Help with AJS Morganite (Last Day of Sale)

[toomuchB]

The classic test for a window is whether you can clearly read text through it face-up - you can see an example in the image below.

The morganite is a step cut with minimal, broad facets plus a high carat weight. All these factors may cause text to be readable or cause part of the stone being seethrough at even a slight angle. But if well cut, this should not happen face-up (intuitive thinking from seeing such stones online and IRL, I don't own large step cuts to test. There are degrees of quality of precision cuts - look up John Dyer)

The shot on the leaf suggests no window.
The shot of the profile suggests a somewhat shallow cut which could make tilt windows more obvious. Keep in mind that the positive side of a shallow cut is a bigger face-up (visual/mm size).

I think you should ask yourself how much the cut truly bothers you versus how much you are searching for what is considered perfection. The benitoite I posted earlier is 0.71ct yet has a similar face-up size to a much more expensive (x5 the cost) 1.8ct sold piece I found online. Imo its often pros and cons, not always right and wrong, when it comes to cut. However, some insist on excellent prescision cut. This is where personal preference is a factor.

You did pay a relatively high price for this material so you should be 100% happy. I am far from experienced on morganite, maybe others can direct about pricing, cut quality of this particular higher quality material or suggest alternative sources.

Disclaimer I am far from an expert, this is just how I would think in your shoes.

 

[dk168]

As I have mentioned before, when a stone is deep, tilt window is inevitable.

If you are not happy with the stone, then return it.

At the end of the day, only you can decide if you are happy with it or not based on your own assessment on the stone in your hand. This applies to this and any other stones that you may wish to consider.

DK

 

[Odyssey44]

I appreciate all the advice!! This is a very hard stone to take pictures of face up in my hand, or put on a surface because the back is a ridge. It naturally wants to go to one side or the other.

I had not thought of different degrees of quality of precision cuts. I figured precision is precision. I know there are different types of precision cuts, but thought quality would be equal.

I know only I can ultimately decide. But my PS friends help me with knowing quality and whether it is worth the price from a quality and size perspective. That I do not trust myself to judge yet. I hope I get there!

There is also the intangible that I have no clue about--will this look perfect set and hanging around my neck.

 

[musicloveranthony]

It is really pretty - I can't speak on the cost because I've never sourced morganite. The color is vivid and well saturated. The cut is large and unique. If it's worth what you paid for it to YOU then it was a good purchase <3

 

[Mjay]

It’s a pretty unique stone. I don’t have any experience purchasing morganite so everyone can feel free to shoot me down if I’m wrong, but just by looking up comps; I feel like the price is way to high. Like out of control high. I think all of this vendors stones are dramatically overpriced.

 

[Odyssey44]

Thanks! I agree with you there--I got 40% off the original price for going out of business! So it was nosebleed high!

 

[Odyssey44]

Still mulling this over. I am wondering if it is an idea to get it appraised quickly. I know appraisals are usually for much more than what you paid and if mine is not, well I don't think I would keep it. Has anyone gotten an appraisal for help when deciding whether or not to keep a stone?

 

[T L]

Still mulling this over. I am wondering if it is an idea to get it appraised quickly. I know appraisals are usually for much more than what you paid and if mine is not, well I don't think I would keep it. Has anyone gotten an appraisal for help when deciding whether or not to keep a stone?

Appraisals are often what your insurance will cover if the stone goes missing or lost, or a high retail price. It’s not necessarily what you could sell the stone for yourself. In my experience, they’re often double or more the true worth of the stone.

 

[dk168]

IMHO, an independent appraisal would not help me like a CS more.

Therefore, it is a waste of money.

Besides, there is only a 10-day return window, therefore, not much time left to get an appraisal carried out.

Personal preferences and all that.

DK

 

[toomuchB]

Still mulling this over. I am wondering if it is an idea to get it appraised quickly. I know appraisals are usually for much more than what you paid and if mine is not, well I don't think I would keep it. Has anyone gotten an appraisal for help when deciding whether or not to keep a stone?

What is bothering you?
The cut? The price?
I think the cut is great - others might have higher standards - and I think the price ($5500 for 8ct?) is high but this color in morganite is not easy to find, plus the issue of undetectable treatment being a factor. I don't feel experienced enough to compare the color of other well colored morganites online to this one.

You can ask the seller for an extended return window.

 

[pokerface]

Looks like the AJS website is gone. Yikes! Hope OP loves this stone.

 

[dk168]

Looks like the AJS website is gone. Yikes! Hope OP loves this stone.

Hopefully, it is down temporarily and they can still be communicated via e-mails.

DK

 

[Odyssey44]

Thanks all. It is the see-through ability (I guess the tilt window) and the price that are giving me pause. Am I being an idiot spending this much on morganite? But perhaps the color really is worth that premium, because I cannot find such a true pink elsewhere. I have looked. I can get a much bigger stone for cheaper, but the color is not quite as pink and it is not 100% loope clean.

