Pretzel
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2013
- Messages
- 62
I purchased some tanzanites from a vendor in South Africa, for potential use in a ring. I wanted to compare the pale purple to my light purple spinel.
The vendor also had a zircon and a spinel in vibrant blues for a reasonable price so I decided to gamble on them, to better evaluate the vendor and the relatively new lab they used.
My new stash, plus my pale purple spinel:
I am disappointed by the blue spinel but not surprised, as I expected it would be darker and less vivid than the vendor and the lab described and photographed. In the warm low light of my lounge, the spinel doesn't look green but does look grey. We were impressed with how sparkly it was despite being so dark. I am curious to see it in daylight.
The zircon is gorgeous. Even DH likes it! I expected some extinction based on the photograph. The colour is fantastic though, like a vivid teal, even in the warm low light of the lounge. I can't wait to see it in the daylight, as well as to try to find the inclusions. It is such a fab sparkly sea of blue and a great size too for a ridiculously good price.
The tanzanites were more bluish than my spinel, even in the warm low lights of my lounge. I won't use them with the spinel, but I do like their periwinkle colour.
Pictures to follow!

The vendor also had a zircon and a spinel in vibrant blues for a reasonable price so I decided to gamble on them, to better evaluate the vendor and the relatively new lab they used.
My new stash, plus my pale purple spinel:
I am disappointed by the blue spinel but not surprised, as I expected it would be darker and less vivid than the vendor and the lab described and photographed. In the warm low light of my lounge, the spinel doesn't look green but does look grey. We were impressed with how sparkly it was despite being so dark. I am curious to see it in daylight.
The zircon is gorgeous. Even DH likes it! I expected some extinction based on the photograph. The colour is fantastic though, like a vivid teal, even in the warm low light of the lounge. I can't wait to see it in the daylight, as well as to try to find the inclusions. It is such a fab sparkly sea of blue and a great size too for a ridiculously good price.
The tanzanites were more bluish than my spinel, even in the warm low lights of my lounge. I won't use them with the spinel, but I do like their periwinkle colour.
Pictures to follow!
