Grape/royal purple garnet (Mozambique) - seeking opinions

[Autumn in New England]

I hope I love it too but have my doubts. And yeah I want a big momma ever since I saw this years ago. Windowed but I don't care lol.

Mozambique Purple "Grape" Garnet 10.15 cts

Hey Loungers, This 10.15 carats Grape Garnet is the biggest and most magnificent of its kind we have ever been able to hold and witness personally so far. This gem features an absolutely flawless crystal and retain a vivid and open color albeit its size! This gemstone is truly one of Mother...

www.asialounges.com

Here is a more realistic video of this stone that I saved ages ago from their IG.

https://imgur.com/a/Uofuito

That vendor has INCREDIBLE stones! But every time I've tried to buy a gem from them, it's been sold. Too little stock, but what they have is

.

 

[toomuchB]

There are festivals in India at the moment so I think they will ship once the days off are over.

Since I have no tracking number to constantly refresh yet, I tried to edit the most honest looking photo from the listing to be more white/color balanced. No idea if this means anything. Just playing with windows photos.

In my version the white tray looks more pure/stark white - less yellow (changed the warmth). But maybe I made it a little cool/bluish, honestly can't tell. I also reduced saturation and brightness a touch in my edit.

Cautiously optimistic about probably the least likely type of stone to work out when you aren't certain about it (darker larger garnets).
Also keeping in mind @LilAlex 's suggestion that the camera likes making colors more blue, so maybe the warmer version is more accurate over my bluer one (cuz the original photo was already camera-side blue-ified).

 

[toomuchB]

It arrived fast! I’ve had it for about an hour and already took a ton of photos and videos — too many for one post, so here is an Imgur link with the clearer ones.

The order is random except for the first 3: First is approximately the best it looks (does not look quite that good IRL) second is the worst it looks (low lighting) and the third is probably the most accurate representation in video I could get in mixed light.
So those are the most important ones if you don't feel like going through more.

https://imgur.com/a/cCZtFaj

The pics/vids cover a wide range of lighting: direct/indirect daylight, warm/cool artificial, and mixed. Flattering and unflattering.

I’d really appreciate any and all opinions, brutally honest opinions, especially from folks who own high-quality garnets of this type. I’m feeling a bit mixed and overwhelmed right now. I will develop more analytical and aesthetic opinions with time.

It’s definitely a pretty stone, but I have some questions:
- Does it look like a generic rhodolite with a purpler tone or more like a high-quality grape garnet?
- Do the pics/vids of the 4.28ct on the previous page seem like a fair “best of the best” representation of the material — or are they unrealistic?

The core of my issue: Even with experience of the test stones, I’m still unsure about the full 'purple potential' of these stones. I get really caught up in the purity of the purple and this clouds my judgement and expectations.

This one is 7ct, so keep in mind some darkness is expected (and appealing imo if its like a deeper amethyst), and the cut is just okay which holds it back a bit. The photos were rushed but overall I think you get a good idea of how it behaves. Oh, also, there’s also a leftover “test stone” in a few shots for comparison (sold to me as grape garnet, but I found it too warm).

Lastly, here are some photos of stones AJS Gems had in different lightings - their top quality material. Saved when I was considering a pair from them. Good reference material for judging color across lighting/comparing to mine. I think seeing how warm these high quality ones can shift makes me less critical of the warmth I am seeing in mine.

https://imgur.com/a/SLgUlJ4

Thanks in advance to the helpful folks here!

 

[toomuchB]

From this screenshot of the 4.28ct in the prev thread in what looks like diffused daylight - I actually think its as much of a pure purple than mine, but more of an 'open' color, ie. less darkess. But the stone is also 3ct lighter and quite a bit physically smaller.

