Mahenge spinels

[T L]

Both are around 2 carats. The more orange red one is a sleepy spinel, and it goes very red in incandescent light. The other one is pink and slightly sleepy, but much cleaner. They both fluoresce red under UV light. They're both really hard to photograph to get the color precise.

I'm still in the evaluation period, so honest opinions please.

 

[Cind11]

I''ve been waiting to see your pictures. What do you think of them and which one do you like better? More pictures lol ?

 

[loriken214]

WHEE.....look at that COLOR!!!!

Lori

 

[T L]

When I first opened the box, I though they were pretty, but then in certain lighting, I wasn''t as crazy about them.

 

[brandy_z28]

I like the sleepy one!!!

 

[cellentani]

The pinkish one reminds me of a pink sapphire. I like the color of the orangey one best, but I''m not sure I''d like the sleepyness. Do you feel you paid a fair price now that you see them IRL?

 

[T L]

Date: 6/3/2009 9:46:20 PM
Author: cellentani
The pinkish one reminds me of a pink sapphire. I like the color of the orangey one best, but I''m not sure I''d like the sleepyness. Do you feel you paid a fair price now that you see them IRL?

Yes, I feel the price was fair, it wasn''t too high, nor was it too low, but I''m not a spinel expert. I prefer my $59 one carat rubellite to these actually - more vivid in color.

 

[cellentani]

Maybe you should return the spinels and use the $$ to buy Mr. Kast some nice rough. I just sent him a big ugly stone to recut for me.

 

[Cind11]

I like the color of the "sleepier" one better but I wonder if the clarity would bother me.

 

[T L]

Date: 6/3/2009 9:53:43 PM
Author: cellentani
Maybe you should return the spinels and use the $$ to buy Mr. Kast some nice rough. I just sent him a big ugly stone to recut for me.

LOL!! How much does he charge for recutting anyways?

 

[FrekeChild]

Not a fan really. Of course it''s your call. The pink looks to have a window...

 

[T L]

The window doesn''t bother me, it''s fine color that I''m after. In some lighting the color is very pretty, and in some, it''s not. I guess I''ll return them. Color is paramount importance to me, and I guess if I want a better spinel, I''ll have to spend more. At this point in time, it''s not an urgency. I want a spinel like Boo''s, but I think I''ll have to shell out a couple of grand for that.

 

[icekid]

well, based on that one photo, I''m not super fussed on either of them. But it would really help if we had more than one

 

[T L]

That was the best photo out of a bunch.

 

[T L]

Another photo

 

[T L]

...

 

[Arcadian]

*scratches head*

Maybe its the lighting?


-A

 

[chrono]

The orangy pink one looks more vivid. The pink has a slight gray cast in your picture. In your last picture, the orange pink looks extremely sleepy - maybe a bit too much? Most importantly, do they hold their colour?

 

[T L]

The orange one goes a lot more vivid in incandescent light, but in fluorescent or sunlight, it looks like just a cloudy red stone.

 

[T L]

Date: 6/3/2009 10:49:30 PM
Author: Chrono
The orangy pink one looks more vivid. The pink has a slight gray cast in your picture. In your last picture, the orange pink looks extremely sleepy - maybe a bit too much? Most importantly, do they hold their colour?

No

 

[chrono]

Sounds like both aren''t what you are looking for. Boom''s stone doesn''t look that sleepy while retaining a vivid colouring.

 

[T L]

Boom''s stone is amazing!!

 

[TravelingGal]

Well, with everything you said TL, I''d send them back. You seem to know if you like something and you''re not really sounding too fond of either of these.

 

[T L]

I already emailed the vendor for a return authorization. Heck, I like this Vallejo tourmaline better as far as color and sleepiness.

I guess I shall always and forever remain "Tourmaline_Lover" - LOL!!

 

[sleepyspinel]

The colors look nice to me...

As I may have mentioned in previous posts, each stone has an optimal lighting environment. I feel that these tend to do really well on overcast days. Also in dim lighting environments, they do appear to catch light much better than purely crystalline stones. I remember when I first got mine, they took a bit of time to figure out which lights looked best, ie I needed a day or so to truly appreciate their unique qualities. Have you tried taking pics with flash? I am curious how they respond to that...

I do hope you are able to bring them around with you for a day or two to give them a full chance

Of the two I do prefer the more saturate one. Can you remind me how the clarity was graded?

 

[T L]

Date: 6/3/2009 11:00:30 PM
Author: sleepyspinel
The colors look nice to me...

As I may have mentioned in previous posts, each stone has an optimal lighting environment. I feel that these tend to do really well on overcast days. Also in dim lighting environments, they do appear to catch light much better than purely crystalline stones. I remember when I first got mine, they took a bit of time to figure out which lights looked best, ie I needed a day or so to truly appreciate their unique qualities. Have you tried taking pics with flash? I am curious how they respond to that...

I do hope you are able to bring them around with you for a day or two to give them a full chance

Of the two I do prefer the more saturate one. Can you remind me how the clarity was graded?

Hi SS,
I am glad you chimed in on this. I did bring them out on an overcast day, and I wasn''t crazy about them. They seem to perform much better under hallogens or incandescent lighting, and even then, the color just isn''t vivid enough for me. I am spoiled by my cuprians I think. I want everything to be as vivid as those. LOL!! They look fantastic no matter what the lighting.

As for my rubellites, I like the color on those better as well in regards to a red color family stone is concerned. The orange spinel looks fab in incandescents, but it looks very cloudy and boring in other lighting. If the orange spinel looked as vivid as it did in incandescents in other lighting, I would keep it. I like my stones to look nice in all lighting, even if there''s a color shift. Is that asking too much? Should I just forget about collecting spinels in general?

 

[T L]

Date: 6/3/2009 11:00:30 PM
Author: sleepyspinel
The colors look nice to me...

As I may have mentioned in previous posts, each stone has an optimal lighting environment. I feel that these tend to do really well on overcast days. Also in dim lighting environments, they do appear to catch light much better than purely crystalline stones. I remember when I first got mine, they took a bit of time to figure out which lights looked best, ie I needed a day or so to truly appreciate their unique qualities. Have you tried taking pics with flash? I am curious how they respond to that...

I do hope you are able to bring them around with you for a day or two to give them a full chance

Of the two I do prefer the more saturate one. Can you remind me how the clarity was graded?

Moderately included I believe

 

[chrono]

TL,
I think for what you are looking for, you may have to get something pricier.

 

[cellentani]

Date: 6/3/2009 9:56:14 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 6/3/2009 9:53:43 PM
Author: cellentani
Maybe you should return the spinels and use the $$ to buy Mr. Kast some nice rough. I just sent him a big ugly stone to recut for me.

LOL!! How much does he charge for recutting anyways?

He said he was giving me a great deal because I was a good customer - let''s just say it''s less than your 1ct rubellite from him. I have no doubt the bigger-name cutters would charge a lot more.

 

[sleepyspinel]

It very well might be difficult to compete with the copper bearing tourmalines. I do hope that you were able to see something similar to at least some of the pictures I posted of mine... or similar to CMW''s stone.

As for the clarity, perhaps its the MI that is also causing some disatisfaction. Mine are in the eye-clean to slightly included border and perhaps the pink orange stone has too much. The other stone''s window isnt all that wonderful either. I must also say that ovals, esp non precision cuts, can be underwhelming and I feel that may also be a contributor to the lackluster performance you are experiencing with these specific stone...