Lavender spinel

[aggal06]

I''m seriously thinking about trying to find someone who can source me a lavender spinel. They seem really hard to get and go really fast when they are posted for sale on the websites I''ve looked at. Who would you recommend asking to source one for you? Would it be hard to find a cushion, or should I not be picky about the shape? I am wanting one for a ring but I''m not sure what size to specify that I want. I''d love to see pictures of yours if you have them

 

[T L]

lavender blue, or lavender pink?

They tend to color shift and some go more blue or pink.

 

[aggal06]

Lavender blue

 

[T L]

Date: 2/4/2010 3:54:35 PM
Author: aggal06
Lavender blue

Well, yes, that color is pretty popular and sells out quite fast. Did you check multicolour.com?

Here's some nice ones. I prefer the lighter toned stones. The darker ones tend to black out. They all seem to have grey in them as well, but it's almost impossible to avoid in a bluish spinel.

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?-883577979

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?-178378214

Found a cushion. It has an inclusion, but it seems like a nice color.

http://www.swalagemtraders.com/search-gems/detail.php?pid=2094&cPage=6&sort=&perpage=8&cat=&display1=1&display2=&display3=0&category=&variety=&key=&match=&indicate=&reserve_type=&pagefrom=newarrivals

 

[joy2theworld]

I have picked up a few from Dan at customgemstones.com over the past year that are round or emerald cut. He has some very pretty color ones, but cushion cuts seem harder to find.

 

[packrat]

I would contact some of the vendors and see if they have anything not on their websites, or if they have rough they could cut.

Lavender blue in a cushion is a bear to find (that''s what I originally was looking for), and the one I chose, after about 5 months of searching and emailing cutters, is more lavender pink (cushion, but it does show some blue at times as well. My thread is a couple below this one, and I''ve got other threads about the stone if you go into my profile.

What kind of budget are you looking at?

 

[aggal06]

I think I''d be willing to spend 300-400 on a nice stone. This would however be my first gem purchase so I am a noob when it comes to this stuff and that may be way too much for a spinel.

I think I like the color of the trillion cut stone better than the pear, but they''re both nice.

So if I wasn''t looking for a cushion and I were looking for a round or oval cut instead, would that make it easier to find that particular color?

I did see this one http://www.acstones.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=139&idproduct=3105 but of course it''s already been purchased

 

[T L]

Date: 2/4/2010 11:29:14 PM
Author: aggal06
I think I''d be willing to spend 300-400 on a nice stone. This would however be my first gem purchase so I am a noob when it comes to this stuff and that may be way too much for a spinel.

I think I like the color of the trillion cut stone better than the pear, but they''re both nice.

So if I wasn''t looking for a cushion and I were looking for a round or oval cut instead, would that make it easier to find that particular color?

I did see this one http://www.acstones.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=139&idproduct=3105 but of course it''s already been purchased

Spinels in the blue/purple family tend to color shift. Sometimes they go more blue, sometimes more purple, but sometimes they can go almost pure grey. Always ask about the color shift when buying a spinel, and ask about how much grey it has. The more grey, the less saturated in color.

 

[arjunajane]

You''re correct, they are not easy to find!

After looking for over a year, I recently got my lavender blue from Barry at ACS and its lovely.
I would def. ask if he has anymore material, although I know he apparently got a ton of inquiries already after I posted my stone..

It may be a case of putting out all the feelers and waiting I''m afraid..

 

[Indylady]

Multicolour has quite a few as TL mentioned earlier. I think I''ve seen cushions as well.

 

[aggal06]

I sent Barry Bridgestock an e-mail earlier so hopefully I''ll hear back something sometime today since I sent it around 8am CST. I told him I''d be interested in a cushion, oval, or round stone for a ring, so maybe that will help the search!

 

[T L]

Date: 2/5/2010 12:30:08 AM
Author: arjunajane
You''re correct, they are not easy to find!

After looking for over a year, I recently got my lavender blue from Barry at ACS and its lovely.
I would def. ask if he has anymore material, although I know he apparently got a ton of inquiries already after I posted my stone..

It may be a case of putting out all the feelers and waiting I''m afraid..

I emailed him about your violet blue Tunduru, but he said he just wished he had a pound of that material. LOL!

 

[aggal06]

I just received an email from Barry.

I''ve had many requests for stones with this color and I''ll be putting them up on the site as I get them finished.
I must have had over 20 requests for the spinels like this. That''s the bad news. The good news is that I''m
looking at a 250 carat parcel of Tunduru spinel with mixed colors today. These were mined in the late 90''s
and are certainly better than the junk I saw for sale at the Tucson show on Wednesday. These spinels will
produce smaller stones in the range of 5-6mm at best, but right now that''s all that''s available. I''ll be putting
new items up on the site at 6 pm on Fridays from now on and it will be done every week. I''m seriously thinking
about buying this entire parcel of spinels, so I''d better go back to work looking at them. I have a feeling you''d
love my "work" today! Thanks.

That''s good news, maybe he''ll have something soon!

