My lost spinels and Kyanites!

[RockHugger]

All these spinel and kyanite posts made me dig out my spinels and kyanites. I lost these for a little while and found them in a shoe box.

My spinels are .5ct each, and are a purple color. I have 2 deeper purples, and 2 lighter purples. Sadly, my 1 light purple has a chip in the girdle from the gemologist dropping it on his table....I am still bitter about it. Purchased at a gem show.

The Kyanites are both a nice deep blue. THESE were actually purchased as tanzanites (my first tanzanite purchase) and come to find out they were kyanites. I got a refund from the dealer, and was told to keep the kyanites as an 'im sorry'. I used to use these as a referance. They are 1.2cts each.

Oh and I am proud to announce my first mounted ring. It is tanzanite and diamond white gold ring mounted with my tanzanite. I made it for my mother for x mas. Pics will be posted tomarrow!
Kyanite

 

[RockHugger]

My spinels! Sorry for the messy picture, but they would either super reflect or be blurry. So this one is the best I could get!

 

[Stone Hunter]

Very nice!! Thank you for posting more photos of your large collection. Pretty stones.

Congrats! on parting with one of your stones and having it set.

 

[T L]

Date: 12/1/2009 10:43:40 PM
Author:Tropicgal10
All these spinel and kyanite posts made me dig out my spinels and kyanites. I lost these for a little while and found them in a shoe box.

My spinels are .5ct each, and are a purple color. I have 2 deeper purples, and 2 lighter purples. Sadly, my 1 light purple has a chip in the girdle from the gemologist dropping it on his table....I am still bitter about it. Purchased at a gem show.

The Kyanites are both a nice deep blue. THESE were actually purchased as tanzanites (my first tanzanite purchase) and come to find out they were kyanites. I got a refund from the dealer, and was told to keep the kyanites as an ''im sorry''. I used to use these as a referance. They are 1.2cts each.

Oh and I am proud to announce my first mounted ring. It is tanzanite and diamond white gold ring mounted with my tanzanite. I made it for my mother for x mas. Pics will be posted tomarrow!
Kyanite

Tropicgal,
Wow, I had no idea that sellers were trying to pass off kyanite as tanzanite. I thought it was iolite, a synthetic sapphire, or glass, but I guess any lower priced blue stone is game. Thanks for sharing that information. Regardless, they appear to be a nice blue. Thank you for your pictures. Your tanzanites are nice as well.

 

[RockHugger]

The little ones arnt tanzanite, they are spinels. But thank you for the compliment :0D.

Yeah, well to the educated buyer they would look like kyanite....but when I bought these I had no idea someone would even try and scam you. This was way before I even worked at the jewelry store.

As for my setting, it took ALOT for me to part with my tanzanite...but I did it. It is my largest 1.2ct deep blue tanzie. Took a few deep breaths in a paper bag LOL. She has an old Y gold wedding ring with a severely chipped (and lower quality/highly windowed) tanzanite in it. I am replacing it with mine and Rhodium dipping the whole ring. It should look amazing when it is done.

 

[ma re]

Ah kyanites, when someone asks what color should the finest sapphires be, you just show them kyanites... Lovely!

 

[Lovinggems]

Lovely colour!

 

[Largosmom]

What a great present!

 

[chrono]

Awesome colour on the kyanites; they look like high quality blue sapphires.

 

[RockHugger]

Thanks! And they are both IF stones. So although he sold me ''fake tanzanites'' I got some pretty great quality kyanites for free.

 

[Liane]

Wow, I envy your collection.

I''ve been thinking about picking up a kyanite or two because I love the color and it''s an inexpensive stone (though not easy to find), but I''m not sure it''s a good candidate for any kind of jewelry, even pendants or earrings. I''ve heard it''s both brittle and soft, and am wondering if it''s worth the trouble. Does anyone have firsthand experience with it in jewelry or more information?

 

[chrono]

I’ve been looking for a kyanite cabochon because I think those might hold up better as set jewellery.

 

[RockHugger]

Really? I didnt think it was brittle. I have dropped the oval on my tile floor from hand height, and it didnt chip. Maybe i was lucky LOL.

 

[Liane]

From what I''ve read, kyanite has perfect cleavage in one direction so it breaks very easily along those lines, and its Mohs hardness is as low as 4.5 on that axis, which makes me go

But I''ve never owned any, and it''s entirely possible that I''m being more paranoid than warranted, which is why I ask.

 

[chrono]

Date: 12/2/2009 2:31:37 PM
Author: Liane
From what I''ve read, kyanite has perfect cleavage in one direction so it breaks very easily along those lines, and its Mohs hardness is as low as 4.5 on that axis, which makes me go

But I''ve never owned any, and it''s entirely possible that I''m being more paranoid than warranted, which is why I ask.

I read that too.

 

[Catmom]

Very pretty! I can''t wait to see your ring.

 

[T L]

Date: 12/2/2009 11:09:00 AM
Author: Chrono
I’ve been looking for a kyanite cabochon because I think those might hold up better as set jewellery.

Chrono,
I believe kyanite is very soft alone one axis, like a Moh's 4, and hard along the other plane. You still have to be very careful with them in jewelry.

Tropicgal, you were lucky you didn't chip your kyanite.

ETA: Just saw Liane's response and she said basically something similar to what I just said, sorry to repeat.