New Spess!

[Magenta]

So, I got my new spess garnet (a week after I bought it - wow!), today.

It''s certainly interesting - the picture is similar to the stone colour, but I don''t see pieces of yellow in it. It''s also a bit darker, and a less of it reflects light at any one time than the picture.

Pictures to follow:

 

[Magenta]

Specs:

STONE: Spessartite Garnet
WEIGHT: 2.31 Cts.
CUT: Fancy Cut Cornered Octagon
DIMENSIONS: 7.72 mm
ORIGIN: Nigeria
COLOR: Brighter Medium Orange
CLARITY: Very Good (Generally Eye Clean)

COMMENTS: A very nice spessartite with a brighter medium orange "mandarin" color. This stone is a bit on the shallow side, so it''s a little more brilliant around the edges than in the middle. There are also a few very tiny bubbles in it, but they are hard to spot without magnification.

Vendor picture

 

[Magenta]

Apologies in advance for the fingerprints. The top two are with flash, and the bottom one is without it.

They're rather blurry, but they do give an indication of how much of the stone tends to get coloured, normally. I don't have outside shots, but they were more orange and sparkly, most of the time.

Not sure what to think yet. I was expecting to see multiple colours in it (bits of red, orange, yellow), but only really see the bright orange, and the darker orange. What do you guys think?

 

[babysteps]

I think it can be hard to assess the true color of your stone without examining it in various lights - indoor, outdoor, florescent, etc. - you might see more of a color variation and light play under direct light, but regardless if you''re not happy with the cut/color I would consider returning it and continuing the hunt for a spess. The spessartite photos from other PSer''s are frequently ''see it across the room'' bright and sparkling, to me that is what makes them so luscious. good luck!

 

[chrono]

Take your time to "study" the stone under various lights. Most spessartites do best outdoors in indirect sunlight. By the same token, I am not fond of spessartites that turns muddy under indoor conditions. Don''t feel bad about returning the stone if it doesn''t speak to you.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Do you like the cut? Or does it alter the color around the edges too much for you?

 

[Magenta]

I like the cut - it's actually hard to tell it's an octagon, unless you look closely. It's fascinating to see all the facets, in such detail!

It appears that my home lights are rather unforgiving - it looks gorgeous outside, or in halogen spotlights. I'm seeing a lot more light variation, but very little in the area of colour change (ie, getting yellow and orange). Dan says this is normal, and I'm OK with that.

It actually lights up very well when it's not in direct light, and is rather eye catching. I like the edges - gives a lovely ring of colour. The middle part is the part I was hoping would be better (in low light). But it's certainly growing on me, and I think I will keep it.

Interestingly, my phone camera does a much better job than the normal camera - although I still can't capture the gorgeous colour of the sparkly orange - it goes more yellow under the flash.

The boyfriend likes it, but wonders if it's too big!

It'll certainly be a simple ,four-prong setting for this one, though.

However, here is the best i've been able to come up with: (and is there any way to stop it zooming in? That 100kb limit makes things difficult!)

 

[Magenta]

Lets try again. Gimp''d version, which shows close to the correct colour of the stone (but not my fingers):

 

[princessplease]

Wow, it''s so pretty!!!!

 

[karee888]

so pretty!!!!

 

[D&T]

oh what a beautiful gem, Reminds me of a camp fire for some reason... and ahhhh I love campfires...

 

[chrono]

Date: 5/12/2009 11:36:46 PM
Author: Magenta
I like the cut - it''s actually hard to tell it''s an octagon, unless you look closely. It''s fascinating to see all the facets, in such detail!

It appears that my home lights are rather unforgiving - it looks gorgeous outside, or in halogen spotlights. I''m seeing a lot more light variation, but very little in the area of colour change (ie, getting yellow and orange). Dan says this is normal, and I''m OK with that.

