it evaluated to $200 for a tiny one carat stone. The price goes up from there in larger sizes (larger stones are usually more $$ per carat), and so it could be really expensive to get exactly what you want. Rubellites are very hard to come by in clean and very vibrant red colors.

The spessartites above are more of an orange/red, and I think you''ll see more brown in them than you would like. Orange tends to make red stones have a brownish secondary, or give the stone an overall brown cast. There is a very fine line for what is the acceptable amount of orange in a red stone.

ETA: Gene''s stone #740 on his red tourmaline page is probably such a stone that holds it''s red color. Note he said it''s from an old find, and also note the price and the size. It''s included which can bring down the price, but nonetheless, it''s over $200 for a small stone. Many of these super red tourmalines from Nigeria are very hard to come by. I know the guy I bought mine from couldn''t get anymore.

However, I think the stone you have is lovely, and is better than 99.999999% of anything you would ever see in a store, and that includes T&Co.

Looks like he has updated the red tourmaline page, and #740 is gone. But take a look at the new #863. He rates the color a 10!

 

[chrono]

A pure red rubellite is incredibly rare. And to get one that is also clean and large...where you where I'm going with this. Yours looks pretty if you can accept it as it is: pink and sometimes with some purple. If it holds its colour without browning indoors, it's a very good rubellite too.

Garnets are quite different. Very sparkly. The caution with spessartites is that if it's over saturated, it can appear brown. Orange spessartites are also notorious for a brown undertone or being too yellow. Sometimes the red ones are too dark as well.

 

[T L]

Date: 4/9/2009 11:21:59 PM
Author: Fly Girl

Date: 4/9/2009 6:03:28 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
I don''t know how much you paid for that stone, but if you want a red rubellite that stays a strong red in all lighting, well, that''s very very expensive. I have such a stone, and it''s only one carat, but I went on gemval.com and it evaluated to $200 for a tiny one carat stone. The price goes up from there in larger sizes (larger stones are usually more $$ per carat), and so it could be really expensive to get exactly what you want. Rubellites are very hard to come by in clean and very vibrant red colors.

The spessartites above are more of an orange/red, and I think you''ll see more brown in them than you would like. Orange tends to make red stones have a brownish secondary, or give the stone an overall brown cast. There is a very fine line for what is the acceptable amount of orange in a red stone.

ETA: Gene''s stone #740 on his red tourmaline page is probably such a stone that holds it''s red color. Note he said it''s from an old find, and also note the price and the size. It''s included which can bring down the price, but nonetheless, it''s over $200 for a small stone. Many of these super red tourmalines from Nigeria are very hard to come by. I know the guy I bought mine from couldn''t get anymore.

However, I think the stone you have is lovely, and is better than 99.999999% of anything you would ever see in a store, and that includes T&Co.

Looks like he has updated the red tourmaline page, and #740 is gone. But take a look at the new #863. He rates the color a 10!

Hey does Gene lurk here!!?? That''s a really nice rubellite he put up. The best ones come from Nigeria, and he said it''s old material. Someone better snatch that up so I don''t.

 

[CharmyPoo]

I personally love that color. I have the perfect empty setting for it!

I love that stone Gene put up. I am so tempted to click buy but I don't know how I would set that shape.

 

[T L]

Lucy,
Did you decide to keep the stone?

 

[Heishman]

Hi All- I am keeping the stone. I have observed it in many different light situations and its color is very nice, I don''t ever see any brown. I also love all the facets and its brilliance. Once I have it set in the LOGR I purchased I will post more pictures.

 

[T L]

Date: 4/10/2009 2:06:23 PM
Author: Lucyh
Hi All- I am keeping the stone. I have observed it in many different light situations and its color is very nice, I don''t ever see any brown. I also love all the facets and its brilliance. Once I have it set in the LOGR I purchased I will post more pictures.

Glad to hear the good news!

If you think it looks great now, wait until you set it!!

 

[Heishman]

I am so excited to set it. I upgraded the LOGR setting and it should get here sometime next week.

 

[T L]

Can you tell us or show us a picture of the setting you got? The listings are private so your ebay id will not be exposed if you link to it.

 

[Heishman]

This is the setting

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390042614891&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123


I hope that the stone sits in the halo alright. I am kind of concerned about the size. The stone measures 11.22 x 9.55 and the setting is 10x12.

 

[T L]

I think it will sit in there just fine. That''s going to be stunning!! Did you get white or yellow gold?