Is this down to medium dark vs darker-but-not-too-dark for me perhaps? I dunno.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Oh wow, that WAS fast! So you sort of took the words out of my mouth... she's 7ct., and this material already has a medium-dark tone. That is going to be deepened by the large weight/size. So yes, I do find her a bit dark. And because the cut isn't great, you're not getting the full "flash" potential. But in the photos where the stone looks brighter, I do see lots of nice purple and pink flashes. To answer your question, she does look like a proper grape/royal garnet to me (not just your average rhodolite). Again, she's darker than I'd like to see, but I'm not sure if that will be the case in all of these larger sizes. Mine is somewhere in the 3-4ct. range, so it's difficult to compare in that respect. Did you maybe want to look for something with a better cut so, even if dark, it will be quite lively? How are you feeling about the stone now?

 

[toomuchB]

Oh wow, that WAS fast! So you sort of took the words out of my mouth... she's 7ct., and this material already has a medium-dark tone. That is going to be deepened by the large weight/size. So yes, I do find her a bit dark. And because the cut isn't great, you're not getting the full "flash" potential. But in the photos where the stone looks brighter, I do see lots of nice purple and pink flashes. To answer your question, she does look like a proper grape/royal garnet to me (not just your average rhodolite). Again, she's darker than I'd like to see, but I'm not sure if that will be the case in all of these larger sizes. Mine is somewhere in the 3-4ct. range, so it's difficult to compare in that respect. Did you maybe want to look for something with a better cut so, even if dark, it will be quite lively? How are you feeling about the stone now?

Thanks for reading through my ramblings!

Glad someone with an AJS stone agrees this isn’t a typical rhodo. The flashes are beautiful—definitely the highlight—but I wish they were more prominent. Deal breaker? Not sure yet. I'm going to live with it for a few days. I have a $10 irradiated topaz with nearly identical size and cut, and it’s a shame they used the same basic faceting on this rough.

Chatted with Todd @tucsontoddsgems (seller on IG with a lot of garnet experience and very kind!), and he confirmed it’s essentially impossible to find 5+ ct stones without the kind of darkness we're seeing in mine. From my searching, AJS and Rare Gemstone Co also haven’t had anything over 5ct that matches the quality of their smaller stones. While 5ct was my mental minimum, I’d consider something in the 4ct range in reality. There likely isn't a huge difference in face-up size here anywway.

Todd echoed our thoughts—it’s a good stone, very nice purple, and yes a bit dark due to the size. He said his approach is to buy the best of a certain kind of stone, then upgrade later - so he suggested keeping this stone. My approach has always been to hold out for (near) perfect. But I also won’t pay $1000+/ct for this material because I don't think its worth that.

Outcome 1: Despite feeling rude about it, I just offered $600/ct for the 4.28ct stone (loose, no setting)—around triple per ct what I paid for this 7ct. I think this is the maximum I am comfortable paying for this material, I think its a high price. I doubt my offer will be accepted, but if it is, I’ll likely just buy it and return the 7ct. And hope its the (near) perfect stone it appears to be.

Assuming the offer is rejected, we get outcome 2 which is a dilemma: since I likely won’t find a better one at the right price/size easily if at all, is that a good enough reason to keep this lovely but imperfect stone, upgrading if a better one pops up (Todds suggestion)? This I need to think about.

Positive note - I like it more than the 2ct test stone I posted earlier and sold, which was lovely but it was simply too small. At their best, they both have/had that perfect amethyst-y color - this big guy just shows it less often and with less flash.

 

[Autumn in New England]

All salient points, and I agree! The 4.28ct. definitely looks lighter to my eyes, if maybe a bit more plum. I'm interested to see what you ultimately decide!!

 

[toomuchB]

All salient points, and I agree! The 4.28ct. definitely looks lighter to my eyes, if maybe a bit more plum. I'm interested to see what you ultimately decide!!

I think it might be more of a shifter, mine doesn't seem to have a dramatic shift like the AJS pairs I posted or the 4.28. I think this might be because the darkness masks color overall.

I'm pretty confident in the quality not just based on the vendor's depiction but because it is this same stone.

Royal Purple Garnet Cushion 4.28 Carat - Rare Gemstone Company

Outstanding and very rare indeed. Fine Royal Purples from the renowned Manica deposit are stunning but finding larger stones is a challenge. That's why this incredible4.28 carat Cushion is so special. Boasting that wonderful, intense velvety purple that these gems are so revered for. Rare and...

www.theraregemstonecompany.com

 

[Starstruck8]

Hmm... I see your problem.