Morganite Trillion 29.50 Carat - Rare Gemstone Company

An incredible gemstone. Explosive brilliance - light really enjoys itself inside this stone! Superb color and cutting. Very, very beautiful indeed.

www.theraregemstonecompany.com

I just generally drive myself a bit crazy too with decisions sometimes. So I really thank you all for holding my hand. They told me the website would be closing the end of March but they are answering e-mails.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I don’t have anything technical to say but I find this gem to be exceptionally beautiful. The color in those leaf photos is amazing and I love how huge it is.

I also tend to really double think big purchases. I just bought a star sapphire that was, for me, a large purchase. I have felt pangs of doubt but I know when it’s set and I can wear and gaze at it, then I will love it and feel really good about owning such a rare gemstone. For me that is a huge part of my enjoyment of fine jewelry, but it’s a reward I can only access once the stone is set and worn, which makes it hard to factor into the equation when considering a loose gem. I wonder if you imagine wearing this morganite and how it will make you feel, will that help you to make the decision?

 

[Jopdrop]

It's here! The color is perfection. It is a true, clear pink which I have never seen in morganite before. The picture on the green leaf looks most true to color. It is perfect clarity, loupe clean. Any marks are the paper towel debris from me wiping off my fingerprints! The cut, I am not so sure. It was advertised as precision, but am I seeing big windows? I'm not sure. What do you think? I paid $5500 for it and have 10 days to decide whether or not to keep it. All these pictures are under LED light. I'll get some natural light pictures tomorrow.

That Piper has me drooling all over my keyboard

 

[Odyssey44]

I don’t have anything technical to say but I find this gem to be exceptionally beautiful. The color in those leaf photos is amazing and I love how huge it is.

I also tend to really double think big purchases. I just bought a star sapphire that was, for me, a large purchase. I have felt pangs of doubt but I know when it’s set and I can wear and gaze at it, then I will love it and feel really good about owning such a rare gemstone. For me that is a huge part of my enjoyment of fine jewelry, but it’s a reward I can only access once the stone is set and worn, which makes it hard to factor into the equation when considering a loose gem. I wonder if you imagine wearing this morganite and how it will make you feel, will that help you to make the decision?

I think you are right. It is not like I drop this amount of money on a gem everyday. I may be having cold feet. I have spent this evening looking at settings for inspiration and have a few--I think I will want another stone in either a different shade of pink or in light green. I'll make a new thread on those this week. When I think of the settings, I do feel happier. It is going to be something only I picked and have and that is a huge draw, yes. It is why I bought a loose stone instead of something at Costco. Thanks!

 

[Odyssey44]

That Piper has me drooling all over my keyboard

It is lovely--a parmatum. I can't believe how dark green it has turned! I only just bought it in January. I keep it under the LED pendant lamps on my kitchen island and it is loving life. If only Australia did not have such strict plant controls I would send you a cutting!

 

[pokerface]

In the leaf photos, the stone looks to be a true pink whereas in the others it is showing more brown. I suspect that even with the "discount" that the price is more than double what is considered fair market. If you are thinking of keeping the stone, you should consult with a good jeweler asap because you will want to know if there is a good way to set the stone to ensure it will lie flat. I'm guessing a creative jeweler can find a way but you wouldn't want to go through the trouble and expense of setting it only to find that it always tilts and therefore always shows a tilt window, and then be out both the cost of the stone and the setting.

 

[2Neezers]

It’s a pretty color and unique shape! I’m wondering if you hover the stone over a copper penny, does the tilt window lessen? If so, you could back the pendant design with rose gold. I’d do a back design that crosses under and covers the tilt window area, but has openings elsewhere so you can still clean the underside of the stone.

 

[toomuchB]

By complete chance I came across a pair of similar morganites, similar cut and weight range. You can reach out to get another idea of pricing, site is http://www.hc-arnoldi.de/. They seem to be mostly/only B2B so not sure how that would work out. This is the post:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Jopdrop]

It is lovely--a parmatum. I can't believe how dark green it has turned! I only just bought it in January. I keep it under the LED pendant lamps on my kitchen island and it is loving life. If only Australia did not have such strict plant controls I would send you a cutting!

Thank you! It has been on my wish list for some time. It is in Australia but I only know one person with it and he doesn’t propagate it anymore.

 

[Odyssey44]

In the leaf photos, the stone looks to be a true pink whereas in the others it is showing more brown. I suspect that even with the "discount" that the price is more than double what is considered fair market. If you are thinking of keeping the stone, you should consult with a good jeweler asap because you will want to know if there is a good way to set the stone to ensure it will lie flat. I'm guessing a creative jeweler can find a way but you wouldn't want to go through the trouble and expense of setting it only to find that it always tilts and therefore always shows a tilt window, and then be out both the cost of the stone and the setting.

Yikes. I sure do not want to pay double fair market value. I have been in touch with David Klass to design the pendant for me and he already did a drawing.