It actually lights up very well when it''s not in direct light, and is rather eye catching. I like the edges - gives a lovely ring of colour. The middle part is the part I was hoping would be better (in low light). But it''s certainly growing on me, and I think I will keep it.

Interestingly, my phone camera does a much better job than the normal camera - although I still can''t capture the gorgeous colour of the sparkly orange - it goes more yellow under the flash.

The boyfriend likes it, but wonders if it''s too big!

It''ll certainly be a simple ,four-prong setting for this one, though.

However, here is the best i''ve been able to come up with: (and is there any way to stop it zooming in? That 100kb limit makes things difficult!)

The center does look devoid of life in your pictures.

 

[marcy]

Very pretty.

 

[icekid]

Date: 5/13/2009 3:15:58 PM
Author: Chrono

Date: 5/12/2009 11:36:46 PM

Author: Magenta

I like the cut - it''s actually hard to tell it''s an octagon, unless you look closely. It''s fascinating to see all the facets, in such detail!


It appears that my home lights are rather unforgiving - it looks gorgeous outside, or in halogen spotlights. I''m seeing a lot more light variation, but very little in the area of colour change (ie, getting yellow and orange). Dan says this is normal, and I''m OK with that.


It actually lights up very well when it''s not in direct light, and is rather eye catching. I like the edges - gives a lovely ring of colour. The middle part is the part I was hoping would be better (in low light). But it''s certainly growing on me, and I think I will keep it.


Interestingly, my phone camera does a much better job than the normal camera - although I still can''t capture the gorgeous colour of the sparkly orange - it goes more yellow under the flash.


The boyfriend likes it, but wonders if it''s too big!

It''ll certainly be a simple ,four-prong setting for this one, though.


However, here is the best i''ve been able to come up with: (and is there any way to stop it zooming in? That 100kb limit makes things difficult!)

The center does look devoid of life in your pictures.

Yeah, I noticed that too. The color it does have seems pretty though!

 

[Magenta]

Date: 5/13/2009 7:36:11 PM
Author: icekid

Date: 5/13/2009 3:15:58 PM

Author: Chrono

The center does look devoid of life in your pictures.

Yeah, I noticed that too. The color it does have seems pretty though!

Exactly. It's the lighting - but it is happening in most lighting situations.

The colour is stunning with the bits that do shine, but, the center really is a disappointment. It's very rare for all of it to light up at once - only at very few angles. Halogen spotlights are the best for it, but there are relatively few of them in my surroundings.

I don't know. I like it, then I wonder why I haven't returned it yet, then I kinda like it again. The trouble is, it's going to cost a fair amount to return, and have lots of hassle, as I'll have to pay shipping costs back ($12 or $27 USD, depending on the type - or whatever the australian equivalent is), and then probably have the 10% restocking fee. So it's a fair amount of dead money if I do decide to return it. I don't know what to do.

I do like Stone Hunter's spess, and those sorts of colours. But I don't know if it's worth returning it, and taking another gamble, with either Dan or Barry or someone else, and hoping for a stone that speaks to me more.

Thoughts?

 

[T L]

Date: 5/14/2009 1:37:07 AM
Author: Magenta

Date: 5/13/2009 7:36:11 PM
Author: icekid

Date: 5/13/2009 3:15:58 PM

Author: Chrono

The center does look devoid of life in your pictures.

Yeah, I noticed that too. The color it does have seems pretty though!

Exactly. It''s the lighting - but it is happening in most lighting situations.

The colour is stunning with the bits that do shine, but, the center really is a disappointment. It''s very rare for all of it to light up at once - only at very few angles. Halogen spotlights are the best for it, but there are relatively few of them in my surroundings.

I don''t know. I like it, then I wonder why I haven''t returned it yet, then I kinda like it again. The trouble is, it''s going to cost a fair amount to return, and have lots of hassle, as I''ll have to pay shipping costs back ($12 or $27 USD, depending on the type - or whatever the australian equivalent is), and then probably have the 10% restocking fee. So it''s a fair amount of dead money if I do decide to return it. I don''t know what to do.