 

[winternight]

Is lavender pinkish easier to get without the grey undertones? Is it easier/harder to get overall?

 

[Harriet]

It shouldn''t be difficult to find nor expensive.

 

[chrono]

It depends on your eye. Some people are able to spot the slightest hint of gray from a mile away while others have a hard time seeing it. I agree with Harriet that that colour is generally easy to find and inexpensive.

 

[aggal06]

http://www.customgemstones.com/SPINEL/sp1200.html

I did see this one but I have a feeling it''s too light in color and I don''t know what to think about it looking "sleepy" as he called it but still brilliant. What do you guys think?

 

[T L]

I''m sure it''s probably sold already. He doesn''t have a way of posting it sold immediately after payment.

 

[aggal06]

I went ahead and asked him if it was still available and if so I was wondering if he had more pictures of it. It''s worth a try.

 

[T L]

Date: 2/5/2010 2:09:41 PM
Author: Chrono
It depends on your eye. Some people are able to spot the slightest hint of gray from a mile away while others have a hard time seeing it. I agree with Harriet that that colour is generally easy to find and inexpensive.

Hmmmmm? Wonder who that could be???

 

[FrekeChild]

Dan''s pictures are usually lighter than the stones. He says to go by his descriptions of the color more than the pictures. Also, he often just has the one picture. I''ve managed to get a video out of him once, but it was for a stone for my ering. He normally doesn''t do that.

 

[aggal06]

He sold the stone on ebay a couple of days ago.

Thank you everyone, for your knowledge!

 

[T L]

Date: 2/5/2010 2:09:41 PM
Author: Chrono
It depends on your eye. Some people are able to spot the slightest hint of gray from a mile away while others have a hard time seeing it. I agree with Harriet that that colour is generally easy to find and inexpensive.

I think they''re difficult to find without a lot of grey. Greyish lavender blues are all over the place, I agree.

 

[FrekeChild]

Hey TL, did you see Dan''s description on that purple/blue oval spinel (I think it''s sold)? I saw it and thought of you!

 

[T L]

Oh this description - LOL!! Yeah, that''s me, and Chrono too.

This spinel is a very pretty bluish purple color in daylight shifting to a more of just a medium purple under incandescent light. It has a very,very slight grayish undertone that some people would see, and some wouldn''t.

 

[aggal06]

oh oh, Dan is cutting a spinel right now, and it looks to be a nice purplish/blue color. Perhaps it''s because I inquired? *crosses fingers*

I haven''t gotten a second e-mail back from him though after I sent my second one telling him what I was looking for, so who knows. It may just be a coincidence.

 

[Maisie]

I hope you find what you are looking for. I''m going to keep my eye on what Barry is cutting!

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 2/5/2010 10:42:53 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 2/5/2010 12:30:08 AM

Author: arjunajane

You''re correct, they are not easy to find!


After looking for over a year, I recently got my lavender blue from Barry at ACS and its lovely.

I would def. ask if he has anymore material, although I know he apparently got a ton of inquiries already after I posted my stone..


It may be a case of putting out all the feelers and waiting I''m afraid..

I emailed him about your violet blue Tunduru, but he said he just wished he had a pound of that material. LOL!

ha ha, yes Barry did tell me that post caused him a minor headache, lol..
sounds promising with the couple hunj'' cts he''s just purchased though - gotta be some winners in there right!?

It really is a gorgeous stone, I''m very happy I jumped on it..

Now, if only I could find a round blue spinel that is not overly dark, I can complete my suite and have Julia begin crafting my 5 stone bracelet - and I''m quickly finding this is not as easy as I imagined!

 

[T L]

Date: 2/6/2010 7:02:41 AM
Author: arjunajane

Date: 2/5/2010 10:42:53 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 2/5/2010 12:30:08 AM

Author: arjunajane

You''re correct, they are not easy to find!


After looking for over a year, I recently got my lavender blue from Barry at ACS and its lovely.

I would def. ask if he has anymore material, although I know he apparently got a ton of inquiries already after I posted my stone..


It may be a case of putting out all the feelers and waiting I''m afraid..

I emailed him about your violet blue Tunduru, but he said he just wished he had a pound of that material. LOL!

ha ha, yes Barry did tell me that post caused him a minor headache, lol..
sounds promising with the couple hunj'' cts he''s just purchased though - gotta be some winners in there right!?

It really is a gorgeous stone, I''m very happy I jumped on it..

Now, if only I could find a round blue spinel that is not overly dark, I can complete my suite and have Julia begin crafting my 5 stone bracelet - and I''m quickly finding this is not as easy as I imagined!

I guess that means you won''t be posting pictures of it?

 

[Largosmom]

I am the person who won the ebay stone from Dan Stair. I just received it yesterday. I love the cut and brilliance, not so sure about the bubble veil, though--it is the first stone I have that did not immediately "sing" to me. It is accurately described...the inclusions are not visible to the eye, but definitely to the loupe and probably to my macro setting on my camera. I am fascinated by the inclusions, but the color isn''t calling to me, know what I mean?



Laura