Here's my story. Make of it what you will. Here's my Mozambique purple garnet (3.7ct, set with tsavorites in white and yellow gold):

(Left - under blue sky; Right - in early morning sun)

I haven't shown it before because I'm a bit ashamed of it. I was drawn by the purple flashes and thought I could live with the overall darkness. I still love the purple flashes, but I've never got used to the darkness, so don't wear it much. This was the stone that taught me not to set a stone that's too dark.

Like all other pink-purple garnets I seen, it's very shifty - purple under a blue sky to red with a warm compact fluorescent.

To answer your question directly, I agree with @Autumn in New England: your stone is a true purple garnet. 7ct is huge for this material, so it's not surprising that it's a bit dark.

So I understand your dilemma. I think the trick, as with @Autumn in New England's and @LilAlex's fabulous stones, is to look for the right cut, so that you see more flash and less darkness. The 4.28ct stone shows promise.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Hmm... I see your problem.

Here's my story. Make of it what you will. Here's my Mozambique purple garnet (3.7ct, set with tsavorites in white and yellow gold):

(Left - under blue sky; Right - in early morning sun)

I haven't shown it before because I'm a bit ashamed of it. I was drawn by the purple flashes and thought I could live with the overall darkness. I still love the purple flashes, but I've never got used to the darkness, so don't wear it much. This was the stone that taught me not to set a stone that's too dark.

Like all other pink-purple garnets I seen, it's very shifty - purple under a blue sky to red with a warm compact fluorescent.

To answer your question directly, I agree with @Autumn in New England: your stone is a true purple garnet. 7ct is huge for this material, so it's not surprising that it's a bit dark.

So I understand your dilemma. I think the trick, as with @Autumn in New England's and @LilAlex's fabulous stones, is to look for the right cut, so that you see more flash and less darkness. The 4.28ct stone shows promise.

She's deep, but quite lovely, Star! It's so funny, because the stuff we're embarrassed by, others would likely regard highly. But it also pays to be fussy sometimes! Anyway, I love the decidedly red flashes in your stone. And setting it with tsavs was genius. You may have initially been disappointed, but you certainly made the best of it!

 

[Autumn in New England]

I think it might be more of a shifter, mine doesn't seem to have a dramatic shift like the AJS pairs I posted or the 4.28. I think this might be because the darkness masks color overall.

I'm pretty confident in the quality not just based on the vendor's depiction but because it is this same stone.

Royal Purple Garnet Cushion 4.28 Carat - Rare Gemstone Company

Outstanding and very rare indeed. Fine Royal Purples from the renowned Manica deposit are stunning but finding larger stones is a challenge. That's why this incredible4.28 carat Cushion is so special. Boasting that wonderful, intense velvety purple that these gems are so revered for. Rare and...

www.theraregemstonecompany.com

Oh wow... yeah, that thing is stunning!! And Antony is so great to work with. I think this one is going to be a winner, my friend!! I see royal purple, pink, AND blue. The cut is also fabulous. I really have a good feeling about this guy.

 

[Autumn in New England]

P.S. One of the things I love most about this vendor is, because he procures all of his own rough from the mines, he has the entire gem history documented. But a wee infant, she was!

 

[toomuchB]

Hmm... I see your problem.

Here's my story. Make of it what you will. Here's my Mozambique purple garnet (3.7ct, set with tsavorites in white and yellow gold):

(Left - under blue sky; Right - in early morning sun)

I haven't shown it before because I'm a bit ashamed of it. I was drawn by the purple flashes and thought I could live with the overall darkness. I still love the purple flashes, but I've never got used to the darkness, so don't wear it much. This was the stone that taught me not to set a stone that's too dark.

Like all other pink-purple garnets I seen, it's very shifty - purple under a blue sky to red with a warm compact fluorescent.

