Here's a fun conundrum for you - I'd love your opinions!

[endless_summer]

Alright…so, here's fun conundrum for you!

I'm thinking Spess! I wear more orange than just about anyone I know, and I love, love, love the color…one of these days, I'll start setting, but right now I'm on a bit of a stone kick

All else equal, if you had your choice, do you go 8mm round or 8mm x 10mm oval? An 8mm x 10mm spess would be quite a statement piece, but I really love the glowball effect of the rounds. So, would you sacrifice size for shape? What do you think of an 8mm round generally? on a size 6? I feel like large spess rounds with a bright orange color are hard to come by. An oval in that size would outdo any kind of size I've ever contemplated, but I hesitate because I've never even considered going for one before.

As far as the overall look - I'd go platinum…I wish I wore yellow gold more. For the round, I'd want to set it in something like the Sholdt bypass semi-half bezel - perfect for a little sunball. For an oval, I'd set it in a semi-half bezel like Derbygal's beautiful ring - really nice choice with clean lines. To picture it, think something akin to the color of LtlFirecracker's amazing fireball for each

So…which would you pick?

 

[treasurehunter]

Its like comparing Apples and Oranges

 

[derbygal]

That is sweet of you to post my ring, endless summer. I originally had the spess set in a 4 prong white gold setting with a thicker band (no photos, unfortunately). I really loved the setting, but the stone wasn't set well. The prongs were never flush on the stone and it was constantly loose. Now that I've had it in yellow gold, I really think the color of the stone popped more in the white gold. I also think it would be super cool with a halo. I guess I have a reset somewhere in my future. Good luck with your decision. If I could have ANY spess ring it would be Aljdewey's. It is amazing!

 

[derbygal]

I'm also partial to Becpic's lovely east west oval.

 

[derbygal]

Link to becpic's ring:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/spessartite-garnet-mandarin.191447/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/spessartite-garnet-mandarin.191447/[/URL]

Link to aljdewey's ring: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/great-balls-of-fire.178802/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/great-balls-of-fire.178802/[/URL]

 

[katharath]

It just really depends on what you like best. I LOOOVE rounds, so I would choose the round in a heartbeat. An 8 mm round is a great size, especially for a size 6 finger. I think a stone that size is large and beautiful and can be worn anytime, but not be overwhelming. If you haven't already, get a couple of cheap stones in those two shapes/sizes, and pop them into a ring stone holder. You can "wear" that and try them out, to really see which you like better.

 

[NKOTB]

Well, I'd always pick a round over an oval, but do you actually have two such stones to choose from, both with colours that you LOVE? Because the "right" orange might not be readily available, or take a bit of time to find, at which point, you might not even care what shape it's in! (within reason, of course! )

 

[FrekeChild]

Here is my 8mm spess (plain setting compared to most!) in 18kt YG.

And a 10mm spess in a halo that belongs to miraclesrule.

I wear a size 6.25-6.5.

ETA: MAN, these pics look like crap on PS! Miracles' is especially fantastic IRL.

 

[T L]

I like round stones better as to avoid that half/half extinction and the bowties that annoy people. A round spess also reminds me of the sun, so I think its a gem well suited to round shapes.

I own plenty of ovals, but if I had my druthers, they'd all be rounds instead - same carat weight of course

 

[endless_summer]

Its like comparing Apples and Oranges

It is - that's why it's hard to make a decision

Derbygal,

yeah, there are some really pretty oval rings here, but yours is the first one that I saw and thought that something similar would suit me I really like it a lot! Aljdeway's ring is awesome with a great color - I just can't see myself wearing it as much as I would something with clean lines - but, that is a really amazing color! And, I'm glad you made your comment about the white gold - I'd like to not go yellow gold, so I'm happy you find that your stone looks better with the white.

It just really depends on what you like best. I LOOOVE rounds, so I would choose the round in a heartbeat. An 8 mm round is a great size, especially for a size 6 finger. I think a stone that size is large and beautiful and can be worn anytime, but not be overwhelming. If you haven't already, get a couple of cheap stones in those two shapes/sizes, and pop them into a ring stone holder. You can "wear" that and try them out, to really see which you like better.

