is this a good spinel?

[Miss Sparkly]

Ever since lusting over a natural hot pink sapphire I've been trying to find an inexpensive gem to fill my pink void

I found this .54 carat spinel for $30. Does it look like a decent stone?

eta: it is not treated

 

[Miss Sparkly]

.

 

[T L]

For $30, it's not a huge risk to take, but buyer beware. They do synthesize these gems in various shades. I would not take a seller's word that it is untreated and/or a natural spinel without a reputable lab report, unless you know he/she handled the rough him/herself. It does seem to be a very intense color for the size. It could also be a synthetic sapphire.

 

[VapidLapid]

It certainly is a pretty little stone and looks to be a great color, at least from the vendor photo. I would expect that the porthole-like window I see would turn into just a culet at real life scale. So the only remaining question, as TL pointed out is the authenticity. Now I look at this vendor''s stuff a lot but I have never bought so I can''t say anything about them. They do seem to have a good rep with others here and you might want to do a search herein pricescope for others'' experiences. their listing for this stone does say that it is from Tanzania. Is it worth it for you to get their $20 certificate for a thirty dollar stone that you will never take to GIA for testing?

 

[chrono]

The red flag for me is the very inexpensive $30 price for such a super saturated spinel even if it is only a half carat stone. I wouldn’t spend $25 for an AIGS brief for a stone that inexpensive but would suspect a synthetic spinel or beryllium diffused sapphire for that price. It’s just a risk you’ll have to assume.

 

[vsol]

Does the vendor happen to give dimensions -- that will help a lot with determining authenticity. With that huge pavilion and at .54ct I would expect that stone to have maybe 4mm diameter crown.

 

[manalert]

Hi, in my opinion it''s quite small and hardly to see when it was set on your ring.
If you fall inlove on round Spinel hope you interest this item like me

http://cgi.ebay.com/Full-of-Luster-1-85ct-EXQUISITE-5A-Pink-Round-SPINEL_W0QQitemZ320515245958QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4aa0328786

 

[Miss Sparkly]

I''m looking for a specific size - 4mm to 5.5mm. I think I''ll pass on this one though, the more I see it the more I don''t like the cut.

 

[VapidLapid]

Perhaps you would consider one of these.

http://www.gemrite.com/cubecart/index.php?page=1&act=viewCat&catId=10

the .67 carat one has been tempting me for months

 

[PumpkinPie]

Date: 4/14/2010 9:12:34 PM
Author: VapidLapid
Perhaps you would consider one of these.


http://www.gemrite.com/cubecart/index.php?page=1&act=viewCat&catId=10


the .67 carat one has been tempting me for months

that stone is pretty but not nearly the colour saturation of the one originally posted - the colour on the original poster''s potential stone seems super saturated for the price