To answer your question directly, I agree with @Autumn in New England: your stone is a true purple garnet. 7ct is huge for this material, so it's not surprising that it's a bit dark.

So I understand your dilemma. I think the trick, as with @Autumn in New England's and @LilAlex's fabulous stones, is to look for the right cut, so that you see more flash and less darkness. The 4.28ct stone shows promise.

Thank you for sharing your very similar story — it's incredibly helpful and definitely a wise warning about the “getting used to the darkness” temptation I’m currently facing. I'm sorry you feel ashamed of your piece, but I’m really grateful you posted it anyway for my benefit. Those purple flashes are still stunning.

I’m starting to accept that with this material, cut quality is critical - and I need to give that more weight than I usually do. I can really see it now with the stone I have in hand. I honestly think a more lively cut would’ve made a huge difference in how appealing it is. Waiting for an answer (likely negative) on my offer on the 4.28ct ...

Oh wow... yeah, that thing is stunning!! And Antony is so great to work with. I think this one is going to be a winner, my friend!! I see royal purple, pink, AND blue. The cut is also fabulous. I really have a good feeling about this guy.

Ah, maybe it wasn't clear - I would not be buying from Antony. This is just the same stone that is in the ring - the 4.28ct. Look at the stats, reports, etc. Edit - the rough documentation is included in the listing as well.
Their price is much higher than what it was originally priced at by Antony. Fingers crossed we can come to an agreement.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Oh I didn't see the weight on the ring (duh), so I didn't add 2+2! Oh my goodness... I think you're in for a real treat with that one.

 

[toomuchB]

Oh I didn't see the weight on the ring (duh), so I didn't add 2+2! Oh my goodness... I think you're in for a real treat with that one.

Yeah it is gorgeous. The video of it looks too good to be true, so keeping that in mind, yes I'm in for a treat only if they accept my offer or show willingness to be flexible.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Yeah it is gorgeous. The video of it looks too good to be true, so keeping that in mind, yes I'm in for a treat only if they accept my offer or show willingness to be flexible.

I see now. I actually like the truer purple color in the video. I can't see how this stone could disappoint, truly! I hope they're willing to work with you on the price!!

 

[Odyssey44]

Thank you for sharing your very similar story — it's incredibly helpful and definitely a wise warning about the “getting used to the darkness” temptation I’m currently facing. I'm sorry you feel ashamed of your piece, but I’m really grateful you posted it anyway for my benefit. Those purple flashes are still stunning.

I’m starting to accept that with this material, cut quality is critical - and I need to give that more weight than I usually do. I can really see it now with the stone I have in hand. I honestly think a more lively cut would’ve made a huge difference in how appealing it is. Waiting for an answer (likely negative) on my offer on the 4.28ct ...



Ah, maybe it wasn't clear - I would not be buying from Antony. This is just the same stone that is in the ring - the 4.28ct. Look at the stats, reports, etc. Edit - the rough documentation is included in the listing as well.
Their price is much higher than what it was originally priced at by Antony. Fingers crossed we can come to an agreement.

Any news? I'm following your story and keeping my fingers crossed for you! Plus I can't wait to see vendor vs. your picture.

 

[toomuchB]

Any news? I'm following your story and keeping my fingers crossed for you! Plus I can't wait to see vendor vs. your picture.

Thanks for asking! Vendor of the 4.28ct is a slow responder, so haven't gotten a response yet. That's why I haven't updated. I wonder if they have a set 'customer service' day each week or so. Last time, once I did get a response, follow-ups came immediately.

But there's an update on the Etsy stone - I sent it back (arrived in India as we speak) after having to deal with some guilt tripping attempts by the seller - as if I wasn't just acting according to their shop policy. I think some sellers bank on most people not having the energy/will/time to go through with a return. I will still give them a 5 star review once the refund goes through - out of pity, the fact that the stone was pretty decent and they did go through with the return without too much resistance.
This is the first time I've ever sent a stone back - usually I am quite set/confident in what I want and I buy from dealers with very honest photography where I don't have to guess much.

