Help finding a light pinky peach spinel

[mystmeree]

Hi all,
I'm completely new here and new to gemstones. I've got it in my head that I want to have ring made with a light pink peach spinel. Is it possible to find a good quality spinel under $500? I want one around 1.5 ct.

I love the Gemfix one attached but not the price ($1145).

The only only one I've found that is similar is from Pristine Gemstones. The picture doesn't look great. Has anyone bought from them?
http://www.pristinegemstonejewelry....t-ring-or-fine-jewelry-morgnite-alternative-1


Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Acinom]

Gemstone: Sapphire
Weight: .86ct
Dimension: 6.66 x 5.08 x 3.00 mm
Cut: Oval
Color: Peach
Clarity: VVS/Clean
Origin - Sri Lanka
Treatment: None
Certificate Included: GCI

Could this be something for you? It's from Jeff Davies. The price is 125$. Not sure if it's well cut though.

 

[mystmeree]

I'm definitely open to sapphires but didn't think they were in my price range. I went on Jeff Davies website and found the link to the video: http://youtu.be/lPAsqE_g9hc
Very pretty. I like the color. A bit smaller than I was hoping to find but I will keep this in mind. Thank you!

 

[Acinom]

I just bought a 1.49ct peach sapphire from Jeff last week. Perhaps you could ask him whether he has more in tbe pipeline: he adds new stones every day.

 

[Starzin]

You could also try Pristine's etsy shop since he appears to have different stock there. I don't know of anyone who has bought from him so will be interested in your experience. He does seem to have quite a few at the moment and most of them are at least well cut and avoid the gaping windows seen elsewhere.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/PristineGemstones?section_id=11348698&ref=shopsection_leftnav_9

For instance nearly every one of these sapphires has a great gaping window (clear area) in the middle showing no saturation or sparkle http://www.allsapphires.com/peach-sapphires/1-to-2-carats/.

You could always reach out to Jeff Davies and ask if he has/can get something that meets your requirements.

 

[kt]

I've bought from pristine a couple of years ago and I had a great experience - the stone I got was beautiful (a pad-colored spinel) and rogerio, the owner was very nice to deal with. Shipping came from Canada but it was well packaged and timely...and he was very good at communicating! I will have to see if I have a pic of my ring - I had it haloed in rose gold with a split shank..

 

[kt]

www.pricescope.com/forum/colored-stones/yippee-she-s-done-my-spinel-halo-ring-t167607.html

Here's the link to my ring with the stone - I don't have just the shots of the ring on my iPad.

 

[mystmeree]

I've bought from pristine a couple of years ago and I had a great experience - the stone I got was beautiful (a pad-colored spinel) and rogerio, the owner was very nice to deal with. Shipping came from Canada but it was well packaged and timely...and he was very good at communicating! I will have to see if I have a pic of my ring - I had it haloed in rose gold with a split shank..

Kt - how is your spinel holding up? I'm somewhat discouraged because I went to my local jeweler and he told me he would not recommend a spinel in an everyday ring, that it will scratch and get dull. He thinks I should get a sapphire instead. Now I don't know what to think.
Speaking of pad colored spinels, I actually emailed Rogerio (who was very nice and quickly responded to my emails) about one - which is not the color I originally wanted, but it's so pretty I'm almost swayed. Has a lot of inclusions though.

 

[minousbijoux]

I've bought from pristine a couple of years ago and I had a great experience - the stone I got was beautiful (a pad-colored spinel) and rogerio, the owner was very nice to deal with. Shipping came from Canada but it was well packaged and timely...and he was very good at communicating! I will have to see if I have a pic of my ring - I had it haloed in rose gold with a split shank..

Kt - how is your spinel holding up? I'm somewhat discouraged because I went to my local jeweler and he told me he would not recommend a spinel in an everyday ring, that it will scratch and get dull. He thinks I should get a sapphire instead. Now I don't know what to think.

Umm, come again? No!! Time to get another jeweler. Spinel has practically the same hardness as corundum and is exactly what we typically recommend here for an everyday ring (spinel, corundum, diamond and chrysoberyl, give or take one I'm likely overlooking).

 

[OreoRosies86]

I was just coming here to LEAP to spinel's defense! But Minous has got it covered

 

[mystmeree]

Ok, thanks everyone. Looks like I should see another jewler.

 

[digdeep]

Most likely the jeweler doesn't know what Spinel is! Unfortunately, a lot of jewelers stick to sapphires and diamonds and that's the extent of their "expertise"....... .

 

[T L]

Well, one of my favorite spinels has a lot of facet abrasion, but even corundum can get that. I can't see it with my naked eye though, but under a loupe?

 

[kt]

I have a number of spinel rings so any particular one doesn't always get worn every day, but they have so far all held up beautifully. The halo ring I showed i've now had a few years and I probably wear it a few times a week to my desk job and it's still great - and I would echo what everyone says here - spinel holds up beautifully for pretty much everyday, normal wear. I do take it off to do housework, and when I go the gym, but otherwise I don't "baby" my jewelry and I do run after a 5 year old when i'm not at work! hope that helps!