I do like Stone Hunter''s spess, and those sorts of colours. But I don''t know if it''s worth returning it, and taking another gamble, with either Dan or Barry or someone else, and hoping for a stone that speaks to me more.

Thoughts?

I would return it. I''m actually really sad to see so many people keep stones that do not make them 100% happy.

Did Dan just enact a 10% restocking fee? I only ever bought one stone from him. I returned it the next day, and I received a full refund.

 

[chrono]

I agree that the sparkles at the edges are pretty but that’s a good sized lifeless center. If not for your shipping consideration (overseas), I would say to return the stone. It comes down to how much you love the stone. If you think you will be bothered by it every time you wear it and look at it, I would return it. I would not keep a stone if I have to work very hard to make it “shine”. If you think you can live with it, then keep it and enjoy it.

As for the restocking fee, I think there was some discussion here in the past. Dan will waive the fee if he deems that the buyer isn''t constantly returning items. It is there as a deterent of sorts for those who like to buy and return stones. Write him an email explaining your dilemma and ask him if he will waive the 10% restocking fee. It never hurts to ask.

 

[Magenta]

Date: 5/14/2009 8:47:10 AM
Author: ChronoIt comes down to how much you love the stone. If you think you will be bothered by it every time you wear it and look at it, I would return it. I would not keep a stone if I have to work very hard to make it “shine”. If you think you can live with it, then keep it and enjoy it.

I suspect that I will be bothered by it each time - or at least, every time I wear it that I''m not in halogen lighting.

I''ve emailed Dan, and will see what he says... It''s a lovely coloured stone, and it really should go to someone who will love it! Will find out information on international postage tomorrow.

I managed to get a shot of it all sparkly (the middle). The camera shows there''s orange and yellow in it, but I only see orange here. The main colour, is of course, still off - I did not gimp these images.

 

[icekid]

Depending on how much you would lose on shipping/restocking, I would return too. Life is too short to keep stones you don''t LOVE

 

[Pandora II]

As with most coloured gemstones, they won't all look great in all types of lighting.

I've definitely found that daylight and halogens are best for my garnets - non-direct sunlight can be fab for some, but normal indoor lighting can completely kill even some of my best stones, and garnets and low lighting aren't ideal partners. I'm about to put new lighting in our house and my husband thinks it very amusing that one of the criteria is that they have to make my bling look good!

The shallow cut that Dan spoke about in the bumph on the stone is what is giving the problem with the light return in the centre of that particular spess.

Other than my mali and my royal rhodolite, I haven't seen any of my other garnets throw off different coloured light - or at least not in the way you will get with a diamond. My tsavorite has neon green sparkles against a darker green body colour, my spess have mainly bright fanta orange sparkles, and the normal rhodolites have raspberry red.

I'd describe it more as very bright intense spots of the main body colour and white sparkles from light reflecting off the facets - it's not like the fire you get with other types of stone.

The mali has more of a diamond like sparkle and throws of oranges, greens and yellows, but it has a good whack of andradite in it's make-up which gives it the RI to have this effect.

 

[T L]

Date: 5/14/2009 12:15:20 PM
Author: Pandora II
As with most coloured gemstones, they won''t all look great in all types of lighting.

Oh, but the gemstones that do!

Pandora,
Nice write up by the way.

Magenta,
Good luck, and I hope you can find a stone that truly makes your heart sing.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Oh I''m sorry you don''t like it. The color looks good. Maybe the stone just isn''t the right on for you. In your photos it does look very different in the center.

Thanks for the compliment on my stone. Barry at ACStones cut it.

 

[Magenta]

So, it keeps staring up at me, begging me not to return it. Parts of the stone sparkle, and they look very pretty. I''m getting more used to only parts of it sparkling, and thus, enjoying it more. The sparkles move when I move it or my head. My home lights seem to have become more forgiving - or maybe that''s because my expectations have been dropped

Perhaps I''ll keep it to admire - but not to use as an e-ring, maybe not to even set it at all. Or have two e-rings (the other being a blue with flashes of teal sapphire). I''m not sure yet.