@Starstruck8, your story/post really brought me back down to earth. THANK YOU. I likely WOULDN'T get over the darkness, at least not in combination with the cut. I think I was tempted by the potential at that price+size leading me to abandon the 'don't buy too dark' principle. Just goes to show I need reminders of the basics sometimes.

 

[Odyssey44]

Guilt tripping is not cool! Would that make you have second thoughts at all about buying again from that vendor? The main thing is you get your refund of course.
In addition to the whole garnet color saga, I too have the mental 5cts minimum for a stone. (If I am being honest 7 to 8 is my sweet spot) So I especially like to see your stones.
Will keep fingers crossed for you still!

 

[Autumn in New England]

Thanks for asking! Vendor of the 4.28ct is a slow responder, so haven't gotten a response yet. That's why I haven't updated. I wonder if they have a set 'customer service' day each week or so. Last time, once I did get a response, follow-ups came immediately.

But there's an update on the Etsy stone - I sent it back (arrived in India as we speak) after having to deal with some guilt tripping attempts by the seller - as if I wasn't just acting according to their shop policy. I think some sellers bank on most people not having the energy/will/time to go through with a return. I will still give them a 5 star review once the refund goes through - out of pity, the fact that the stone was pretty decent and they did go through with the return without too much resistance.
This is the first time I've ever sent a stone back - usually I am quite set/confident in what I want and I buy from dealers with very honest photography where I don't have to guess much.

@Starstruck8, your story/post really brought me back down to earth. THANK YOU. I likely WOULDN'T get over the darkness, at least not in combination with the cut. I think I was tempted by the potential at that price+size leading me to abandon the 'don't buy too dark' principle. Just goes to show I need reminders of the basics sometimes.

I think you made the right call, and clearly you're comfortable with your decision. I also very rarely make returns, but when I do, foreign sellers almost always first try to get you to keep the stone with a partial refund. I think it's just their basic strategy to try and avoid a costly/risky return. I'm glad you stuck to your guns. If I am not fully happy with a gem, no discount is going to satisfy me. On to the next!

Man, I loathe when sellers are slow in responding. I'm such an instant gratification girl (trying hard to change that though). Just preoccupy yourself with something else in the meantime, and then maybe send a follow-up message on Tuesday if you haven't heard anything. Sometimes it takes a little nudging. Also, since they are a US seller, Easter may be affecting their response time. Again, good luck!

 

[toomuchB]

Guilt tripping is not cool! Would that make you have second thoughts at all about buying again from that vendor? The main thing is you get your refund of course.

I was expecting him to be outwardly upset about it based on the friendly/casual/informal way of talking. I actually told my mother I was dreading dealing with it. His responses were as if I hurt some friendship, not his wallet.
But, he also asked if it was his fault in any way, what he could have done to prevent it, and welcomed me to buy something in the future (even though I caused them 'trouble'). So it wasn't all coming from a bad place.
I was very polite back, and suggested that instead of free shipping maybe they could charge - since apparently shipping to my place was particularly expensive. This was one of the several guilt trip attempts - 'we went out of our way and paid extra to ship alllll the way to you using a fast service, now we lose out on that' - when I would have gladly paid for slow shipping. I made sure to be firm, not apologize etc., plus under the Etsy policy, they had to buckle quickly.
Would I buy from them again - they have nothing else that interests me and are unlikely to in the future based on what I'm seeing. I wouldn't rule them out based on the experience, hence why I will still give them a positive review. The stone was not significantly misrepresented and they were not as bad about the return as I expected.

Man, I loathe when sellers are slow in responding. I'm such an instant gratification girl (trying hard to change that though). Just preoccupy yourself with something else in the meantime, and then maybe send a follow-up message on Tuesday if you haven't heard anything. Sometimes it takes a little nudging. Also, since they are a US seller, Easter may be affecting their response time. Again, good luck!

I'm checking a couple times a day but its not consuming me, luckily. If it was that important to me I would just pay the asking price, even though I'm chea-I mean, frugal.
I will nudge politely/keep in mind Easter, good advice!