 

[kt]

I also meant to add: spinel is one of my favorite stones because they hold up well, have a fantastic color range, and are usually MUCH less expensive than sapphire (for most colors). The only thing is that i'm often drawn to blue stones and am always on the look out for ones that don't have too much gray, and that is hard to find in spinel (though I like gray stones too!). Just got a gorgeous one from NKOTB that that shifts blue to purple and I'm in love!

 

[LoversKites]

Although this one is 100 dollars over your budget and possibly not peach enough, I thought I'd post here.
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?1805804336

 

[mystmeree]

What do you all think of this one? It is a spinel. It doesn't have the peach tone in it but I still like it. Is the cut ok? The size is 6x5.5, will I have to get a custom mount if I got it?

 

[chrono]

Are you okay with the fact that it is a bit sleepy/silky/hazy?

 

[mystmeree]

Are you okay with the fact that it is a bit sleepy/silky/hazy?

Ugh, I have no idea! I'm guessing those bad things?

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Not necessarily, it is a matter of taste. Light silk makes a stone sleepy and more apt to glow instead of sparkle. Personally, I love silky stones. Others are bothered by it.

 

[Starzin]

Not necessarily. It simply means there is a particular kind of inclusion, usually "needles" which may or may not be visible to the eye, that reflect the light in a particular way so it's called sleepy. It can help to consolidate colour but takes away a little of the clear sparkle potential. Many people like it, particularly in sapphires since it helps with low light glow in stones.

Did you ask after the Rogerio one you posted first? Or this one? https://www.etsy.com/listing/159447...e?ref=shop_home_active_6&ga_search_query=pink

Since he has so many at the moment I definitely think it's worth having a phone or Skype session to see what he thinks might suit your requirements.

ETA: "snap" Lady_D

 

[mystmeree]

Lady_D & Starzin: do you think the light pink spinel looks okay even though it is silky or should I pass?

I emailed with Rogerio about that exact pad-colored spinel but ultimately decided that while I really like the color I wouldn't want it for an everyday ring. (I'm trying to create a replacement for my wedding set.) I didn't ask about the cushion spinel. I got a little hung up on the description that said "no inclusions visible to the casual observer." I'm still keeping it in mind though.

 

[Starzin]

Lady_D & Starzin: do you think the light pink spinel looks okay even though it is silky or should I pass?

I emailed with Rogerio about that exact pad-colored spinel but ultimately decided that while I really like the color I wouldn't want it for an everyday ring. (I'm trying to create a replacement for my wedding set.) I didn't ask about the cushion spinel. I got a little hung up on the description that said "no inclusions visible to the casual observer." I'm still keeping it in mind though.

If you like the colour on that one then get it to see whether you like the silk - this is not something we can tell you, it is personal preference as we've stated. It is very pale and if that's what you are going for then it can't hurt providing there is a good return policy.

Ask Rogerio what he would recommend given your restraints - and tell him what they are.

 

[pregcurious]

Here is a thread of sleepy gems. Basically, sleepiness is caused by fine inclusions that make a stone look cloudy (I don't know of another word to describe this). A small amount of sleepiness is prized in gems with a saturated color, like top Kashmir sapphires, because it helps to make the color of the gem look evenly distributed and velvety. Too much of it is not desirable because it negatively affects the brilliance of a stone. If you want your stone to refract lightly out (sparkle), instead of within the stone, you may want to avoid sleepiness. My guess is that it is not what you are looking for.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/sleepy-gems.140791/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/sleepy-gems.140791/[/URL]

 

[Starzin]

Oh well done finding that preg! I've bookmarked it for future reference.

However... Mystmeree... it may be a bit misleading to judge the spinel on those since it looks very lightly sleepy - i.e. not as sleepy as the rose quartz (last pic) probably more like Brandy's pear. Why? Look at the hand shots. This is still a sparkler.

 

[chrono]

I think it is best that you see the spinel in person to decide on the clarity, colour, etc. I cannot tell anything from the outdoor/hand shot, especially knowing that he used the best lighting condition possible.

 

[mystmeree]

I've purchased the sleepy looking spinel. There was a good return policy so I figured I'd take everyone's advice and see it in person. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[Acinom]

How exciting! I hope you love it in person. In the pictures it looks very feminine and dreamy

 

[SPSGuy]

Good choice, I personally am not a fan of the really saturated, vividly colored stones - at least not for everyday wear. Sometimes subtlety is a good thing, even in gemstones =p.

 

[Starzin]

I've purchased the sleepy looking spinel. There was a good return policy so I figured I'd take everyone's advice and see it in person. Thanks for all the advice!

Good for you and we will look forward to hearing - and seeing! - what you think of it once you have a chance to look at it. Make sure you see it in every type of lighting to see if/how it might change.

And please! Take LOTS of pictures