Katharath - I don't own a round yet - I tend towards rectangles and squares, but I really love the round spesses - they look like little suns and just glow I know I can see just a tenth or two of a millimeter in squares, but I'm hoping that an 8mm round wouldn't look small by comparison - I agree with you that it's a great size, as that used to be what I was hoping for. I like your idea about getting the two different shapes/sizes. I looked at the 8mm size with a ruler, and I bet the setting that I'd want for a round would add to the diameter in terms of finger coverage generally, so we'll see!

Well, I'd always pick a round over an oval, but do you actually have two such stones to choose from, both with colours that you LOVE? Because the "right" orange might not be readily available, or take a bit of time to find, at which point, you might not even care what shape it's in! (within reason, of course! )

NKOBT - I think so! It's actually a piece of rough that could be cut into an 8mm round or an 8mm by 10mm oval - so literally, all else would be equal! That's why I jumped on here - It is hard to find examples of orange stones that are a nice sunkist/florida orange color. I'm not really even shooting for a deep mandarin just a bright orange, and I think I've found it, so I'm inclined to jump on it My inclination is towards a round, since that it what I started out looking for and what I have wanted for a while, so I'll probably end up doing that - I just hate to know that my preference will literally waste good rough (and, good size!)

Freke,

I LOVE your spess! The color and everything - but, that 10mm has some coverage! That said, do you think putting it into a setting like the sholdt with the bypass wrapping around would give an 8mm stone some added finger coverage?

I like round stones better as to avoid that half/half extinction and the bowties that annoy people. A round spess also reminds me of the sun, so I think its a gem well suited to round shapes.

I own plenty of ovals, but if I had my druthers, they'd all be rounds instead - same carat weight of course

Your preferences are exactly why I've never even thought of an oval - no matter how pretty the picture or excellent the cutting I just didn't want to bias folks replies, since it could be pretty. Do all ovals just have the half-half thing? And - yep - round spess = sun! That's what I am going for!

 

[T L]

Supernova ovals, a type of precision cutting pattern, was developed to avoid those half/half extinction and bow ties. Some half/half extinction on various ovals do not bother me as much, but I know it bothers others a lot more. For example, on pale toned stones, it's not as much of an issue to me, but I once had a tourmaline with it so pronounced, and it was not an oval, but a rectangular scissors cut, that even the light tone of the stone couldn't rescue it. This was a very expensive precision cut gem from a well known lapidary here too, so just because a gem is precision cut, it may not always have the best light return. I think he cut it more to retain weight than beauty to be honest, but did it in a "precision cut" instead.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/supernova-cut.137999/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/supernova-cut.137999/[/URL]

 

[minousbijoux]

That is sweet of you to post my ring, endless summer. I originally had the spess set in a 4 prong white gold setting with a thicker band (no photos, unfortunately). I really loved the setting, but the stone wasn't set well. The prongs were never flush on the stone and it was constantly loose. Now that I've had it in yellow gold, I really think the color of the stone popped more in the white gold. I also think it would be super cool with a halo. I guess I have a reset somewhere in my future. Good luck with your decision. If I could have ANY spess ring it would be Aljdewey's. It is amazing!

Get in line!

I vote for round. Oval spesses abound, but a round saturated, fireball is rare by comparison. Love the Sholdt setting.

 

[endless_summer]

That is sweet of you to post my ring, endless summer. I originally had the spess set in a 4 prong white gold setting with a thicker band (no photos, unfortunately). I really loved the setting, but the stone wasn't set well. The prongs were never flush on the stone and it was constantly loose. Now that I've had it in yellow gold, I really think the color of the stone popped more in the white gold. I also think it would be super cool with a halo. I guess I have a reset somewhere in my future. Good luck with your decision. If I could have ANY spess ring it would be Aljdewey's. It is amazing!

Get in line!

I vote for round. Oval spesses abound, but a round saturated, fireball is rare by comparison. Love the Sholdt setting.