 

[Odyssey44]

It’s a pretty color and unique shape! I’m wondering if you hover the stone over a copper penny, does the tilt window lessen? If so, you could back the pendant design with rose gold. I’d do a back design that crosses under and covers the tilt window area, but has openings elsewhere so you can still clean the underside of the stone.

Good idea. I will try when I get home.

 

[Odyssey44]

By complete chance I came across a pair of similar morganites, similar cut and weight range. You can reach out to get another idea of pricing, site is http://www.hc-arnoldi.de/. They seem to be mostly/only B2B so not sure how that would work out. This is the post:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

Oooh, thank you toomuchB for looking out for me!!! I am writing to them now!
What did you think of the larger and cheaper trillion stone I posted above?
Here it is again. https://www.theraregemstonecompany.com/gemstone/morganite-trillion-29-50-carat-mrgc002

 

[toomuchB]

Oooh, thank you toomuchB for looking out for me!!! I am writing to them now!
What did you think of the larger and cheaper trillion stone I posted above?
Here it is again. https://www.theraregemstonecompany.com/gemstone/morganite-trillion-29-50-carat-mrgc002

Pros and cons.
I agree with your assessment. Less intense pink for size and lower price.

Here is a smaller trillion with seemingly better color, smaller (still big) size, and lower price. but I am not really comfortable comparing nuances online, so take with a bucket of salt. This seller is reputable, and I'd guess the stone is photographed at an angle making the cut look weird.

Natural Morganite 9.67 carats

Identification: Natural Morganite • Carat: 9.67 carats • Shape: Triangular • Measurement: 14.8 x 15.1 x 8.85 mm • Color: pastel pink • Cut: brilliant/step

jupitergem.com

 

[Odyssey44]

Pros and cons.
I agree with your assessment. Less intense pink for size and lower price.

Here is a smaller trillion with seemingly better color, smaller (still big) size, and lower price. but I am not really comfortable comparing nuances online, so take with a bucket of salt. This seller is reputable, and I'd guess the stone is photographed at an angle making the cut look weird.

Natural Morganite 9.67 carats

Identification: Natural Morganite • Carat: 9.67 carats • Shape: Triangular • Measurement: 14.8 x 15.1 x 8.85 mm • Color: pastel pink • Cut: brilliant/step

jupitergem.com

Ah, yes, I saw that one. It is a possibility. I think the trillion cut may make the stone look nicer. I actually had an inquiry in to ask if it was precision cut last Friday but no answer yet. Here are a couple more photos of mine. It is so hard to hold straight that I left it in its case and put the case on its side, just like the stone would hang around my neck. I don't really like what it is doing. Windowing I guess? But then is this the nature of morganite because in the picture you posted that stone seems to be doing the same thing.

 

[toomuchB]

Someone correct me if I am wrong.

While the main cause that makes the tilt windowing here so obvious is the large size and style of cut, even a small and perfectly cut morganite will show a tilt window. That is because of the low refractive index (RI) of morganite, so you could say the nature of morganite is a factor - as you put it.
It could be minimized by a cut like the larger trillion you shared, which shows a tilt window at a more extreme angle than the one you have (you can spin the image around or view the video). But the angle to show it is still not as extreme as a high RI stone like diamond, which you already saw here needs to be at a rather extreme angle for a relatively small tilt window:

No tilt window?

I’m interested in buying this stone (8.05 C, fancy intense, VVS2, radiant cut) but discovered it has a tilt window and have now educated myself on this common condition to some degree. I’m wondering if it’s possible to find a stone of this size without a tilt window?

www.pricescope.com

Hope that makes sense?

 

[toomuchB]

Here is the larger trillion you posted from face-up, to more and more angled.
So cut can make a difference since this is a better case than the one you have in hand, but there will always be some tilt issues in any stone. Benitoite has a higher RI than diamond, but due to the cut, the one I posted a couple pages back has a prominent tilt window - another example of cut making a difference, just reverse (meaning high RI but big tilt window)

 

[dk168]

As I have repeatedly mentioned, tilt window is unavoidable even when a stone has been cut by the best lapidary artist when the stone is deep.

Tilt windows are noticeable in my precision cut Aquamarines and they share similar optical properties with Morganites, being in the same gemstone family of Beryls.

This is the video of my 6.01ct Mount Antero Colorado Aquamarine measuring 12.33 x 9.37mm, precision cut by Jeff White, and tilt window can be observed when it is tilted from side to side, hence the term "tilt window":

DK

 

[dk168]

I actually had an inquiry in to ask if it was precision cut last Friday but no answer yet.

I do not believe it is precision cut as I do not expect to see facets not meeting to this extent in a precision cut stone:



I appreciate the stone has been magnified in this photo, however, the quality of the cutting should stand up to scrutiny when magnified if it has indeed been precision-cut.

Precision cut commands a premium, and sellers would normally state if a stone is precision cut in order to justify the higher prices, IMHO.

DK