It''s probably not worth the loss of at least 20% to return it - it''s too pretty, and the cut is too nice for that.

I''m waiting to get my other stones in, and will decide after that. Apart from that, I just need to solve the problem of not enough ring fingers!

 

[movie zombie]

what you are describing about the sparkle peaking out behind darkness: over saturation or extinction due to cut.......

high quality....and usually very very pricey spess.....does not have to peak out from the dark: it looks more like a bright sun or a volcano explosion.

however, it doesn''t mean your stone is not to be appreciated....especially since its talking to you! if you didn''t spend thousands on it, then keep it. it sounds like your assessment that it is not e-ring material is spot on.

mz

ps your stone is better than one i saw offered for $2500: it was large but had a window one could walk through and the color wasn''t as good as orange glass.

 

[T L]

Date: 5/17/2009 12:39:17 PM
Author: movie zombie
what you are describing about the sparkle peaking out behind darkness: over saturation or extinction due to cut.......

high quality....and usually very very pricey spess.....does not have to peak out from the dark: it looks more like a bright sun or a volcano explosion.

however, it doesn''t mean your stone is not to be appreciated....especially since its talking to you! if you didn''t spend thousands on it, then keep it. it sounds like your assessment that it is not e-ring material is spot on.

mz

ps your stone is better than one i saw offered for $2500: it was large but had a window one could walk through and the color wasn''t as good as orange glass.

Good description MZ!!

 

[cinnamon013]

Well look at it this way. If you don''t return it, and you don''t set it, you lose 100% of your funds as it will just sit in your jewelry box.

 

[icekid]

Date: 5/17/2009 2:43:15 PM
Author: cinnamon013
Well look at it this way. If you don''t return it, and you don''t set it, you lose 100% of your funds as it will just sit in your jewelry box.

I sort of agree- but that is only if you do not enjoy collecting. I don''t plan to set all of my gems; I love taking them out to play. They make me happy

 

[ColorKat]

I love it! I love it! I love it! I absolutely love the mandarin Spess. It is gorgeous! Where did you get it? Are you going to set this one? Enjoy-

 

[movie zombie]

Date: 5/17/2009 3:04:35 PM
Author: icekid

Date: 5/17/2009 2:43:15 PM
Author: cinnamon013
Well look at it this way. If you don''t return it, and you don''t set it, you lose 100% of your funds as it will just sit in your jewelry box.

I sort of agree- but that is only if you do not enjoy collecting. I don''t plan to set all of my gems; I love taking them out to play. They make me happy

ah, simple mind, simple pleasures.....i see i''m not alone!

there''s something about those color stones in their own little boxes that i really enjoy....in a way i would not if they were set.


mz

 

[Magenta]

Date: 5/17/2009 3:04:35 PM
Author: icekid
I sort of agree- but that is only if you do not enjoy collecting. I don''t plan to set all of my gems; I love taking them out to play. They make me happy

That idea sounds great to me! I''m not sure if the boyfriend will agree, though! Movie Zombie and icekid, do you have any suggestions on how to justify such a collection? I''m thinking it''s probably worth collecting at least the stones now, before they get massively expensive, due to the deposits drying up. And they''re pretty!

I certainly didn''t spend thousands on it - it''s still listed on Dan''s site, and I got it for $220 USD + shipping. So it''s not so much a cost thing - it''s just a question of "should I keep it if someone else will enjoy it more than me?"

ColorKat, I got it from customgemstones.com. There are some more spessartite garnets there, but none of the brighter orange. Where are you located? I''m thinking of sending this and a blue & teal sapphire to get set by wink jones (as setting here in Australia is pricey!), but am open to suggestions.