Yep - it's gonna be a ROUND! A round spess glowball is what I wanted out of the gate and have wanted for a while...and, I might just end up with something larger than 8mm, so it's a done deal I will definitely post once it's cut and arrives!

 

[minousbijoux]

You are very lucky to even find a cutter who has good rough, because saturated orange orange seems to be largely a thing of the past.

 

[JewelFreak]

A bright orange round looks just like the sun on the finger; it's so spectacular. I vote for that!

 

[endless_summer]

You are very lucky to even find a cutter who has good rough, because saturated orange orange seems to be largely a thing of the past.

Minous, thank you! I do feel very, very lucky - especially to be able to find a piece that would cut a round and in a generous size - so, I was happy to jump on it!

 

[endless_summer]

A bright orange round looks just like the sun on the finger; it's so spectacular. I vote for that!

Thanks JewelFreak - that's exactly what I wanted, and now it's a go! I really appreciate you (and everyone who has commented and voted) jumping in to confirm my initial gut reaction to the choice - you guys are the absolute best

 

[JewelFreak]

Cool, ES! Can't wait to see what you come up with!! It'll be stunning.

 

[pregcurious]

All things equal, I would pick the round. It's is easier to find a good cut, and you can use stock settings usually.

In reality, I would pick the stone that had the better color.

 

[Kelli]

Mine is more of a "fall leaves" sort of orange, but it still reminds me of a big ball of sunshine, so I had to vote round.
This thread is totally making me drool by the way!

ETA: I cropped those iPhone pics and they look like CRAP! And I see you already chose round, so yay! Can't wait to see it!

 

[endless_summer]

Cool, ES! Can't wait to see what you come up with!! It'll be stunning.

Thank you sooooo much JewelFreak!

 

[endless_summer]

All things equal, I would pick the round. It's is easier to find a good cut, and you can use stock settings usually.

In reality, I would pick the stone that had the better color.

It's definitely going to be a round, and the color will be exactly the same - if picking color were at issue as well, then I would definitely be picking for color

 

[endless_summer]

Mine is more of a "fall leaves" sort of orange, but it still reminds me of a big ball of sunshine, so I had to vote round.
This thread is totally making me drool by the way!

ETA: I cropped those iPhone pics and they look like CRAP! And I see you already chose round, so yay! Can't wait to see it!

Kelli, I LOVE your ring - it's silly how many times I have admired it! It's one of the rings that made me love rounds for spesses - the balls of sunshine are just so striking! All of the spesses here are so amazing…you guys set quite the bar!

 

[Kelli]

Thank you

 

[FrekeChild]

Lol. Every time I see this thread title, I want it to say "corundum" instead of "conundrum". I can't help.

 

[endless_summer]

Lol. Every time I see this thread title, I want it to say "corundum" instead of "conundrum". I can't help.

You just made me literally laugh out loud…I've actually said corundum when I meant conundrum once or twice

 

[FrekeChild]

Awesome. I aim to please.

I like how I left "it" off the end of my post before. Toddler was crawling on me and headed for the laptop....

 

[chrono]

When I initially became interested in gemmology, I had to constantly make sure I did not confuse conundrum with corundum, so I think it's a common mind twister.

For me, colour comes first. If there is no effect whatsoever, then my choice would be a round. Also of note, I thought it was impossible to get the half/half shadowing on a round shaped stone but a PS friend proved me wrong and showed me pictures of one. I guess it is rare though.

 

[endless_summer]

When I initially became interested in gemmology, I had to constantly make sure I did not confuse conundrum with corundum, so I think it's a common mind twister.

For me, colour comes first. If there is no effect whatsoever, then my choice would be a round. Also of note, I thought it was impossible to get the half/half shadowing on a round shaped stone but a PS friend proved me wrong and showed me pictures of one. I guess it is rare though.

Thanks Chrono! And, who knew? I've never seen a round with half-half, but it's good to know!

 

[derbygal]

Kelli, I'm crazy over your spess. Simply delicious! Every time I see this thread I see corundum, too.